Be aware if traveling to WDW within the next few days

[yooperfan]

Ugg! We have this (or something like it) now and we leave on Saturday. We all have a headache/chills/aches but has ranged from only severe stomach cramps to diarrhea or vomitting or both in the rest of us. It's almost as if we all have something different. I guess it depends on your immune system defenses. Do you think we'll be ok to go by Saturday and if so will we be spared from this while we are there?

Where are you flying from and what flight # We pick up illness from the unfiltered air in the planes a lot. We even get sinus infection meds we start taking before we leave or we both come down with them before we get back. Doc said lots of people get sick from flying.

 

[MommyBryn]

We just got back from POR from the 6th until last night. We came from the NW with 17 people, ages ranging from 5 months to 80 years old. None of us contracted a norovirus, but about 9 of us did have a day or two of a lesser severe virus of some sort. I was pretty nervous at first though- we wiped down our room with the wipes my DH uses in the ambulance, we brought several Rx meds from my FIL in case the girls got sick, we ordered a TON of water to have something better than tap to drink especially if sick, didn't have mousekeeping clean the room until the day before we left (and only then on accident LOL), washed hands as often as possible, practically took a ton of hand wipes and sanitizing wipes in their own suitcase LOL, and tried to avoid buffets (although our GG Safari dinner was one, so I got there first LOL, and then all but the 4 in my family at in Germany at a buffet). We also didn't see anyone really sick...until we saw puke all over the ground in front of Chefs de France. But I'm so glad we escaped!

I also heard another Dis'er talking about having heard about the virus here and almost not coming. LOL

 

[tippy77]

My boyfriend and I were at POFQ from 1/8 to 1/12 and were absolutely fine. I didn't see anyone getting sick either. I didn't bring lysol, clean anything, or use Purell obsessively (though I am very diligent about handwashing after using the bathroom). Sadly, I think getting the virus is just bad luck...I hope all those who got sick feel better soon!

 

[Nemo32]

Just returned tonight and we did not get sick...not yet.

We wiped our room down, didn't touch our faces or handrails and purelled/washed hands after almost every ride, meal and bathroom visit. We also ate at buffets.

We did get lazy toward the end of the trip however.

We also saw vomit outside of Chefs de France and heard about the virus going around POR.

My stomach was a little upset one day, but I think it was from the food at Boma (spicy stuff).

 

[mom22bless]

we were there a week and didn't get sick (1/4-1/11)

 

[rainbowsandroses]

After 9 days at WL and touring all the parks, I will say I doubt too many people have sanitized nearly as much as we did. Honestly, it was exhausting. I was stressed before we left about this thread knowing what a huge chore it would be and it was. I think we went through 10 wet wipes just at Boma because we sanitized after every trip to the bufffet, but you know people stick the tongs on the food so how much good it did, I don't know!

I was starting to relax after the 1st 24 hours thinking the virus was gone, but then it happened. I was awakened at 3am by toilet flushing upstairs. I decided to visit the restroom since I was up and I heard the vomiting. Ick. And the toilet kept flushing and flushing. This was a nightmare and I didn't even have the virus - just imagining it. It really threw me for the whole day - didn't even want to return to the lodge. But we just focused on sanitizing even more.

And I am happy to say it worked with my DD. She did not get sick (not yet at least) and was able to go to all the princess things we planned. This was our first and one and only trip for several years so I didn't want it spoiled. My DH did however pick something up - he thinks food poisoning from Epcot counter service. It was very short and kind of lame for a virus and IMO, maybe a mental one!

I never saw evidence at any of the parks of the virus, but there were rumors about others at WL who were sick.

Our "secrets" for not getting sick were my UV-C light, wet wipes, 70% alcohol sterilizer used to a ridiculous amount, not letting housekeeping clean (I sanitized heavily on arrival and got "rid" of most of their bedding), lots of vitamin C, Airborne (this is for respiratory issues), pro-biotics twice a day, tons of garlic pills for me and roasted garlic chips with meals for my DD. My DH went off part of the "plan" a day or so before he got sick.

