Just back and sick as a dog :(

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Just one clarification, I am not blaming disney one iota. Millions of people from all over...it's gonna happen.

But I wonder if extra hand pumps at strategic spots would limit the bugs a bit, it would be a win/win. I might send that as an email suggestion!

I very much doubt you'll see that happening now...maybe 5 years ago. It used to be "use hand santizer" but now the message is more "washing your hands the correct way for the correct amount of time".

The CDC has the following page regarding hand santizers: http://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/show-me-the-science-hand-sanitizer.html

Here are some key points from that webpage:




And to me this is the most relevant to WDW because of the setting of being in an outdoor theme park filled with outdoor food vendors, working stuff that has dirty, grime, grease, the natural elements, etc:


There are other Q's and A's on the webpage.

Point being hand sanitizer at WDW does not equate to heathier guests with less spread of what makes guests sick. Not saying you shouldn't use hand sanitizers but on the flip side don't expect having more hand sanitizer stations around would mean you would be healthy each and every time you were in WDW.

In either case I'm really sorry you got sick and hope you'll feel better soon. Being sick before, during and after a vacation puts a huge damper on the experience of the vacation.

 

[godders]

I got back from Disney this morning full if a cold and I am very vigilant about not touching things and always wash my hands with soap.

Still...a little head cold is waaay better than the awful bout of chicken pox my brother (and then I) got from our first trip to the world....

 

[Buttercup2009]

Just got back yesterday from an 8 day trip and all 4 of us have come down with a head cold and sore throat!

 

[poppinspenguins]

I got back from Disney this morning full if a cold and I am very vigilant about not touching things and always wash my hands with soap.

Still...a little head cold is waaay better than the awful bout of chicken pox my brother (and then I) got from our first trip to the world....

Ugh that sounds awful!

I heard tons of people coughing and sneezing...the ferry boat guy was also sick.

We joked. With him that he sounded as bad as us. He said tons of people (guest and cm) were sick., and that it had just started really bad this week. Again, tis the season....Ugh!

Hope you feel better!

 

[godders]

Ugh that sounds awful!

I heard tons of people coughing and sneezing...the ferry boat guy was also sick.

We joked. With him that he sounded as bad as us. He said tons of people (guest and cm) were sick., and that it had just started really bad this week. Again, tis the season....Ugh!

Hope you feel better!

Thanks! I've skipped winter the last couple of years and this is the 2nd cold I've had since the end of Summer so I'm not too amused.

I'm just glad I wasn't there having to deal with sick little ones!

 

[lovethattink]

We went to DHS on Saturday. I tried so hard not to touch anything unnecessary, kept my hands away from my face, used my hand sanitizer and washed my hands frequently. Typically, I wouldn't be this careful, but I can't afford to get sick for the next 3 weeks! Even so, I was coughed on several times the couple hours we were at the park.

 

[3Gsandme]

We're just back as of Saturday.

Three of our party got the stomach flu while there. The little one in front of us to see Olaf CLEARLY had croup. We used a ton of hand sanitizer.

 

[TheDisneyNurse]

I'm so sorry to hear that Stomach viruses are extremely, extremely contagious. They spread like wild fire, unfortunately.

Also don't me started on antibacterial hand sanitizer... evil.

 

[JoanneAZ]

You have my sympathies. I went to Disneyland over Halloween and I ended up with a nasty sinus and ear infections. I'm on my second round of antibiotics and have finished a steroid dose pack and I'm still sick. There's a reason I refer to Disneyland as "it's a small world of germs".

 

[TeresaWen]

Planes are the worst for me!

 

[dramadrew]

Yep, I got a Disney cold! Started when I was in cooler weather on night 3 and hit me the next day. But I still enjoyed my time at MK then because darn it I was going to enjoy Disney!!

 

[kaabost]

I can't believe I need to point this out to an adult but this is why you cough into a tissue/napkin or your arm!

It sounds like your family needs to be more diligent about hand-washing/hygiene.

Yikes! Holy Moly! Perhaps we are reacting on some pretty strong assumptions?

OP, I am so sorry you guys have battled illness! We wash our hands all the time too but we also never get enough sleep while at Disney so I come home with some kind of illness (usually a cold) more times than not. I think it is safe to say that we are all responsible for our own preventative measures as you cannot control the actions of others. That being said, no amount of hygiene can guarantee illness avoidance while surrounded by millions of people from all regions of the world......each with their own bouquet of germs from their respective regions of the globe. On the other hand, one can ensure a less than good time by taking the germ concern too far.

