Unfortunately, I also have experience with the emergency room last year. I agree that it's very pleasant, and the fish tank is a nice touch. There are a lot of very Christian pictures and plaques on the wall, which we thought unusual but didn't mind. However, the wait was interminable. I wish we'd taken advantage of the doctors who will visit your resort room. Note that it costs more late at night, so don't hesitate to call them early. We spent most of the night in the Emergency Room waiting area before eventually giving up. There were no ambulance arrivals during that time and no indication from the staff that the wait was unusual.
On top of the delay and lack of treatment, the hospital had the audacity to send us a bill. Below is the letter I wrote to protest. (It worked, in that they stopped trying to charge us. I don't know if it helped to improve their service.)
Good luck with your upcoming trip! I, too, hope you don't need this information. And for others who might be scared off when they really have a life-threatening situation, I'm sure if you show up bleeding and screaming, you'll have better luck getting past the triage nurse at the ER than we did.
- M
Dear Billing Representative:
Our family vacation earlier this month was interrupted when my wife developed a painful infection. Front desk staff at our Disney resort referred us to the hospital in Celebration.
Unfortunately, the staff at your hospital was unable to provide us with medical care. Their indifference and disorganization made our attempt to secure treatment both frustrating and unsuccessful. After checking in and filling out initial paperwork, the Emergency Department receptionist was unwilling to provide us with any description of what would happen next or how long the delay might be.
The nurse we spoke with spent less than one minute asking about Cheryls symptoms and medical history. She then proceeded to spend nearly ten minutes inquiring about our health plan coverage and making copies of my insurance card. After spending hours in the waiting area, we observed no apparent progress. Other patients who had been waiting before we arrived were still waiting. When Cheryl wanted to step outside for some fresh air, or lie down in the car to wait as she was still in great pain, the receptionist warned that if we left the building, we would be moved to the end of the list. Only after we despaired and told her we were giving up did the receptionist admit that Cheryls was not among the next five names on the list and that the delay would therefore have been at least several more hours. Her tone and demeanor made it clear that by leaving, we were making the right decision. If Cheryl was going to spend the night untreated and in severe pain anyway, she was better off in bed at the resort than sitting in a hospital waiting area.
The bill you sent us indicates that you have no insurance information from us, which is incorrect. However, based on your inability to provide service or treatment, we believe that our health plan provider should not pay for our fruitless attempt to secure your medical services.
