Possible Food Poisoning At Crystal Palace?

[sarah24]

DH and I arrived at WDW on 4/23 and that night we had the dinner buffet at Crystal Palace. Due to my pickyness of wanting more cheese on the mushroom pasta, I ate on the other side of the bar from him.

He starting feeling horrible the next morning at AK, and we went back to the room, where he proceeded to be horribly sick the rest of the day. He sent me on to Epcot for the evening and I called to check on him around 7:30 and he said he thought he needed to go to the ER.

He could barely move when I got back to the room and I called 911. They sent out the Reedy Creek paramedics to take him to the hospital. Prior to the arrival of the paramedics, I was looking out the window for them and saw a WDW security guard just standing by the walkway next to our room. I opened the door and he was talking on his radio. Long story short, after about 15 minutes, the paramedics showed up and assured DH there was no possible way he could get food poisoning at a WDW restaurant. Food poisoning can happen anywhere for many different reasons.

Long story short, he was taken to the hospital in Celebration where the doctor said most likely it was food poisoning and they rehydrated him and sent us on our way after 5 1/2 hours with prescriptions.

What bothers me about this situation is that WDW knew my husband was severely ill and NOT ONCE did anyone check on him or make sure that we made it back to the room. He was in the room sick for the rest of the trip and did not get to go to anymore parks.

Has anyone else ever experienced a situation like this? And, if so, did you notify WDW that you were "offended" by their non-courtesy?

Thanks!

By the way, I am not looking to get flamed, as my DH and I are HUGE Disney fans who visit every year. I'm just looking for some input on this bad situation.

 

[Kath2003]

Firstly, I'm very sorry that your husband got so sick, and the way you were treated by the Disney staff.

However, I would imagine that if it had been the Crystal Palace food that made your husband sick, other people would have been sick. It is a buffet, he was obviously not the only person eating those dishes. He could, however, have been unlucky.

 

[CrazedDisFan]

Honestly, since you ate there the first night of the trip, he could have contracted it elsewhere before you even arrived at WDW.

But, again it's possible it was from CP.

Either way, by your accounts Disney did not appear to be on the ball with the 911 call.

 

[ENSOCK]

My lovely DH had food poisoning twice. The last time he went to the doctor and was told that it can show up anywhere from immediately to 24 hours from when you ate the food.
I am so sorry that your trip was ruined by his sickness. But I agree I would be upset that noone from Disney called to check on him since you placed a 911 call.
I hope that he is feeling much better and that your next trip goes better.

 

[mommytomy3]

DH and I arrived at WDW on 4/23 and that night we had the dinner buffet at Crystal Palace. Due to my pickyness of wanting more cheese on the mushroom pasta, I ate on the other side of the bar from him.

.

Im sorry your DH got so sick!
but funny you posted this-- I ate Breakfast at the Crystal Palace on Sunday 4/23- by the afternoon my stomach was hurting, and by night, I was sick and in the bathroom for a looong time--- TMI, I know- sorry! the next day I still felt sick and was afraid to eat anything! I knew it was from Crysatl Palace! Luckily it wasnt near the extent of your husband!

 

[sarah24]

Just bumping.

Anyone else eat at CP on 4/23?

 

[disneygirlatheart]

I am sorry your trip was ruined by this experience. Hope your DH is better now. We have ressies for CP in July. I am worried now, and thinking about changing. Could you tell me what was eaten that made everyone sick? Also any more people out there that has been sick after eating anywhere in WDW?

 

[Hixski]

My DH got food poisoning quite a few years ago. Not at Disney. We both ate at a buffet in the morning and by the afternoon he was really sick. We were catching a plane the next day to Disney. We went to the ER and they said it was probably food poisoning. They determined that the only thing my DH had that was different from me was cheese sauce. The doctor said that any milk or cheese based sauce can go bad pretty quick. Needless to say we do not do cheese sauces any more. So just be aware of this fact. It could happen on any buffet or resturant.

 

[Mamu]

First of all let me say how sorry I am your DH got sick. Nothing worst then being on vacation and being so sick you can't do anything.

Yes it could have been food poisoning or a nasty flu. There are so many things out there that can make you sick. I've eaten at Crystal Palace every trip and have never had a problem. Not to say it can't happen, it can, anywhere. I would not change my plans though.

 

[bicker]

We've had several occasions over the years where one of us got sick at WDW. Disney was always very helpful in directing us to either the clinic or the hospital. I didn't expect them to follow-up on us; we're just one of tens of thousands of guests, and once we were on our way to get medical attention there wasn't much else they could do to make us feel better.

I was sure I had a bout of food poisoning from raw buffalo once, but of course, I went back to the same restaurant for another meal on our next trip. Stuff happens. I know how much care everyone at WDW food and beverage takes with food safety, and as the OP said, food poisoning can happen anywhere, even where every precaution against it is taken. Disney did help my wife find a room at another hotel for an extra night she had to spend because I was too sick to fly home on-time (the hotel we were at was fully-booked) but she ended up staying off-site instead because she didn't want to spend the extra money to stay on-site.

