Disney Bed Bug Problem

[robinb]

My DH used to work in hotels, and he taught me this trick. Leave all of your bags in the hallway, and enter the room, pull the blankets and sheets off the corner of the bed furthest from the windows ( or light source ), take a maxi pad, and unwrap it, stick the sticky side of the pad to the corner of the bed. If the sticky part of the pad is dirty ( little black or red specks) there are bugs in the bed. Take the pad down to the manager of the hotel and ask for a new room. Very few managers are going to deny you a request when you are waiving a maxi pad around the lobby! LOL!

Your husband travels with maxi-pads?!?!

OP, don't worry about it. The chances that you will have bed bugs again is incredibly small. Your kids are picking up on your own anxiety.

 

[BlondeAlligator]

My DH used to work in hotels, and he taught me this trick. Leave all of your bags in the hallway, and enter the room, pull the blankets and sheets off the corner of the bed furthest from the windows ( or light source ), take a maxi pad, and unwrap it, stick the sticky side of the pad to the corner of the bed. If the sticky part of the pad is dirty ( little black or red specks) there are bugs in the bed. Take the pad down to the manager of the hotel and ask for a new room. Very few managers are going to deny you a request when you are waiving a maxi pad around the lobby! LOL!

Of course, since I have OCD I always have my DH check the beds...I wonder how he'd feel about trying this little trick! Too funny!!

 

[Rootskate]

Since we are on the bed bug topic....quick (and possibly stupid) question....how about your luggage on the plane? With all of the suitcases stored together isn't there a chance of picking these things up before the plane even lands?

 

[kayleesmomxo]

Since we are on the bed bug topic....quick (and possibly stupid) question....how about your luggage on the plane? With all of the suitcases stored together isn't there a chance of picking these things up before the plane even lands?

Great Question Anyone Know????

 

[tami82]

I always check the bed first thing when going into a room, for the bugs and to make sure i have clean sheets.

 

[RD-SOX]

I am ITCHY all over....

 

[BlondeAlligator]

Since we are on the bed bug topic....quick (and possibly stupid) question....how about your luggage on the plane? With all of the suitcases stored together isn't there a chance of picking these things up before the plane even lands?

I'm no expert but I would think not since all of the "infected" items would be closed up inside of the suitcase, zipped shut with no way for the bugs to get out. But you never know...

Now I'm itchy, too!

 

[gailanncreates]

To help on the kid issue, have them doing something cool and fun while you are checking for the bugs. Give them something to look forward to while checking in and hopefully distract them from what you are doing.

 

[jewjubean]

I am ITCHY all over....

Same here

 

[Kudrah]

I am ITCHY all over....

LOL! I was just going to post the same thing! I'm scratching my head like crazy now!

I am so showing this all to DH and making sure he checks everything before we bring our stuff into our room!!

 

[goofy4tink]

Since we are on the bed bug topic....quick (and possibly stupid) question....how about your luggage on the plane? With all of the suitcases stored together isn't there a chance of picking these things up before the plane even lands?

Absolutely a concern. Contrary to what you would think, the bugs are not only on the inside of the luggage. They hide in all the little nooks and crannies. If your bag is tossed next to someones bag that has a bug problem, then it's very possible for your bag to carry a 'passenger' off the plane.

But, here's the thing. I just refuse to give bed bugs too much thought. I just check out the room before unpacking...sometimes, if it's a short stay, I don't even unpack, just live out of the suitcase.

 

[tiki23]

Since we are on the bed bug topic....quick (and possibly stupid) question....how about your luggage on the plane? With all of the suitcases stored together isn't there a chance of picking these things up before the plane even lands?

Absolutely this can happen. I work in property managment and we've had several instances where residents have come home with bugs but had never been bothered by them while they were in their hotel.

There have also been instances of residents' belongings being infested after being in a moving truck (U-Haul that they borrowed locally and a big semi rig that was moving several households across country.) Those poor people had to have all of their belongings sent to the "extermination vault" and then also had to pay to have the vehicles in which they transported the belongings exterminated plus the actual apartment.

Being in this business, I've learned way more than I ever wanted to know about bed bugs...and cockroaches, too!

 

[Rootskate]

Absolutely a concern. Contrary to what you would think, the bugs are not only on the inside of the luggage. They hide in all the little nooks and crannies. If your bag is tossed next to someones bag that has a bug problem, then it's very possible for your bag to carry a 'passenger' off the plane.

But, here's the thing. I just refuse to give bed bugs too much thought. I just check out the room before unpacking...sometimes, if it's a short stay, I don't even unpack, just live out of the suitcase.

I had a feeling that might be the case. Having said that, as scared to death as I am of bugs to begin with, I will not let the off chance of coming in contact with bed bugs drive me insane.

 

[BlondeAlligator]

OK, eewwww.

I try not to think of these things either...I guess the luggage can get infected, but for that matter, you never know if the person who sat in your airplane seat (or movie theater seat) before you might have had lice, either.

Check the beds as best you can & have a great time!!!!!

 

[Cookie Princess]

I am ITCHY all over....

GEEEZ, me too. This thread has given me the creeps!

 

[Kelly in NY]

Ok I am officially itchy all over! LOL and completely grossed out at the thought of what my luggage is hanging out with under the plane and who just sat in the seat before us! and that's all before even getting to the room and now trying to remember to check for the bed bugs and the "extra critters" that have sometimes gotten into rooms I read about in another post. Can I put my family in a plastic bubble and still enjoy disney?? LOL

 

[Deb & Bill]

I just watched a show on TV the other night about bed bugs and how they are all over the place, even in the best hotels. It's not about cleanliness, it's about transportation. They do latch on to your suitcase from another suitcase on the airplane. So your hotel room may be spotless, but you just might bring the little hitchhikers in on suitcase.

They also said they are more of an annoyance than a hazard.

 

[itsreally4mommy]

Absolutely a concern. Contrary to what you would think, the bugs are not only on the inside of the luggage. They hide in all the little nooks and crannies. If your bag is tossed next to someones bag that has a bug problem, then it's very possible for your bag to carry a 'passenger' off the plane.

But, here's the thing. I just refuse to give bed bugs too much thought. I just check out the room before unpacking...sometimes, if it's a short stay, I don't even unpack, just live out of the suitcase.

I think you run a bigger risk getting them from seats on the plane. My DH makes fun of me for doing a quick search under the sheets and such, but even I have to just let go at a certain point. You can drive yourself insane w/all the possibilities in public.

 

[jenjersnap]

(((HUGS))) OP. Once you have experienced an infestation, I think you have a little post traumatic stress syndrome. Try not to let on that you are anxious to the kids. I wouldn't call Disney, just trust that it is VERY unlikely to happen again.

Despite using all the "tricks" (checking the mattress, keeping the luggage away from the beds, etc.) we picked up bedbugs while vacationing in California last summer and brought them home unwittingly. We did find three bugs on the outside of our suitcase when we got home so I am sure we infested others on our flight home. Taking care of the problem is something I dread repeating yet here we are a month away from another road trip vacation, this time to New England. It's been very difficult for me not to freak, but we love to travel too much to stay home! Have a great trip!

 

[BlondeAlligator]

Can I put my family in a plastic bubble and still enjoy disney?? LOL

If there were a way, I'd have figured it out by now and would happily share...