Swine Flu - General Discussion and how it affects Disney

[momof2intx]

I haven't read all 71 pages of this thread yet, but hubbby and I have a trip to Vegas planned for next week! Nothing is keeping me from getting on that plane. I have been looking forward to it for months. I'm packing plenty of hand sanitizer and wipes. Also, going to be drinking a lot of OJ and maybe even go find me some echinecea (sp?) pills and pop a few of those.

I think the hysteria has gotten out of control...they have closed the ENTIRE Fort Worth Texas school district....ours is close, so I'm just waiting to see when that happens.... Imagine how all those parents are going to be able to stay home from work to be with their kids that can't go to daycare or school?? The economy will only get worse as a result of the media frenzy etc...

Thousands of people die from the regular flu in the US each year....91 cases in the US of swine flu is a TINY number compared to the MILLIONS of people who live in our country. I think I have a greater chance of getting hit by a bus crossing the street than I do contracting swine flu.

I will be more cautious when we travel but I certainly don't think it is cause for cancelling civilization as we know it!!

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...ened-after-disney-trip-043009,0,3931810.story


We are supposed to leave for the World tomorrow and will be there on Saturday. My husband and I are both taking our limited vacations next week....that is a "done deal". I have three children that have been pulling links off of a paper chain for months. I have been waking them up singing zip-a-dee-do-dah and then while they are eating breakfast we broadcast a Disney song of the day through the house. We have been planning and packing and I have done everything I can to get them stoked and excited about this trip...spreading the pixie dust. Now, the week before, things have changed. I have been telling myself that we can clorox wipe, germ-x, keep our hands away from our faces, and it will all be ok...especially since there were no cases in Florida, let alone Disney. I get the feeling that by the time we arrive, that will change.

What is everyone else doing? I know there was thread after thread about so many DIS'ers going the first week of May. Everyone still going?
Just out of curiosity, if I call tomorrow...the day before we are scheduled to check-in (and I have already checked in online) can we still get a refund with the exception of a fee that I would expect?

I am sooooo upset. I feel like I could throw-up. To top it off, I called my family doctor and she said to use my own judgment, but that she personally would not go.
While I would know that I would be canceling out of love and concern...an 8 year old that has been pumped up for months is not going to understand.

I need help here.

First of all I know you must be burdened with this decision. I don't know wher you live but is your family generally health with no underlying health concerns? How long of a flight is it? Do you stop in any major cities? These are things I would consider. I might just go, given your circumstances and everything you've said. I might wear the masks and risk looking crazy. Just my 2 cents...

 

[famsen]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...ened-after-disney-trip-043009,0,3931810.story


We are supposed to leave for the World tomorrow and will be there on Saturday. My husband and I are both taking our limited vacations next week....that is a "done deal". I have three children that have been pulling links off of a paper chain for months. I have been waking them up singing zip-a-dee-do-dah and then while they are eating breakfast we broadcast a Disney song of the day through the house. We have been planning and packing and I have done everything I can to get them stoked and excited about this trip...spreading the pixie dust. Now, the week before, things have changed. I have been telling myself that we can clorox wipe, germ-x, keep our hands away from our faces, and it will all be ok...especially since there were no cases in Florida, let alone Disney. I get the feeling that by the time we arrive, that will change.

What is everyone else doing? I know there was thread after thread about so many DIS'ers going the first week of May. Everyone still going?
Just out of curiosity, if I call tomorrow...the day before we are scheduled to check-in (and I have already checked in online) can we still get a refund with the exception of a fee that I would expect?

I am sooooo upset. I feel like I could throw-up. To top it off, I called my family doctor and she said to use my own judgment, but that she personally would not go.
While I would know that I would be canceling out of love and concern...an 8 year old that has been pumped up for months is not going to understand.

I need help here.

We are leaving(driving from Chicago) at 2:00am Saturday for arrival at WDW on Sunday. I am going. I believe that I can just as easily get the flu here in Chicago from someone at the grocery store, in my work elevator or at the shopping mall as I can at Walt Disney World. I am not sick and no one in my family is sick as of now.

