Are the resort jacuzzis safe?

[Ladyhawke10]

I love soaking in a jacuzzi....however, sometimes when they are very crowded or full of young kids I get nervous that they might be less than sanitary. I know the chemicals are effective and my family always takes showers after soaking to get rid of chlorine and anything left in the water....however, is it okay to rest easy about public jacuzzis? Sometimes I wonder if it might be better to spend a bit more and get a room w/ a jacuzzi tub instead, such as in some of GFs main building rooms or w/ DVC.

PS One of the reasons we tend to avoid the Poly is due to the lack of jacuzzi...is there any particular reason they failed to install one?

 

[skiwee1]

I wouldn't use one. There are way too many problems with public spas. Disney may be good at upkeep but there is no way they can control the water when there are 20 kids packed in one. You can't even find a CM when you want one to get the kids out. I am glad they do not have them at the Poly. One less thing for people to want to stay for.

 

[CarolA]

Well they seem to have enough chemicals in them to KILL anything LOL! I mean those things reek of enough chlorine to kill anyting instantly. I used to be a lifeguard and I am conviced that Disney runs those hot tubs over the normal limits for chemical.

They are not any less safe then the pool. So if you will swim in the pool.... (Trust me if you are germ phobic your kids should NEVER get in any public pool!)

 

[skiwee1]

The pool is totally different. There are certain germs that thrive in the heat of a hot tub. These germs can totally ruin your vacation. Friends of mine went on a cruise with another couple. My friends didn't use the hot tub but the other couple did. That couple caught some kind of thing that makes you itch so bad and you get these red painful welts over your whole body. They didn't leave their room the entire trip. You really cannot compare a pool to a hot tub. We have both and the hot tub has the possibilty to create germs that a pool will never see.

 

[ptrbryant]

I've heard and read the same thing about the heat issue making hot tubs a bubbling petri dish. DH seems to always get sick with one thing or another a day or two after using a hotel hot tub, so he's pretty much sworn them off.

Karla B.

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

There is a great thread on this topic, I think entitled "I am going to die"....

Relax, people!

In my experience, its the people that obsess over these things that get sick, and those that don't obsess never do!

I also agree that they keep the chemicals very high - I was a lifeguard in a past life....

 

[Ladyhawke10]

No obsessions or phobias here, just wondering what the facts are. In the past I've done things obliviously (like a Tab anyone?? Maybe a stint at a tanning booth? ) and then heard later it was harmful. I was just wondering if there was any reason to avoid a public jacuzzi and invest in an in-room one instead. Sounds like a draw so far...

 

[skiwee1]

There is a great thread on this topic, I think entitled "I am going to die"....

Relax, people!

In my experience, its the people that obsess over these things that get sick, and those that don't obsess never do!

I also agree that they keep the chemicals very high - I was a lifeguard in a past life....

My DD was a lifeguard too. She won't go near a public hot tub.

 

[toyotaae86lg]

It also has to do with your immunity system. If your immune system is weak you can get sick off of anything and everything thats out there. I have a great immune system and have never ever been sick from something like a pool or hot tub and believe me i am a fan of the hot tub.

 

[skiwee1]

It has to do with more then your immunity when you are talking about communicable illnesses. The illness I'm talking about is called hot tub rash. It gives you a red rash all over your body and the hair follicles on your body get surrounded by painful blisters. Once you have this, you cannot wear clothes unless you like to be in agony. There are some bugs out there that will make you miserable no matter how healthy you are.

 

[MermaidsMom]

NOT AGAIN!!!! Maybe there should be an auto delete button on all hot tub threads! That said, my daughter was a lifeguard at Stormalong Bay AND LOVES the hot tub/pool there. They are constantly cleaning and sanitizing them. When the reports are in the news about hot tubs, they are referring to hotels that don't sanitize appropriately, not Disney. We are going this week and she is flying down and CANNOT WAIT to get into Stormalong Bay, and I have confidence in all of the WDW pools/hottubs. I am sure they follow all the same rules.

 

[Melrosgirl]

I won't touch any hot tub at any hotel, Disney or Motel 6. No thanks. We have a hot tub here at home and they are hard to maintain. Too many things can grow in that hot water. Add people getting busy or kids doing whatever in them and no thanks.

