Sick at Disney

[Dis Ohana]

A few years ago my son got very sick on our last night at Disneyland. He spent the whole night vomiting, he was miserable and none of us got much sleep that night. We were exhausted the next morning and my son was still vomiting. We had to check out at 11:00 so I called the front desk to explain the situation. I was informed that they were booked solid and that they couldn't help us, we had to leave. I had to practically carry my son (who is about the same size as me) through the lobby to the shuttle bus to get to the airport. I was hoping he'd feel better once we were on our way, but we ended up staying another night in a hotel near the airport.

I live in a resort area and I know there is a network of doctors and nurses here that will visit you at your hotel if you become ill. Is there something like that at Disney World? I would like to keep that information on file in case we should need it. I know it seems like excessive planning, but I don't want to be caught in that situation again with ER as my only option. Thanks!

 

[christinec68]

There is a walk in clinic right outside disney property. I think it's called Centra Careor something like that. Guest services hooked us up with a shuttle the clinic offers.

I hope your next trip goes off without incident.

 

[disneyholic family]

there is a visting doctor service (run by that same walk in clinic - centra care),..

they will come to your hotel room....we've used them a number of times (we go to WDW a lot and kids get sick a lot - that's life)..

they're excellent!!
really outstanding doctors....we have only had good experiences with them over the years....

what we've always done is call down to the reception desk of the resort and asked them for the number of the visiting doctor service...
i think the resort has actually called the service for us and ordered the doctor...

the doctor always arrives at your hotel room with an assistant...

i much prefer calling a doctor to come to my hotel room over visiting a walk in clinic where there are lots of sick people sitting around...
why go there, where you risk picking up what other people have..
besides, when my kids are sick i don't want to drag them out to the doctor..
better to have the doctor come to me...

 

[Dis Ohana]

Thank you both so much for the information! I totally agree -- if it's not an ER situation I'd much rather have a doctor visit my room. For one thing, it was so difficult to move him anywhere, poor thing was so sick! We were staying at the Grand Californian (concierge level) and I was so surprised that their only suggestion was that I take him to the ER. I asked for a doctor referral but they would give me none. Maybe Anaheim isn't set up to service tourists as much as Hawaii (where I'm from) and Florida.
I'll keep this information on file, hopefully I'll never need it, but lately it does seem as though someone gets sick on just about every trip we take .

 

[DisLUV]

My brother got sick on our last Dec 06 trip and he had to go to the hospital. My parents (he 23 and with them on the trip) and he were provided a CR shuttle that drove them to the hospital and then the CR told them to call when they needed a pick up and they would send someone (they send a taxi)! There was no charge for anyof that and they provided a wheelchair for him for the rest of the trip.

 

[hobbes4444]

We had a funny CentraCare story from a few years ago. So in the middle of our stay, my wife wakes up in the morning and there is a giant red blotchy mark just above her knee. We didn't know what it was, but it was a bit painful, and much much bigger than what would be associated with a bug bite. So we head over the CentraCare to get it checked out. THey are a little puzzled, and want to rule out any sort of blood clot, so they send us to the Celebration ER for some tests. We get there, and there is no one at the front desk at the ER. Our immediate thought was, a ha, this is really a fake hospital, just like the fake storefronts at MGM, etc. Finally someone comes out and they took x-rays I think and did 1-2 other tests.

So they tell us that there's no clots or anything to worry about, and that it was probably just a few broken blood vessels. We scratched our heads not knowing what would cause that. Then it dawned on us that it was from my wife repeatedly banging her knee into the basketball game at the arcade in the Yacht Club. We enjoyed coming back from the parks and competing in a semi-friendly basketball shooting contest that usually lasted for about $20 worth of change, or close to an hour. . .

 

[Taja]

We had a funny CentraCare story from a few years ago. So in the middle of our stay, my wife wakes up in the morning and there is a giant red blotchy mark just above her knee. We didn't know what it was, but it was a bit painful, and much much bigger than what would be associated with a bug bite. So we head over the CentraCare to get it checked out. THey are a little puzzled, and want to rule out any sort of blood clot, so they send us to the Celebration ER for some tests. We get there, and there is no one at the front desk at the ER. Our immediate thought was, a ha, this is really a fake hospital, just like the fake storefronts at MGM, etc. Finally someone comes out and they took x-rays I think and did 1-2 other tests.

