While no one wants to get sick on their Walt Disney World‘s vacation, it sometimes does happen. Especially after getting back from a trip, we’ve often come home with what we call the Disney crud, which is usually a small cold. To lower the risks of getting sick during your vacation, here are some things that you can do to stay healthy.
Stay Healthy Before Your Vacation
The CDC recommends individuals and families follow everyday preventive measures. These measures to stay healthy include:
- Stay home when you are sick with respiratory disease symptoms. At the present time, these symptoms are more likely due to influenza or other respiratory viruses than to COVID-19-related virus.
- Wash your hands and do so frequently especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Use regular soap and water and sing Happy Birthday (to yourself) while you wash. This will take approximately 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available/convenient, use an alcohol-based gel in its place. To be effective, the alcohol content should be 60% or higher.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands and avoid close contact with people who are displaying symptoms.
- When leaving the restroom, use a paper towel or tissue when reaching for the door handle. Dispose of immediately.
- When you sneeze or cough, cover your mouth AND nose with a tissue. Dispose of the tissue immediately and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer with >60% alcohol content. If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into a flexed elbow.
- When talking with people, keep some distance. Keep at least one arms distance between you and other people, especially if they are sneezing and/or coughing.
- Eat smart to maintain your strength.
- Sleep is important – plan your schedules accordingly.
- Routinely clean frequently touched surfaces and objects with sanitizing wipes.
- Avoid handshakes or hugs. Consider a head nod or elbow bump (not a fist bump).
During Your Travel – on the Plane or Bus
- Put some sanitizing wipes and a travel size >60% alcohol-based sanitizer in your carry-on bag. These are easily carried in a zip lock bag. If you are unable to find hand sanitizers but have access to 100% aloe vera and 100% rubbing alcohol, you can make your own hand sanitizer by mixing 2/3 cup alcohol to 1/3 cup aloe vera. You can add 8 to 10 drops of your favorite fragrance oil to the mixture if you would like it scented.
- Wipe down your seat, seat belt and buckle, tray table, armrest, headrest, and the back of the seat in front of you. Ignore the looks from other passengers – this is for your health.
During Your Vacation – in your Hotel Room
- Put some sanitizing wipes and a travel size >60% alcohol-based sanitizer in your luggage. These are easily carried in a zip lock bag. Mix your own if you can’t find any in the store. Have some with you at all times to stay healthy.
- When you arrive in your room, wipe down doorknobs, closet door handles, phones, television remotes, desk area, and all light/lamp switches.
- Repeat these precautions every evening when you return to your room.
During Your Vacation – Visiting Parks and Restaurants
- Wash your hands and do so frequently especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. Use regular soap and water and sing Happy Birthday (to yourself) while you wash. This will take approximately 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available/convenient, use an alcohol-based gel in its place. To be effective, the alcohol content should be 60% or higher.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands and avoid close contact with people who are displaying symptoms.
- When leaving the restroom, use a paper towel or tissue when reaching for the door handle. Dispose of immediately.
- When you sneeze or cough, cover your mouth AND nose with a tissue. Dispose of the tissue immediately and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer with >60% alcohol content. If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into a flexed elbow.
- When talking with people, keep some distance. Keep at least one arms distance between you and other people, especially if they are sneezing and/or coughing.
- Eat smart even when you are on vacation!
- Avoid handshakes or hugs. Consider a head nod or elbow bump (not a fist bump).
What to do When You Need Medical Attention
What do you do when you are at Walt Disney World and need medical attention because you are feeling ill or because you are injured? We suggest you call the front desk if you are in your room at the Walt Disney World Resorts. The cast members at the front desk can assist you obtaining medical assistance.
If you would like to seek medical assistance on your own, here are some choices:
Doctors on Call
Doctors on call is a service where a physician will come right to your room and treat you. They will do a phone evaluation to see if they would be able to assist you or recommend that you go to a hospital. Doctors on Call does NOT accept insurance, but you can file a claim with your insurance provider with the detailed receipt that they will provide you.
AdventHealth
AdventHealth Walk-In Urgent Care Centers are open 24-hours a day, 7 days per week. They will send a free shuttle that will pick you up at your resort and bring you back for no charge. AdventHealth accepts many insurance plans. Call (407) 934-2273 for more info.