Bed Bugs at Polynesian

[Keith Chandler]

Hello, I stayed at the Polynesian Resort from May 23rd to 29th. I noticed blisters on my arms and back that looked like bites during my trip, but I wasn't sure what caused them. I woke the morning I left on May 29th to find bed bugs all over the bed. I show it to a woman who worked as a concierge and she said she would send the exterminator into the room. I was comped my breakfast at Captain Cooks, but they couldn't do much since I was leaving that morning. I still have the bites and I am putting on lots of calamine lotion on now. I write this to let people know to check their bedding, even at a Disney resort, even at a deluxe report like the Poly. Does anyone else have experience with bed bugs at a Disney resort? Is it a big problem that I haven't heard about? Thank you for your responses.

 

[davale4]

Hmmm....this is the second time I hear this about the poly. The first was a while back but I can't remember the year.

Went back and checked and it was in 2011 and 2013...both at the poly

 

[jhaig]

Unfortunately, it's Florida. Even Disney is not immune.

 

[Vicki Rickerd]

What longhouse were you in? This scares me

 

[Shanti]

Hello, I stayed at the Polynesian Resort from May 23rd to 29th. I noticed blisters on my arms and back that looked like bites during my trip, but I wasn't sure what caused them. I woke the morning I left on May 29th to find bed bugs all over the bed. I show it to a woman who worked as a congeries and she said she would send the exterminator into the room. I was comped my breakfast at Captain Cooks, but they couldn't do much since I was leaving that morning. I still have the bites and I am putting on lots of calamine lotion on now. I write this to let people know to check their bedding, even at a Disney resort, even at a deluxe report like the Poly. Does anyone else have experience with bed bugs at a Disney resort? Is it a big problem that I haven't heard about? Thank you for your responses.

I'm so sorry this happened to you- it's my biggest fear when we travel. It's never happened to me, but I've read numerous reports about it happening to others at different Disney and non-Disney resorts over the years. I've read more reports about this happening at values & moderates, but I've read about it happening at deluxes occasionally, too, even at the Grand Floridian. Bed bugs always get in for free.

The problem isn't all Disney, of course, hotels everywhere get them. But I'm sure it's especially distressing in the most magical place on Earth. I'm also concerned that you found them "all over" the bed. That might indicate that housekeeping fell down on the job in this case (which could be related to the cutbacks...)

Since this case was verified by the resort, I'd contact management and request to be comped at least one night's stay for this (you've already paid, but they can refund it). A free breakfast just wouldn't cut it for me, given the stress and fact that this basically ruined the end of your vacation. You will also have to be hypervigilant about not bringing these creatures back into your home.

 

[tiggergal15]

You do know that you need to have all your clothes/ possessions/ belongings specially cleaned.. Right? Your luggage and clothes will probably have them and you will be bringing them home...just be aware that calamine lotion won't kill those little buggers and you might need special stuff that will.
Sorry this happened to you...unfortunately it happens every where .
When you get home leave everything outside your home and dont bring anything in your house until you are sure you are bug free.

 

[Shanti]

You do know that you need to have all your clothes/ possessions/ belongings specially cleaned.. Right? Your luggage and clothes will probably have them and you will be bringing them home...just be aware that calamine lotion won't kill those little buggers and you might need special stuff that will.
Sorry this happened to you...unfortunately it happens every where .
When you get home leave everything outside your home and dont bring anything in your house until you are sure you are bug free.

Yes, they need to go through a special heat treatment to kill all of the bugs and their eggs. Spraying with pesticides won't take care of everything. The issue is not only the bugs themselves, but their eggs (which you likely won't see when looking through your clothes & belongings.) Disney does the heat treatment for guests in rooms with bedbugs (they make guests hand over even the clothes they are wearing, and everything they had packed, and the suitcases), but I guess they didn't in your case as you had to leave right away. That means you'll have to do it before bringing any of your belongings or even the clothes you're wearing into your home.

