Any tips on avoiding sickness while in Disney

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

The last three trips I've made to Disney went well until 24 hours after I got home. The first two times I came back with the stomach flu and the third time a horrible cold. After the first time I was diligent with taking airborne the night before we flew, washing hands, you know, the norm. It obviously didn't help since I still got sick the next two trips. I'm 27 days out and trying to think of anything I can do to build my immune system and prevent contracting those awful germs. I know there is no magic solution but any tips would be appreciated!!! Nothing ruins the trip like waking up your first morning home sick and having to call into work which by the way the boss never believes.

First thing I checked off the list was a flu shot this morning.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Don't fly during cold/flu season. Don't touch the tray table on the plane ICK!!!!!!!!! Germs galore!.. Use hand sanitizer after you buckle up. Once off the plan head straight to the bathroom and wash your hands BEFORE you use the bathroom and then again when you are done.
Don't touch you face with your hands.

 

[bellsly]

Carry hand sanitizer, everywhere!

 

[OKW Lover]

Frequent hand washing.

Don't waste money on supplements like airborne. As you found, they don't work and the company had to pay a large fine for false advertising. I don't know how they can keep selling that stuff.

 

[ZoZo]

As others have said, hand-washing is your best bet. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and be sure to get the tips of your fingers and under your ails. I use my paper towel to open the restroom door whenever possible. In a pinch, you can use hand sanitizer, but apparently it's not as effective as using soap and water.

Try to avoid touching your face (if you get cold germs on your hands, they can enter your system through things like your eyes and nose). You can also bring Chlorox wipes to wipe down the surfaces of your hotel room and the tray table on the airplane.

Get as much sleep as you can, both before and during your trip.

As OKW Lover mentioned, using products like Airborne doesn't work. There was a lawsuit against them for making false advertising claims. Take a regular vitamin supplement if you want, but I wouldn't waste my money on Airborne.

 

[disneywalkers]

We have the same problem. We go every September. We are going twice next year though. January for my "turning 20 twice birthday" and then in September. This year though we brought back a cold but since we're there during that time of the year for a couple of weeks we end up having it before we leave.

Years past at least 1 kid would throw up while there, but not this year. Thankfully though it was only a couple of times and was gone overnight.

Definitely hand washing and I know this sounds a little extreme but using hand gel stuff after every ride just might be helpful. Everyone is touching everything on a ride.

We have 6 kids and did try to use that often during this last trip.

Of course they say when you dine out that your food comes into contact with at least 4 different DNA before it reaches you... even if it's not a buffet. So there's that we can't stop, unless we don't dine out

I've always been told that Vitamin C is a good thing to build the immune system, but unfortunately I don't have any other suggestions.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

Thanks everyone! Sometimes I think being overly cautious will make it worse but then again, I don't want to get the stomach flu!

Sounds like being a decent hand washer and avoiding touching my face may be the best bet! I may look more into the vitamin c. Anyone else taken it before?

 

[aubriee]

Thanks everyone! Sometimes I think being overly cautious will make it worse but then again, I don't want to get the stomach flu!

Sounds like being a decent hand washer and avoiding touching my face may be the best bet! I may look more into the vitamin c. Anyone else taken it before?

My mom's doctor put her on Vitamin C years ago. She used to catch everything that came along, but has not had a single cold since she started taking Vitamin C every day. Her doctor says to take 1000mg, not 500mg like alot of people do though. I started taking it daily too and haven't had a cold since. About a week before I go on vacations I start Echinacea and Zinc taking them that week, the entire time I'm on vacation, and then for a week after I get home. That plus frequent good old fashioned hand scrubbing with soap is what I recommend.

 

[Surfinpiratee]

Bleh, I'm going in January! I've also never had the flu, and don't really get sick often. I work around kids and they're always coughing and sneezing in my face! Lol, am I safe?!

Has anyone taken emergen c before?? The drink?

