How To Avoid Getting Sick at Disney
In a previous post, we talked about what to do if you get sick at Disney. In this post, I'm going to give you some tips to help you make sure that doesn't happen to you.
FACT: Everywhere, even warm places like Florida, has a flu season.
FACT: Not everyone's flu season is the same.
FACT: 19.3 million guests from all over the world visit Disney's Magic Kingdom in a year.
Considering these facts, it's logical that you will encounter germs at Walt Disney World. Not to say it's a cesspool of disease, but much like an airport, there are lots of people from lots of places touching lots of things. And it's not beyond reason to practice the same precautions at Walt Disney World as you would at any airport.
But it's a little more than that, isn't it? I mean, it's not like you are passing through. For many, this is the vacation of a lifetime. It's a dream come true. And getting sick is not part of that fantasy.
So here are my tips to avoid getting sick on your Disney vacation.
1. Wash your hands and make sure your kids do the same. Maybe it's a culture thing, maybe it's a kid thing, maybe it's a Disney exhaustion thing, but I am continually surprised at how few people pass the sinks in the public restrooms without a second glance. Ewwwwwww.
Washing your hands is the single most effective thing you can do to prevent the spread of germs, so do it, and do it properly. That means using soap.
It also means reciting your A-B-Cs (to the song) in your head while you scrub with soap under the water. That's how long you should scrub. No quick dip.
2. Bring hand sanitizer. Because I'm a fan of the signature scent while vacationing, I like to choose a scented antibac from Bath and Body Works, ideally, that compliments my signature scent for this vacation.
For kids, you can get them a cute silicon clip to help them carry it around and click it onto a lanyard, belt loop, or bag.
Use the hand sanitizer whenever you just got off a busy ride, before you eat, and after you've enjoyed an interactive display where everyone is touching screens or buttons. Get in the habit of using it often.
3. Drink Airborne or Emergen-C once a day. I bring several packets from home of one of these immunity boosting drinks. Usually this will be the drink I sip with breakfast in the room or during pool time. The boost of vitamins gives your body a little bit of fortification against catching something.
4. Get enough sleep. Your body needs 7-8 hours a night in general (varies by age) to restore and recover from the previous day. Kids need more like 10 hours and babies and toddlers need their naps.
This can be really hard advice to follow at Walt Disney World, especially during the summer when some parks open at 8 am and don't close until midnight (or 3 am in the case of the Magic Kingdom during extra magic hours). Realistically, there will be some nights where you just don't get the recommended amount of sleep. But try not to make this a consecutive night thing. And try to help your body in other ways when you deprive it of sleep by getting vitamins, lots of vitamin D, and eating some greens or vegetables with that Mickey waffle.
5. Hydrate. Advice varies on how much water to drink, but the easiest rule to follow is probably the 8x8 rule, which recommends 8 8oz glasses of water a day.
A couple important things about hydration. First, it doesn't have to be water. It can be juice, milk, soda, etc.
Second, you are going to need more water than that in the Florida heat. If you are sweating, you should be drinking fluids to replace that.
Not only will getting enough fluids help you feel more energy, but fluids help flush toxins from the body and a well hydrated body fights germs better than a dehydrated body.
Basically, it's all about giving your body what it needs - rest, water, vitamins - and sanitizing. I can't guarantee even if you follow these rules that you won't get sick. But these tips will definitely lower your chances of catching a bug on your dream vacation.
Any tips I missed? Share them in the comments!
