Splash Pad - Recycled Diaper Water...YUCK

[Villains_Rock]

My 2 year old has a habit of trying to drink out of the bath faucet and I am worried about him trying to drink the splash pad water. I know that in recent years I have read the "rules" posted near them that states that it is recycled water and to NOT DRINK. He was so young last time we went that it wasn't an issue, but I did notice at least 3 kids in the area with diapers...and who knows what was in the diapers. Does anyone know which splash pad areas are recycled and which are fresh. I know for sure that the one near the bubble fountain in the Animal Kingdom is recycled...as well as the one in DTD near the Christmas shop. Also...curious if anyone has info on the Casey Jr area?

I wish it were as simple as telling him to not drink it, but he is 2...if I told him that he would intentionally try to drink it more

 

[Robo]

No reported ill effects since they have been operating.

Literally thousands upon thousands of kids playing, many of whom
drink the water.

I'd not think a thing about it.

 

[CentralFloridian99]

It's fine, but gross IMO

 

[disnut8]

Unless you have watched your child every single waking minutes of his life, I can guarantee you that's he's ingested a lot worse than the water at Disney's splash pads. And I can guarantee you that in the future, he will ingest worse as well. Kids are kids and somehow they manage to survive germs almost every single day.

My son ate the dog food once. He drank out of the toilet once. And I don't even want to know what happened when I went into his room and found he had pulled off his dirty diaper and smeared the walls with it.

That kid (now 30) has never been sick a day in his life.

 

[flortlebap]

Unless you have watched your child every single waking minutes of his life, I can guarantee you that's he's ingested a lot worse than the water at Disney's splash pads. And I can guarantee you that in the future, he will ingest worse as well. Kids are kids and somehow they manage to survive germs almost every single day.

My son ate the dog food once. He drank out of the toilet once. And I don't even want to know what happened when I went into his room and found he had pulled off his dirty diaper and smeared the walls with it.

That kid (now 30) has never been sick a day in his life.

Your kid ate dog food that's hilarious

 

[Koz]

Easy fix- strap a football helmet on his head.

Problem solved.

 

[WDSearcher]

My 2 year old has a habit of trying to drink out of the bath faucet and I am worried about him trying to drink the splash pad water. I know that in recent years I have read the "rules" posted near them that states that it is recycled water and to NOT DRINK. He was so young last time we went that it wasn't an issue, but I did notice at least 3 kids in the area with diapers...and who knows what was in the diapers. Does anyone know which splash pad areas are recycled and which are fresh. I know for sure that the one near the bubble fountain in the Animal Kingdom is recycled...as well as the one in DTD near the Christmas shop. Also...curious if anyone has info on the Casey Jr area?

I wish it were as simple as telling him to not drink it, but he is 2...if I told him that he would intentionally try to drink it more

I don't know that it would matter which are which. If he's prone to drinking the water, he's going to do it no matter what. The only way to keep him from doing it is to keep him out of all the splash areas. Because even if it's not recycled water, you can bet that every bit of dirt from every kid who's been in it has worked its way into the water somehow. Kids pee in that water, they sneeze and drool and spit in the water ... even if it's not recycled water, it's definitely not clean water (not clean enough to drink, anyway).

Based on the general water conservation guidelines in Florida and the amount of water used on property, my guess is that ALL of the splash pads are recycled.

 

[Raenstoirm]

Based on the general water conservation guidelines in Florida and the amount of water used on property, my guess is that ALL of the splash pads are recycled.

That would be my thought as well. Imagine how much water it would take if it was constantly "new" water. Water parks recycle their water just for cost savings, let alone environmental issues.

 

[chartle]

I'm siding with the people that say just avoid all of them if you think there is an issue.

 

[Mr. Green]

I bet it is treated also!! I can't why it wouldn't be treated with chlorine like a pool would. If not, lots of people would become sick from a variety of illnesses.

 

[Schmeck]

As long as the water has been treated before it is put in the fountain cycle, it should be fine. The warmer states in the US do have a very dangerous amoeba that can cause very nasty things (even death), but it is found in the lake water. I doubt that it could get into the fountains.

About the only thing one could catch at the fountains would be hand/foot mouth disease, or an intestinal bug, both of which wouldn't even show up until 3-4 days later. It would be very hard to link them to any particular water play area without fecal count testing.

 

[chartle]

As long as the water has been treated before it is put in the fountain cycle, it should be fine. The warmer states in the US do have a very dangerous amoeba that can cause very nasty things (even death), but it is found in the lake water. I doubt that it could get into the fountains.

About the only thing one could catch at the fountains would be hand/foot mouth disease, or an intestinal bug, both of which wouldn't even show up until 3-4 days later. It would be very hard to link them to any particular water play area without fecal count testing.

