possible WDW food poisoning?

[suzanneb]

I was flying back from WDW yesterday (Jan 12). When I used the lavatory, it was apparent someone had been very ill in there. When I reported this to the flight attendants, they told me a couple of young women were both ill, and that they shared the same Disney meal together some time before the flight. Anyone else know of possible food borne problems at WDW the last few days?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I was flying back from WDW yesterday (Jan 12). When I used the lavatory, it was apparent someone had been very ill in there. When I reported this to the flight attendants, they told me a couple of young women were both ill, and that they shared the same Disney meal together some time before the flight. Anyone else know of possible food borne problems at WDW the last few days?

There have been no recent news reports of "food borne problems" at Walt Disney World.

The last such probelm I'm aware of was in 1995. Around 60 adults and children were hit by salmonella from fresh-squeezed orange juice served at Walt Disney World. Not only did Disney stop buying juice from the supplier, they stopped serving fresh-squeezed orange juice.

Walt Disney World has extremely high standards for safe food handling. So, while food poisoning is always a possibility, it's unlikely.

Walt Disney World doesn't use green onions because of Hepatitis A associated with green onions, even though the outbreak didn't occur at WDW. And I don't know if Walt Disney World ever resumed serving spinach after the 2006 E. Coli outbreak from spinach (which also didn't occur at WDW).

However, as in any location that draws a lot of people together in close proximity to each other, there is always a chance that a norovirus or another intestinal disease will "shared" by someone who has it. "Food poisoning" often gets the blame when people find themselves with the awful symptoms of gastroenteritis.

 

[suzanneb]

I do know that Disney does try very hard. I also know that norovirus can be either food borne or person to person transmission. As a microbiologist, I was just curious, b/c the symptoms could also be staphylococcal food poisoning which happens 4-6 h after ingestion.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Most likely this was not "food poisoning" at WDW. That phrase gets tossed around for nearly every GI upset or illness out there. Could just as well been the extra bag of peanuts the women gobbled down on the plane.

 

[petenice1980]

Just got back from doing a show at WDW Dolphin. at least 8-10 crew members had food-poisoning-like symptoms during the past week- Jan 18 to Jan 23. While a majority of them happened at the same time, some did not - and we couldn't trace it back to the same food. So my bet is that they had - and possibly still have - a norovirus kicking around that place. Perhaps they don't have a "code brown" type procedure, like cruise ships have, where they wipe everything down. but they should.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Interesting to read this. My daughter got extremely ill after eating at Sci-Fi diner on Jan 7th for lunch. She had the kids mac 'n cheese and a milkshake. About 5 hours later she wasn't feeling great and I took her back to the resort, and by 630pm she was projectile vomiting, which lasted quite a while, and also was going at the 'other end' too. I had to have housekeeping out to clean carpets and change bedding. I spent about $15 on meds from the gift shop (immodium, children's mylanta), and also called the Sci-Fi, and of course she claimed that no one else had been sick.
It came on too violently and fast for it to be a 'stomach bug' and I know it was food related. The next day we took a very slow day around Epcot, but she didn't eat much at all and was back in bed by about 630pm.

 

[snyderla]

Jan. 16th my brother, niece & dad were up that way (they live in south FL). 2 days after arriving home, at the same time, my dad & niece came down with a 4-5 day vomiting/diahrea illness, 2 days after they started sick with it my brother came down with it. My brother just started feeling well on friday. Had to be a virus, and they picked it up in central Florida. Last year we had norovirus at the nursing home I work in. The symptoms and duration were the same! I sure hope you didn't get it...it's horrible!
Lori

 

[OntFamily]

My daughter got extremely ill after eating at Sci-Fi diner on Jan 7th for lunch. She had the kids mac 'n cheese and a milkshake. About 5 hours later she wasn't feeling great and I took her back to the resort, and by 630pm she was projectile vomiting, which lasted quite a while, and also was going at the 'other end' too. I had to have housekeeping out to clean carpets and change bedding. I spent about $15 on meds from the gift shop (immodium, children's mylanta), and also called the Sci-Fi, and of course she claimed that no one else had been sick.
It came on too violently and fast for it to be a 'stomach bug' and I know it was food related. The next day we took a very slow day around Epcot, but she didn't eat much at all and was back in bed by about 630pm.

You've described the exact symptoms of norovirus. If your daughter was able to walk around EPCOT the next day, she probably didn't have food poisoning.

With norovirus, symptoms begin to disappear 24 hours after onset.
http://www.norovirus-symptoms.com/frequency-and-prognosis-of-noroviral-infection.html

With food poisoning, symptoms can linger for days (if not months)
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/food-poisoning-000064.htm

 

[MineeBaby]

We were just in Disney from Jan 13-25th, and during that second week, my 2 year old daughter came down with it also! I thought it was food poisoning at first until she was sick again the next day. She was sick with the runs all day and vomiting at night in her sleep for 3 days. Then I got it and now my 10 month old has a mild version of it. Thankfully my husband didn't get it, but it was JUST dreadful. It makes me nervous to go back again in September---oh it was bad. I guess there was a small case of it running around. Yuck.

 

[jeremyleo]

We just returned yesterday and DD and DW were both ill. DD was ill the first 2 days of the trip (seemed to be a stomach virus) and then both of them were ill for ~24 hours later on in the week. They shared an egg roll at Y&Y counter service and both began vomiting ~4 hours later. Both were confined to bed until later the next day.

DS and I did not get sick, and did not eat the same food, which is why I suspect food poisoning.

