Food poisoning while at Disney?

[princesslover]

We just came back Christmas Eve from a short 3 day/four night trip. On our third night, we at at Germany as part of the Candlelight processional package. At around midnight that night, my daughter woke up projectile vomiting. Not to be gross, but it was violent and sudden. She continued to be sick the next morning. By the following night, she was somewhat better but dehydrated and weak.

The next day she missed an entire day at Magic Kingdom. It was our last day and my Mom (her grandmother’s) first trip to Disney. Because she was so sick, the remaining 3 of us took turns going to the park. Needless to say, our trip ended on a far from magical note.

I know there is no way to prove she got food poisoning but given that Biergarten is a buffet (will never, EVER eat there again sadly) and the quick and violent nature of her illness, and the fact that no one else got sick, I would put money on it. It’s the only thing that makes sense. She had no fever or any other symptoms. And she started to feel sick as soon as we were leaving the park.

Is it worth contacting Disney to see if they can do anything? My daughter lost a full day as well as the mine train ride I paid for. The rest of us got small shifts at the park I don’t know exactly what I’m looking for but if we get sick on Disney’s food, we shouldn’t have to pay for a day in the park we couldn’t use as well. But I have a feeling we’re out of luck. It just really sucks.

 

[MomOTwins]

Sounds like norovirus. Happens a lot this time of year and spreads at buffets where people touch the same food serving spoons. We use a sanitizing wipe after sitting down from the buffet before eating but even then it is no guarantee. No fun but not sure what you are Disney do about it? You can get sick at any vacation destination, especially in winter.

 

[princesslover]

Sounds like norovirus. Happens a lot this time of year and spreads at buffets where people touch the same food serving spoons. We use a sanitizing wipe after sitting down from the buffet before eating but even then it is no guarantee. No fun but not sure what you are Disney do about it? You can get sick at any vacation destination, especially in winter.

I think I purposely said I wasn’t sure what I was looking for.

I was curious if anyone else had something similar happen and if they contacted Disney.

In any case buffets are ruined for us. Not worth the risk to get sick off a $50/pp meal. Uh no. And I it’s hardly the fault of the guest for not bringing sanitizing wipes…but ok.

 

[mom2rtk]

The problem of course is that there is no way to know for sure that the illness was caused by the meal, especially since you all ate there and she's the only one who got sick.

You could certainly email Disney and hope for some pixiedust. At the very least they should refund the LL purchase. But maybe they'd give her a 1 day ticket to use later or something, just as a goodwill gesture.

 

[sponica]

I think I purposely said I wasn’t sure what I was looking for.

I was curious if anyone else had something similar happen and if they contacted Disney. Buffets are ruined for us. Not worth the risk to get sick off a $50/pp meal. Uh no.

Thanks

Not Disney, but I've gotten food poisoning from other places. And I can never eat mussels again. Do I know it was for sure the mussels, nope, but that's the association my brain has made. I didn't think to call the restaurant because shellfish are shellfish, it could have been a bad batch or it could have been something else I ate earlier in the day. Which would have been a McDonalds happy meal.

Now I've definitely eaten things at Disney that didn't sit right, but I'm never sure if it was the food's fault or my own GI tract's fault.

 

[DisneyMama811]

unfortunately I highly doubt there is anything Disney could do because there is absolutely no way you can prove she got sick from eating Disney food even though it sounds like that is probably what happened, they don't know that you didn't go off property to grab something they only have your word. you could certainly alert them so they can check their food supply but unfortunately unless you get very lucky I doubt there's anything they'll do for you. chalk it up as a loss and try to focus on the happy parts of the trip. I'm sorry this happened to you. I would be devastated too.
sounds like you've been to Disney before and plan to go again, you are extremely blessed to be able to do that many people never have the chance to go once let alone several times, so hopefully you'll be able to make up for it with more happy memories

 

[princesslover]

I can’t express to you how sick my daughter was. I thought we might have to call emergency services. It was our first time staying at the new Grand Floridian resort studios and she vomited all over the carpet. She never got to experience Magic Kingdom with her grandmother who will likely no go ever again. This in no way was any fault of hers.
I feel like if it was a stomach bug one of us would have got it. Especially me since I was cleaning up after her. At the buffet, we all got different things.

I always have loved the buffets at WDW but they are not safe.

 

[DisneyMama811]

Not Disney, but I've gotten food poisoning from other places. And I can never eat mussels again. Do I know it was for sure the mussels, nope, but that's the association my brain has made. I didn't think to call the restaurant because shellfish are shellfish, it could have been a bad batch or it could have been something else I ate earlier in the day. Which would have been a McDonalds happy meal.

Now I've definitely eaten things at Disney that didn't sit right, but I'm never sure if it was the food's fault or my own GI tract's fault.

same, in 2014 my oldest had surgery and while waiting for the surgery to be finished my husband and I ate Subway from the hospital food court (it was a very large children's hospital) we both got food poisoning. That was 8 years ago and between the food poisoning and the trauma of my baby having major surgery I've never been able to eat it again

 

[teawar]

Sorry to hear that your daughter got sick, especially while on vacation. I would not expect any restitution from Disney because it is now several days since she was ill. Had you contacted them immediately, something may have been done.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Sounds like norovirus. Happens a lot this time of year and spreads at buffets where people touch the same food serving spoons. We use a sanitizing wipe after sitting down from the buffet before eating but even then it is no guarantee. No fun but not sure what you are Disney do about it? You can get sick at any vacation destination, especially in winter.