That's what I meant about you needing more compensation than breakfast. You're going to have to work and pay to make sure your home doesn't get an infestation.

 

[tiggergal15]

Oops..I see you are already home..but you still have bites??...that means you brought those little buggers with you. Did you treat all your stuff??? Did you call your MD and get a script to kill them on your body??..Id call an exterminator ASAP as well to treat my home...

 

[oceanscape]

So sorry to hear about this. It seems to be more common at the Polynesian than the other resorts, from what I have seen. Strange.

I don't care if it's not Disney's fault, I'd be expecting at the least some monetary compensation/refund as a goodwill gesture for this. I can't imagine how awful that must have been for you. At least it was the end of your trip, I guess.

 

[Shanti]

Unfortunately, it's Florida. Even Disney is not immune.

Bedbugs flourish in all 50 states, not just Florida. They can live in any climate, and actually do quite well in the cold (in fact, extremely high heat is the only thing guaranteed to kill both them and their eggs). I agree that no hotel or resort, anywhere, is immune.

 

[MissErikaRae]

Wow that is very unfortunate. I'm so paranoid about bed bugs that I'm going to search our room at the Poly when we arrive.

 

[oceanscape]

Wow that is very unfortunate. I'm so paranoid about bed bugs that I'm going to search our room at the Poly when we arrive.

Does anyone have any tips on what to look out for?

 

[Shanti]

Does anyone have any tips on what to look out for?

Upon arrival, pull up the corners of the fitted sheet around the mattress, and look for bugs (they're about the size of apple seeds) and their waste or blood, which will look like lots of dark specks. The mattress should look immaculate. If it doesn't & you see lots of specks around the crevices and edging in particular, I'd go to the front desk (not call) and request a bed bug search.

You should also look inside all of the drawers in the room, look under the couch and chair cushions and in their crevices, for bugs or evidence of bugs. They can hide almost anywhere- that's why they're so hard to treat and it is so important to keep them out of your home. The unfortunate thing is that they tend to hide during the day, so upon arrival you're more likely to see their waste or blood than the bugs themselves (unless it's a very advanced infestation- it is so easy for a small number of bugs brought in by a previous guest to hide). I've read multiple reports of people checking upon arrival and not finding anything, then later being bitten & bed bugs confirmed in their room. If you're worried, keep one of your room's cups on the bedstand at night, so if you feel something, you can try to catch it under the cup.

The most important thing is to be attentive if you notice rows or clusters of bites appearing anywhere on your body during a trip. (Bedbugs tend to leave multiple bites in one area, unlike the isolated bites mosquitoes tend to leave.) Don't shrug it off. If you find these, as the OP did, again, go to the front desk to report it, and request a bed bug search.

But don't stress too much. The good news is that these unfortunate incidents are in the small minority- you're much more likely to get a bedbug-free room than one with bedbugs.

 

[Babsy]

Does anyone have any tips on what to look out for?

First when you go into your room, out the luggage in the bathtub. Then you need to lift the bedding off the mattress and check the seams for small dark stains (feces/blood) or the bugs themselves. Bed bugs are small, but visible to the naked eye. They can easily hide in cracks, joins between the headboard and wall, in seams, just about anywhere. You want to 'play detective' and have a good look around dressers, bed area, luggage racks etc. If there isn't any sign of them then you can pull out your luggage and enjoy your stay. I like to have a flashlight for looking into dark areas.

If you find any, leave the room with your luggage right away. Go to the front desk and alert them to the problem.

I have encountered bed bugs in Europe, but never (yet) at WDW.

However, I am aware that they can be anywhere.

 

[AJA]

I am so sorry that happened to you! I agree with seeing if Disney will do anything else for you. Maybe a good will/customer service comp either for this visit or one in the future. Big companies always have some sort of customer service extras they extend for real problems that pop up. It just takes the right person getting the info.

I know it can be as simple as the guests who stayed in the room before you brought them in so I'm sure it happens everywhere but I do remember more posts here on Dis regarding the Poly. Must be something that helps them thrive once they are introduced.

