Don't forget to pack ____

CLOROX WIPES

someone mentioned earlier...

I am not a germophobe in "real life" but I do not want sickness to interfere with Disney!

I use Clorox wipes to to a quick clean of room--not just remote control but phone, general surfaces etc. I know my daughter was sick one year and stuck in the room... I was a hotel maid one summer (not Disney)--I know I cleaned well but not like I would as a mom now!
 
Not so much what we pack but how we pack. .

:thumbsup2

This is especially helpful when doing the split stay! Where we might normally pack a suitcase for each person- when doing a split stay, it is wonderfully useful to pack according to your stays.

At WDW, freebie plastic shopping bags are wonderfully useful. You can also bring along your own drawstring trash bags. Sometimes shopping bag coloration (Argh!!! The GAP!!!!!pirate:) can stain other items. I've not had any problems with WDW ones.
 
Trial size Lysol or generic brand spray. Found out the hard way last August that none of the resort gift shops carry it and mousekeeping doesn't use it...will NEVER travel without this again!
 
Trial size Lysol or generic brand spray. Found out the hard way last August that none of the resort gift shops carry it and mousekeeping doesn't use it...will NEVER travel without this again!

Even better- order the spray from Amazon or Walmart, and have it delivered to the resort! You'll get a better deal on two large cans versus one tiny travel can that barely squirts a puff out.
 

Even better- order the spray from Amazon or Walmart, and have it delivered to the resort! You'll get a better deal on two large cans versus one tiny travel can that barely squirts a puff out.

That is a good idea! I'm one of those poeple who tends to pack all kinds of essentials, you know, "just in case". And in all of our trips to Disney, we've never once needed half the stuff I pack nor have we ever needed Lysol for that matter, BUT...it only takes that one time where someone in your party gets deathly ill, and well, let's just say, I'll never make that mistake again. I've lived and learned ::yes::
 
Trial size Lysol or generic brand spray. Found out the hard way last August that none of the resort gift shops carry it and mousekeeping doesn't use it...will NEVER travel without this again!

As a non-American, this need to "sanitise" everything is one of the strangest cultural things about America.

Alcohol based sanitisers are not effective against norovirus (which causes most stomach bugs) http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/...-norovirus-spread/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

The need to "disinfect" everything is making it hard for hospitals to sterilise operating theatres effectively (which leads to people getting infections that can't be treated). It's increasing antibiotic resistant diseases. And soap and water works better. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Antibacterial_cleaning_products

And being too clean probably promotes allergies, asthma and maybe even immune system dysfunction in your kids. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis

I just don't get it.
 
As a non-American, this need to "sanitise" everything is one of the strangest cultural things about America.

Alcohol based sanitisers are not effective against norovirus (which causes most stomach bugs) http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/...-norovirus-spread/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

The need to "disinfect" everything is making it hard for hospitals to sterilise operating theatres effectively (which leads to people getting infections that can't be treated). It's increasing antibiotic resistant diseases. And soap and water works better. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Antibacterial_cleaning_products

And being too clean probably promotes allergies, asthma and maybe even immune system dysfunction in your kids. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis

I just don't get it.

I'm not one of those folks who ever feels the need to disinfect our room, that's not why I need or want the Lysol next time I travel. But, when my oldest DD got violently sick on our first night at the Beach Club last August & we ended up at Celebration Hospital with her, the first thing the doctor there told us was A. have housekeeping completely clean the room/bathroom, etc. with a bleach solution (which they already do), B. Try to keep her as isolated as possible (not an easy thing to do when we were all sharing one room) and C. get a can of Lysol - while she admitted it wouldn't "kill" the germs, she said it wouldn't hurt to spray the air in the room. Unfortunately, for my DD, she was sick most of the week we were there and Mousekeeping earned every ounce of extra tips I handed them after coming to our room so many times at literally all hours of the night that week. And while I know Lysol doesn't necessarily kill the germs, I'd like to think the doc was right that it didn't hurt any and the rest of us managed not to catch what she had :goodvibes
 
For the penny press machines we stack quarters and pennies (2 quarters & 1 penny) in empty mini m&m containers or prescription bottles.

I also pack ziploc baggies filled with puzzle pieces, legos, crayons & coloring pages, paper & stickers, etc. for the little ones. Each day I grab a small ziploc baggie and take it with us. When the little ones are waiting for their food I can give them a little something to keep them entertained.

Also, if you are bringing an umbrella stroller for your little ones....buy a wrist or ankle weight and wrap it around one of the front wheels. If you put anything around the handles and you take the little one out of the stroller, it tips over. With the weight on one of the front wheels it keeps the stroller upright even when the little one is no longer in the stroller. You can fold up the stroller with the weight on it and it doesn't make it too heavy that you can't lift it up.
 
