Flu bug going around at Disney?

[pbrim]

I've finally come to the conclusion that WDW is probably one of the most germ-infested places on the planet. I mean, when you think about it, who wants to ruin their time at WDW by canceling due to sickness, or even spending a few days in their hotel room because they don't feel well.

It isn't just WDW. I go to a lot of Science Fiction Conventions and getting sick afterwards is so common most people expect to come down with "Con Crud", even though we don't have germy guard rails or ride cars. It's just a consequence of overstressed bodies, irregular habits, and lots of people in close quarters.

If you think about it, your immune system is probably stressed to begin with due to pushing your body to its physical limits with the addtional walking, lack of sleep, irregular meals (mostly fast-food type), lots of excitement (excitement and adreniline from thrill rides take their toll on your body too) etc. Then add in that you are cheek-to-jowl in lines and crowds with tons of people from all over the world, each carrying a normal complement of bacteria and viruses that they may have a tolerance for but you don't. So it's not at all unexpected to get sick when you get home.

There's not a lot you can do. You can spend a lot of time trying to de-germify your environment, but actually studies show that can lead stronger germs and a weaker immune system. Besides a lot of this stuff is air borne as well. You take reasonable precautions, you try to take care of your body (without losing too much park time), and if you get sick after, you just have to deal with it as part of the price of the parks.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I'm pretty sure threads like this are posted every year around this time. I remember being paranoid about the supposed bug that was going around last year, and we had no issues. It's just par for the course, IMO. It's a big place with lots of visitors and germs are going to be there.

 

[HPotter]

I heard that Ebola was actually first discovered in the nasty Splash Mountain water...

 

[RMulieri]

It is the time of year..We have a MAJOR stomach virus here in PA , and my DD just had pneumonia .It happens everywhere not just Disney.Practice good hand hygiene ( preferably soap and water ) ,cover you mouth when you cough/sneeze and try to avoid touching your face.Get plenty of rest and good food, drink plenty of water.I also wanted to say as an oncology RN, alot of my patients wouldn't just have trips ruined if they pick up a bug at disney, many of them end up hospitalized and can die from it.So be extra cognizant of those that have lowered immune systems

 

[1308Miles]

Wow...us too! We were at WDW from 9/23-28. Within 3 hours of deplaning, DS began vomiting uncontrollably (and he NEVER vomits!) and complaining of severe stomach cramping. My DH got it on the 29th and I had it yesterday. My DD seems to be the lucky one out of all of us! This virus is just plain awful... Lost 4 lbs in 24 hrs !

 

[xipotec]

I heard that Ebola was actually first discovered in the nasty Splash Mountain water...

And Disney Meningitis.

 

[aznshents]

Got the flu right now... Not good if it's going around...

 

[PeterPanic]

If it's going around in Disney, it's going around everywhere. I don't think they ever built that big bubble over the top to isolate it from the rest of the world.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

It IS everywhere....DH is puking right now...and we are home in Canada. Really, I feel like it's more to do with the time of year....kids back to school and spreading germs.

 

[wundermommy76]

Came home saturday night from WDW & a week at POP Century. By sunday evening my 4 yr old was getting sick all over the place. The rest of us are okay.

 

[MelissathePooh]

While there is no telling what how many possible contagions are going around WDW, I will say that it was Oct 4 years ago that my family all ran a course of Norovirus. Few things are as miserable as being so sick away from home.

TN is showing early signs of a bad flu year. Multiple facility admissions statewide for + Flu and lots of gastroenteritis admits.

 

[Qmom]

We are here on day 7 of 14. I felt horrible when I woke up yesterday and started vomiting after breakfast (which is highly unusual for me). Stayed in bed all day with fever, aches and gastro symptoms. I'm still not quite right. I was the only one of us that got sick, so I was thinking food poisoning. We are fanatical hand washers and very conscious of touching germy surfaces. I'm staying as far away from folks as I can in case it's a virus. Just happy we weren't charged for the ressies I had to cancel.

 

[mom2taylorandemily]

I agree with other PP's. Its going around, I have a friend in Tampa who's DD is home with it now (it's all over her school). Its been in Virginia, we had it thru here a couple of weeks ago, but its likely to go thru again, as I live in a touristy area. But, the Wet One's do work, but you have to sanitize your hands as much as possible, and keep your hands away from your face. We sanitize every time we sit down at the table from the buffets (which to normal people sounds like over kill, but I absolutely HATE to vomit!!). We sanitize after touching menus, going to the bathrooms, getting off of rides (seatbelts and such are full of germs, let alone rails and stuff). We've been lucky we haven't brought anything home before and I'm praying we don't this year either.

I hope everyone who has it currently at Disney, will stay in their rooms and not share!!!! I can't imagine if I felt that bad, that I'd want to walk around any Theme park....... but I guess for some it would be ok. Stay safe everyone, get that antibacterial shield up and block those germs!!!!

 

[MouseEarsForAll]

Another poster commented on it, and I thought I'd mention it again for anyone looking at this post becasue they have a trip scheduled soon (like me):

If it is norovirus going around, the best thing you can do is WASH HANDS. ALcohol in hand sanitizers doesn't kill norovirus.

In research studies I've read, it says that 70% alcohol (as found in most hand sanitizers) won't kill enveloped viruses like noroviruses. I found a link , though, from the dept of health in FL that says that 70% alcohol might kill the virus, but there has to be a minimum of 60secs of contact between the alcohol and virus...I know my hand sanitizer is never still wet on my hands for a full 60 secs!

Hope all who have gone are well and I hope all who are going stay well!!

I'm rubbing mine dry after ten seconds...yeah...

 

[Finally08]

Just got back and I did spend my Saturday morning hurling...funny thing, 2nd stay at Contemporary and that time I got sick too, ha. Anyway, after that episode I was fine. Saturday night at the Villains Bash, RnRC was basically bathed in vomit but I think that was due to some folks' poor decision making after running 10 miles in the heat.

 

[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: