How do you guys keep from getting sick during Christmas trips?

[Girlstar30]

I really loved going to WDW during Christmas time last year. Jollywood nights turned out to be our favorite after hours event and the resorts were just beautiful. With that being said, we got really sick about 5 days in and it really did mess up the rest of our time. We had to cancel Mickeys Christmas Party and it just sucked feeling that terrible on vacation.

I felt I took some preventative measures with vitamins to boost my immune system, but in the end it just didnt work. I would love to go back this season for a do over and im just wondering what you guys do for sickness prevention Or is this just to be expected?

 

[fla4fun]

I really loved going to WDW during Christmas time last year. Jollywood nights turned out to be our favorite after hours event and the resorts were just beautiful. With that being said, we got really sick about 5 days in and it really did mess up the rest of our time. We had to cancel Mickeys Christmas Party and it just sucked feeling that terrible on vacation.

I felt I took some preventative measures with vitamins to boost my immune system, but in the end it just didnt work. I would love to go back this season for a do over and im just wondering what you guys do for sickness prevention Or is this just to be expected?

Well, I still wear a mask in any indoor situation where it’s crowded, like attraction lines or crowded transportation. I use Wet Ones hand wipes right before I eat or drink anything. I don’t go to buffets or any self serve dining where other people touch utensils and then lay them on the food. I also drive to WDW, and although I know not everyone can do that, I think it makes a difference in what germs you are exposed to (both in the airport and on the plane).

I do take vitamins on a regular basis anyway, not just before traveling. I also make sure I am well rested before the trip and that I get plenty of rest while on vacation. For example, if I go to an after hours holiday party and am out late, I sleep in the following day and may not get to the parks until close to lunchtime. I make sure I drink plenty of water so I am hydrated properly, even during winter trips. Listen to your body and don’t push it to its limits.

I have been going to the parks regularly since they first reopened during the pandemic, doing these preventative measures, and didn’t get Covid, or the flu, or a norovirus, or even the common cold. Nothing is foolproof though. If you are walking around Epcot and someone walking towards you sneezes right in your face, you will likely get sick (happened to me about 15 years ago and I still get angry thinking about it - sneeze into your elbow people). Since you got sick five days into the trip it is hard to say whether you were exposed at home before you left, during travel, or at the resort, since the incubation period is different depending on what made you sick.

I hope you get your do over and remain healthy.

 

[Wedgeout]

I start by not sharing candy canes & avoid mistletoe.

Not much you can do that you aren’t already doing. Odds are higher that time of year for everyone. Cold & Flu has its season with peak months just like the hurricanes. You thought hitchhiking ghosts were hard to avoid. Those darn germs are small. I haven’t been able to spot one yet.

 

[CinCrisis]

I’ve had good success with Ener-C and/or Emergen-C vitamin C drink mix packets. I don’t think they’re a silver bullet but drinking them daily leading up to and through my last Disney trip seemed to keep me from catching a cold (and I’m very prone to getting sick on trips). The one time I’ve been sick (not on vacation) since using them regularly at the first sign of feeling run down, my cold duration went from over a week to two days. Maybe I’ve just been lucky, so definitely take this with a grain of salt, but it feels like more than just a placebo effect.

 

[Tatebeck]

Working in healthcare, we do multivitamin, zinc, magnesium, and maybe vitamin c (unless you eat a lot of fruit, etc. that contains a lot) daily all during cold and flu season.

 

[miksicnarf]

I do everything I possibly can, including getting vaxed for Covid and flu before travel, wear a mask on the plane, take lots of vitamins and supplements, wash hands and use sanitizer frequently…and still I and other family members have gotten sick a few times, at various times of year. So my advice is do the best you can and be sure to bring any and all meds you might need because there’s not much to be found on property.

 

[hardcorestitch]

I really loved going to WDW during Christmas time last year. Jollywood nights turned out to be our favorite after hours event and the resorts were just beautiful. With that being said, we got really sick about 5 days in and it really did mess up the rest of our time. We had to cancel Mickeys Christmas Party and it just sucked feeling that terrible on vacation.

I felt I took some preventative measures with vitamins to boost my immune system, but in the end it just didnt work. I would love to go back this season for a do over and im just wondering what you guys do for sickness prevention Or is this just to be expected?

I almost had a similar experience feeling ill at some point while in the Charleston area last year… thankfully I was well enough to go to Disney. It truly depends on what you feel.

If you’re sneezing a lot while at Disney, perhaps take some Airborne. I drink this from time to time and it mitigates the sneezes and coughs well. It’s kind of like soda… but better.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I’ve had Covid at Disney once (in December), and once when I got home from Disney. At Disney I’d been at a wedding before that, so I might’ve picked it up there, or on the plane. (DS and I both got it.) I do think that planes are germ factories. I know I got Influenza A once on a plane because the person in front of me was coughing the whole way home, that was before masks. Several days later, I was sick.

My DD got Covid at Disney while in a long line for a pool slide. A young kid of about 10 was coughing non stop and announced to those around him, “My dad says it’s allergies”.