I actually just spoke to my family doctor about traveling to Disney and if she had any recommendations against it. She said she does not see any problem. She said if I am down there and get symptoms such as fever, diarrehia then I should go get swabbed. I asked if they had any patients come in to their office with suspected flu. She said she had some people come in thinking they had the flu but were checked and they actually had strep throat.

I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!!!!!!

 

[maroo]

I didnt see it can you sumerize?

This is about the Texas briefing...Gosh, I wish I had heard the whole thing! Toad...did you hear it?

I only caught half of it...

Sounded...to me...completely an opinion here but wondering if anyone else got the same vibe...

That they are trying to cover their rear ends. They basically refused to give a count of the number of cases they potentially have....just saying they have 26 confirmed by the CDC.

I did not catch it all...but it sounded like one big tap dance.

I'm very confused. Just like everyone else here. The gov't says one thing, the health officials say another, the media says another, who is right?

Guess it's just better to be safe than sorry!

I just had a phone conversation with a client who wanted to meet with me, I said no. He said he would come to my office I said no your daughter is home with a flu-like illness. He laughed me off the phone.

Am I the crazy one here? I don't know. The vast consensus on these boards is that I am. I have the city closing schools, cancelling weddings, cancelling all public gatherings over 20 people yet when I refuse to see a client whose dd is sick with a flu, I am the one overreacting?!?!?

I don't know what to think! I just want this all to be OVER!

You are not crazy. There are sick people in your county with multiple cases. You go with your gut and protect your family and don't look back.

I appreciate your perspective! I know you must be stressed!

 

[JLTraveling]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...ened-after-disney-trip-043009,0,3931810.story


We are supposed to leave for the World tomorrow and will be there on Saturday. My husband and I are both taking our limited vacations next week....that is a "done deal". I have three children that have been pulling links off of a paper chain for months. I have been waking them up singing zip-a-dee-do-dah and then while they are eating breakfast we broadcast a Disney song of the day through the house. We have been planning and packing and I have done everything I can to get them stoked and excited about this trip...spreading the pixie dust. Now, the week before, things have changed. I have been telling myself that we can clorox wipe, germ-x, keep our hands away from our faces, and it will all be ok...especially since there were no cases in Florida, let alone Disney. I get the feeling that by the time we arrive, that will change.

What is everyone else doing? I know there was thread after thread about so many DIS'ers going the first week of May. Everyone still going?
Just out of curiosity, if I call tomorrow...the day before we are scheduled to check-in (and I have already checked in online) can we still get a refund with the exception of a fee that I would expect?

I am sooooo upset. I feel like I could throw-up. To top it off, I called my family doctor and she said to use my own judgment, but that she personally would not go.
While I would know that I would be canceling out of love and concern...an 8 year old that has been pumped up for months is not going to understand.

I need help here.

Oh wow, you've just stepped into the lion's den. You're going to get a ton of responses here on both sides. We've canceled on the advice of our family doctor, who practices at Celebration Hospital (where emergency cases are taken from Disney). Others are being advised by their doctors to simply take normal precautions. Still others are simply refusing to cancel based on I don't know what.

Here are the facts:

Our physician, as I mentioned, practices at Celebration. He's been involved with some of the suspected cases that are still awaiting confirmation from the CDC. He's advising everyone, no matter current state of health, to stay away until it blows over (which he's optimistic should happen in the next month or so). Our local pharmacist said the same thing today. That said, someone on one of the threads mentioned that his neighbor is a doctor in Celebration, and plans to go to the parks himself this weekend, so it's not a universal opinion among the medical community here.

Someone upthread reported that the parks and resorts are out of hand sanitizer, both at the shops and at first aid. Cast members have a limited supply, but may be able to provide the occasional squirt. This jives with my experience, which is that we were able to obtain one of the last bottles of store brand sanitizer at Walgreen's today. Purell is completely sold out in the area. Masks are impossible to obtain. So if you come, be sure to bring your own supplies.

