Help solve a spouse debate on germs, sickness and Disney

[mejo]

I take lots of vitamin C and then don't worry about it, of course I also do my best to not lick strangers faces too

 

[Turn the Page]

I don't usually do anything differently than normal. However, DFi came down with a cold a few weeks ago so I have been dosing everybody with vitamin C in preparation for our trip next week.

 

[LinderInWonderland]

I survived 7 years of riding subways in Manhattan without suffering too many terrible illnesses. I got sick occasionally, but no more than I do now. I use railings and touch bathroom doors without a paper towel barrier, even after washing my hands. I only use seat protectors if the seat is visibly wet from 'hoverers'. I do keep hand sanitizer on me in case I inadvertently touch something yucky. I try to keep from touching my face too much as the one thing I am prone to is pink-eye.

I am sure I have gotten sick on vacation before, but only one time was really memorable. My first trip to Vegas resulted in My First Sinus Infection, which started before we left and got progressively excruciating during the flight back to Boston. Our landing was delayed and we kept circling forever. My ear got blocked up on the flight and took 5 days to unblock after I landed. It was awful.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Flu shots every year.
Wipe down the airplane trays, remotes, buttons, armrests with Clorox Wipes upon boarding.
Purell as needed especially after rides.
Clorox Wipe the remote in the hotel, lightswitches and doorknobs.
Wash hands before eating.
Wet One for hands just before eating just as an extra layer of precaution.
We don't eat at the buffets anymore, enough said.
It sounds like a lot but it really only takes a few minutes out of each day. Well worth it if it prevents even one illness.

ETA this is what we do, not what I think everyone should do

 

[BrianL]

Yup, I'm with your husband too. I touch whatever and don't worry about it. I will wash my hands before eating (I almost always use the restroom before eating anyway), but otherwise I don't even think about it too much.

 

[cvjw]

On one Disney trip with my family of 4, and my parents, we had two different approaches to hand sanitizer:

My family of 4 and my Mom religiously washed our hands and used hand sanitizer after touching the finger scanners, handrails, bathroom doors, etc.

My Dad thought we had lost our minds and would only use hand sanitizer if we made him.

Guess who was sick when we got home? Yep, my Dad. He was really sick. He picked up a really bad bug that kept him sick for weeks.

Not scientific proof, but it is good enough for our family

 

[ImDMous]

I just do what I normally do, wash after the bathroom and before eating if convenient. I touch whatever I need to; door handles, railings, tables, etc. I think the only times I've gotten sick on vacation was 2 cruises. Something nasty was going around the 2014 WBPC cruise, the gift shop sold out of cough meds and decongestants within the first few days. I always use the hand sanitizer offered at every meal, but obviously that didn't help much in close quarters.

 

[gwynne]

We travel with individually packaged wet ones and use those between hand washing with soap. I much prefer the towelettes to hand santizers.

 

[starsweeper]

I have 4 young kids and I've only had 1 kid get sick out of 4 trips with them. YDD (3) caught a stomach bug last week while at WDW and was sick for 1.5 days. I stayed in the room with her to recover.

We often use the restroom before eating so hands are washed, else we use hand sanitizer before eating. I don't harp about it but do encourage my kids not to touch anything they don't have to as a precaution, however they usually touch nearly everything they encounter. Other than that, we don't worry about cleaning hands after rides, etc. but do shower soon after returning to the room.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

I go to the parks all the time. I wash my hands after going to the bathroom and use sanitizer before I eat. I shower every night. I have never had an issue, and I'm one of those "catch everything" people. That said, I drive. I almost always get sick after being on a plane, maybe it's the flight and not Disney doing it!

 

[gtpoohbear]

I do get a flu shot, but otherwise don't do anything special to avoid getting sick, and I rarely ever get anything other than the occasional mild cold.

I don't touch something that looks horribly dirty, but I don't make an effort to avoid handrails or other surfaces as a general rule. And we are not by any means obsessive about washing hands. If they are obviously dirty, sure, but we don't do it constantly just for the sake of doing it.

For some reason I find myself more paranoid about airborne stuff. I get a little more nervous if someone is coughing or sneezing around me, and then I'll make an effort to move away, and even hold my breath until I do.