 

[Keith Chandler]

What longhouse were you in? This scares me

It was Aotearoa.

 

[sndral]

Hello, I stayed at the Polynesian Resort from May 23rd to 29th. I noticed blisters on my arms and back that looked like bites during my trip, but I wasn't sure what caused them. I woke the morning I left on May 29th to find bed bugs all over the bed. I show it to a woman who worked as a congeries and she said she would send the exterminator into the room. I was comped my breakfast at Captain Cooks, but they couldn't do much since I was leaving that morning. I still have the bites and I am putting on lots of calamine lotion on now. I write this to let people know to check their bedding, even at a Disney resort, even at a deluxe report like the Poly. Does anyone else have experience with bed bugs at a Disney resort? Is it a big problem that I haven't heard about? Thank you for your responses.

Bedbugs can happen anywhere and if OP flew home they probably infested a few places in route not to mention Captain Cooks before they left when they ate that comped breakfast. But, I question whether this is indeed a confirmed bed bug report.
This is OP's first post.
In everything I've read about bed bugs I've never heard of them 'crawling all over the bed' I believe they hide from light, thus the problems w/ avoiding them.
Also I don't think a 'woman who worked as a congeries' saying she'd send an exterminator is a 'confirmed report.' Not sure what OP means w/ the noun 'congeries' which means a heap or aggregate. Does OP mean a housekeeper/janitor/garbage collector?
Disney has a very specific protocol for dealing with bed bugs and comping someone breakfast so they can go in untreated clothes to the counter service restaurant and thereby infect other spaces/patrons is not in the protocol.

 

[Keith Chandler]

Oops..I see you are already home..but you still have bites??...that means you brought those little buggers with you. Did you treat all your stuff??? Did you call your MD and get a script to kill them on your body??..Id call an exterminator ASAP as well to treat my home...

I don't have new bites. I'm treating the old ones. I'm cleaning everything with hot water so I don't get them.

 

[Shanti]

Bedbugs can happen anywhere and if OP flew home they probably infested a few places in route not to mention Captain Cooks before they left when they ate that comped breakfast. But, I question whether this is indeed a confirmed bed bug report.
This is OP's first post.
In everything I've read about bed bugs I've never heard of them 'crawling all over the bed' I believe they hide from light, thus the problems w/ avoiding them.
Also I don't think a 'woman who worked as a congeries' saying she'd send an exterminator is a 'confirmed report.' Not sure what OP means w/ the noun 'congeries' which means a heap or aggregate. Does OP mean a housekeeper/janitor/garbage collector?
Disney has a very specific protocol for dealing with bed bugs and comping someone breakfast so they can go in untreated clothes to the counter service restaurant and thereby infect other spaces/patrons is not in the protocol.

Thank you for trying to invalidate the OP's confirmed experience. Not.

 

[AngiTN]

Hello, I stayed at the Polynesian Resort from May 23rd to 29th. I noticed blisters on my arms and back that looked like bites during my trip, but I wasn't sure what caused them. I woke the morning I left on May 29th to find bed bugs all over the bed. I show it to a woman who worked as a congeries and she said she would send the exterminator into the room. I was comped my breakfast at Captain Cooks, but they couldn't do much since I was leaving that morning. I still have the bites and I am putting on lots of calamine lotion on now. I write this to let people know to check their bedding, even at a Disney resort, even at a deluxe report like the Poly. Does anyone else have experience with bed bugs at a Disney resort? Is it a big problem that I haven't heard about? Thank you for your responses.

Thanks for the warning but why on earth is it that people want to equate bed bugs with quality of the resort? I can't tell you how many times I hear "bed bug even at Deluxe resorts" or even "beg bugs at 5 star hotel".
No resort is immune and getting them has nothing to do with quality or cost of the hotel

As for the 2nd question about how big the problem is, yes, they are a big problem. In all hotels that have guests at least. Not Disney alone obviously but any hotel that has guests checking in and out. So obviously all hotels. All over the world.