Sheets

[A1A1]

How often do they change the sheets? I remember a few years ago, during a stay at the GF, the sheets weren't changed for a few days of the trip. I know because I suspected, and put a little pen mark on the tag of the pillow case. Crazy, I know. Psycho, I know. I was really disappointed. I figured that I was paying top dollar, and wanted fresh sheets.

(I don't change my sheets every day in my own home, but I also don't pay $300 a night to sleep there.)

Also, we had a crib in the room, and those were not changed the entire trip. (I would have changed those at home daily.) When I called housekeeping, the attendant told me they were not allowed to change the sheets on the crib. "What?" Now that sounded crazy!

Is there now a sheet changing policy that is only at the end of your stay?

[DisneyDazed]

I was in CBR around Christmas time. We were there for 14 days and they changed our sheets about 3 times. Once ,because we asked as I had just recovered from strep and wanted a fresh bed...but the rest of the time they did it on their own. I personally wouldnt care to have them change my sheets everyday because I know if everyone did that, what a waste of water that would be. As for your crib. maybe they dont change those sheets for safety reasons??? In any case I am sure if you ask for fresh sheets they will be more than happy to supply them. They are pretty good about that *S*

[Tiffany]

My understanding is that in an effort to save water they only change the sheets every three days or so. They also change them when someone checks out.

I thought the every three days was an industry thing but I could be mistaken on that. Can anyone else shed any light on this.

I don't care how much I am paying a night for a room it is just a waste of water to change the sheets everyday in every occupied room IMHO.

[cdrn1]

I agree with Tiffany. Big waste of H20 and electricity. I would say that their policy is environmentally sound. I am sure they would change sheets daily if you insisted.
I can't imagine why they would not change crib sheets. Those do become soiled (with drool, and um, other things) and so would require changing. Strange.

[A1A1]

I got to thinking about this more, because I picked up a little something at WDW in December. Had to see a dermatologist when I returned. I had my house treated as well. Dermatologist thought I may have picked up scabies - transmitted from contaminated sheets/towels/personal contact (standing close to people in lines and touching the railings and seats after them). Bug guy thought it could have been bed bugs from the hotel. He told me what to look for when I check into the room next time, but I am so nervous. I went through a lot the last time. DD and I had to be treated, and every item of clothing was bleached. It was awful.

I was wondering how often they actually wash the bedspreads. Do they wash them between guests? I don't think so.

I will definitely be bringing pesticides to spray in the room this time. I can't go through that again.

[SueM in MN]

I thought some information from the US Centers for Disease Control about scabies (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/scabies/factsht_scabies.htm) might be helpful.
You can't get scabies just from being in lines or touching handrails, you need prolonged skin to skin contact (not even just shaking hands or hugging). It is possible to get it from contaminated bedding or towels, but not too likely unless the sheets weren't changed between guests. If you are worried about the bedspreads, you could remove them before laying on the bed.

[Ted and Holly]

They have changed the sheets once a week during our stays at both moderates and the deluxes. I heard a CM tell a guest that they change the bedspreads between each guest!! That is MUCH more than some other hotels do. I know someone who works at a Days Inn and she says they "may wash the bedspreads once a month, but usually only if they're stained or dirty"

[cottontail]

Hey AIA:

What did the bug guy tell you to look for at hotels? I am always checking the sheets when we first check in to make sure that they are fresh.

Deb.

[Gail T AGAIN]

Last yr when I stayed at YC concierge they had a sheet, the blanket and another sheet on top of that. Does anyone know if all deluxe hotels in concierge do that or is that stopped. As far as the bed spreads, I have never, I mean NEVER as much as sat on one no matter what hotel I go to. I make sure I take my can of lysol and this yr I am bringing lyson wipes to clean the knobs in the sink and toliet everyday. I know the mousekeepers clean them but I don't know with what. Ok, I better stop talking about this or I am get even more paranoid then I already am. :)

[musicfan]

Just FYI, SueM in MN, you CAN get scabies from sleeping in a bed of a person who had them, and I know because I DID! My roommate had left on vacation, and my mom came to visit, so I gave her my bed and went to sleep in my roommate's bed. Even though I put my own sheets on the bed, I got scabies, and trust me when I say that is the ONLY way I could have gotten them. There had been no prolonged skin-to-skin contact with anyone else (or even BRIEF skin-to-skin contact!).

