Food poisoning while at Disney?

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

In order to do that they would need to start an investigation and he would have had to fill out a long report. It is almost like they don’t want you to do it so they make it a long process.

What do you think the health department would want to do? A detailed report is extremely likely. Think about it. If you're actually truly thinking a business or food items is responsible you'll have no issue giving them the details. Why wouldn't you? If you want them to look into it things like timing, what foods you ate, symptoms, who all got sick, etc would all be needed.

I assure you when norovirus hit one of the local elementary schools recently the health department needed these details. The starting point was the amount of students and staff who were not in attendance for a time period but that was just the starting point.

Have you looked at the news for recalls or inquiries about if so and so ate at so and so to please contact the appropriate party? Right now I know of alfalfa sprouts sold in a few states including mine on a recall for salmonella.

Again if you the person are really only concerned with letting a business know it's not a burden to give details and you'd hope they ask for as much details as possible.

 

[disneygolfer1985]

What do you think the health department would want to do? A detailed report is extremely likely. Think about it. If you're actually truly thinking a business or food items is responsible you'll have no issue giving them the details. Why wouldn't you? If you want them to look into it things like timing, what foods you ate, symptoms, who all got sick, etc would all be needed.

I assure you when norovirus hit one of the local elementary schools recently the health department needed these details. The starting point was the amount of students and staff who were not in attendance for a time period but that was just the starting point.

Have you looked at the news for recalls or inquiries about if so and so ate at so and so to please contact the appropriate party? Right now I know of alfalfa sprouts sold in a few states including mine on a recall for salmonella.

Again if you the person are really only concerned with letting a business know it's not a burden to give details and you'd hope they ask for as much details as possible.

I don’t recall exactly what they wanted from my dad, but they wanted to have a list of the last 3 days of what places we ate at and what we all had as well. All my dad wanted was for the restaurant to be informed in case there were any other complaints. In order to just do that, Disney needed to have a 3rd party investigation. To me that makes it seem like they don’t want it to be known.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don’t recall exactly what they wanted from my dad, but they wanted to have a list of the last 3 days of what places we ate at and what we all had as well. All my dad wanted was for the restaurant to be informed in case there were any other complaints. In order to just do that, Disney needed to have a 3rd party investigation. To me that makes it seem like they don’t want it to be known.

Well respectfully umm what do you expect? Are you really mad or irritated that they took the complaint seriously? Yes they are going to want those details and no it's not just about your father telling them in case other complain. If you make a serious claim that you got sick from one of their places they should want to know these details. The health department is going to want these details and Disney is likely legally required to pass on this information (pure opinion but seems logical) to the appropriate party. Your father isn't making a complaint about a waiter/waitress he's saying he got ill from the place. Respectfully I cannot believe someone is actually annoyed at this and thinks the act of actually wanting this information means they don't care. In what world have we gotten to?

 

[disneygolfer1985]

Well respectfully umm what do you expect? Are you really mad or irritated that they took the complaint seriously? Yes they are going to want those details and no it's not just about your father telling them in case other complain. If you make a serious claim that you got sick from one of their places they should want to know these details. The health department is going to want these details and Disney is likely legally required to pass on this information (pure opinion but seems logical) to the appropriate party. Your father isn't making a complaint about a waiter/waitress he's saying he got ill from the place. Respectfully I cannot believe someone is actually annoyed at this and thinks the act of actually wanting this information means they don't care. In what world have we gotten to?

We were not looking for any compensation. We just wanted the restaurant to be informed since you cannot directly contact the restaurant to let them know. I had friend there the same time and had an allergic reaction and went to first aid and they brought the chef to first aid to discuss how everything was prepared. We would have done that if we were still on property.

Not everyone is looking for a handout. We just wanted to restaurant to know as a common courtesy.

 

[CarolynFH]

I don’t recall exactly what they wanted from my dad, but they wanted to have a list of the last 3 days of what places we ate at and what we all had as well.

This is important. Most people assume they got food poisoning from the last place they ate. But some types of food poisoning take longer than that to show up. So while your dad thought it was Restaurant A that made him sick, maybe the health department is already investigating some cases of the same type of illness (same symptoms) from people who ate at Restaurant B, where your dad ate two days before, and ate the same foods he ate at Restaurant B. The questions he was asked to complete are standard health department foodborne illness questions across the USA. They were not compiled by Disney in order to discourage reports of illness.