If someone sneezes near me I try to hold my breath and close my eyes while getting away from them, if possible, but it’s not always possible. We were in a ride line (Mine Train) this winter when one man kept forcefully sneezing and he blew his nose without a tissue in to the bushes. After that the family was sharing a bag of popcorn.

 

[808blessing]

I do zinc, lots of water and good sleep.

 

[Judique]

I’ve had Covid at Disney once (in December), and once when I got home from Disney. At Disney I’d been at a wedding before that, so I might’ve picked it up there, or on the plane. (DS and I both got it.) I do think that planes are germ factories. I know I got Influenza A once on a plane because the person in front of me was coughing the whole way home, that was before masks. Several days later, I was sick.

My DD got Covid at Disney while in a long line for a pool slide. A young kid of about 10 was coughing non stop and announced to those around him, “My dad says it’s allergies”.

If someone sneezes near me I try to hold my breath and close my eyes while getting away from them, if possible, but it’s not always possible. We were in a ride line (Mine Train) this winter when one man kept forcefully sneezing and he blew his nose without a tissue in to the bushes. After that the family was sharing a bag of popcorn.

My observations are that planes are germ factories as well as schools. I refuse to fly but family does it all the time and often get sick after trips. I'm rarely sick with anything viral. I try to stay away when they are sick.

Wash your hands, try not to grab handrails, although in winter you can wear gloves, and leave a little space in line - I know they tell you to squeeze close together but I'm not going to do it.

 

[RuntheMouse]

• We make sure to get vaccinated in October so it covers all of our fall/winter trips.
• We make sure to be well hydrated
• Wash hands often
• Use hand sanitizer after every ride and before we eat.
• Include some rest/easy days so your body can catch up.

 

[Jonnnyap]

Try to minimize touching rails, etc. and use
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G1KP8C2

 

[tx911]

Much of what has been mentioned, and I always avoid touching my face! Lots of entry portals into your body there.

 

[byurick]

Much of what has been mentioned, and I always avoid touching my face! Lots of entry portals into your body there.

100% this, obviously wash your hands as often as possible (especially right when you're about to eat) but the face touching I'm convinced is a huge factor. This is a tough one though.

As a test some day at home keep track of how many times you touch your face in the course of a day with your hands/fingers. I bet it will surprise you how often you do it and don't realize.

 

[Elephantay]

We start by making sure we take vitamins for a couple of weeks consistently before the trip and try not to be exhausted when we start our trip!

We time our Covid vaccines and get them a couple of weeks before our fall trip ( too early for flu vaccine).

We are the people who wipe down every surface on the plane ( table of course, but also window shade, seat buttons, etc.) and almost every time we have been asked if we have a few extra wipes! We also wear masks while we are sitting there unless we are eating. I’ve also heard that you should put the air on above you and aim it so that the filtered air comes toward you and blows away any potential virus in the air, so we do that.

We try not to stand too close in lines.

We do a huge wipe down with Lysol in our hotel room! High touch areas, such as remotes and door knobs and light switches but also everything in the bathroom, surfaces where we toss our phones…bedside tables, basically everything. We all take spots and it’s done in five minutes.

We obviously wash our hands a lot, particularly before we eat anything with our hands and not use sanitizer then but really just scrub! Sanitizer is fine for incidental cleaning but after we hold a menu and order our food, we just do a quick hand wash. We do that at home too.

We like the wet ones wipes because you can really scrub, the smell is nice, and they fit easier in a fanny pack than a liquid.

Family reminder always… Don’t touch your face!

We love Boma, so do that buffet, and they have a sanitizer machine right there when you leave the food area so we grab a little bit of that before we eat finger food. The last time I was there, I saw a family bring a cloth and use it to touch every serving spoon so their hands did not come in contact with them, and now I am thinking that’s a pretty good idea too.

We make sure we drink a lot of water on vacation and try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

This might sound like a lot, but someone in our family needs to be very careful to not get sick so we all do it and it’s really not that much when you think about it.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

We start by making sure we take vitamins for a couple of weeks consistently before the trip and try not to be exhausted when we start our trip!

We are the people who wipe down every surface on the plane ( table of course, but also window shade, seat buttons, etc.) and almost every time we have been asked if we have a few extra wipes! We also wear masks while we are sitting there unless we are eating. I’ve also heard that you should put the air on above you and aim it so that the filtered air comes toward you and blows away any potential virus in the air, so we do that.

We try not to stand too close in lines.

We do a huge wipe down with Lysol in our hotel room! High touch areas, such as remotes and door knobs and light switches but also everything in the bathroom, surfaces where we toss our phones…bedside tables, basically everything. We all take spots and it’s done in five minutes.

We obviously wash our hands a lot, particularly before we eat anything with our hands and not use sanitizer then but really just scrub! Sanitizer is fine for incidental cleaning but after we hold a menu and order our food, we just do a quick hand wash. We do that at home too.

We like the wet ones wipes because you can really scrub, the smell is nice, and they fit easier in a fanny pack than a liquid.