I'm not one of those folks who ever feels the need to disinfect our room, that's not why I need or want the Lysol next time I travel. But, when my oldest DD got violently sick on our first night at the Beach Club last August & we ended up at Celebration Hospital with her, the first thing the doctor there told us was A. have housekeeping completely clean the room/bathroom, etc. with a bleach solution (which they already do), B. Try to keep her as isolated as possible (not an easy thing to do when we were all sharing one room) and C. get a can of Lysol - while she admitted it wouldn't "kill" the germs, she said it wouldn't hurt to spray the air in the room. Unfortunately, for my DD, she was sick most of the week we were there and Mousekeeping earned every ounce of extra tips I handed them after coming to our room so many times at literally all hours of the night that week. And while I know Lysol doesn't necessarily kill the germs, I'd like to think the doc was right that it didn't hurt any and the rest of us managed not to catch what she had :goodvibes

That makes much more sense than the people who want to sterilise the remote control in their room! I'm sorry your daughter got sick on your vacation - what a crappy thing to happen :sad:
 
I'm not one of those folks who ever feels the need to disinfect our room, that's not why I need or want the Lysol next time I travel. But, when my oldest DD got violently sick on our first night at the Beach Club last August & we ended up at Celebration Hospital with her, the first thing the doctor there told us was A. have housekeeping completely clean the room/bathroom, etc. with a bleach solution (which they already do), B. Try to keep her as isolated as possible (not an easy thing to do when we were all sharing one room) and C. get a can of Lysol - while she admitted it wouldn't "kill" the germs, she said it wouldn't hurt to spray the air in the room. Unfortunately, for my DD, she was sick most of the week we were there and Mousekeeping earned every ounce of extra tips I handed them after coming to our room so many times at literally all hours of the night that week. And while I know Lysol doesn't necessarily kill the germs, I'd like to think the doc was right that it didn't hurt any and the rest of us managed not to catch what she had :goodvibes


We all got very ill on our last trip to Disney, too. This time I have bought all of the disinfectants to take with us also. Never hurts to try to get rid of the germs instead of getting really sick again. I know germs are everywhere, but if it helps keeping us well I am willing to try it. :)
 
As a non-American, this need to "sanitise" everything is one of the strangest cultural things about America.

I just don't get it.

As an American, for the most part, I don't get it either. It think it has much to do with advertising.

The way we stay healthy is: Eat smart, drink plenty of water, do a few no brainer things like washing our hands periodically. Maintaining the first two efforts can be tricky to do at WDW.

Along the lines the thread title is the idea of grocery shopping. We've kind of come full circle. Initially, we tried grocery shopping/packing food as a means to save money. Buying a case of bottled water offsite makes huge sense over buying it onsite, especially in summer months.

Over time, we discovered that we weren't really saving much money. Stopping at a grocery store before checking in can be a big problem, because you need to keep many items cold. If your room is not ready, baggage services will keep them cold...but there's a time factor that just gets to be too much. Leftover food? Buying groceries is only cost effective if you eat all of it. It also can take a good deal of time to drive offsite and back.

The real reason to buy food offsite is QUALITY. REAL Florida oranges are a treat!(Orange World on 192!) In season citrus is so juicy you can't peel it without making a mess!

WDW generally does not carry high quality yogurt. They sell the kind with high fructose corn syrup and thickeners. You simply can't find plain Greek yogurt.

Another thing that is very hard to find on property is quality fresh fruit: berries, pears, peaches, mango, avocado.

You can find icky iceberg lettuce salads, but that's about it.(and they are often smothered in heavy Caesar/ranch dressing) Adult entrees come with a 'veggie garnish'. It's just sad how Americans prefer to eat.

We often find ourselves stopping in the Japan quick serve because it is almost the only place on property one can get a serving of plain steamed veggies. I think they offer a mix of carrots, summer squash, green beans.

Recently, at Coronado Springs, I scoured the Pepper Market over dinner, and simply could not find nice looking veggies anywhere. Options were: ribs, greasy chicken ("roasted" but sitting is a pool of grease), a giant bacon cheeseburger + fries, cheese pizza, or Alfredo noodles! Gone was the fresh fruit/fresh salad bar!

So when we have a car, we often like to get a few healthy items on our way form the airport. it's not a money saver, but it is an opportunity to get high quality food. It may not be everyone's pick but we really enjoy the Whole Foods near Sand Lake Dr. You can get all sorts of healthy treats like fresh squeezed juices, excellent prepared seafood, tons of healthy choices from the large salad/soup/hot foods buffet. Excellent yogurt, choice fruits, veggies.
 
I got a 2-pack of external "lipstick" chargers from NoBetterDeal. They were cheap and definitely did the job. I used a tiny USB (4") and would just shove it in my bag or pocket for a while and my phone was always ready to go.

I have these. Awesome. I got mine at nomorack - 2 for 19.99. Charge phone, ipod, kindle, etc.

CLOROX WIPES

someone mentioned earlier...

I am not a germophobe in "real life" but I do not want sickness to interfere with Disney!

I use Clorox wipes to to a quick clean of room--not just remote control but phone, general surfaces etc. I know my daughter was sick one year and stuck in the room... I was a hotel maid one summer (not Disney)--I know I cleaned well but not like I would as a mom now!