I was also gonna echo that it sounds like noro...and buffets are very easy places to pick up noro...

 

[disneyAndi14]

Sounds like norovirus. Happens a lot this time of year and spreads at buffets where people touch the same food serving spoons. We use a sanitizing wipe after sitting down from the buffet before eating but even then it is no guarantee. No fun but not sure what you are Disney do about it? You can get sick at any vacation destination, especially in winter.

Only bleach products kill Norovirus virus, regular alcohol based sanitizers will not kill it. Soap, water and bleach for norovirus!

 

[SouthJersey]

I can’t express to you how sick my daughter was. I thought we might have to call emergency services. It was our first time staying at the new Grand Floridian resort studios and she vomited all over the carpet. She never got to experience Magic Kingdom with her grandmother who will likely no go ever again. This in no way was any fault of hers.
I feel like if it was a stomach bug one of us would have got it. Especially me since I was cleaning up after her. At the buffet, we all got different things.

I always have loved the buffets at WDW but they are not safe.

They're not any more or less safe than any other buffet.

Disney isn't going to compensate anything because there's no way to accurately place blame upon the buffet and with norovirus numbers up, it's most likely another sick guest. You're in line queues and busy retail lines/stores with thousands of people, it could've easily been a kid in line that was hurling his brains out yesterday as easy as it could've been a sick guest handling the serving spoon or coughing in his hands and touching the plate beneath his that becomes your daughter's plate.

I can't see any viable pathway for why Disney would compensate for a stomach bug. To make the argument of food poisoning, they would need an influx of guests with the same complaint in the same dining window and at the very least, the rest of your party.

 

[princesslover]

Sorry to hear that your daughter got sick, especially while on vacation. I would not expect any restitution from Disney because it is now several days since she was ill. Had you contacted them immediately, something may have been done.

Huh?

 

[DaviVascaino]

Nobody else got sick, just your daughter?

Most likely she got sick from another place.
Like you mentioned, there is no way to prove it was Disney's fault. You are in a packed theme park, where you are inherently at risk of getting any type of infection (airborne, gastrointestinal, etc..).

 

[DaviVascaino]

I can’t express to you how sick my daughter was. I thought we might have to call emergency services. It was our first time staying at the new Grand Floridian resort studios and she vomited all over the carpet. She never got to experience Magic Kingdom with her grandmother who will likely no go ever again. This in no way was any fault of hers.
I feel like if it was a stomach bug one of us would have got it. Especially me since I was cleaning up after her. At the buffet, we all got different things.

I always have loved the buffets at WDW but they are not safe.

"I feel like it was stomach bug". we are talking about norovirus, which takes about 36-48 hours to manifest symptoms after you are exposed, so extremely unlikely you got from the buffet, it was too early for norovirus infection. (we are talking about few hours incubation period in your case)

If you got from buffet, it was a Staph food poisoning , which can happen within hours. However, In that case, almost everyone that ate there would have been sick.

sorry, it does not seem she got from the buffet.

 

[rick1zoo2]

.

 

[TwoMisfits]

"I feel like it was stomach bug". we are talking about norovirus, which takes about 36-48 hours to manifest symptoms after you are exposed, so NO WAY you got from the buffet, it was too early for norovirus infection.

If you got from buffet, it was a Staph food poisoning , which can happen within hours. However, In that case, almost everyone that ate there would have been sick.

sorry, it does not seem she got from the buffet.

Noro can actually manifest in 12 hours (norm is 12-48 with a median of 33). I assumed 4pm eating, 4am puking, but now I see it was midnight, so it was probably something earlier in the day or the night before...

 

[FCDub]

Definitely sympathetic to getting sick on vacation. I seem to have an unlucky streak in that regard. OP, sounds like you want to contact Disney, so go for it. With all due respect, arguing with people here who don't see it your way isn't going to really do any good.

 

[princesslover]

Thanks to those of you offering sympathy for my daughter and us, and potential ideas for resolution.

I contacted Disney and they gave me the guest services email.

 

[DaviVascaino]

Noro can actually manifest in 12 hours (norm is 12-48 with a median of 33). I assumed 4pm eating, 4am puking, but now I see it was midnight, so it was probably something earlier in the day or the night before...

that is not the common presentation, median of 33 is exactly what it means, majority is within a day and a half. Sure, it can happen earlier than that, but it is not typical.

The typical food poisoning that happens in buffets is from Staph toxins, not norovirus. That will cause violent GI symptoms within hours of consumption (typical case that happens during wedding receptions, big gatherings, etc). However, in that case, most people would have been sick.

My guess is she got norovirus or other GI infection somewhere (disney, airplane, school, etc..), not the buffet.