Peak Flu Season Hits Disney World

Walt Disney World (WDW) has been hit with peak flu season as multiple guests are reporting on hundreds of others showing flu-like symptoms throughout the parks.

Recent Disney World News

Before we get into the news of hundreds of guests reporting sick at WDW, here is the latest news of the House of Mouse in Central Florida.

A few Disney World cast members have filed a lawsuit against the Central Florida theme park after being let go for not being “culturally authentic” enough while working within the World Showcase Italy Pavillion.

Troubling behavior from small children has made its way throughout social media channels. Disney guests are voicing their concerns over the growing number of misbehaved kids running around theme parks. The issue has become such a problem that WDW cast members have warned parents to “supervise their children.”

Guests are also voicing their concern for the animals in the Animal Kingdom Park and how times have changed, which means the animals harbored within the enclosures should no longer be present.

But aside from these news reports, back in September, it was reported that a Reddit thread showing hundreds of Disney World guests testing positive for COVID was shut down by moderators, which led to a discussion on how the theme park handles a rise in sick guests throughout its parks and hotels.

According to the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control, December through February is considered peak flu season, which means there will be an influx of cases skyrocketing for things like COVID, the flu, and other sicknesses like the common cold and more.

Please be advised that the narrative presented in this article is derived from an individual’s personal experience as a guest at Disney parks. It is essential to recognize that each guest encounter is distinct, and this article may not necessarily reflect the perspective or stance of Inside the Magic regarding Disney Park operations.

According to a new Reddit post from u/creativeuniquename69, hundreds of guests are showing COVID or the flu symptoms with possible symptoms related to the average cold. The user posted to the official r/WaltDisneyWorld subreddit page, mentioning the following:

I’ve only been to the parks a few times, but I’ve never seen anything like this anywhere I’ve been before (even ‘during’ covid). People are coughing like crazy everywhere around the parks – on the monorails and buses, in theater shows, in restaurants.. it’s inescapable! I’ve had to move seats in the Carousel of Progress, and I’m writing this after getting up and leaving a quick service table.

I live in NYC and dont see this level of sickness at all on public transport or in public places.

The Reddit user went on to say the following:

Has Disney always been like this? It seems like it almost attracts the sick and careless..

Edit – great points, y’all, and it’s reassuring to know this wasn’t unique to me. I think the hyper-awareness of coughing is a factor, but as others have mentioned, there are some folks who are quite obviously sick. I also wasn’t expecting this to blow up! I was mostly just ranting

just a reminder that Disney is still selling masks in a few of the shops around the parks!

Of course, dozens of guests commented on the thread with their two cents on what they think could be going on, with many of them mentioning that we are in peak flu season. Most guests also pay thousands of dollars to vacation in Orlando at WDW, indicating that most people will show up to the parks sick, whether they like it or not, because they paid for the holiday.

Still, it’s a good rule of thumb to remember to wash your hands periodically, wear a mask if you are showing symptoms or have a fever above 100 degrees, and make sure to keep your distance if possible if you are wary of catching anything as you visit WDW over the next few months.

This post is originally appeared on Inside the Magic.