So they tell us that there's no clots or anything to worry about, and that it was probably just a few broken blood vessels. We scratched our heads not knowing what would cause that. Then it dawned on us that it was from my wife repeatedly banging her knee into the basketball game at the arcade in the Yacht Club. We enjoyed coming back from the parks and competing in a semi-friendly basketball shooting contest that usually lasted for about $20 worth of change, or close to an hour. . .

Glad they took care of your DW!

But that was an expensive basketball shooting contest!

 

[ciera321]

There is a walk in clinic right outside disney property. I think it's called Centra Careor something like that. Guest services hooked us up with a shuttle the clinic offers.

I hope your next trip goes off without incident.

We used this clinic a few years back when our DS had a bad ear infection. It's just around the corner to the left as you leave Disney property by way of Hotel Blvd.. I believe it's on Apopka-Vineland... We used our out-of-network insurance and got a prescription at the pharmacy right in the clinic. It was so easy and they seemed very efficient. It was a Sunday morning and there was no one else there. It's good to know there is something so close to DW!!!

 

[krbq]

there is a visting doctor service (run by that same walk in clinic - centra care),..

they will come to your hotel room....we've used them a number of times (we go to WDW a lot and kids get sick a lot - that's life)..

they're excellent!!
really outstanding doctors....we have only had good experiences with them over the years....

what we've always done is call down to the reception desk of the resort and asked them for the number of the visiting doctor service...
i think the resort has actually called the service for us and ordered the doctor...

the doctor always arrives at your hotel room with an assistant...

i much prefer calling a doctor to come to my hotel room over visiting a walk in clinic where there are lots of sick people sitting around...
why go there, where you risk picking up what other people have..
besides, when my kids are sick i don't want to drag them out to the doctor..
better to have the doctor come to me...

We used this same service when DH fell ill a few years ago at BWV. I got the phone number from the front desk and a doctor came to our room within 1 1/2 hours on a Saturday night (but with no assistant). He recommended going to the hospital and when I agreed he called the ambulance, then he stayed with us until the ambulance left for the hospital. The bill was about $200, but I think our insurance reimbursed it.

 

[disneyholic family]

We used this same service when DH fell ill a few years ago at BWV. I got the phone number from the front desk and a doctor came to our room within 1 1/2 hours on a Saturday night (but with no assistant). He recommended going to the hospital and when I agreed he called the ambulance, then he stayed with us until the ambulance left for the hospital. The bill was about $200, but I think our insurance reimbursed it.

yes, now that i think about it, the last time we called them, only the doctor came, without an assistant (the assistant is to protect the doctor, not the patient)....
and yes every time they came quite quickly....more quickly than we could have gotten over to centra care...

yes it was probably about $200 each time....our insurance probably would have reimbursed, but i have to admit i never got around to putting in a claim...

by the way, in case anyone's curious, when i was there with just my daughter on one trip, i desperately needed a dentist (incredible face pain)...
i called up reception and they gave me the number of a dentist...
i called that dentist, but he wasn't working that day, but his office gave me the number of another practice..
i called them and they fit me in the same day....we had to drive to a part of orlando i'd never been to (a beautiful area - very lovely houses)...
the dentist was excellent.....really good.....they took xrays, he examined me and told me i needed a root canal (no brainer, it was obvious)..
he said they had a root canal specialist in their practice and that they could fit me in the same day if i liked, but he advised that i wait until i get back home...
he said that with antibiotics, it would get the infection under control and then i could take care of it at home where i would be more comfortable..
i was very impressed that he didn't try to scare me into doing the root canal there (where he would have made a nice chunk of change)..
anyway, the antibiotics kicked in within a day and i was fine....and had the root canal a month later at home...

 

[Lives4Disney]

yes, now that i think about it, the last time we called them, only the doctor came, without an assistant (the assistant is to protect the doctor, not the patient)....
and yes every time they came quite quickly....more quickly than we could have gotten over to centra care...

yes it was probably about $200 each time....our insurance probably would have reimbursed, but i have to admit i never got around to putting in a claim...

by the way, in case anyone's curious, when i was there with just my daughter on one trip, i desperately needed a dentist (incredible face pain)...
i called up reception and they gave me the number of a dentist...
i called that dentist, but he wasn't working that day, but his office gave me the number of another practice..
i called them and they fit me in the same day....we had to drive to a part of orlando i'd never been to (a beautiful area - very lovely houses)...
the dentist was excellent.....really good.....they took xrays, he examined me and told me i needed a root canal (no brainer, it was obvious)..
he said they had a root canal specialist in their practice and that they could fit me in the same day if i liked, but he advised that i wait until i get back home...
he said that with antibiotics, it would get the infection under control and then i could take care of it at home where i would be more comfortable..
i was very impressed that he didn't try to scare me into doing the root canal there (where he would have made a nice chunk of change)..
anyway, the antibiotics kicked in within a day and i was fine....and had the root canal a month later at home...

