stomach bug at disney?

[chrisn]

NEVER sleep with the bedspread in your hotel room. I would imagine 3/4 of the germs in your room probably come from the bedspread. Those things do not get changed/washed every day and are a breeding ground for every nasty form of virus/bacteria you can imagine. Not to gross you out but I'm sure you can imagine. Many types of bodily fluids from many, many different people. Eeewww, now I'm grossing myself out. Anyway, that's the first thing to go...My body, head, whatever NEVER touches those nasty things!

Also, Buffet's are a huge culprit. Oh man, have I seen some nasty things happen. Kids wiping their snotty noses on there hands then grabbing the tongs or worse just reaching into the pile of nuggets etc.

Mom always warned me about Gondis Piotis...

 

[DisneyTarheel]

I don't know what it is about me, but one of the every virus known to man at WDW is going to get me every time! There is some bigtime bugs floating around that place. I've just come to expect it!

We seem to have been hit with the norwalk type stomach bug at a higher frequency in recent years during our WDW stays -- coincidentally (or perhaps not?) starting about the time they began busing in the DCL split-stays.

 

[doombuggy3]

doombuggy3...sounds pretty bad, hope you're feeling better soon!

Thanks! I'm feeling a lot better! I hope all of those heading down to the world can for sure avoid this!!! If not, fluids and rest!

 

[jann1033]

it is bad and lasted longer than usual at least around here...gbaby's Dr said they are shocked at how many cases they have right now and it is lasting a good week with high fevers, whole nine yrds...( so far i alone have escaped in our family but i think it's coming to get me as i go sniff sniff sniff while typing
)

to be sick at disney has to be the pits

 

[jessica52877]

I have found it doesn't matter whether it is disney or the mall, if kids are present so are tons and tons of germs! We don't go out much in the winter and when we do are really careful. My son is far less sick then most others.

I do try not to touch handrails while waiting in line at disney, but even think of all the hands that touch the rides, salt shakers, etc. It is pretty doubtful all those germs can be cleaned away before the next person touches them.

 

[Leota]

I am a very healthy person. Very soldom sick maybe once every 2 years with a bad cold. Stomach Virus maybe once every 2-3 years. Sometime and everytime during our WDW trips I am hanging my head in the toilet. I am also diligent with hand washing, vitamens, and I try to watch what I eat. I don't know what it is about me, but one of the every virus known to man at WDW is going to get me every time! There is some bigtime bugs floating around that place. I've just come to expect it!

Just a thought.... The first 3 trips we made to WDW, at least one of us would get what we thought was a stomach bug. The 4th trip, we stopped drinking anything with FL water in it, only using bottled & no ice. No more tummy troubles. Could this be a possibility for you?

 

[mrs_incredible]

We were there 2/27/06 - 3/5/06 and on Friday night/Saturday morning (our last days there) my 6 yo was SOOOOOO sick. Luckily we were in a quiet part of POP, so we were able to keep the door open and let fresh air in the room. I truly am a germ - a - phobic and made my family constantly wash hands after bathroom breaks and before eating. I guess if you're gonna get it, there's not much you can do to prevent it. Luckily my husband nor I got it, so we were able to come home as scheduled. There would have been no way for us to come home on the road if we were as sick as my little one. We would have had to stay a few more days to let it run its course!

 

[MareQ]

I have found it doesn't matter whether it is disney or the mall, if kids are present so are tons and tons of germs! We don't go out much in the winter and when we do are really careful. My son is far less sick then most others.

I do try not to touch handrails while waiting in line at disney, but even think of all the hands that touch the rides, salt shakers, etc. It is pretty doubtful all those germs can be cleaned away before the next person touches them.

It's definitely a bad year. My kids have been NON STOP sick starting from the first week of Dec. Two weeks before our Disney trip I was in the ER with all 3 of my kids. Youngest DS had a double ear infection and bad cold, oldest DS had bronchitis and DD had pneumonia - I ended up with a sinus infection and toncillitus myself. Anyway - we fought hard to get everybody healthy - everybody but DH was on antibiotics - finishing the day before we left. I had my lysol, purell etc - I thought for sure we'd be ok but low and behold on the last day of our trip oldest DS came down with a stomach bug and it just got worse from there.

We're STILL sick except this week it's strep @@ If we keep up our pattern next week it will be colds and fevers again followed by the stomach bug - again...

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I've seen on the news that this is not just a WDW illness. It's hitting the entire eastern seaboard very hard right now. First my husband, then my son got it, then my boss and a co-worker (and her husband) got it. It lasts about 24-48 hours here, with vomiting, chills, fever, body aches, then it's gone. There's another bug that my daughter picked up, which is a sore throat, headache, body aches...her entire State DECA competition in Boston got it. Knock wood, and pump vitamins, I've avoided it so far.
I'm a big fan of handwashing and sanitary practices, but I can't help but feel the overuse of antibiotics has created some serious monster strains of resistant bugs out there...this goes for the antibacterial gels and sprays as well. I think we're digging our own grave here.