But as a whole, we rarely get sick. I think that letting your body continually be exposed to stuff helps build up your immune system. When we live in an environment where everything is always sterile, our immune system isn't prepared when it comes across something serious.

 

[disnut8]

But washing your hands after every ride is excessive.

I kind of have to chuckle at this. Parent and child in bathroom after riding something. Child, "why are we washing our hands? I want to ride X!" Parent, "because we just rode Y and we will wash after Y as well." Other children in the bathroom now have open mouths.

If you don't wash your hands after every single thing you touch that isn't in your own home, then why do it at Disney World? I open the door at my work every single day and there are people who do that before me but I don't run to the bathroom and wash my hands.

 

[starsweeper]

But as a whole, we rarely get sick. I think that letting your body continually be exposed to stuff helps build up your immune system. When we live in an environment where everything is always sterile, our immune system isn't prepared when it comes across something serious.

I completely agree with this. I have a cousin who never sent her son to daycare/preschool and religiously wiped down every surface in her home with bleach or Lysol daily. When her son went to public school he missed 70+ days due to illness his first year and about 40 days the second year. He was evaluated for immune disorders, but all the specialists could guess was the little amount of exposure he had contributed to the frequent illnesses. By 3rd grade, he was no longer ill often.

 

[melana]

Well.. we do what we do at home. Wash hands before meals..after bathroom usage..etc. I also pack sanitizer with me. But despite all I do, regardless of where I go for vacation I get sick when I get home. But it's not because of germs, etc. It's because of the change in the weather from my vacation spot and home. I've never been "sick" on a land based trip or a cruise. I do get an upset stomach every now and then.. but I can usually attribute that to eating too much sweets or going back for that 3rd plate of food at the buffett...

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Washing your hands too much can be bad, too. Yes, wash your hands before meals, and things like that. But washing your hands after every ride is excessive.

Because you (and others) think it's excessive is the reason I wash mine after rides. I don't get sick now. The OP asked what we do and I responded with what we do.

 

[3Gsandme]

We wash hands before eating (or hand sanitize depending on our situation) and after the bathroom. If I feel like someone has touched something "gross", then we will wash or sanitize again. But multiple times a hour? No. I have three school aged kids. Germs are a part of life. They're unavoidable. I don't believe we are sick any more than most people and a lot less in some cases.

 

[LJSquishy]

I don't wash my hands or use sanitizer between rides unless I feel like it's necessary. I also don't use handrails unless necessary. I always wash my hands after using the restroom and before eating. I make a point not to touch my face or anything like that during the day with my germy hands.

In reality, washing your hands probably isn't going to keep you from getting sick...but it could lower the chance a little. For the most part, I don't worry too much about germs at Disney World, but I am cautious. I guess I fall somewhere in between you and your husband's opinions.

 

[ols386]

Whether at home or at WDW, I always try not to touch door handles/knobs, and other surfaces directly, that are in public areas.

I wash my hands several times a day with soap and water, especially before meals and after using the bathroom.

 

[mmafan]

Flu shots every year.
Wipe down the airplane trays, remotes, buttons, armrests with Clorox Wipes upon boarding.
Purell as needed especially after rides.
Clorox Wipe the remote in the hotel, lightswitches and doorknobs.
Wash hands before eating.
Wet One for hands just before eating just as an extra layer of precaution.
We don't eat at the buffets anymore, enough said.
It sounds like a lot but it really only takes a few minutes out of each day. Well worth it if it prevents even one illness.

ETA this is what we do, not what I think everyone should do

YUP>>>>>>>this

 

[Angel Ariel]

Please help solve a little debate for DH and I. We have very different approaches on germs and Disney.

DH approach: touch lots of things without concern, don't wash hands after rides or at all throughout the day, wash hands before meals if it is convenient, hope you don't get sick, but if you do it's just a part of life.

My approach: try not to needlessly run your hands along handrails, etc, use hand sanitizer/wipes after rides, wash with soap and water before eating, try to avoid sickness by doing what you can (while knowing that you can't avoid everything and want to have fun in the process).

We're truly curious your thoughts and experiences on this and if either approach really makes a difference... what approach do you/your family use and what have been the results on getting sick or not during or after your vacation? Thanks!

We take your husband's approach, with making sure to definitely wash hands before meals (and obviously at restrooms, etc).

We haven't gotten sick at, or immediately after, a Disney trip at all.