 

[Alesia]

The best way to avoid illness while on vacation is to keep your immune system healthy all of the time. The best ways to do that are to:

• wash your hands regularly with regular soap and water
• avoid antibacterial soaps and cleaners
• eat a well balanced diet, especially with a variety of fruits and vegetables
• exercise regularly
• get adequate sleep

As far as taking things like Airborne or EmergenC, they won't do any harm, but they won't help, either. You would be much better off spending that money on more fruits and veggies.

Your immune system isn't something you "boost." It either functions properly or it doesn't

 

[Rose23]

1) Pray
2) Carry trial size Lysol with you on your trip and spray your resort/hotel room as soon as you go in, i.e. beds, door handles, bathroom, and most importantly the television remote and alarm clock.
3) Keep small hand sanitizer with you at all times and use it (especially when handling money too)
4) Wash your hands frequently.
5) Plenty of rest in the evening and possibly one day off from the parks/touring.
6) At the first feeling of something coming on you, start fighting with Advil.
7) Pump up the Vitamin C level before and during your trip, i.e. orange juice.
8) Be aware of surroundings while waiting in lines, on buses, food courts, etc., and don't touch surfaces that a person has touched that you notice is sneezing, coughing or looks sick.

Try not to worry, and have a great trip!

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

The best way to avoid illness while on vacation is to keep your immune system healthy all of the time. The best ways to do that are to: [*]wash your hands regularly with regular soap and water [*]avoid antibacterial soaps and cleaners [*]eat a well balanced diet, especially with a variety of fruits and vegetables [*]exercise regularly [*]get adequate sleep As far as taking things like Airborne or EmergenC, they won't do any harm, but they won't help, either. You would be much better off spending that money on more fruits and veggies. Your immune system isn't something you "boost." It either functions properly or it doesn't

Well I would venture to say my immune system is always functioning properly since the only three times I have been sick in the past 10 or so years (other than seasonal allergies) was when I returned from Disney. Obviously something different happens when I'm down there. I'm sure it's just the sheer number of germs I come into contact with. I appreciate your reply though! I may need to find a way to get a little extra sleep this time as we tend to be there at opening and closing of the parks. Frankly if missing a few extra morning hours keeps me from getting sick, then ill do it!

Oh yes, I should also add we get back on 12/22. Not that anyone likes being sick, but I especially don't want to be sick on Christmas.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

As for the TV remote. I put it in a ziplock bag. You have no idea where that thing has been- especially after seeing the video of a guy trying to change the channel by putting it in the crack of his bare bum. - and I don't want to touch it.

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

I have no tips, as for the past few Christmas vacations I've been sick.

Our first trip, we took Amtrak down. Maybe it was the fact that someone had a sneezing and coughing fit on the train, or the fact that they turned off the heat at night , but within a few days, I was sick as a dog.

The bad thing about when I catch colds is that I have one bad day where I feel absolutely awful - like I have the flu - then it just lingers. I don't mind when it lingers. I just have a runny nose. But for that one day, I'm absolutely miserable. It also happened to be freezing that year.

That next year, I started taking vitamin C and other vitamins. I was feeling great. Two weeks before the trip, I had a few too many (I was in college) and took a wrong step. Broken foot and sprained ankle. During the vacation, my mom, then my sister, then I got a very bad stomach virus.

Last year, we had Sandy leading up to the trip. From working day and night on the house (along with my 9-?? - I was in media), all of our immune systems were down. My mom got very sick before the trip. She nearly had a pneumonia. We almost had to cancel until the doctor put her on antibiotics and said she was not contagious. We got to Disney and it was gorgeous. If you were there last year, you remember that the nighttime Christmas Eve at Disney was 65 degrees and Christmas day was t-shirt weather. My mom was feeling a lot better. Suddenly, I start to realize a scratchy throat and I'm really tired. I was really bad for about 2 days. I stayed home from the parks for one day, then braved it out the others. I don't even care about being sick, it's the missing out on the parks that drives me nuts.

This year, I'm going all natural. I've already upped my vitamins, I'm gonna maintain a very healthy diet from December 1 to our trip, and I just bought a bunch of kale and carrots and other vitamin-rich veggies to throw in smoothies each day. Let's pray it works - I can't have another trip ruined!