There's at least one case from a Mexican tourist who visited WDW that is awaiting confirmation from the CDC. Other samples have also been sent for testing. For some reason, 72 hours later, we're still being told that the samples "need further testing." To comment further would be pure speculation.

Several South Carolina teenagers who just returned from a band trip to WDW are currently awaiting the results of testing. Again, these cases are not confirmed, but neither have they been proven not to be swine flu.

Our local Walgreen's, which is 10 miles from the parks and not in a tourist corridor, was absolutely swamped at the pharmacy counter today. Normally there are two or three people in line at any given time. Today they were running two hours behind and the line for prescriptions wrapped around the store. I do not, of course, have first hand knowledge of what the prescriptions were for.

The virus is transmitted by coughs and sneezes and is considered contagious at a distance of six feet. I'm not sure how, no matter how much sanitizing is done, one could avoid being within six feet of others at WDW.

The virus is contagious for at least 24 hours prior to showing symptoms. This makes it virtually impossible to be sure that you are not being exposed (or exposing someone else).

I do understand what a heartbreaking decision you need to make. Our decision to cancel was not an easy one. Others' decisions to go ahead with their plans were equally difficult. Only you can decide what is right for you and your family.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...ened-after-disney-trip-043009,0,3931810.story


We are supposed to leave for the World tomorrow and will be there on Saturday. My husband and I are both taking our limited vacations next week....that is a "done deal". I have three children that have been pulling links off of a paper chain for months. I have been waking them up singing zip-a-dee-do-dah and then while they are eating breakfast we broadcast a Disney song of the day through the house. We have been planning and packing and I have done everything I can to get them stoked and excited about this trip...spreading the pixie dust. Now, the week before, things have changed. I have been telling myself that we can clorox wipe, germ-x, keep our hands away from our faces, and it will all be ok...especially since there were no cases in Florida, let alone Disney. I get the feeling that by the time we arrive, that will change.

What is everyone else doing? I know there was thread after thread about so many DIS'ers going the first week of May. Everyone still going?
Just out of curiosity, if I call tomorrow...the day before we are scheduled to check-in (and I have already checked in online) can we still get a refund with the exception of a fee that I would expect?

I am sooooo upset. I feel like I could throw-up. To top it off, I called my family doctor and she said to use my own judgment, but that she personally would not go.
While I would know that I would be canceling out of love and concern...an 8 year old that has been pumped up for months is not going to understand.

I need help here.

How did you book your trip? Through WDW Travel Co?
If so, you can cancel up til the day of your trip for a $200.00 cancellation fee. I believe that if you move your trip to a date in the future they will waive the cancellation fee. This is an interesting Question. Those of you who have cancelled, how has Disney treated your cancellation request given the current health circumstances?

 

[maroo]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...ened-after-disney-trip-043009,0,3931810.story


We are supposed to leave for the World tomorrow and will be there on Saturday. My husband and I are both taking our limited vacations next week....that is a "done deal". I have three children that have been pulling links off of a paper chain for months. I have been waking them up singing zip-a-dee-do-dah and then while they are eating breakfast we broadcast a Disney song of the day through the house. We have been planning and packing and I have done everything I can to get them stoked and excited about this trip...spreading the pixie dust. Now, the week before, things have changed. I have been telling myself that we can clorox wipe, germ-x, keep our hands away from our faces, and it will all be ok...especially since there were no cases in Florida, let alone Disney. I get the feeling that by the time we arrive, that will change.

What is everyone else doing? I know there was thread after thread about so many DIS'ers going the first week of May. Everyone still going?
Just out of curiosity, if I call tomorrow...the day before we are scheduled to check-in (and I have already checked in online) can we still get a refund with the exception of a fee that I would expect?

