Disney offers family $5,000, free trip to keep quiet.

[angwill]

A little off topic here to, but in response to your notes above - don't let your children use the computer headphones either. My DD contracted lice at her elementary school along with other children in the same class. Common denominator was the many headphone sets in the classroom. We ended up purchasing her own set that she brought back & forth to school & that solved the lice problem. (Yes, we did the total clean up of DD, the house, the cars, the stuffed animals, etc-but it was the school's suggestion to buy headphone as whatever they were using evidently didn't work because the kids kept getting reinfected.)

On another note.......we just returned yesterday from ASMu & no signs of any bugs, bed or otherwise!

Thanks for the warning I never thought about the headsets at the school.

Sadly, I knew someone who struggled with lice all summer long and the whole family except the father got infected. She tried everything to get rid of them. I really felt sorry for her till I lost all respect for her when she decided to go on vacation and close off her house because she was sick of trying to get rid of them. They closed up the house and off they went to infest every hotel they stayed in as they explored the USA. She did finally get rid of them while on vacation too after she spread them to how many other unsuspecting families.

 

[Sleepy]

No, the article the OP gave a link to stated that the Orange County Health Department gave those reasons. The article used the word "international" instead of foreign.

An international traveler is one who goes from one country to another, therefore, this means an American is an "international traveler" and is just as easily responsible for the spread of bedbugs into America on a return trip from vacation. In turn, if the American has bedbugs and goes on vacation somewhere else, they may spread bedbugs to a geographic location where bedbugs may not exist. "International traveler" does not exclude Americans.

 

[miss missy]

TMI! I don't want to think about this stuff

 

[cmonroe]

A little off topic here to, but in response to your notes above - don't let your children use the computer headphones either. My DD contracted lice at her elementary school along with other children in the same class. Common denominator was the many headphone sets in the classroom. We ended up purchasing her own set that she brought back & forth to school & that solved the lice problem. (Yes, we did the total clean up of DD, the house, the cars, the stuffed animals, etc-but it was the school's suggestion to buy headphone as whatever they were using evidently didn't work because the kids kept getting reinfected.)

On another note.......we just returned yesterday from ASMu & no signs of any bugs, bed or otherwise!

Ekkkkk! Good call! I'm not sure if they have headphones or not, but I will find out today! Thanks!

 

[auntie]

An international traveler is one who goes from one country to another, therefore, this means an American is an "international traveler" and is just as easily responsible for the spread of bedbugs into America on a return trip from vacation. In turn, if the American has bedbugs and goes on vacation somewhere else, they may spread bedbugs to a geographic location where bedbugs may not exist. "International traveler" does not exclude Americans.

I think that is entirely the point. I didn't get the impression the bugs were hoping planes and coming here themselves. The impression I've had from everything I've read is that while they had been eradicated in the states, this is no longer the case. People from the states travel internationally where they have never been eradicated and bring them back. They haven't had these issues at home to contend with. They can use a hotel there, and not give it a second thought, and wind up bringing them home. By the same token people who live in these same areas vist the U.S. and bring them with them. Either way...THEY"RE BACK

 

[cruisekat]

What makes me feel a little better is that, besides this one news report, I haven't seen or heard of any other incidents here on these boards. So when you look at ALL of these DISers, with many of them having 10 trips+ under their belts, and none of them have reported here about having any problems like this, you have to figure it must be an extremely small % of incidents overall. Granted, even ONE incident creeps me out, but I am trying to make myself calmer about it with our trip coming up in April! I have read lots of the trip reports, etc, and not one has anything about anyone getting bedbugs OR lice...unless I missed it...has anybody ever read anything on these boards about somebody actually having these problems?

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Unfortunately I have read about cases (unconfirmed - just reported on the boards) of bed bugs at both POR and Boardwalk. I think POR was last year or the year before and the Boardwalk one was in 2006 I think.

I've heard that so many hotels (even 5 star ones) are having problems with bedbugs. Really freaks me out!

 

[auntie]

This is just a reality we have to live with now. I don't think anyone (or at least we're not) going to stop traveling because of it. We will educate ourselves(thanks to the Dis! ) and take the necessary precautions, and enjoy ourselves!

 

[Allison]

This is just a reality we have to live with now. I don't think anyone (or at least we're not) going to stop traveling because of it. We will educate ourselves(thanks to the Dis! ) and take the necessary precautions, and enjoy ourselves!

