Anyone else catch a stomach bug from Mickey??

[skhermsmeyer]

We got to the world on Dec 2 (Thursday) and by the following Wednesday night (12-8) 4 out of the 6 of us were sick. By Thursday night, my mom got it when just about everyone else was getting better. I'm the only one who didn't catch it. By Friday, all 5 of them were feeling much better, but I'm the only one who went to the parks. DH, DD, DS, Dmom, and Dsister all stayed at the rental house. We wiped down EVERYTHING with clorox wipes and sprayed lysol on all non-porous surfaces.

Dsister got sick in Dec. 2008. She's starting to think Disney World is evil.

 

[Tiger926]

These things are part and parcel of traveling as a human being. Surely you wouldn't expect someone to reschedule a flight, or book more nights in a hotel until they feel all better.

Why not? Why can't people do this? We have done it. We have missed every conceivable life event there is due to illness: vacations, funerals, weddings, concerts, parties, etc. We care about our own health, just as much as others, so despite it costing us money, upsetting people for cancelling or the sadness of missing an important event, we do what is right based on our illness.

This thread, and all of the rest of them just like it, are why so many people are constantly sick at Disney, especially now during cold and flu season.

Tiger

 

[mlsst124]

We all ended up with nasty colds and one of the last days DH and I both had a bit of upset stomachs. Not sure if that was from what we had to eat or a virus. I agree with above posters about germs just being more prevalent this time of year when everyone is couped up inside together and once you get the all the crowds together it doesn't help!

 

[Colleen27]

Why not? Why can't people do this? We have done it. We have missed every conceivable life event there is due to illness: vacations, funerals, weddings, concerts, parties, etc. We care about our own health, just as much as others, so despite it costing us money, upsetting people for cancelling or the sadness of missing an important event, we do what is right based on our illness.

This thread, and all of the rest of them just like it, are why so many people are constantly sick at Disney, especially now during cold and flu season.

Tiger

I'll bet a lot of times it isn't a case of not wanting the expense as genuinely not having room in the budget for getting a room and booking a $$$$ last minute flight to avoid traveling while sick. With all the threads that pop up about doing Disney on a shoestring, what do you think the odds are that the average traveler has a thousand dollars or more to reschedule travel arrangements?

 

[danjoealexis3006]

Wondering if travel insurance would cover the cost of rescheduling the flight?

 

[RMulieri]

TIS the season...Disney sees a HIGH concentration of guests and GERMS go with the people.Not to mention flying brings increased risk as well.Every year from Dec-Mar we see posts about the Stomach bugs,flu etc that people picked up at Disney.It is really nothing to do with disney other than there are LOADS of people in one place and lots of people with stressed out immune systems from the travel and all the excitement.Sorry it ruined your trip.

 

[Tiger926]

I'll bet a lot of times it isn't a case of not wanting the expense as genuinely not having room in the budget for getting a room and booking a $$$$ last minute flight to avoid traveling while sick. With all the threads that pop up about doing Disney on a shoestring, what do you think the odds are that the average traveler has a thousand dollars or more to reschedule travel arrangements?

Of course I know this to be true, but why don't people take it seriously enough? There are people on here who like to brag about how their kids threw up in the bushes or in the parks. Seriously? I find people don't take it seriously at all - they don't want to 'waste' money on trip insurance, and don't want to 'lose' money from staying in their hotel room or at home, yet they find it ok to waste everyone else's money who they infect along the way. We have lost DVC points, money, made people angry, cancelled vacations, due to illness. When it needs to be done, it is done, plain and simple. But I find when it comes to Disney, people are seriously selfish and ill prepared for emergencies, and have no problems with spreading their germs around to others. This is why we won't fly, nor go to Disney during cold and flu season.

Wondering if travel insurance would cover the cost of rescheduling the flight?

Exactly. At best, people can look into it, and purchase. Seriously, people have spent thousands of dollars on a trip, yet they don't want to part with $150.00 for insurance.

We've been there, done that with a toddler who was made seriously ill at Disney - spent time at Arnold Palmer's Children hospital, by ambulance. Stayed in our room preceding the hospitalization - we lost money, cancelled ADRs and lost park tickets. Oh, well! She was ill, and in order to take care of her, and protect everyone else around us, this is what we did. Despite the advice of the idiot doctor at Centra Care Clinic (hate that place) who not only misdiagnosed, but told us to go to the parks, as everyone else does, so go enjoy ourselves! Needless to say, we didn't heed his advice!

Tiger

 

[loganpaulsmom]

It happened to my family in 2008.. thank god it was on the way home.. Hubby got the worst of it.. But, I spent the entire 3 hour flight home feeling like I was going to throw up.. I am such a germ a phobe too.. I am glad that someone posted about the clorox wipes.. where do you buy those?

 

[Kanga1]

Unfortunately, the stomach bug does not limit itself to the months of Dec-Mar. My DD got was sick with it for 2 days during our trip last July. She did not come down with it until 4 days into our trip...so I'm pretty sure she caught it there. I, too, am very diligent about handwashing, etc, but in the summer months, you are packed so tightly in the crowds (literally touching shoulder to shoulder with strangers) that just breathing can make you sick. Luckily, we were there for 2 weeks, so most of our trip was enjoyable.