 

[goofydad621]

Even at WDW the view from a bed and bathroom isn't to magical.

We have eaten at CP everytime we go and have never gotten sick, but that does not mean it can't happen. Like some previous posters hae stated though that the odds are if you contracted food poisining fromt he buffett then most likely others would have also. I would think that Florida has laws in place that if more then 1 ro 2 people are seen at the hospital with food poisining from the same location that there would be a investigatoin but am not sure about it.

Sorry for you to have to be sick
Goofydad

 

[mickeyfan2]

Sorry that your DH was ill. The only way to know what caused the food poisoning is for them to test the food from his stomach. Without that it is impossible to know where he got it from. If it was me I would let it go.

 

[Christine]

Food poisoning can happen fairly easy at a buffet. It can either be the food or someone who handles the food (or another guest) could have Norwalk virus. Either one of these will make you feel BAD rather quickly.

My son got the food poisoning or Norwalk on the Disney cruise.

Another year a whole group of us went to Disney. A few in the group branched off and went to Rainforest Cafe while the rest of us went somewhere else. A few people from the Rainforest group ended up sick the next day and were sick for 3 more days. Yuck.

I am surprised that in all my trips to Disney and all the buffets I've been to, I've never gotten sick.

Now, let me tell you about my trip to Taiwan....

 

[kapica3]

I have a theory that sometimes you get sick from touching the serving spoons that thousands of others have touched before you and not from the food itself. We all wash our hands before we sit down to eat, but then we go and touch the serving utensils and then eat with our "dirty" hands. (One of our trips only 2 of 8 of us got sick - could we have possibly been the ones to touch those particular serving spoons?)

 

[Kath2003]

I have a theory that sometimes you get sick from touching the serving spoons that thousands of others have touched before you and not from the food itself. We all wash our hands before we sit down to eat, but then we go and touch the serving utensils and then eat with our "dirty" hands. (One of our trips only 2 of 8 of us got sick - could we have possibly been the ones to touch those particular serving spoons?)

But then equally it could have been someone who touched a dirty bench, hand rail etc.

You cannot protect yourself from disease 24-7. Basic hygiene is obviously important but sadly you have to put getting sick down to bad luck a lot of the time

 

[keishashadow]

It's really lousy to be sick while on vacation.

I assume WDW is on the ball re food handling, prep, etc.; if only to avoid these types of problems.

Not to dispute your husbands condition but, once DS said he thought he had food pois. after enjoying a buffet. I think it was more a case of excessively overeating rich foods that upset his digestive tract or possibly even a food sensitivity/allergy (was eating lots of things he normally doesn't & mixing strange combos of food).

 

[jazznms]

Husband work there at Disney for years as a chef and has talk about this often (food safety issues) he said management was very strict making sure time and temp logs where done on a regular base and stuff being tossed when needed management wood stress this is one law suit we can prevent with enough documentation .
That being said the OP was in the right time frame for being sick after the buffet and as a lot of posters have said it can happen anywhere. More then likely it was the product it self and Disney did everything according to standards and practice of the food industry. I bet they have the time and temp logs of your trip and can track it back to the night and hour the OP got sick to see it any one else got sick that night.
Still cant be leave disney dropped the ball on not checking up with u just bad someone needs to be writen up for that. husband said there where several occasion where they the chef them self eves wood check up on reported food born illness . They wood need to show the logs to the doctors and the people explain what the procedure was for wrong temp to long a food sitting on line thing stuff like that. Like I said he said there was sign on the wall that said “document every time and temp. ever time”

 

[mrsltg]

I got a mild case of food poisoning at Beaches and Cream. What I *think* happened was the waitress put some burgers on the grill and then made my strawberry shortcake without changing gloves. Dh and I were at the counter and we were watching her make the desserts. I also saw her handle the meat. I just didn't put 2 and 2 together until I was violently ill - YUCK!!! Generally you don't have "forceful" vomitting with just a stomach bug - your body is trying to get rid of something. I think I got rid of everything down to my toes that day!!!!

It's crummy to get sick like that on vacation. I am surprised they didn't at least check to see why there was a 911 call on their property...

 

[G8RFAN]

Last year, I was violently ill just hours after eating at Arby's. 3 days later I was in intesive care with intestinal bleeding and needing blood transfusions. The doctors all said that they don't know that it was food poisoning but I can't even look at an Arby's now. There is no way any food service establishment can make a statement that it is impossible to get food poisoning. By it's very nature, there can not be a sterile environment maintained throughout the entire food service process.

Sympathies from CM's and follow up would have been nice. I don't know if there is protocol for CM's regarding these situations.

 

[Cameo]

I'm so sorry that happened. A couple years ago we ate at the Garden Grill and later that night my DH was vomitting and had diahrrea. I was very nauseous, but that was it. The kids were fine because they didn't eat what we had. What we both had was the flank steak, but I had much less of it than hubby. He was sick for about 24 hours and didn't eat anything during that time.

After it happened and I thought about it, it is amazing that in our 11+ trips to Disney we haven't had more problems. Think of the number of people they serve and the possibilities for food issues.