I am sooooo upset. I feel like I could throw-up. To top it off, I called my family doctor and she said to use my own judgment, but that she personally would not go.
While I would know that I would be canceling out of love and concern...an 8 year old that has been pumped up for months is not going to understand.

I need help here.

Bless your heart!!! I am so sorry!!!!

Honestly, it seems to me to be a hard call. You can get this anywhere. Any physician might be wise to say to stay home. But you can certainly get it at the grocery store, too...

My inclination...if you are not overly worried about it...and you have generally healthy family...go and enjoy your trip. With the obvious precautions.

I am so sorry!! It is a hard choice!

 

[kadesha]

How did you book your trip? Through WDW Travel Co?
If so, you can cancel up til the day of your trip for a $200.00 cancellation fee. I believe that if you move your trip to a date in the future they will waive the cancellation fee. This is an interesting Question. Those of you who have cancelled, how has Disney treated your cancellation request given the current health circumstances?

I was wondering too. I got a 4/3 pin today for October and November. I booked my June trip with the 4/3 deal so I was hoping I could just change my trip to October. Wondering if they would still charge the cancellation fee.

 

[landshark]

Just out of curiosity, do products like Purell even work in this particular case? I considered getting a bottle, but when I looked at the label, it specifically only mentioned being effective against bacteria--not viruses...

 

[famsen]

JLTraveling: I don't want to offend but you are coming across in your posts as a bit paranoid. I know nobody wants to get sick but this has been going around for at least a couple of weeks now and no one has gotten seriously ill.
I can understand people with compromised immune systems and small children wanting to be extra cautious but there is no outbreak in Florida. In fact, there are only a confirmed 109 cases NATIONWIDE; all mild to moderate cases of flu. There are nearly 300,000,000 in the United States.
It almost sounds as if you WANT to convince people not to go and that is against the advice of our own government officials on the front lines of this.

And I also called Celebration Florida Hospital ER last night (as I stated in a previous post). They told me there is no outbreak and they are not seeing any more cases of illiness than usual. They were not advising people to stay away from Florida.

 

[disny45]

imo with what is actually going on-pig-flu, avarian flu, etc...
and not considering cancelling just because your child will be disappointed needs a second look at what your priorities are.

just take into consideration for your trip- would you be willing to be stuck with your child at the hotel for 3-7 days if they come down with it right after you get there? if so- then go- if not- reconsider changing your dates.i know it's hard just being at home with my kids and when one gets something they all seem to get it.

a lot of people on here seem gung ho about it- but seriously with any illness for any trip you
need to keep in mind things do happen and this seems to be a nasty little bugger to get rid of.

 

[doho95fu]

Just out of curiosity, do products like Purell even work in this particular case? I considered getting a bottle, but when I looked at the label, it specifically only mentioned being effective against bacteria--not viruses...

Most will say alcohol based (60%+) are effective against viruses. Purell is as far as I know.

 

[maroo]

Oh wow, you've just stepped into the lion's den. You're going to get a ton of responses here on both sides. We've canceled on the advice of our family doctor, who practices at Celebration Hospital (where emergency cases are taken from Disney). Others are being advised by their doctors to simply take normal precautions. Still others are simply refusing to cancel based on I don't know what.

Here are the facts:

Our physician, as I mentioned, practices at Celebration. He's been involved with some of the suspected cases that are still awaiting confirmation from the CDC. He's advising everyone, no matter current state of health, to stay away until it blows over (which he's optimistic should happen in the next month or so). Our local pharmacist said the same thing today. That said, someone on one of the threads mentioned that his neighbor is a doctor in Celebration, and plans to go to the parks himself this weekend, so it's not a universal opinion among the medical community here.

Someone upthread reported that the parks and resorts are out of hand sanitizer, both at the shops and at first aid. Cast members have a limited supply, but may be able to provide the occasional squirt. This jives with my experience, which is that we were able to obtain one of the last bottles of store brand sanitizer at Walgreen's today. Purell is completely sold out in the area. Masks are impossible to obtain. So if you come, be sure to bring your own supplies.