 

[jann1033]

I can't help but feel the overuse of antibiotics has created some serious monster strains of resistant bugs out there...this goes for the antibacterial gels and sprays as well. I think we're digging our own grave here.

actually there was an article about the purell type gels being ok as they kill most bacteria( like 99%)...anitbacterial soaps don't so they do contribute( as well as using antibiotics for stuff they won't work for)...just thought it was interesting cause i had tried to stay away from them for the same reason but i was correctly corrected i think the article was written by one man that was afraid of creating resistant bacteria if i remember right. so now you can purell to your hearts content

 

[CleveRocks]

WDW = Lots of People
Lots of People = Lots of Germs
Lots of Germs = Good Chance of Getting Sick

EXACTLY.

Doctors know of "travelers' illness" or "travelers' diarrhea." It is very common for people to get G-I illnesses when traveling to a region different than their own. Different strains of similar "bugs" (viruses and bacteria) are in all different parts of the country. SO, if you're from Nebraska your immune system might have mastered killing off strain B250 of G-I bug, and you could be exposed to it every day and never know it. But you may never have encountered B252 from the Orlando area, or B312 that I brought in from Atlantic City, etc. (obviously, I'm just making up names to make it easier to illustrate). So many people at WDW, from so many different home bases, with so many DIFFERENT strains of bugs, that's why travelers' illness/travelers' diarrhea is pretty common in any vacation spot.

My wife is a pediatrician. When she began her training in Philadelphia, where we'd lived our whole lives, she rarely got sick from being around all the sick people. But we moved to Cleveland and for the first year we BOTH got sick pretty regularly, but once we made the rounds of the four seasons once, our immune systems must have said "been there, done that" and kept us healthy. Until we moved to the beach in New Jersey. Different sick kids, different regional "bugs," we got sick again a lot for the first year here.

 

[chrisn]

Good Point! But after the first year I never touched that nasty water either! It's bottled all the way for this girl! Good, Good, advice!

 

[Tinkerbell10403]

We were there 3/9 - 3/13..and came home with two-three members of my family sick! I personally experienced a migraine, sore throat, and nausea. Also, during my last trip in December...DM had food poisoning from the Electric Umbrella in Epcot. She was in bed for 2 days!

 

[SorcererDonald16]

To the original poster, thank you for bringing this up. I'm headed down there in a couple days for Braves spring training games and WDW, and I was wondering about this for awhile now. It's been all over the Braves sites (AJC, Braves official site, etc.) for several weeks now that the players had been dropping like flies with the flu and missing games. I was hoping it was just a Braves thing that was only spreading around their clubhouse, but so much for that idea! I've been sick myself with a virus (not the flu though) for a good 3 months and only recently got better. But at least right now I'm on antibiotics for a sinus infection. Hopefully that'll ward off the likes of strep, et al. Although I've long since come to terms with the fact that I will get at least one migraine every time I go to Orlando.

Just to echo what previous posters have said-- always wash your hands before eating/drinking, and always (obviously) when you make a restroom stop. Beyond that, don't rub your eyes or nose if you can help it. Quick way to pass germs into your system. Here's to a healthy trip for all of you who are going soon (and in the future)!

 

[Leota]

Good Point! But after the first year I never touched that nasty water either! It's bottled all the way for this girl! Good, Good, advice!

I was hoping it was the water issue & I could help spare you from toilet-hugging.... I'm sure it helps tho!

 

[CleveRocks]

Just a thought.... The first 3 trips we made to WDW, at least one of us would get what we thought was a stomach bug. The 4th trip, we stopped drinking anything with FL water in it, only using bottled & no ice. No more tummy troubles. Could this be a possibility for you?

I think this applies only to the Mexico pavilion at Epcot.

 

[pampam]

I'm surprised no one had mentioned traveling on airplanes. Most airlines re-circulate the air to save on fuel, and if one person on the plane is sick you can have many people sick with the same thing 1 or 2 days later. We are all sitting there breathing the same air for the length of the trip. I put tea tree oil (melaluka) on my nose during the flight. It's anti viral, anti fungal, and anti bacterial. It helps. Perhaps some of these posters didn't pick up the bug at Disney, but on the way to or from Disney.

 

[minkydog]

I, nor any of my family, has ever gotten sick while at or immediately after a trip to WDW. Knock on wood

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I'm surprised no one had mentioned traveling on airplanes. Most airlines re-circulate the air to save on fuel, and if one person on the plane is sick you can have many people sick with the same thing 1 or 2 days later. We are all sitting there breathing the same air for the length of the trip. I put tea tree oil (melaluka) on my nose during the flight. It's anti viral, anti fungal, and anti bacterial. It helps. Perhaps some of these posters didn't pick up the bug at Disney, but on the way to or from Disney.

Good point!

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm surprised no one had mentioned traveling on airplanes. Most airlines re-circulate the air to save on fuel, and if one person on the plane is sick you can have many people sick with the same thing 1 or 2 days later. We are all sitting there breathing the same air for the length of the trip. I put tea tree oil (melaluka) on my nose during the flight. It's anti viral, anti fungal, and anti bacterial. It helps. Perhaps some of these posters didn't pick up the bug at Disney, but on the way to or from Disney.

One of the major news programs just looked into this. You are more likely to get sick from germs you pick up in airplane bathrooms than from just breathing the air. They recommended a few things. First, do not put the tray table down. It is covered in germs! If you do, either cover it or use a disinfectent wipe on it. Second, avoid the bathroom. No matter what they tested in the bathroom it was covered in nasty germs! Or once you use the bathroom have some Purel ready. When they tested the air it was of very high quality! Just don't let anyone sneeze on you!