Some will likely say it was all wasted effort and stress and potentially insanity, but the fact my DD did not get sick makes it all worthwhile! Sorry for those who got ill and good luck to everyone going. I definitely don't think it is widespread and it is nearly impossible to prevent all possible exposure so if you aren;t a germophobe, maybe it is not even worth worrying about?!?

 

[PoohBear]

I never saw evidence at any of the parks of the virus, but there were rumors about others at WL who were sick.

This is making me very nervous. We are headed to WL in 8 days for the first time. I have read through many threads preparing for the trip and the WL has popped up a lot with this sickness. Has anyone started a thread with a poll to track the resort you got sick at?

 

[dancingdisneygirl]

My family got back Friday and none of us got sick. We were there from 1/11-1/16. We brought Clorox wipes and wiped down each table we sat at and the chairs, wiped down the plane arms and tray tables, we dabbed q-tips in neosporin and swabbed our noses before our flights and we were fine!! I was really worried about getting sick and I'm so glad nobody did.

 

[kimis]

My family got back Friday and none of us got sick. We were there from 1/11-1/16. We brought Clorox wipes and wiped down each table we sat at and the chairs, wiped down the plane arms and tray tables, we dabbed q-tips in neosporin and swabbed our noses before our flights and we were fine!! I was really worried about getting sick and I'm so glad nobody did.

I am glad to hear you can take clorex wipes on the plane. I didn't know that was allowed. I will be doing it in 7 days.

 

[BethA]

when we there the end of Dec we witnessed a woman at the table right next to us in the GF Cafe-throw up on the table for a good 15 minutes or so. The ambulance stretcher came and she refused it. finally left in a wheelchair. I feel terrible she was sick, but they should have escorted her to a restroom immediately!

Then they left the vomit on the table for another 15 minutes or more. In the meantime the waiter set a basket of bread there before giving it to someone and set someone's check on the table for a moment. Finally that waiter donned gloves and took the plate away after a maitainence person had swept up some of what was on the floor. When I commented to the manager that it was handled poorly and disgusting for those around us, she said they had to wait for the biohazard blood borne pathigen experts to clean it up--ie first the janitor-then waiter. No wonder things get passed around. When you see this and the once over the rooms get-includidng not changing bedspreads it's a wonder everyone isn't sick!

 

[minniebeth]

My family got back Friday and none of us got sick. We were there from 1/11-1/16. We brought Clorox wipes and wiped down each table we sat at and the chairs, wiped down the plane arms and tray tables, we dabbed q-tips in neosporin and swabbed our noses before our flights and we were fine!! I was really worried about getting sick and I'm so glad nobody did.

I've never heard of the neosporin thing...can you tell more about it?

 

[MommyBryn]

I've never heard of the neosporin thing...can you tell more about it?

It's a common thing done by frequent travelers that I know...basically it blocks your mucous membranes (one of the first ways things make it into your body). Personally, I'd recommend using a food based oil.

 

[dancingdisneygirl]

We just took a tube of neosporin and put it on qtips, then swabbed the inside of your nose so it stays moist and helps keep germs from entering. From what I'm told when your nose dries out on the plane that's when germs can sneak in. That was the first time we've tried it.

 

[WDWTigger72]

when we there the end of Dec we witnessed a woman at the table right next to us in the GF Cafe-throw up on the table for a good 15 minutes or so. The ambulance stretcher came and she refused it. finally left in a wheelchair. I feel terrible she was sick, but they should have escorted her to a restroom immediately!

Then they left the vomit on the table for another 15 minutes or more. In the meantime the waiter set a basket of bread there before giving it to someone and set someone's check on the table for a moment. Finally that waiter donned gloves and took the plate away after a maitainence person had swept up some of what was on the floor. When I commented to the manager that it was handled poorly and disgusting for those around us, she said they had to wait for the biohazard blood borne pathigen experts to clean it up--ie first the janitor-then waiter. No wonder things get passed around. When you see this and the once over the rooms get-includidng not changing bedspreads it's a wonder everyone isn't sick!