There's at least one case from a Mexican tourist who visited WDW that is awaiting confirmation from the CDC. Other samples have also been sent for testing. For some reason, 72 hours later, we're still being told that the samples "need further testing." To comment further would be pure speculation.

Several South Carolina teenagers who just returned from a band trip to WDW are currently awaiting the results of testing. Again, these cases are not confirmed, but neither have they been proven not to be swine flu.

Our local Walgreen's, which is 10 miles from the parks and not in a tourist corridor, was absolutely swamped at the pharmacy counter today. Normally there are two or three people in line at any given time. Today they were running two hours behind and the line for prescriptions wrapped around the store. I do not, of course, have first hand knowledge of what the prescriptions were for.

The virus is transmitted by coughs and sneezes and is considered contagious at a distance of six feet. I'm not sure how, no matter how much sanitizing is done, one could avoid being within six feet of others at WDW.

The virus is contagious for at least 24 hours prior to showing symptoms. This makes it virtually impossible to be sure that you are not being exposed (or exposing someone else).

I do understand what a heartbreaking decision you need to make. Our decision to cancel was not an easy one. Others' decisions to go ahead with their plans were equally difficult. Only you can decide what is right for you and your family.

This is a GREAT synopsis and I must have missed your input at some point on this thread...(can't imagine why....we have passed 70 pages! Good grief! )

Definitely more to consider.

I think it is a gut decision.

Honestly...there are hundreds of thousands of people in Disney in any one day and very, very few of them will come home with the flu. But...could it happen...sure. You could get it. Your child could get it.

The symptoms have been mild and you can get treatment. So...I tend to think...I would go.

I might stay home (and literally HOME - my child would not leave the house) if I had a child with special needs right now and there were cases in my area or close to my area. But that may be overkill. Just a personal opinion.

I guess questions I might ask myself would be, "How upset would I be if we DID get sick in Disney? Would I rather be home? Is it worth the risk? Will I be totally miserable staying home? Would I be totally upset if I indeed stayed home and still got sick? What alternatives do I have for traveling? What is the cost of rescheduling?"

 

[bdiddy]

I read online that Purell and anti-bacterial gels won't do a thing. Like you said - it is a virus not bacteria.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

Ok, I don't want to appear unPC here but this is a little funny if you don't get offended by it:

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/ne...-things-disney-can-do-to-fight-swine-flu.html

Top 10 things Disney can do to fight Swine Flu.
Posted on Apr 30, 2009 1:56:40 PM
Discuss This: Comments (0) | TrackBack (0) | Linking Blogs | Add to del.icio.us | Digg it


(For the record, I pick No. 3. There is nothing Disney can do about the flu, just like there is nothing the airlines can do about it. Everybody is going through all these frentic motions for no other reason than to look they they are doing something. So my thinking is that unless this starts turning into 1918, we all just chill out. In fact, I'd run over and hop on Tower of Terror this afternoon if I still had my annual pass.)



10) Mickey flu masks. Take a standard surgical mask, dye it black, add ears and sell it for $10.


9) Send out the Fantasia mop brigade, invite the TV cameras in for a quick photo-op, then lay them off.


8) Close down the buffets. God help me, but I continue to eat at Chef Mickey’s despite kids picking their noses before picking their waffles.


7) Send the Three Little Pigs to Egypt.


6) Combination barf-bag/flu masks in Mission: Space.


5) Close the parks and apply for Tarp money.


4) Sell Mickey-shaped Tamiflu capsules for $95, chargeable to your room.


3) Just hunker down and wait for the flu panic to go away next week.

2) Do a commercial with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. “Hey, Sanjay! You just got back from meeting with patient Zero in Mexico. What are you doing now?


1) Create a media diversion by sending Casey Anthony a swine-flu laced Mickey Bar.

Sorry if I've offended anyone but I just had to post!

