Bed bugs at pop century

[glasslipper]

Just back from a trip to the world 11/4-11/10, and wanted to give a warning to those staying or considering staying at Pop century. We were in the 80's section , bldg 7 1st floor. Our neighbors in the 2rooms next to us actually had the bed bugs, all their clothes were out on the sidewalk in plastic bags to be cleaned and they were moved to a new room. We moved the same day as well because we had an influx of newly hatched millipede bugs that were coming in under the door. I checked our beds after talking to the poor family with the bed bugs and didn't notice any evidence, but that was a little unnerving as they bites as well. I couldn't get out of there fast enough.

 

[wilkeliza]

Just know it happens at every Disney resort and really almost every hotel in American right now. It has nothing to do with the cleanliness or status of the hotel as they usually come in with people who picked them up on their travels. It is very easy to get bed bugs in air travel as they can move between all the luggage stacked in the cargo hold and then get brought in to a hotel by people who had no clue they even had them. There can be several bed sheet changes or even guests before the infestation is bad enough to be caught.

The most important thing about bed bugs is how the establishment responds to them. Disney from my understanding does a very very good job.

 

[glasslipper]

Just giving a heads up that I had actual experience this trip, whereas all my many other visits have been uneventful. When you actually have a situation fist hand , it is upsetting and not always easy to deal with.

 

[wilkeliza]

Heads up are always good but I wanted to let people know they may experience this outside of Pop and that just staying away from Pop won't guarantee it won't happen and staying at Pop won't guarantee it will. The best thing to do is at any hotel you stay at to check the beds as soon as you get in for any signs of bed bugs but even then there is no sure fire way to make sure the room doesn't have them. They can hide in any little crack that you can slip a piece of paper in so the head boards and drawers are big hiding spots as well.

I am sorry you had to deal with that experience. It is never great where something we can't control happens. I have dealt with this before in an apartment I was renting and it is not great so I do understand how upsetting it can be. I'm glad it has been years now since that happened.

 

[Babsy]

Yes, checking for bed bugs is very important these days. It is a huge hassle once you have come in contact with these critters. Their bites will drive you crazy with itching!! AND they take quite a while to heal. We encountered them in Europe a couple of years ago. It took me several months to get everything unpacked as I had it all sealed in ziploc bags and deep frozen for 2 months and then threw everything washable into a very hot machine wash.

The best thing is to put your luggage in the tub first. Then check the room for bed bugs. Once the room is 'cleared' then you can unpack. I don't ever put my luggage on the bed anymore, though and I check the luggage racks carefully before I use them.

 

[MiramarQE]

The best thing is to put your luggage in the tub first. Then check the room for bed bugs. Once the room is 'cleared' then you can unpack. I don't ever put my luggage on the bed anymore, though and I check the luggage racks carefully before I use them.

We don't go quite this far - just leave the bags by the door - but the very first thing after the room door is opened is a bed-bug check - no matter where we travel. No experience with Disney's response (and don't want to find out!)

 

[wilkeliza]

Yes, checking for bed bugs is very important these days. It is a huge hassle once you have come in contact with these critters. Their bites will drive you crazy with itching!! AND they take quite a while to heal. We encountered them in Europe a couple of years ago. It took me several months to get everything unpacked as I had it all sealed in ziploc bags and deep frozen for 2 months and then threw everything washable into a very hot machine wash.

The best thing is to put your luggage in the tub first. Then check the room for bed bugs. Once the room is 'cleared' then you can unpack. I don't ever put my luggage on the bed anymore, though and I check the luggage racks carefully before I use them.

I am one of the "lucky" ones that are not allergic to their bites. I am allergic to almost every other bug bite but not these. I had no clue my apartment had them until I saw one which means the infestation is pretty bad. Most people discover them from the bites. I was never itchy so didn't think about the redness on my feet. I just thought it was from being on them all the time at work and at school. Turned out it was multiple bites on top of each other! Like I said so glad that part of life is behind me and I hope it never happens again.

