Flu bug going around at Disney?

[DisneyDetective]

It's in Scotland too!

[Julma]

Son just called from Northeastern University in Boston saying he has a fever, throwing up, aches all over and is congested. Sounds like some sort of virus, hopefully not the flu. He had a flu shot end of August, but I know that is not fool proof. I have the opposite problem...leaving a sick kid to go to Disney as I am leaving Friday. Even though he is in college and able to take care of himself...everyone wants their mommy when they are sick and mothers never stop worrying.

[brookmey]

I also think it's the time of year. We were at Disney last year the last week of September and for the first time ever, everyone in our group got a stomach virus. No one was sick for very long and it started hitting us on our last day there. Both my kids got sick in the car on the drive home.

At this time last year, there were a few threads about a stomach virus going around WDW, so it's got to be the time of year.

[KigerKat]

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes, and I hope that all of you that have been recently and feel sick get better soon, too.

We got back home yesterday, and DH is doing much better. The ER we went to gave him some anti-nausea medication that seems to be doing the trick. Now we just need to wait for the other end to clear up!

I guess this thread can just be a PSA for those about to visit to remind them of the importance of hand washing. You can NEVER wash your hands too many times!!

[mistyinlex]

We have been back 4 days and I am extremely ill. While we were there I spoke with another mom who said everyone in her family but her had been sick while there. We go every year and this is the first time someone in my family has gotten sick while there. I think it is impossible to keep germs at bay with such a large number of people coming through.

The funny thing is, every time I was holding on to hand rails and such I thought," I shouldn't touch that, it is probably covered in germs." I wish now I had listened to that inner voiceeek:

[Gorechick]

I got sick our first night with stomach issues, I think from dinner. Then me and the kids got head colds and minor cough at the tail end of our trip and once we were home. Colds did not last long though.

[Satchmo128]

I'm sorry your DH is sick, but I hope he is on the mend in no time!

Each of our past three WDW trips (we usually stay for 8-9 days) has had either DH or I (or both of us, ew..... ) sick with a stomach bug at some point during our trip.

Most recently, when we were there last November, I was the gal who had the joy of tossing her cookies in the middle of the Mexico Pavilion in Epcot. (My apologies if anyone was there to witness this VERY embarrassing event)

Lots of germs + run down immune system + exhausting/dehydration + eating different foods = stomach bugs

We are going to try to remember Emergen-C on our next trip (which we drink every day at home).

[hokie98]

I think it's the time of the year. 1/3 of DD's classmates have been sick this week. She is on the couch now with a fever. Flu, strep, and other nasty germs (she tested neg for flu & strep, so she has the "other") are running rampant here in AL. So I can imagine WDW is crawling with germs. Hopefully our immunity will be strong by the time we arrive in a couple of weeks!

[LuckyGirl777]

We just got back from WDW and my DH and I are sick with the flu (regular flu not stomach).

Somehow our kids seem ok (knock wood)

It was my first trip there, and my last. Even though we had fun until we got sick, I will never go back there. This flu has just ruined WDW in my eyes. There are just too many people, it's too crowded, too many people touching the same things. The chance of contracting something is just too high IMO.

[Peace Mickey Lovers]

I hope everyone feels better. planning on bringing lots of antibacterial wipes, purel and wiping hotels room down. Pray for a good trip and leave the rest to fate.

[disneygal55]

Originally Posted by LuckyGirl777

We just got back from WDW and my DH and I are sick with the flu (regular flu not stomach).

Somehow our kids seem ok (knock wood)

It was my first trip there, and my last. Even though we had fun until we got sick, I will never go back there. This flu has just ruined WDW in my eyes. There are just too many people, it's too crowded, too many people touching the same things. The chance of contracting something is just too high IMO.

I am so sorry that you feel this way. My DH and I started coming to WDW 26 years ago (on our honeymoon) and have visited at least yearly if not twice a year since then. We have brought our children...who are now adults...nearly every time. In all those visits we have caught a couple of colds and once my older son did get some kind of stomach thing. But we have also come down with illnesses back home too. The malls, schools, even doctor's ofices can make you sick. I don't know if it helps but for the last couple of years, I use lysol wipes in the resort rooms and clean off the TV remote, phone (and the phone buttons), door knobs, light switches etc. My DH thinks I'm crazy but it makes me feel better. We also try to wash our hands a lot. Don't give up on WDW! It's given my family more happy memories than we could have imagined and we will keep going back again and again.

[disneygal55]

I forgot to say that my DH and I just got back from WDW last week and neither of us is sick.

[Michaelasmommy]

We ended our last two Disney trips with stomach bugs. It hit my son in the middle of Epcot two years ago. He vomited in almost every country as we tried to make our way out of the park. This past summer, I felt ill in the Magic Kingdom and vomited on the bus on the way back to our hotel. We have another trip scheduled in January and I am just praying that we stay healthy for the entire trip.

[tiki23]

We were at WDW 9/24-10/1. I came down with a nasty sore throat, head and chest thing on the 4th day of the trip, and wasn't sure if I was going to be up to running the 5K on the 29, but I made it.

On the 5th night, DH came down with a severe 24-hour gastro thing; took him a couple of days to feel better.

Thankfully we didn't infect each other!

[pfalcioni]

It was my first trip there, and my last. Even though we had fun until we got sick, I will never go back there. This flu has just ruined WDW in my eyes. There are just too many people, it's too crowded, too many people touching the same things. The chance of contracting something is just too high IMO.

If you are from a very small community, homeschool your kids, and your and/or your husband works at a home or in a small business with no customer contact, I can see this being a valid reason to not vacation at places where people congregate.

But do you go to church? How about sporting events? Concerts? Shopping at the mall? Visit the zoo? Local public pool?

All of these will put you in contact with a large amount of people in a small area.

I agree that being sick on vacation sucks, but it's a possibility wherever you go. I had a migraine on our most recent vacation (not Disney, motorcycling through New Mexico) - left me stuck in a dark hotel room for 2 days. Sure messed with our touring plan, but that's life. Stuff happens.