It was a nightmare to get rid of, and I totally sympathize with A1A1.

Oh, and let's remember that this is the same CDC that said you couldn't get anthrax just from being around an envelope that had the spores in it -- that you had to open it. Right?

[A1A1]

musicfan, It *is* a nightmare.

And also, if there is a scabie on someone's hand when you shake it, you may receive the critter, whether you know about it or not. These bugs are very difficult to get rid of, and can live off of a host for a while. With the fast turn over in guest rooms, there is very little chance of a room remaining dormant long enough for them to die off a host. Scabies is very easy to contract. In fact, many people have it, and think they have eczema or something else for a long time, until they've spread it to hundreds of others. Walt Disney crowds in the hot weather provide the optimum breeding ground, as these things thrive in crowded conditions. It is not so easy or fun to get rid of.

In terms of the bed bugs, the exterminator said to look around the seams of the mattress itself. He said they live many times in behind the headboards that are affixed to the wall. You would want to lift back the sheets, and look for spots of blood, maybe the size of a pencil eraser. Again, around the piping or the trim of the mattress itself. Blood spots may be noticed on the sheets in the morning.

Does anyone know who to contact to inquire about the bedspreads and how often they are changed?

I will be bringing some pesticide with me this year. We will spray, and leave the room for a few hours.

[CindyLouB]

Wow, am I the only one who never even thought about how often they changed the sheets or bedspreads. I mean, the sheets I can deal with as long as they are fresh when I check into the room (I only change mine at home once a week). But the bedspreads!! I assumed they were changed and fresh when I checked into the room. Now I feel grose! Wish I hadn't read this post, that's all I'll be thinking about come December at AKL....

[A1A1]

CindyLouB,
Just think of how many times you went on vacation without a problem. Don't worry about it. My aunt always tells me "you have to eat a peck of dirt before you die". I'm sure we've all been exposed to many things that we didn't know about, and that didn't hurt us.

That being said, I think it can be important to know about these "germ" issues so we can protect ourselves if we want to. I have had a very ill family member who was hospitalized for two years with four months of that in intensive care. That not only scared the daylights out of me, but made me exponentially more aware and fearful of germs. My life has been ruined by invisible things (germs) that I knew nothing about.
Since my reality has been changed by my family tragedy, I can't go back, and now am compelled to try to escape the germ factor. That is *my* Fear Factor.

Sorry to have upset you. I never thought about this stuff before either.

[CindyLouB]

I'll try not to think about it. Like you said, what we don't know won't hurt us. Sometimes a little too much information is a bad thing. On the other hand, however, there are those that are highly sensitive or have health issues and need to know what they are being exposed to. It has certainly given me something to think about...

[Kermit]

Gail T, I think all of the deluxes wrap the blanket in sheets, concierge or not. We moved from PO-FQ to CR on one trip, and I loved the feeling of the sheet wrapped blanket so much! I always fold the bedspread down since I don't know how clean it is, and it was nice to be able to have a warm blanket close to my face.

[tar heel]

I'm pretty sure that some of the written stuff Disney gives you says the sheets aren't changed every day and also to put towels you want to get rid of it the bathtub. Says it's to conserve water.

I know it has been posted on this board, though, that you CAN request that your sheets be changed each day.

[LisaR]

I know this is a bit off topic but it is sheet related - I think! We go two or three times a year and EVERY time I get these bumps that itch like crazy on the backs of both my knees. They last for weeks after we get home. I have NEVER had this happen at any other time in my life except at Disney. We just got back last week and I am scratching myself raw back there! I am considering bringing my own sheets next time. However, another part of me says it can't be the sheets because why would it only affect the backs of my knees. This has been a mystery to me. Does anyone think it could be the sheets.....or am I just crazy! lol

Lisa

[fortwilderness]

LisaR -

Might be a bleach allergy. I don't even know if Disney uses bleach on the sheets - although I sure hope they do :) - but that could be the reason for the ichy bumps. My fiance has a similar reaction to clothing that has been washed in bleach. He gets ichy bumps on his legs only - not his whole body - so maybe you also have an isolated skin allergy to bleach. Just a thought :)

[ducklite]

Originally posted by SueM in MN
I thought some information from the US Centers for Disease Control about scabies (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/scabies/factsht_scabies.htm) might be helpful.
You can't get scabies just from being in lines or touching handrails, you need prolonged skin to skin contact (not even just shaking hands or hugging). It is possible to get it from contaminated bedding or towels, but not too likely unless the sheets weren't changed between guests. If you are worried about the bedspreads, you could remove them before laying on the bed.