 

[ShayBells]

Haven't read replies so sorry if it's repeated but I have heard airborne works really good. My immune system is steal so I never get sick (knock on wood) but I had a friend use this before and said it worked for her.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[jordansmama]

As everyone else has already said, wash your hands as much as possible. Also carry hand sanitizer with you to use when you can't get to a bathroom to wash your hands.

On my last trip with my DS4 this past August, I made sure that he didn't touch the handrails/ropes/chains while in line for a ride as much as I could.

I also wiped the entire hotel room down with Clorox wipes, especially the remote control, door knobs, toilet bowl handle- anything and everything. I also carried the wipes with me and would wipe down the tables before we sat to eat.

 

[jenniy122]

We have generally good immune systems, but my mom is a germaphobe, so whenever we go on vacation (especially cruises with norovirus) she wipes down nearly the whole room with clorox wipes. anything you'd touch gets cleaned. surfaces, handles, drawers, etc. bare feet never touch the floor since you can't sanitize that. and hand sanitizer after touching anything public, before eating, and after leaving the bathroom (yes, even after washing hands). we've never gotten sick on vacation so far.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

We have generally good immune systems, but my mom is a germaphobe, so whenever we go on vacation (especially cruises with norovirus) she wipes down nearly the whole room with clorox wipes. anything you'd touch gets cleaned. surfaces, handles, drawers, etc. bare feet never touch the floor since you can't sanitize that. and hand sanitizer after touching anything public, before eating, and after leaving the bathroom (yes, even after washing hands). we've never gotten sick on vacation so far.

I'm willing to be "that" person.

 

[nkereina]

We just got back from 9 days and fortunately none of us got sick. I was pretty diligent before and during our trip, because last time I came down with pneumonia.

Prior to the trip, we got flu shots. I also made sure we were all taking our daily multi vitamins. About a week before we traveled, I started us all on allergy pills to work it into our systems. We also lived on vitamin water, especially the orange kind that's loaded with Vitamin C. When we got on the plane, the first thing I did was close the air vents so we weren't breathing the recycled air. I tried not to use/touch the tray table. In our room, I wiped down everything with lysol wipes - TV remote, lamp, phone, handles, toilet, etc. We took our vitamins each morning, used frequent hand sanitizer and washed our hands a lot, and tried to avoid touching things like railings, etc.

I also recommend packing Zicam so if you feel a cold coming on, you can kick it from the start. I think Zicam works much better than Airborne. From what I have read, Airborne just loads you up on Vitamin C whereas Zicam is actually proven to shorten the duration of a cold. Also pack anything else you can think of - sleep aids, cold medicine, cough medicine, congestion medicine, pepto bismol, etc. When I got pneumonia last trip, I desperately needed cough medicine. We had to buy some in the store at the resort and it was $13 for a small travel size bottle. Now I bring medicine for any ailment we could possibly contract!

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

We just got back from 9 days and fortunately none of us got sick. I was pretty diligent before and during our trip, because last time I came down with pneumonia.

Prior to the trip, we got flu shots. I also made sure we were all taking our daily multi vitamins. About a week before we traveled, I started us all on allergy pills to work it into our systems. We also lived on vitamin water, especially the orange kind that's loaded with Vitamin C. When we got on the plane, the first thing I did was close the air vents so we weren't breathing the recycled air. I tried not to use/touch the tray table. In our room, I wiped down everything with lysol wipes - TV remote, lamp, phone, handles, toilet, etc. We took our vitamins each morning, used frequent hand sanitizer and washed our hands a lot, and tried to avoid touching things like railings, etc.

I also recommend packing Zicam so if you feel a cold coming on, you can kick it from the start. I think Zicam works much better than Airborne. From what I have read, Airborne just loads you up on Vitamin C whereas Zicam is actually proven to shorten the duration of a cold. Also pack anything else you can think of - sleep aids, cold medicine, cough medicine, congestion medicine, pepto bismol, etc. When I got pneumonia last trip, I desperately needed cough medicine. We had to buy some in the store at the resort and it was $13 for a small travel size bottle. Now I bring medicine for any ailment we could possibly contract!

Thanks for the tips! Glad you all came home healthy.