Well that's reassuring.

 

[Villains_Rock]

As long as the water has been treated before it is put in the fountain cycle, it should be fine. The warmer states in the US do have a very dangerous amoeba that can cause very nasty things (even death), but it is found in the lake water. I doubt that it could get into the fountains.

About the only thing one could catch at the fountains would be hand/foot mouth disease, or an intestinal bug, both of which wouldn't even show up until 3-4 days later. It would be very hard to link them to any particular water play area without fecal count testing.

Interesting that you say this...because my son DID in fast get hand foot and mouth last year a day or two after returning from Disney...so maybe he did ingest some of the infected water after all!! And it is not treated at all...hence the warnings to keep kids with soiled diapers out and to not drink it.

As far as the water conservation thing...FRESH water was probably a poor word choice for me to use. I was referring to filtered or treated. Some cities (Chicago I think?) it is a law that any fountain is treated and/or filtered for safety reasons, however that is not the case in Disney.

I know the splash pads near the pools are treated and two I listed are not. I was just curious about the one in Epcot or the new Casey Jr one. I don't worry about the ones near the pools...

 

[Minnesota!]

My 2 year old has a habit of trying to drink out of the bath faucet and I am worried about him trying to drink the splash pad water. I know that in recent years I have read the "rules" posted near them that states that it is recycled water and to NOT DRINK. He was so young last time we went that it wasn't an issue, but I did notice at least 3 kids in the area with diapers...and who knows what was in the diapers. Does anyone know which splash pad areas are recycled and which are fresh. I know for sure that the one near the bubble fountain in the Animal Kingdom is recycled...as well as the one in DTD near the Christmas shop. Also...curious if anyone has info on the Casey Jr area?

I wish it were as simple as telling him to not drink it, but he is 2...if I told him that he would intentionally try to drink it more

Curious - where is the splash pad in AK? I have never seen it! And we are going in August this year - so it will be welcomed! My boys love the one in Epcot - just walk through it a few times when they get warm and they are good to go again! They also love the one at DTD...but I hate how slippery that one is!!

Are there any at MGM or MK?

 

[Marblies]

Your kid ate dog food that's hilarious

My guess is you don't have a child/pet combo in your home. Pretty common occurance and was pretty funny to me to, until recently when the news reported several pet owners getting sick from handling (a particular brand) dog food and not washing their hands.

 

[dimndgal1]

When DD was 6 months old, she dropped her pacifier under the couch. I dutifully grabbed it and washed/sanitized the heck out of it... only to come back and find her chewing on the dog's tail. It was at that point I realized I had to give in and germs were going to win.

Since then, life has been a lot more relaxed. There have been some mudpies, some faces full of dog kisses, and countless experiments with puddles and rain water. Overall, she's remarkably healthy and loves to play in the mud.

That said, I do not see how Disney would be able to continue to have something that draws kids to play in that is not reasonably healthy. Even on cruise ships they advise diaper wearing children to avoid the pools... I'm 100% sure they keep the pools clean and sanitized but it's better just to avoid the situation altogether.

...and, if the thought of splashing in water that might be dirty makes you cringe, avoid any tropical place. Many locals on various islands prefer to let their kids swim nude as opposed to wasting money on bathing suits or diapers. Not to mention the countless marine life who live in a water world...

 

[Villains_Rock]

Oh believe me...my son is ALL boy and he gets into his share of germs. But normal outdoor, pet, household germs have nothing on watered down soiled diapers IMHO. We have dogs, and yes he has eaten dog food. We have a yard and yes he has played in dirt plenty. My concern lies in the fact that people fly from all over the world and can have serious diseases that can be transmitted through fecal matter in the water. I know it seems silly to some of you, however it seems a bit silly to me that Disney doesn't treat the water to avoid the spread of disease...just sayin'.

Minnesota! - The splash pad area in AK is near the entrance area and bathrooms by Kali River Rapids. I am not aware of any in DHS and the Storybook Circus area in MK has the new Casey Jr Water Play Area.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Even chlorine treatment can't prevent some common "infections" at a splash pad, cryptosporidum is particularly nasty and caused a splash pad around here to be closed for over a week. Regular diapers just don't cut it in any water environment.
For all you germaphobs here is info on this parasite.
http://www.redwoodsgroup.com/JCOs/Riskmanagement/JRMTCryptosporidiumAndRecretionalWF.asp

 

[goofyernmost]

Well, this thread served to get all germaphobes deeply into a cold sweat.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

2 of my kids got really sick after playing in a splash pad/fountain area in Busch Gardens. I went on that trip with my 3 kids, plus 2 friends kids and the only 2 that got sick were the 2 that played in the water so we traced it back to the splash pad.

I'm not a germaphobe but splash pads and reclaimed water founds gross me out now.