One of the most likely ways to get scabies is through contact with a horse. A horseback ride of ten minutes or so will do it if the horse is infected and you have any kind of abrasion on your skin. I know, it happened to me about 25 years ago. My boyfriend at the time did not get them, btw. So it's not something really easily passed between people, even if you are sharing a bed.

Anne

[A1A1]

LisaR - it could be an allergy to some plant that is in Florida that is not in your area of the country. Or, it could be the Mickey soap (God forbid). It also could be the detergent used on the sheets. In any case this allergy might be manifesting itself with an itchy patch behind your knees. Does it itch anywhere else? Does it itch worse at night? How soon after you return does the itching stop?


Does anyone know how to reach central housekeeping for questions on bleach use and frequency of bedspread change?

Human scabies are different from animal mange, from what my dermatologist and veterinarian tell me. An animal can keep giving you mange mites, which can lay eggs under the skin of a human, but they cannot survive on humans more than three weeks. Human scabies mites love the human. There seems to be a great deal of misinformation on mites and scabies.

[DVC Daisy]

OK, since we are on the subject of sheets anyway - does anyone know what size King Bed the beds are in the Deluxe resorts? King or Cal King? Specifically for Boardwalk. I am thinking of just bringing my own sheets for our next trip - I hate how the bottom sheet is always pulled out since it is not a fitted sheet! This would help solve the *clean* issue too.

Does anyone know?

Thanks,

Deb:smooth:

[Eeyore1954]

DVC Daisy: Thank you! I thought I was the only person who stayed at a Disney resort that was driven bonkers by the unfitted bottom sheet. My DW and I usually request a king bed, but when we stayed at CSR, we got 2 queens. Still no fitted bottom sheet. Every night I have to get up and re-tuck the bottom sheet. Maybe I'm a little goofy about bedding -- I can't stand when the sheets come loose or the bottom sheet is undone.

Phew! Sorry for the rant ... we just returned from WL (May 14 - 21) and this was the one (and only one) unmagical part of the vacation. :p

[Trekker]

Another vote against unfitted bottom sheets!

[DVC Daisy]

OK - so it is not just me! Fitted Sheets Fans Unite!

I think I will call the BWV to see about the sheet sizes. We stay in the 1 Bedroom so washing them will not be a problem, and we have to make our own beds anyway. I too, get up during the night to fix the sheets. :( Dirves me nuts when they are all pulled out.

Deb

[pReTtYpRiNcEsS]

i know now THIS is kinda off the subject.. lol but my mom has friends who are flightattendants and when they are staying at a hotel they NEVER touch like anything! They bring slippers and don't walk around in bare feet, douse everything w/ lysol, bring their own pillows, etc! My mom won't even tell me some of the gross facts she has heard from them, she doesn't want to gross me out! You would think w/ having to stay at so many hotels you would get used to it, but i guess its just the opposite w/ them! hehe i just think its funny how my mom cringes ne time we get into the hotel and kick off our shoes and socks, or touch the phone.. well touch nething for that matter! lol

[SeaSpray]

LisaR;

I know exactly what you are talking about, the itch and rash on the backs of your legs!

It's NOT from the sheets at WDW, its from the chemicals they use to spray down the streets and sidewalks and walkways INSIDE the parks. Many people get this, including those who stay offsite. I know there used to be threads about this, explaining exactly what it is, when I first started reading these message boards. I'll try and do a search and see what I find!