I've worked in a bacteriology lab for many years. We don't use germicidal soap, just regular. The Germex generation is overkill, but on vacation, you don't know how something was cleaned or how the tens of thousands of people you spent the day with perform hygiene. At home, I know how my house is cleaned; soap and hot water or steam mop. (The solution to pollution is dilution - HS biology class)

However, when you see people going in restrooms and walking out not washing hands, or blowing their nose and not washing their hands, etc., it's disgusting. Norovirus outbreaks are notorious in tourist destinations. I see how this is a preventive issue on vacation.

I really think the purpose of Germex and the like were intended for on the fly - when you can't get to water, etc. I've had Norwalk on vacation - almost ended up in the hospital. However, it most likely came from food - which is another culprit. So, you never know. On vacation, I'm better safe than sorry. At home, I use plain old water.
 
I get grossed out when I see people snottin and sneezing and $&@ and then touch a door handle, or a man coming out of the rest room without a paper towel in hand, or a person touching the buffet utensils after pulling their hair back. while not as good as actually washing your hands, hand sanitizer is a good substitute.
day time allergy meds are essential for me
 
I get grossed out when I see people snottin and sneezing and $&@ and then touch a door handle, or a man coming out of the rest room without a paper towel in hand, or a person touching the buffet utensils after pulling their hair back. while not as good as actually washing your hands, hand sanitizer is a good substitute. day time allergy meds are essential for me

Regarding the paper towel, whenever there is a door handle that I have to touch on the way out, I grab paper towel and use it for sanitary reasons. You don't know if the person who touched the handle before you washed their hands grabbing the door. To me, hose handles negate the whole hand washing thing and without the towel you need to rewash. It's a viscous cycle lol
 
As a non-American, this need to "sanitise" everything is one of the strangest cultural things about America.

Alcohol based sanitisers are not effective against norovirus (which causes most stomach bugs) http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/...-norovirus-spread/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

The need to "disinfect" everything is making it hard for hospitals to sterilise operating theatres effectively (which leads to people getting infections that can't be treated). It's increasing antibiotic resistant diseases. And soap and water works better. http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Antibacterial_cleaning_products

And being too clean probably promotes allergies, asthma and maybe even immune system dysfunction in your kids. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis

I just don't get it.

As an American...I don't jump on the "sanitize everything" bandwagon. As a result (or just could be good genes, jury's still out on the research) no one in my family has allergies or asthma, and aside from an occasional cold, are very healthy. We have pets and I keep a sane level of cleanliness in our home using good sense (hand washing after bathroom use, not wearing shoes in the house, preventing kitchen cross-contamination) That being said, I do take extra precautions when travelling. There are just too many people, and too many germs in WDW. Like a PP said, I have no idea who occupied the room before me, or how well housekeeping really cleaned it. For all I know, the person before me was one of the "my whole family got the pukes during our vacation".

Do I sanitize my whole life? No. Do I try to sanitize everything at WDW? You betcha!
 
I dunno. I just don't get the whole the hotel room is disgusting, but my home is pure mentality.

Even your own body is home to more foreign DNA then human DNA! Our own bodies are not one organism, but a microcosm unto itself.

(just the first link I found: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080603085914.htm)

The best way to protect yourself is make sure your body has the best set of microbes, a full array of protective nutrients (eating well), and good hydration.

Every time we use microbe killers, we destroy the good stuff, and open ourselves to infestation of the bad stuff.


so again, getting back to the thread topic, a good thing to make sure you get at WDW is healthy foods. Pack those Omega-s's, buy yogurt, water, fresh fruit, fresh veggies.

Oh, and it is good to do some walking before WDW. not exactly an item to pack, but a good way to prepare.
 
What are everyone's thoughts on carrying cases in the parks? We won't have a stroller. Fanny packs for everyone, one backpack that an adult carries, or something else?
 
What are everyone's thoughts on carrying cases in the parks? We won't have a stroller. Fanny packs for everyone, one backpack that an adult carries, or something else?

Mountain Smith lumbar packs are great, we have one with a handle, shoulder strap and waist belt. It doesn't feel heavy due to the lumbar support and balancing and holds quite a bit and 2 water bottles. Whatever you pick carry the minimum possible, huge backpacks are quite a strain with all that walking and uncomfortable in the heat.
 
Mountain Smith lumbar packs are great, we have one with a handle, shoulder strap and waist belt. It doesn't feel heavy due to the lumbar support and balancing and holds quite a bit and 2 water bottles. Whatever you pick carry the minimum possible, huge backpacks are quite a strain with all that walking and uncomfortable in the heat.

Thanks. I'll look into them. I'm only planning on carrying sunscreen, empty bags, room for leftover food, my phone, and maybe a small trinket to keep the kids busy while they wait for buses and stuff.

Also, what do you do with the refillable mugs they give as part of the package? I'm imagining just carrying one around the park for all of us to share water in... Because they'll add ice to it for free right? ... We can't have it filled with soda for free anyway but the resort, right?
 














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