I agree, being sick at Disney is NOT fun.

 

[Colleen27]

Of course I know this to be true, but why don't people take it seriously enough? There are people on here who like to brag about how their kids threw up in the bushes or in the parks. Seriously? I find people don't take it seriously at all - they don't want to 'waste' money on trip insurance, and don't want to 'lose' money from staying in their hotel room or at home, yet they find it ok to waste everyone else's money who they infect along the way. We have lost DVC points, money, made people angry, cancelled vacations, due to illness. When it needs to be done, it is done, plain and simple. But I find when it comes to Disney, people are seriously selfish and ill prepared for emergencies, and have no problems with spreading their germs around to others. This is why we won't fly, nor go to Disney during cold and flu season.

I don't think it is just when it comes to Disney; that's just how people are these days. Not many people have back up plans or prepare for emergencies, and it takes a serious situation to get them to alter their plans/behaviour especially when money is involved.

Our schools have a massive problem with parents sending their kids to school sick rather than taking time off work, because so many of them don't get paid sick/personal time. I think that's the same mindset that leads parents to throw common sense and courtesy to the wind over vacations - they know it is the only time off they've got all year, they saved for months or years to make it happen, and they're desperate to salvage something of the trip. It is easy for me to say "We'll just hang out in the room" if one of my kids is sick on a trip, because I know there's always next trip. I can't say as I'd have been so relaxed about it if something similar had come up on our first trip, when DH worked for 3 years to get 1 week off and the only reason we could afford it was because of an inheritance.

Does trip insurance cover expenses incurred due to minor illnesses? I was under the impression that it only covered more serious situations like hospitalizations and severe weather.

 

[Karlzmom]

These things are part and parcel of traveling as a human being. Surely you wouldn't expect someone to reschedule a flight, or book more nights in a hotel until they feel all better.

Well....yes! We had a bout of the stomach bug hit during our 2009 stay. I made arrangements to stay over in anticipation of still having an ill child. Fortunately, the doctor-on-call service that we had come to the hotel room was able to give him something that broke his fever and stopped the vomitting. We had been puke free for 24 hours when the decision time hit on stay or go, so applying the old daycare rule of 24 hours no fever/no vomit we left. Was I looking forward to the $$ involved to stay longer and change plane tickets, no. Would I subject my sick child [who has no real vote on the matter] to being hauled across the country when all he wants to do is sleep in peace as well as inflicting an actively sick child on the general public - absolutely NOT! Yes, it was a disappointment to miss seeing the AK, including our safari. We were bummed out to miss ADRs that had been anticipated for months, but it happens. I really don't get people that will puch a sick family member to trak through the parks, or sit through a meal simpy beause "its our Disney vacation and we aren't going to miss........"
I view the need to plan for problem and adapt as a good policy.

 

[sparklynails23]

It seems that Disneyworld sometimes has these rampant stomach bugs like the ships do. Maybe the cruisers bring the Norwalk virus to the Disney hotels, and it takes awhile to work its way out or be eradicated.

 

[moepanz]

We just got back Friday, thankfully we did not get sick but I know there were a few people sick at the POP (we stayed there) One child vomited while we were in line at the bus stop going back from MK (we waited for next bus) and I was talking to woman at the food court who said her whole family was sick. My hands are raw from sanitizer LOL!

 

[DISNEYNV]

Yes! Just got back from disney on 12/18 and my daughter got it two days before we left. Lasted about a day and then she was fine! Puked right outside of Tower of Terror and then at the resort. The rest of us (5 others) didn't get it yet!!!!

 

[shaylahc1]

We have never gotten sick at Disney. We have also been on 3 cruises, including 1 cruise where people got a vomiting virus, and we never got sick. I swear it's our use of hand sanitizer and handwashing. We put hand sanitizer on the kids after every ride and before we eat. As soon as we get back to our hotel room we wash our hands. We also remove our shoes as soon as we enter the room. I don't wipe down rooms or do clorox wipes. Just hand sanitizer and washing hands.

I did catch the swine flu last summer and it was on an airplane. It must have been an aerosol virus because I am super stringent about handwashing and keeping my hands away from my face. No one else in my family caught it. There was a family on the plane who had 3 small children and they were all coughing I am pretty certain I caught it from them.

Hand sanitizer!!! People can laugh about germophobia, but it's saved our butts too many times to deny that it works

 

[AJsMomma]

Why not? Why can't people do this? We have done it. We have missed every conceivable life event there is due to illness: vacations, funerals, weddings, concerts, parties, etc. We care about our own health, just as much as others, so despite it costing us money, upsetting people for cancelling or the sadness of missing an important event, we do what is right based on our illness.

This thread, and all of the rest of them just like it, are why so many people are constantly sick at Disney, especially now during cold and flu season.

Tiger

I can not even imagine bringing DD while knowingly sick, especially vomiting, onto an airplane. It's not just a 3 hour flight (for us). It's waking up early, hauling luggage, waiting for a bus, a bus ride, hauling luggage again, going through security, waiting at the terminal, flying, and then all of that stuff AGAIN. Traveling is exhausting when you are healthy.