Regardless, it definately derailed our touring and dining plans (we had to miss Teppan Edo) which was no fun for anyone. DS and I made the best of it though. We got some "guy time" at EPCOT hitting all the things the girls don't overly care for.

 

[Rora]

I hope it wasn't food poisioning! I doubt it was though- Disney is very particular and careful about food.

 

[LuvOrlando]

The reason why we don't hear about food poisoning at WDW can best be explained by a DF's experience

They were at WDW for a family reunion. Ate seafood. EVERYONE in the family got sick. Went to the ER and got a diagnosis. WDW was all over it and offered the people who paid a free replacement vacation for everyone involved IF AND ONLY IF they'd sign a statement that they'd never speak about it again. I don't think my DF signed as she didn't pay herself, she was just a guest.

Anyway, if WDW gets everyone who ever gets sick to sign a waiver that they'll never speak about it again its no wonder it never makes it to the news. I guess it also works to deny everything when possible.

Also, when we were at WDW a few years ago we watched a man getting on the monorail with his little girl. According to the attendant, she was a toddler and slow and the doors closed on her head as she was climbing on. We were up front with the operator and saw his reaction first hand. HE couldn't have cared less. Guess what the operators said/did? NOTHING! They acted like nothing happened. I thought the family should have called the police and filed an accident report but we took off too fast for me to react.

I am still a fan of WDW but their customer service has been at an all time low for the past few years. I know the place is a business but since they keep marketing how family friendly it is, I think they should work on actually owning up a bit more. Even at WDW Caveat Emptor rules.

 

[CanadianGuy]

We've seen a number of posters over on the Theme Park boards wonder the same thing.. the symptoms most frequently described more closely match the norovirus than they do food poisoning.

Wash your hands frequently when at WDW .. there are literally millions of surfaces at Disney for a virus like the norovirus to survive and thrive and spread... and odds are you touch a few thousand of them every visit.

Knox

 

[LuvOrlando]

We've seen a number of posters over on the Theme Park boards wonder the same thing.. the symptoms most frequently described more closely match the norovirus than they do food poisoning.

Wash your hands frequently when at WDW .. there are literally millions of surfaces at Disney for a virus like the norovirus to survive and thrive and spread... and odds are you touch a few thousand of them every visit.

Knox

But norovirus is spread through 'contact' with the "contaminant" so it is easily spread through food preparation if the preparers do not wash PROPERLY. Thats how Typhoid Mary spread Typhoid, through preparing food. E coli is spread the same way but it can be contaminated either through poor hygienic practices OR through the animal the food came from being sick.

Take a look at this
http://www.metrokc.gov/HEALTH/prevcont/norovirus.htm
and
http://www.drgreene.com/21_1094.html

 

[CanadianGuy]

And it can be spread by an infected person touching a surface and someone else coming along touching the same surface and then touching their eye, nose, mouth etc.

From your link:

Touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then putting their hands in their mouth

Far more likely to get it from the lap-bar on a ride, the railing on a walkway, ANY part of a stroller etc.. than a seemingly endless stream of sick kitchen workers who never wear gloves and sneeze into every dish.

The odds are just against that in large numbers.

I'm not saying it's not possible .. just unlikely that's the sole source of the problem.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Any time you are among so many people your odds of getting ill increase. Add into the mix people being overtired, most have traveled on a plane (which is a petri dish to start) and of course you may become ill.

About 10 years ago I was at the WL and I had to go to the E.R with what they coined the "Florida Flu". The ER stated that WDW was filling their ER's for over a week......103 temp, body aches, ear infection, stomach issues did it ruin the vacation? Of course does that stop us from traveling? NO WAY!

As far as people always looking to peg WDW for food poisoning, the first thought that goes through my mind is based on the amount of people I have watched NOT wash their hands before leaving the bathrooms I would blame it on an infected surface outside the kitchen.....

 

[Alesia]

It always amazes me how many people don't realize that if you are close enough to share food, then you are also close enough to share germs.

If two people have been staying in the same room, standing in the same lines, and riding the same rides, It only makes sense that they will contract the same illness at about the same time.

 

[MomtoI&S]

I just got back yesterday from a 5 day trip w/ family.
I had to spend the 3rd day in our cottage (Tropical Palms Fun resort) while everyone else went to Typhoon lagoon. I am pretty sure it was due to a chicken cesear salad I got at epcot, in the Land pavilion. Luckily NOONE else got sick, well my daughter has a double ear infection, horrible cold and coughed 'til she threw up, but obviously a different problem.

We had fun though. Just don't eat the cesear salad!!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I am pretty sure it was due to a chicken cesear salad I got at epcot, in the Land pavilion.

How can you be so sure that it was the chicken cesear salad and not something else — like a handrail, a doorknob, a lap bar on a ride, something you touched at the your resort, or something else you touched, ate, or breathed?

As I noted in post #2 of this thread, "Walt Disney World has extremely high standards for safe food handling. So, while food poisoning is always a possibility, it's unlikely."

As others have noted in this thread, at any place with lots of people, it's possible for someone to spread gastroenteritis.

Hand washing is good way to reduce the chance of gastroenteritis.

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

I just got back yesterday from a 5 day trip w/ family.
I had to spend the 3rd day in our cottage (Tropical Palms Fun resort) while everyone else went to Typhoon lagoon. I am pretty sure it was due to a chicken cesear salad I got at epcot, in the Land pavilion. Luckily NOONE else got sick, well my daughter has a double ear infection, horrible cold and coughed 'til she threw up, but obviously a different problem.

We had fun though. Just don't eat the cesear salad!!

I have to agree with the other posters....highly unlikely it was food. 24 hour virus would be my (educated) guess.