Bedbugs at Pop? Really?

[crosstheborder]

Okay, so I never really knew bedbugs existed, having never seen them before. But I've read a few threads that discussed bedbugs at a few resorts and Pop was one of them. I realize they are not in every room, but you may encounter some in your bed. SO, here is my question. Should I take some bedbug killer spray and spray down the mattresses? If the bugs do happen to be in our room can I take the sheets to the laundry room and wash them? Has anyone done this? It may sound a little overboard, but I would hate to have our holiday upset by bugs..and if the kids get wind of bugs in their bed, I'll never sleep! Thanks for your help!

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Well...here is my story...I joined the boards back in Jan..pre planning for a June 08 trip ( ok...I will have 3 trips in by then now! lol)
My DD10 and I went for a quick trip...the first night she said she was itchy..I attibuted it to her new pj's I didnt wash prior..second night..the same..3rd night I changed pj's and she said she was fine...
All this time I never thought much of it..until these threads popped up...I really hope it wasnt..but I am more aware of this issue now.
Some folks here have provided great info regarding this and how to look for it etc....Hopefully they will return LOL the posters...not the buggers!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) If there are bedbugs in the room, simply washing linens will not help.
2) They will "hide" or "nest"
. . . behind the bed headboard
. . . under the carpet
. . . within the bed framing
3) That is why they are so hard to get rid of.
4) The whole room needs to be hit with a "bug bomb"

5) A sure way of knowing you have them are numerous red welts from the bites.

 

[crosstheborder]

So taking bedbug killer spray, which says it kill bugs instantly, may not be the way to go? It says you can spray it on carpets, furniture, etc... It just seems like a lot of hassle, but the alternative does not sound like fun either.

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't think there is an easy, quick solution. I know that when my dd's camp found bedbugs they had to move the kids out of the building, they tossed all the mattresses in a fire, burned all the wooden bunkbeds and replaced everything. And that was the second time they had to deal with the little buggers that summer!!! So, I don't think a bug spray, no matter what it says, is going to do the trick. Those things hide out inside the mattress. You would never get them all!!! IF you suspect bedbugs are in the room, do not unpack, put your luggage up off the floor, not on the bed, and head to the front desk and ask to be moved to a bug free room.
The best way to tell if there has been bedbug activity is to take up the bottom sheet, check out the 'seams' on the mattress. If there is any sign of redness, then move out. That redness will be bedbug 'dirt'. It's what they leave behind. You can also check behind the headboards as well.

 

[JennyDrake]

I'm a former hotel inspector and I've never seen a bedbug at WDW.

 

[crosstheborder]

Thanks guys, you just saved me $40 on the bug spray I'll check the beds when we arrive and hope for the best. Maybe all the bedbugs will be enjoying Magic Kingdom when we arrive

 

[JLKennedy]

I know its difficult to rid bed bugs....but here's a holistic approach....consume greater than normal amounts of garlic (you can even buy the tablets without the aroma). Holistically speaking, no insect will want to bite you, you will emit an "odor" only detectable by insects. I feed our 2 great danes garlic tablets or whole cloves and they do not get bit by mosquitos or the like (we eat an unusually large amount ourselves, and we don't suffer either).

 

[minie_meese]

I have never seen bedbugs at DisneyWorld but it can happen anywhere. There have been reports of them at very expensive hotels.

Do a google search of bedbugs and you should get some pictures at the top that will show you what they look like and what the bites look like.

My daughter lives in a NYC apartment building and they had them once. They are a pain in the neck to get rid of and generally require an exterminator. Thank goodness she did not end up with an infestation.

Bedbugs come out at night so you are unlikely to see them crawling around during the day. As other posters said they hide in sheets, carpets, furniture, etc and lay eggs on things like headboards, inside drawers, etc.

If you believe you had them at your hotel room (either because you saw them or saw signs of them at the seams of the mattress), certainly asked to be moved but also take care when you come home. They may have caught a ride home with you in your luggage so take care you don't bring them into your house. Don't bring your luggage in the house when you get home. Wash all of your clothes in hot water and get some professional bedbug spray for your luggage. If your travels are during the winter and you live in a cold areas I have heard that storing things are below 32 degrees for a number of days will kill bedbugs.

 

[Mike©]

Thanks guys, you just saved me $40 on the bug spray I'll check the beds when we arrive and hope for the best. Maybe all the bedbugs will be enjoying Magic Kingdom when we arrive

If you do find them, spread some talcum powder over the bed and sheets.
They suffocate in the matter of a few hours.

 

[crosstheborder]

Great tip Mike..and a whole lot cheaper than what I had in mind. Its nasty to think you could possibly bring them home with you, I would not be happy.

 

[kimmar067]

I know its difficult to rid bed bugs....but here's a holistic approach....consume greater than normal amounts of garlic (you can even buy the tablets without the aroma). Holistically speaking, no insect will want to bite you, you will emit an "odor" only detectable by insects. I feed our 2 great danes garlic tablets or whole cloves and they do not get bit by mosquitos or the like (we eat an unusually large amount ourselves, and we don't suffer either).

....and you don't even have to be Italian.....


....but, seriously, EWWWW on the bedbugs....now, I'm beginning to ITCH all over.....

 

[Disney Von Drake]

There is nothing you can do if your room is infested with bedbugs except to get another room. Or you could try this method;


Good night, sleep tight,
Don’t let the bedbugs bite.
And if they do
Then take your shoe
And knock ‘em ‘til
They’re black and blue!

 

[Poly Pal]

If you read some of the "bed bug" posts you'll find people jumping to conclusions without thinking through the situation.

For instance, there have been posts where only one person out of several in the same room have been bitten. I don't think bed bugs discriminate. There was probably some other "outdoor" cause of the itchy bites, most likely sand fleas or no see-ums.

Or in another instance, guests reported staying in the same room for several days and were only "bitten" on the last night of their stay. I would think if there were bugs in the beds, they would be biting each night, no?

Finally, someone on this thread mentioned new pjs causing some itching. So that is another possibility.

All that said, in 20 years of Disney World vacations, I have seen a bug in my resort room ONCE and that was a small spider in the bathroom at the Polynesian in 1990. In fact, I have wondered what Disney does to control the bugs. After all it is Florida. I can't remember as much as a mosquito bite, although my younger son did get some kind of bite that left a dime size, hard welt on his thigh last month.

 

[TheRatPack]

I've never seen any bugs in our rooms. I'm always paranoid about lice and other things though...on the seats in the bus or on the hotel pillows...etc.

 

[DebbieB]

Would you really want to sleep in a bed or be in a room where bug killer was just sprayed? That sounds gross.

I spent over 60 nights this year in hotels (on business) and have never come across any.

 

[raenyny]

WE did come across bed bugs in our room at POP and ewwww....anyway we were itching and itching and then the sheets and room had some sort of ordor almost like a medicated powder...sure enough when I called the front desk they had done some sort of treatment...they then moved our room..by the way we didn't see them up close and personal or anything

 

[crosstheborder]

DebbieB, good thought, never even entered my mind. I'm definately sticking to the powder suggestion and of course just keeping my fingers crossed. Yes, odds are in our favor that we won't see or be bitten by bedbugs, but you don't know my family. For some reason we have a little black cloud over our heads and things happen. BUT at Disney World, a little magic would be nice

 

[ldo]

and we are the itchiest people you ever met--no bed bugs!

 

[Sammie]

For instance, there have been posts where only one person out of several in the same room have been bitten. I don't think bed bugs discriminate.

Well actually they do. Bedbugs, for some reason truly do not bite some people just as mosquitos avoid some and feast on others.