 

[pattyT]

I hit it at 6am

i figure by then noone has been in it for HOURS and the chemicals have done their jobs! and I am the only one awake nevermind at the jacuzzi

during the day fooorget about it!

 

[kirbsam]

Warm water makes kids pea. Heck, makes some adults pea. That is just the way it is. I am certain that all the chemicals will kill anything that that produces, now you just have to get over the fact that you are basically soaking in nonlethal peawater...Have fun. By the way, I love hottubs and never hesitate to go in them.

 

[ducklite]

I prefer to sit in my jetted soaking tub at home. Fresh bath water each time I use it, same effect, and so soothing! I like to stay in there and read, until I become a prune LOL!

At any rate, I'm not all that big on public hot tubs. DH loves them, but I can do without them.

Anne

 

[CarolA]

Warm water makes kids pea. Heck, makes some adults pea. That is just the way it is. I am certain that all the chemicals will kill anything that that produces, now you just have to get over the fact that you are basically soaking in nonlethal peawater...Have fun. By the way, I love hottubs and never hesitate to go in them.

Have you been in a Disney pool???? It's about the temparature of bath water and in the summer hotter.

Personally I use the hot tubs at Disney and don't think twice. I think Disney has pretty chemicaled the water to where NOTHING is going to live there. (Smell the thing!) I do have to take a shower right afterwards, the chemicals make my skin INCREDIBLY dry (and from my years of work I know it's the chemicals) If I just do the pool, I still get the chemical effect but it's not as noticable (or as smelly LOL!)

 

[skiwee1]

Have you been in a Disney pool???? It's about the temparature of bath water and in the summer hotter.

Personally I use the hot tubs at Disney and don't think twice. I think Disney has pretty chemicaled the water to where NOTHING is going to live there. (Smell the thing!) I do have to take a shower right afterwards, the chemicals make my skin INCREDIBLY dry (and from my years of work I know it's the chemicals) If I just do the pool, I still get the chemical effect but it's not as noticable (or as smelly LOL!)

The temps in the pools are around 80 degrees. Hot tubs are 103-105. Big difference. Chlorine and chemicals dissipate much faster at higher temps and therefore pose a much greater risk. I am not worried about most germs. I will never demand a new bedspread at check in. I do not bring Clorox wipes and proceed to wipe down any surface in my hotel room. I do not even own the antibacterial crap you carry around! LOL! I am generally pretty easy going when it comes to germs. Having my own hot tub made me much more aware of the germs that can come with it. The only tub I feel safe and able to relax in is one that I personally am responsible for. I do not like to bath, which is what it is, in a tub with a bunch of strangers and unsupervised brats either. To each his own. I'll stick with my private hot tub and let more space in the Disney ones for those that like them.

 

[hipporina]

I too am not a germ freak, but I don't like public hot tubs. They just seem icky to me.

I did a reasearch project in college for a safety engineering class about water-borne illnesses, focusing on treated water (no lakes or rivers or such). It was really surprising to me the amount of germs that live in water and how difficult in is to get them out of it. As long as the pool has adequate chemicals in it, your chances of getting ill are very low. I would never worry about it in one of Disney's pools. If the germs are present, you usually have to ingest the water to catch them. The key thing, which I'm almost certain Disney does, is closing the pool if a child poops so that they can clean it out and give the filtration system time to work.

Given all that, your chances of getting sick from a hot tub are pretty low. I still think they are kind of nasty and don't get in them, but it isn't much of a health risk.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

I love indoor jetted tubs but it seems like a big added expense just to ensure use of a hot tub on vacation. And there is nothing like being in a hot tub out under the stars, as in the location of the jacuzzis at AKL (and knowing there are animals nearby....so neat). However, it's good to hear that Disney is really on top of things regarding keeping the water in shape. My son likes to swim in them if we are the only ones in them (common around 6 pm) and he inevitably ends up swallowing some water. Always bugs me just a little when that happens....

Hmmm, is anyone really getting busy in them at Disney? Haven't seen that so far...

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

I too am not a germ freak, but I don't like public hot tubs. They just seem icky to me.

I am so with you on this.