I don't care how much it would cost, if any of us were sick I would NOT leave the hotel until at least 24 hours after a vomiting episode.

And that was my selfish response...not taking into account all of the poor souls we would have exposed.

We were at CBR from 12/3 - 12/10; none of us got sick; didn't witness any stomach issues; but there was a lovely pile of frozen vomit at the Jamaica bus stop one morning, obviously there overnight. Ew.

 

[CLR4321]

Like the rest of the country, yes, WDW becomes a germ fest during flu season. This is why it is important to wash your hands as often as possible with soap and warm water.

Using antibacterial and antiviral hand sanitizer can help too (I carry a travel sized bottle with me into the parks and put it on several times a day). Be sure to buy antibac/viral hand sanitizer that contains ethyl alcohol, aka ethanol, of at least 60%, as recommended by the FDA. Other active ingredients listed as antimicrobial and antibacterial may not be as effective according to studies (such as triclosan). Antibacterial ingredients do not kill virus germs, so be sure to get the ethyl alcohol sanitizers which kill both. You can find the active ingredient on the bottles, usually up at the top of the label where the drug facts are listed. I have a bottle of Purell hand sanitizer with ethyl alcohol on my desk as I speak.

I will also add, ethyl alcohol hand sanitizer is more effective in killing germs than warm water and soap. It's best to use soap and warm water whenever in the bathroom and then follow up with the hand sanitizer. My husband just mentioned that ethyl alcohol makes his skin dry (it doesn't do this to me), but perhaps a little travel bottle of hand lotion or moisturizer wouldn't be a bad idea if you are prone to dry skin.

 

[princessSadiesMom]

I am so sorry for all of you that have been sick at DIsney or has sick children at Disney. We look forward to our trips and spend so much time and money planning them to be perfect. Thank you for those who have sympathy for us, I know you have been there. It was really difficult for us.
To those who are totally rude about it.....I hope you never have to face this. You can say what you would have done but unless you have been in that exact situation, you cannot say for sure.
My DD5 throws up very often. She has a weak stomach, gets very car sick, and gets abdominal migraines.....yes, she sees Drs for this. I thought is was another reason for her illness. Now, I don't even believe it was a virus. My parents, and twin DDs1 did not get sick. If it was so contagious, then they would have gotten sick. Yes, we had to go home. I could tell you the reasons but you obviously don't care and will not have any sympathy so it really does not matter.
I have always "met" nice, helpful people on these boards. I am SO sad to see that there are those few who just have to be so mean and hurtful. Maybe letting my sick child on the plane was not the best idea and I am sorry I even mentioned it.
I hope you are nice when you are visiting Mickey

 

[princessSadiesMom]

OP considerately did this...took sick puking kid on plane. There is a thread on this and how she blames ME for not getting her home on time in the transportation forum. They took sick child on plane and had kid puking in gardens at Grand Floridian. Lined up 15 minutes before ME to leave in the RAC line to check bags...then got a family 'kicked' off bus since they were late for their bus and missed it. A family who follow rules and got in line for their assigned bus was placed on a later bus and OP has the nerve to complain about ME. They arrived at the airport and home on time. I am sorry but no sympathy here for OP since she took a sick kid on plane and exposed everyone on the plane, on ME, etc to illness and then comes here and complains how sick people at Disney got her family sick!

Most illnesses have 7 to 10 day incubation periods so unless you are at Disney for a long time chances are you were exposed before you got there. Yes, Disney is a germ fest but so are grocery stores, schools, restaurants, etc where we all go everyday.

Here is link to the thread on ME...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2615809

I am normally a very sympathetic person and do feel for OP and family getting sick but don't sympathize when they expose others and are not considerate to others who follow the rules.

First of all, that thread was closed b/c of people like you. You do not know my full story. I have used ME twice before. I read all the paperwork and I did EVERYTHING I was supposed to do to catch my bus! The line for the bags was unusually long and I was assured we had plenty of time to catch our bus, twice. How can you be so outright rude to someone you do not even know?? You can comment, it is a free world but to personally bash someone is just wrong. Yes, I am confused as to why we missed our bus and I took the bus that RAC and ME told me to take. It was supposed to leave 30 mins after mine but it was early and they sent another right after it. I was told it was an extremely busy morning and not the norm. I have learned my lesson and would have my bags down several hours before my bus leaves if I use ME again.
I would never want to expose anyone to an illness. My daughter sat as far from others on the bus and plane as possible. I had no plan for this and I had no idea what to do. I am so sorry I am not perfect. You must be a perfect person!

 

[lovealatte]

I always catch some kind of slight cold once I get back from Disney, nothing while I was there. Except in 2007 I actually did get the stomach bug and I was in the room for 2 days.

But, to the PP who expect people to reschedule flights and check into hotels when sick.....not always possible. I have a job I cannot be fired from with VERY limited vacation time, and in no way would that be in the budget.

I've flown home from Mexico very ill.. as long as you give yourself plenty of time, prepare for the worst yet hope for the best, and are very careful, it can be done. Sometimes there is no alternative.