That is great about the dentist! Do you have the number? I do always worry about that problem arising. Dental pain could really be a downer on a vacation.

Has anybody used After Hours Pediatrics?? I remember reading about how great they were and wrote their number down (probably two years ago) and now misplaced it. They were another service that would come to the hotel.

I always want to be as prepared as I can.....a good friend of mine (and NOT a DISNEY fan by any means so this experience didn't help) was staying at the BC w/her family. Her DD8 became extremely ill - my friend is an RN and knew this was beyond just rest and drink liquids ill....anyway, her DD was having a horrible problem and she called the front desk for DR. info (she was caught off guard that there are no DRs. on Disney property) anyway, the front desk was extremely lame and unhelpful with any info. When she basically told them thanks for nothing and hung up, they said "Have a magical day"....and left her to go thru the yellow pages on her own. And she is the SWEETEST & Kindest person I know - just had to put that in there before somebody said it was her fault and she was rude.

Thanks!!

Lives4Disney

 

[Dis Ohana]

This is exactly the experience I had at Grand Californian. The CM at the front desk and at the concierge table really didn't care what was going on, even though I was obviously very distressed. I guess I assumed that Disney would have some sort of medical staff on call, but when I asked for a referral they would not help me at all. Before reading how you all got such wonderful help from the CM's at Disney World, I thought it was a liability issue for them to refer anyone. The real kicker was that they absolutely refused to give me a room for another night, or even just extend the check out time a few hours. When I asked IPO if they could help me locate another room in the area, her only response was that if I hadn't booked in advance, I probably wouldn't find a room anywhere. It was really awful to have to drag my son through the lobby and have to make him endure the ride to the airport.

DisneyholicFamily: I'd like the name of the dentist too. That would be great to have on file as well.

 

[hopelea]

I am always concerned about my family getting sick while traveling. My DH jokes that I take the whole medicine cabinet with me. I never leave home without my prescription of phenagran (sp?) cream. It is wonderful. If some one is vomitting, rub some on their wrist, they pass out for a few hours and then they are better. It goes with me every where!

I didn't know about the doctor service. It is a great thing to know before we go.

 

[disneyholic family]

That is great about the dentist! Do you have the number? I do always worry about that problem arising. Dental pain could really be a downer on a vacation.

Has anybody used After Hours Pediatrics?? I remember reading about how great they were and wrote their number down (probably two years ago) and now misplaced it. They were another service that would come to the hotel.

I always want to be as prepared as I can.....a good friend of mine (and NOT a DISNEY fan by any means so this experience didn't help) was staying at the BC w/her family. Her DD8 became extremely ill - my friend is an RN and knew this was beyond just rest and drink liquids ill....anyway, her DD was having a horrible problem and she called the front desk for DR. info (she was caught off guard that there are no DRs. on Disney property) anyway, the front desk was extremely lame and unhelpful with any info. When she basically told them thanks for nothing and hung up, they said "Have a magical day"....and left her to go thru the yellow pages on her own. And she is the SWEETEST & Kindest person I know - just had to put that in there before somebody said it was her fault and she was rude.

Thanks!!

Lives4Disney

we were staying at either the WL or the GF when i needed the dentist - i don't remember...
but as i said, i called the front desk (we weren't staying concierge, as we only stay concierge when it's all 4 of us)...
the front desk, or operator, whoever it was i spoke with, gave me the number of a dentist..
i think it may have been the Celebration Dental Group - but they couldn't take me, so they gave me the name of another group much further away from disney (actually closer to universal, but far from them as well).

perhaps if i looked through the yellow pages, i might remember the name.
Stupid of me not to write it down for future trips.
This dentist was really good. And i am VERY picky about dentists.

Regarding Centra Care: i believe the walk in clinic's number is 407-934-CARE.
I think their visiting doctor service is 407-238-2000 (the visiting doctor is 24 hours i think)

There are a few other visiting doctor services, but that's the one we've used.

 

[lighttech]

This is really great info. to have on hand. Thanks everyone!