This is horrible and unfortunate for your family, and unfortunately the manager is correct that they had to wait for the "biohazard blood borne pathigen" staff to come and clean this up. A similar incident occured with my family on a trip to Las Vegas, and the same response came from the hotel manager. Pretty much, A housekeeping person came in with all kinds of protective clothing and stuff to clean up the mess. Sorry to hear this happened to you...We are heading down in a week, and plan on bringing the kitchen sink to clean our room. Planned on doing this anyways since mousekeeping does not do as good of a job as they used to. Like other people have said they may very well change the sheets, but do you ever see the bedspread/comforter being removed to wash

 

[mom2princessj]

Just back from GF 1/10-1/17 and happy to report we all stayed virus free!
We didn't see any evidence of it at the parks. There were two times at GF where we saw sick people. One time was the very first night at Park Fare...a mom came up to the podium saying her child was sick (he was white as a ghost poor boy) and they couldn't stay to eat and then yesterday when we were leaving my dh said he saw a mom holding her son over a railing outside while he was puking. Otherwise we toured the parks everyday and we never saw any sick people or vomit in the bathrooms.
I have to say I was super concerned before we left. I never once cracked open my purrell, we washed hands as we normally would (after bathroom, before eating) but my 3 yo had his hands all over the ride railings (unfortunately he wouldn't listen to us and stay away) and then sucked his thumb the entire trip. We ate at plenty of buffets and we are all fine. I mean if we get it at home I'm fine with that but I just didn't want any of us to get sick at WDW. I did wipe down our room with lysol wipes but aside from that we didn't do anything out of the ordinary and everyone was fine.

 

[Camno's Mama]

Another family that stayed healthy...stayed 1/10-1/17 at Pop. Took the buses, ate in the food court, only one buffet, wiped down the room with Lysol wipes and used Purel and handwashing before we ate.

I didn't notice much more than some puke on the ground by the raceway in Tomorrowland. People seemed healthy. On most vacations (we usually travel in the spring) we hear a lot of coughing and sneezing...none of that this time. My ds did get a cold, but that's not too bad.

Good luck everyone. Go and have fun and don't worry! Whatever was there seems to be much better given all of the new posts.

 

[Iggipolka]

I forgot to mention that I wiped our villas at AKV down with Clorox Germicidal Wipes with Bleach and did not let mousekeeping into the villas during our stay. I wiped things down again mid-way through our trip as well. I figure that it's just too easy for mousekeeping to inadvertently transfer germs from one guest to another, so once I had everything bleached, I didn't want anyone else but us to be in the villa.

I also wiped down the tables we sat at while dining and washed our hands every hour. Since I'm pregnant, I'm in the bathroom about that often anyway, so it was no big deal.

We did eat at buffets (Boma and Tusker House) and had a wonderful experience at both.
It does seem like the virus is running its course at WDW. Hopefully things will continue to calm down.

 

[salukidog]

Sure you have to be careful, and make sure that you do not stick your finger up your nose after you touch a handrail Thousands upon Thousands fo people go thru WDW daily. You do the best job you can and take precautions but your there to enjoy the place. Not worry about everything you touch you have to stop in a washroom and sanitize your body.

 

[Bauta]

i got back from WDW with DBf late Saturday night and i'm happy to report that we both didn't get sick during our stay [January 12th-17th]!! at some points i felt a little nauseous but i'm pretty sure was from overeating as i am not used to eating as much as i did down in Florida. we didn't do anything extra special to avoid getting sick, but before every meal we either washed our hands or used Purel.

 

[Tiggerlovinggrandma]

We were at POFQ Jan 4-11 and did not get sick. I wiped down our room when we first got there with Clorex wipes. DH and I used Germ X hand sanitizer periodically throughout our stay. DD did not wipe down her room nor use any hand sanitizer. She thinks I am over cautious. She, her best friend and DS were all fine.

We did not notice anyone sick at all. We ate at a lot of buffets -Chef Mickey's twice, Cape May at the BC, Mary Poppins at the GF, Boma's, Biergartin. None of us became ill.

However later while visting my niece in West Palm Beach, she told me as of last week people in Miami are being hit hard by a bad stomach bug. So anyone travdling in that area, be warned its going around there too.