 

[JLTraveling]

JLTraveling: I don't want to offend but you are coming across in your posts as a bit paranoid. I know nobody wants to get sick but this has been going around for at least a couple of weeks now and no one has gotten seriously ill.
I can understand people with compromised immune systems and small children wanting to be extra cautious but there is no outbreak in Florida. In fact, there are only a confirmed 109 cases NATIONWIDE; all mild to moderate cases of flu. There are nearly 300,000,000 in the United States.
It almost sounds as if you WANT to convince people not to go and that is against the advice of our own government officials on the front lines of this.

And I also called Celebration Florida Hospital ER last night (as I stated in a previous post). They told me there is no outbreak and they are not seeing any more cases of illiness than usual. They were not advising people to stay away from Florida.

You've been attacking me since last night, so I don't have much to say to you other than this: I presented a summary of the only FACTS that any of us have. I presented information given on this thread by posters on both sides of the debate. I mentioned our doctor's opinion and that of another Celebration doctor referenced in a previous post, which was the directly opposite opinion. I informed the poster about the current hand sanitizer situation in the area, so that if she chooses to come down and wishes to employ protective measures, she will be aware that she cannot purchase those items here. I ended by saying that our decision to cancel was rough, and others' decisions to go were also rough, and that only she can decide what is best for her family. How exactly was any of that a paranoid post, or a post attempting to convince her not to come?

 

[maroo]

I was wondering too. I got a 4/3 pin today for October and November. I booked my June trip with the 4/3 deal so I was hoping I could just change my trip to October. Wondering if they would still charge the cancellation fee.

From what I understand, they say that the flu could go away over the summer and then come back in the fall. I would stay with June. But that is just me.

I can understand people with compromised immune systems and small children wanting to be extra cautious but there is no outbreak in Florida. In fact, there are only a confirmed 109 cases NATIONWIDE; all mild to moderate cases of flu. There are nearly 300,000,000 in the United States.
It almost sounds as if you WANT to convince people not to go and that is against the advice of our own government officials on the front lines of this.

And I also called Celebration Florida Hospital ER last night (as I stated in a previous post). They told me there is no outbreak and they are not seeing any more cases of illiness than usual. They were not advising people to stay away from Florida.

I think it is pretty clear that there are more cases than just 109. They are just not confirmed yet.

Do we think Celebration would EVER say to stay away from Florida? Or admit they had sick people they were testing? The official response is - "no confirmed cases" and any public servant will say that.

 

[famsen]

Here's an article that might ease some minds:

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-sci-swine-reality30-2009apr30,0,3606923.story

Says that scientists studying this strain of flu are stating it is relatively mild and does not have anywhere near the capacity to kill such as the 1918 pandemic. It even says it may be less virulent than previously known strains of influenza.

 

[GraceLuvsWDW]

JLTraveling: I don't want to offend but you are coming across in your posts as a bit paranoid. I know nobody wants to get sick but this has been going around for at least a couple of weeks now and no one has gotten seriously ill.
I can understand people with compromised immune systems and small children wanting to be extra cautious but there is no outbreak in Florida. In fact, there are only a confirmed 109 cases NATIONWIDE; all mild to moderate cases of flu. There are nearly 300,000,000 in the United States.
It almost sounds as if you WANT to convince people not to go and that is against the advice of our own government officials on the front lines of this.

And I also called Celebration Florida Hospital ER last night (as I stated in a previous post). They told me there is no outbreak and they are not seeing any more cases of illiness than usual. They were not advising people to stay away from Florida.

I am sorry but this is misinformation. It has not been "going around for a few weeks now" and I'm sorry the woman on the ventilator in SA might disagree with "no one has gotten seriously ill". And I, for one, appreciate JLTraveling's posts. They have been respectful and on point with regard to this topic.

 

[doho95fu]

I read online that Purell and anti-bacterial gels won't do a thing. Like you said - it is a virus not bacteria.

Nope. It will kill most viruses.