Here are two threads that discuss this topic. They all feel it's from the sun, I have heard its from the sun and/or the chemicals they use to spray down the streets at night to sanitize for the next day. Hope the tips help! :)

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=44641&highlight=disney+rash

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=74118&highlight=disney+rash

[Desnik]

I am another one who gets annoyed with the unfitted sheets!! Hearing all this makes me really grossed out!! I have a family member who has been going to WDW for years, always stays at th CR and always brings her own sheets, pillows, etc. We always thought she was nuts, but now I'm starting to think she was/is smart! We were just at the BWI a couple of weeks ago and our DD had her face painted, needless to say, that night the face paint got on her pillow and on the sheets. On another day during this stay, we had gotten Henna tatoos and when it starts to peel it got all over our sheets. On both occasions the sheets were not changed.(they did change the pillow case with paint on it) DH thought they changed them every day, I thought at least every other day. We were both wrong. During our 7 night stay, they were changed once. The other queen bed in the room was being used by my mom and sister and that was changed twice because we spilled soda and had to call housekeeping. By the way this happened at 12am and they came to the room within minutes, changed all the sheets on that bed and pillow cases and "turned down" the bed for us(like they do at the GF) We were so impressed! Also on this trip we received towels that had coffee stains on them. Well we are assuming they were coffee stains because they still smelled like Coffee!!!!

[A1A1]

Yuck about the coffee....Tells me they either don't use bleach like we hope they do, or they don't use enough soap to thoroughly wash the laundry. Only makes you wonder what's lingering on the sheets.

I'm the one who started the thread, and now *I'm* grossed out!

[LisaR]

Seaspray,
Thank you so much for the links. I am glad that others have had this rash. I thought it was just me and I was going a little crazy! lol


We always stay in a 2 bedroom because we are DVC members. We have a washer and dryer in the room. I always wash the towels when we first get in the room. I say that I do it because I have a four year old who is VERY sensitive to detergents. He gets hives all over his body. While that is the truth, I think it is just an excuse! I feel much better knowing those towels have been washed by me!

Lisa

[Steffi]

I'm so glad that I'm not the only one who gets obsessive about hotel rooms! My husband thinks it's completely crazy for me to bring linens & pillows & Lysol spray & wipes on vacation, but I always do. Now I need to add pesticide to my list...

[Dis-knee]

I always bring and use Lysol on each trip. My family is used to it now. I spray every touchable surface(door nobs, drawr nobs, light switches, bathroom surfaces, phone, even remote is sprayed lightly). No I'm not obcessed! Ever since I started spraying, no one gets sick on our trips. Hope I havn't jinxed myself now! hehehe Now, back to the original subject....If you all are bringing and using pesticides to spray in the room, what are you using that is safe to use on bedding? Do you worry about using pesticide where you will be having skin contact? Any answers are appreciated!!

[Steffi]

Dis-knee...I hadn't thought so far ahead as to what pesticide to use! I'm guessing that the aerosol lice spray for bedding & furniture will work. I really hate to use the stuff, though...I'm not too sure of how safe it is. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

[A1A1]

The lice spray is a good idea. I also have something that I purchased from the vet that will kill these mite-type critters. I would not spray the sheets directly. Not a good idea. I will be spraying behind the headboard, under the cushions of the sofa/daybed, and along the baseboards. and if there is evidence of bed bugs, I will switch rooms!!!!![B] Just in case, though, I will spray the mattress itself under the sheets. I will let it dry thoroughly before returning to the room and putting the sheets back down. Four hours should be sufficient. That is the length of time we had to vacate the house when it was fogged.

I will lysol as well the areas others indicated above. I will fold up the bedspread and put it in the closet for the entirety of the vacation.

I am not convinced I will bring a set of sheets with me, but zippered pillow covers should do.

[Poohbear123]

:eek: :eek: Thanks everyone.....now I WILL be bringing Spray, my own FITTED sheets, and Pillows on my next trip in......22 days!:eek: (I need to stop reading these threads...:rolleyes: ).

[Bob NC]

One thing I noticed and remarked on during our last visit to CR.....Every morning we saw the tractor trailer truck picking up the bins of dirty laundry and I could not believe the number of bedspreads they were washing every day. Bins upon bins of nothing but bedspreads, (in addition to the sheets and towels), along with bins of the cylindrical <sp> shaped pillows they have on the daybeds.

[Dallas_Lady]

It is good to hear about how often they wash/change the bed spreads. I personally am ok with the fact that they don't change the sheets daily. This saves water, which is important. I dont change my sheets at home daily. As long as the sheets are changed between guests, I am happy :) And it is good to know that Disney changes the bedspreads between guests. I know that most hotels don't.