 

[pmaurer74]

We have never come home sick from Disney, however I am sick now and leaving in 10 days, I should be over it by then but hoping my family does not get it before we leave.

 

[kandb]

Just one clarification, I am not blaming disney one iota. Millions of people from all over...it's gonna happen.

But I wonder if extra hand pumps at strategic spots would limit the bugs a bit, it would be a win/win. I might send that as an email suggestion!

You're 100% right. Disney should be putting sanitizer pumps at their buffets, at the exits of their rides and ANYWHERE they can. When I gave birth to my children, there was sanitizer wall pumps outside my hospital room. Cruise ships have sanitizer all over, they actually have an employee MAKING you sanitize your hands before you eat at the buffets. Unfortunately, Disney wants to make everything look like "MAGIC" and don't want to remind people that there are germs all over. Yes, I think Disney is totally irresponsible with not having more sanitizer/hand washing areas when they have soooooo many people in a concentrated area. Why would people who spent thousands of dollars on vacation want to ruin it by being sick. Disney drops the ball on this!!!! Always has.

 

[StuckInKS]

We got sick our last days there and some of us haven't been well since. My 6-yr old DS's "cold" turned into pneumonia (diagnosed on Thanksgiving) and I think I have caught it from him now (haven't been to dr yet, but have same symptoms as him). On top of that, my 10-yr old DD had a ruptured appendix exactly one week after we got home and was in the hospital for 5 days (not something caught at WDW of course, but just added to the health problems we've been having since our trip).

ETA: On the topic of sanitizer, we carry it and apply it frequently (after every ride and trip to the buffet) and we also wash our hands no less than 10x a day while there. But sanitizer can't fix all the people coughing and sneezing next to you, which was happening in every line and bus ride this trip. My DS even got puked on by a kid on the bus. We might not do a fall trip again lol.

 

[kandb]

Just one clarification, I am not blaming disney one iota. Millions of people from all over...it's gonna happen.

But I wonder if extra hand pumps at strategic spots would limit the bugs a bit, it would be a win/win. I might send that as an email suggestion!

Yes, why not provide something to guests to help control germs? They are now passing out "off" for mosquitos, why not sanitizer or extra handwash stations for stopping the spread of the norovirus or flu? Yes, I know it's not going to stop all illness but it will definitely lessen people from becoming ill. Disney doesn't do this because they don't want people to think about "germs" while they are on vacation. The only reason they did it with Off/Zika virus is because it was all over the news and they thought it was going to hurt their bottom line, so they did something to make people feel safer.

 

[kandb]

We got sick our last days there and some of us haven't been well since. My 6-yr old DS's "cold" turned into pneumonia (diagnosed on Thanksgiving) and I think I have caught it from him now (haven't been to dr yet, but have same symptoms as him). On top of that, my 10-yr old DD had a ruptured appendix exactly one week after we got home and was in the hospital for 5 days (not something caught at WDW of course, but just added to the health problems we've been having since our trip).

Hope your family feels well soon!!!!!!!!

 

[StuckInKS]

Hope your family feels well soon!!!!!!!!

Thanks!!!

 

[kandb]

Thank goodness! Wash your hands regularly. THAT is the important part. Sanitizers can only do so much, and the hand-washing is important. Wash your hands before putting your hands to your face. It's THAT simple for germs spread like that. You are responsible for you, and the next guy is responsible for himself.

I agree and disagree. Yes, hand-washing is best but if people saw a sanitizer pump at a buffet, they would be more apt to use it because it's more convenient. When I gave birth to my children in a great medical center in NYC there was hand sanitizing pumps on the walls outside of every patient's rooms. Nothing is 100% but why not add them?????? What harm would it be for Disney to put sanitizer thru-out wdw? or better yet hand wash stations near food establishments?

 

[Accident]

There is something going around and it's not limited to disney. Everyone is coughing, under the weather, allergies with this record heat are flaring up. I got a double punch as it was flu like for 2-3 days and then it switched to a sinus infection which allowed my allergies to get a good hold so it's been rough getting back to normal. second dr trip is tomorrow and I'm crossing my fingers this cold weather prediction for later in the week actually happens for a couple days because it will give me the relief I need to get this back under control.