Family reminder always… Don’t touch your face!

We love Boma, so do that buffet, and they have a sanitizer machine right there when you leave the food area so we grab a little bit of that before we eat finger food. The last time I was there, I saw a family bring a cloth and use it to touch every serving spoon so their hands did not come in contact with them, and now I am thinking that’s a pretty good idea too.

We make sure we drink a lot of water on vacation and try to eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

This might sound like a lot, but someone in our family needs to be very careful to not get sick so we all do it and it’s really not that much when you think about it.

This & this.
I put a disposable glove on my hand when handling the serving utensils at a buffet and carefully remove it inside out before eating.

 

[CraigInPA]

We wipe every surface in the immediate vicinity of our seat on the plane with Lysol wipes, offering them to those next to us as well. A mask in the airport, on the plane, and on Mears express, of course. We're less concerned with the room, but we will wipe down the countertops, dresser, night stands, and the sink area.

While at Disney, we'll liberally use hand sanitizer and avoid touching our faces. In confined spaces with limited ventilation (e.g., queue for Ratatouille or Peter Pan), we will wear a mask.

This has worked pretty well since Covid, with only one person getting sick (me, probably because I didn't mask in the elevator and a family brought their sneezing child on) over five trips.

 

[O2HO2HO2H]

I love this thread. Lots of good tips here and I don't have anything new to add in terms of prevention, but it reminds me of my last trip.

We went to DL in September and November last year. I caught awful things on both trips despite being fully vaccinated and taking precautions. So I was determined to stay healthy during our February trip this year.

Things were going great. No face touching, lots of hand washing, I touched nothing with my bare hands, all the things ... Then, in the Small World queue, we were behind a young family. Super cute kids. Happy and sweet and picture perfect. As we began to move forward, Dad picks up his young son and hoists him over his shoulder. As his little body is moving up and back onto Dad's shoulder, I'm moving forward with the momentum of the line, and that's when it happens...

The young lad open-mouth coughs.

It was like we were moving in slow motion and time had stopped as the hot air and light spittle of his cough hit me in the face. My mind screamed, "Nooooooooo" as my husband watched in horror, and this sweet, angelic child just calmly looked at me. At maybe three, he had no idea.

It was simply a perfect storm of movement. I wasn't too close. It wasn't Dad's fault. Sometimes the universe has the deck stacked against you and ish happens. (Fortunately, this happened on our last day, so I was home by the time it hit 3 days later and I was able to rest and recover. And thankfully it was just a head cold.)

All I can do is laugh about it now and think about that old line, "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry."

My next trip is the first week of June. Here's to health and happiness and safe trips for all.

 

[atthebeachclub]

I get all our vaccines we’re due for, including annual flu and Covid. I usually mask with an N95 on planes if we’re going somewhere in winter or when germs are peaking. I wash my hands regularly and always before eating. And I hope for the best! You can’t always avoid getting ill but you can reduce your risks.

I don’t typically use supplements, but if I did I’d consider doing daily vitamin C and maybe low dose zinc. Hypertonic nasal saline spray at higher percentages helps shorten colds in kids; it’s certainly worth a try if you can find it and want to try using it every day as maybe it can reduce colds in all (data isn’t good in adults, but it’s a low risk intervention). It makes sense that hypertonic saline in the nose would make it harder for bacteria and viruses to settle in. It can be irritating, so I would only use it daily and probably cap out at 3% strength.

The cleaning wipe suggestions are good, too, but I don’t like using those personally because of the smell. My kids get eczema too so hand sanitizer is a no go for us, but a good idea for most.

 

[disneyseniors]

I really loved going to WDW during Christmas time last year. Jollywood nights turned out to be our favorite after hours event and the resorts were just beautiful. With that being said, we got really sick about 5 days in and it really did mess up the rest of our time. We had to cancel Mickeys Christmas Party and it just sucked feeling that terrible on vacation.

I felt I took some preventative measures with vitamins to boost my immune system, but in the end it just didnt work. I would love to go back this season for a do over and im just wondering what you guys do for sickness prevention Or is this just to be expected?

We never took trips over Christmas; however, we usually got sick Every Time we went to WDW! We used all precautions we could and still, one of us would get sick the last day of our trip. It was usually sore throat, fever, chills, cough, and fatigue at it's worst. I figured that we got sick after being exposed to someone else who came to WDW while they were sick but didn't cancel their trip. It makes sense to me that if someone arranges vacation time from work, gets the kids out of school, schedules the trip and pays for the plane flights, rental car, resort, etc, etc, then they won't cancel even if they have a sore throat or a cough. So, everyone is exposed to sick adults and kids. I can't see any way around this at a place like WDW. There are thousands of people crowded together that some may be sick or becoming sick. We just got to expect that one of us would get sick while at WDW. I just think there is no way around it when you visit a huge park or even on the plane, take vitamins, use all the precautions of hand washing, not touching rails, etc. A lot of people are super cautious and they still get sick. I guess I figure it's going to happen and try to prevent it the best I can while at WDW or Universal.