I agree.

 

[angwill]

This is just a reality we have to live with now. I don't think anyone (or at least we're not) going to stop traveling because of it. We will educate ourselves(thanks to the Dis! ) and take the necessary precautions, and enjoy ourselves!

I agree completely. Prevention is the main idea here.

One other thing for the person who said they have not read reports of bedbugs at Disney. I have read a couple of messages of people who claim that their children got lice trying on the hats at Disney so try to remember not to let your kids try anything on their heads.

There was also one parent who asked on the message board what to do about lice since their daughter got them and they were leaving for Disney the next morning. They did go to Disney the next day so unless they got the medicine on their DD head that night and knew to be vigilant about taking time from the parks to comb out every nit daily with the special comb I am sure they left a few there for the next guests.

I have heard of too many cases of lice this year that won't go away and I worry more about those than bedbugs because at least I can see the bedbugs. Anyone know how to look for those in the room?

 

[eliza61]

http://www.rd.com/your-home/cleanin...rol/yikes-i-think-i-have-bedbugs/article.html

Evidently there is a upswing in bedbugs. Good thing is that they are not believed to transmit diseases

 

[Laren]

I don't want to get off topic but.....

Laren, your apprehension is valid.

I have never encountered bed bugs, but my daughter brought home head lice from school before Christmas. We are clean freaks in our house. Let me tell you, it cost about $400 dollars for all of the shampoos, mattress covers, pillow covers, linens, etc. Not to mention the electric and oil bill for washing in hot water every load no matter what type of clothes and drying as much as possible for a month. Multiple hour long inspections of each person's hair daily, spraying down and vacuuming rugs and all furniture each day, frustrated children and parents all add up to a very bad time.

I can tell you that no matter what people say about other poster's apprehension on this thread, I respect their fears of this and will do my due diligence the next time I visit a hotel.

For further judging fodder: My daughter's hair is now up in a tight pony tail or pig tails each day with multiple elastics to keep the hair tight. She has is warned once per week about sharing hats, gloves, coats, etc.
Fire away any that would like, having gone through this, we never want to go through it again.

Oh MAN so it is as bad as I fear!!!

I check my daughter every time she comes home from her other house (shared custody) I always ask her if the other kids over there have been scratching/ if anything is going on she's been warned STERNLY like a mantra not to share hats/headphones (already thought of that angle it's good someone brought it up for those who hadn't) wash everything including her coat soon as she gets back. . .but I worry there is only so much I can do.

Thanks for helping me to feel that at least I'm not crazy to be concerned and vigilant on the look out!!!

Laren

 

[auntie]

I agree completely. Prevention is the main idea here.

One other thing for the person who said they have not read reports of bedbugs at Disney. I have read a couple of messages of people who claim that their children got lice trying on the hats at Disney so try to remember not to let your kids try anything on their heads.

There was also one parent who asked on the message board what to do about lice since their daughter got them and they were leaving for Disney the next morning. They did go to Disney the next day so unless they got the medicine on their DD head that night and knew to be vigilant about taking time from the parks to comb out every nit daily with the special comb I am sure they left a few there for the next guests.

I have heard of too many cases of lice this year that won't go away and I worry more about those than bedbugs because at least I can see the bedbugs. Anyone know how to look for those in the room?

We have had a real problem..worse than ever before of lice in the schools. I never remember it going on for this long. Kids who have had them, and then gotten rid of them, wind up with them again. They hang their coat where other kids do..they use share gym mats, and the like. They even sent home notices for people not to forget about their cars...as far as cleaning and checking for them. You know these kids go on vacation especially during the breaks..I'm sure there is more than one hotel that's had a head full of them laying on the pillow or in the bed. Fortunately, my son is in high school, and it isn't a problem for us..we just have MRSA to worry about!

 

[safetymom]

I am moving to the community board. This no longer is about resort planning at WDW. Please continue the discussion there. Thank you.

 

[natses1966]

TMI! I don't want to think about this stuff

Me neither!

We are leaving for SSR on Sunday morning. I am already pretty germophobic and don't really like hotels in general. I force myself not to think of all of the gross shows I have seen about them!

I really hope DH doesn't find any sign of bedbugs in our villa - this is really freaking me out!