 

[mickeygirl78]

Agreed, this can happen anywhere. Someone I know had this happen at POR a few months ago. The infestion was very bad on one bed in the room (the bed bugs had eggs all in the headboard, this was in the bayou section so very hard to see if doing a quick scan). They didn't know until a week into the trip. Disney was very good about it, got them moved to an upgraded resort for the second week of the trip, treated all their stuff and gave them money to buy clothes to wear until they could get their luggage back. Regardless where you stay, check the beds first.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

The trade off...cancer causing DTD that was widely used and now banned or Bed Bugs. Good to know Disney takes care of it when they are discovered. The cleaning staff should be better trained to spot them when cleaning around the bed.

edit..DDT not DTD.

 

[Praying Colonel]

The trade off...cancer causing DTD that was widely used and now banned or Bed Bugs. Good to know Disney takes care of it when they are discovered. The cleaning staff should be better trained to spot them when cleaning around the bed.

I know you meant "DDT" instead of "DTD," but I read the highlighted portion as "Cancer Causing Downtown Disney" which made me chuckle.

 

[dkrauss]

We always check......first thing........... my wife throws off the bed covers/sheets and we look in all cracks and crevice's of the bed. We did in NYC and we've done it (and will continue to do it) at WDW. Must say we've been fortunate.

We're staying at AoA in 3 weeks.......thanks for the update

Doug

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

I know you meant "DDT" instead of "DTD," but I read the highlighted portion as "Cancer Causing Downtown Disney" which made me chuckle.

LOL yes I did mean DDT...been reading the board for too long.

 

[glasslipper]

I agree, from now on I am checking the room before we unpack. I do think that housekeeping should be trained to check for bedbugs and they need to be a little more diligent overall. I really felt pop century was lacking in the housekeeping department .When I noticed the millipede bugs, I called the front desk just for them to spray, which they did, but we still had bugs, both dead and alive on the floors and walls. The next day a runner took me to look at two different rooms as a possible room switch, they were both dirty, one had used bandages stuck on the bed sheet and trash on the floor,the other had red punch stains all over the carpet and dirty towels in the tub. At that point I was still willing to just switch to another bldg until I found out about the bed bugs. I realize it's a huge issue in the resort industry now and that it's not necessarily a cleanliness issue; however, if there were a higher standard of diligence it would help in prevention. I'm really not knocking pop century, we stayed there a few years ago and really liked it, thought it was clean , no issues at all. This experience was a whole different story.

 

[BigAlsGal]

I always intend to check but at Disney I am always so excited to get there I always forget! I remember as I'm laying in bed for the night. "Oh poop!"

 

[Disneylover99]

I always check. No matter what hotel I'm at. These threads are a good reminder to always be vigilant.

 

[glasslipper]

I always intend to check but at Disney I am always so excited to get there I always forget! I remember as I'm laying in bed for the night. "Oh poop!"

Lol, exactly. In our case,we checked in then went right to Epcot, so I was exhausted when we got back to the room, not to mention I had a killer headache going on from the sun.

 

[NJlauren]

I know it can happen anywhere but staying at pop in three weeks and really hope I don't find any!

I'm so grossed out by them...

 

[glasslipper]

I know it can happen anywhere but staying at pop in three weeks and really hope I don't find any!

I'm so grossed out by them...

Don't accept bldg 7 , 80's section. Front desk knew there was a problem with those rooms because I was told by management other guests had complained and yet they still put new people there.

 

[Disneylover99]

I know it can happen anywhere but staying at pop in three weeks and really hope I don't find any!

I'm so grossed out by them...

We'll be at Pop next month too. Try not to worry. Just doublecheck.
It's my biggest fear when staying at a hotel.

 

[kollerbear]

I am sorry you had to deal with that experience. It is never great where something we can't control happens. I have dealt with this before in an apartment I was renting and it is not great so I do understand how upsetting it can be. I'm glad it has been years now since that happened.

This! My husband and I have taken care of my grandmother with dementia in our 1-bedroom apartment for a year, planned a large-ish wedding, dealt with an incontinent cat who ended up taking over that bedroom in our 1-bedroom apartment, experienced the death of a parent... and through it all the MOST stressful thing we've been through? Getting bedbugs--by a factor of at least 5. No contest.