ETA: Asking him to complete those questions shows Disney was taking his complaint of foodborne illness seriously and wanted to investigate it properly.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We were not looking for any compensation. We just wanted the restaurant to be informed since you cannot directly contact the restaurant to let them know. I had friend there the same time and had an allergic reaction and went to first aid and they brought the chef to first aid to discuss how everything was prepared. We would have done that if we were still on property.

Not everyone is looking for a handout. We just wanted to restaurant to know as a common courtesy.

I don't think you are looking for compensation, you never mentioned that anyways. I think you thought you were just notifying them about potentially getting sick from potentially a specific place.

Them asking for this information is the opposite of them not caring. It's also not to put off people from reporting. It's so they have as much information as possible so if there is indeed an issue they can identify and identify as quickly as possible. It's very important for food safety to know if it's a facility or even multiple ones, if it's a worker, if it's coming from farms themselves or cross contamination along the way, if it's related to just one region vs another.

Remember recalls related to tomatoes that meant you couldn't get one at your fav fast food joint? Or the time where it was advised not to get spinach? Or lettuce? These things weren't related to one place but rather issues with the food themselves. Remember the Blue Bell listeria outbreak? That was connected to two facilities. Chipotle debacles of years past were generally food worker safety related. There was the onion recall too was it this year?? I forget but it was tied to a particular kind. We get our food primarily at Walmart and they removed all the onions for a time.

I def. understand you feeling like "whoa that's a lot you want" but there's a reason for them asking that.

 

[mckennarose]

What do you think the health department would want to do? A detailed report is extremely likely. Think about it. If you're actually truly thinking a business or food items is responsible you'll have no issue giving them the details. Why wouldn't you? If you want them to look into it things like timing, what foods you ate, symptoms, who all got sick, etc would all be needed.

Exactly, 100%!

To me that makes it seem like they don’t want it to be known.

They have to take every possible contamination or threat to public health seriously, including passing on the information to the health department. Especially when it concerns food safety and if the establishment is following health dept. rules for food safety (temp., time, cleanliness, etc). They need facts to do that property and for research to figure out what the possible issue is if someone is claiming that their restaurant is responsible for sickness.

The health department is going to want these details and Disney is likely legally required to pass on this information (pure opinion but seems logical) to the appropriate party.

Does anyone remember the Hepatitis A outbreak a few years ago in Disney
Springs? I believe it was an employee at Morimoto Asia, but there were a lot of cases that year and it was spreading in the Orlando area. The health department had to keep track of how it was spreading and who could possibly be infected. I remember it well, because I had to get the Hep A vaccine before traveling to Orlando that year. (I am immune compromised)

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We were not looking for any compensation. We just wanted the restaurant to be informed since you cannot directly contact the restaurant to let them know. I had friend there the same time and had an allergic reaction and went to first aid and they brought the chef to first aid to discuss how everything was prepared. We would have done that if we were still on property.

Not everyone is looking for a handout. We just wanted to restaurant to know as a common courtesy.

That was because of the allergic reaction which would have to have been reported. But what you see as a courtesy will cause the same reporting and all the info would be needed plus then other diners who were there would have to be contacted. and yes I work in food service. if I remember correctly you called after you got home and if it had been food poisoning as you assumed others would have reported it because doctor they saw has to report it. so the report would have already been started. as others have said most likely a virus is to blame

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I don’t recall exactly what they wanted from my dad, but they wanted to have a list of the last 3 days of what places we ate at and what we all had as well. All my dad wanted was for the restaurant to be informed in case there were any other complaints. In order to just do that, Disney needed to have a 3rd party investigation. To me that makes it seem like they don’t want it to be known.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I don’t recall exactly what they wanted from my dad, but they wanted to have a list of the last 3 days of what places we ate at and what we all had as well. All my dad wanted was for the restaurant to be informed in case there were any other complaints. In order to just do that, Disney needed to have a 3rd party investigation. To me that makes it seem like they don’t want it to be known.

looks like they wanted all the info to file a report. they took you guys seriously.

 

[Anthony1971]

If you specify one restaurant at Disney that caused you to become ill they will look into that restaurant only and if all protocols were followed you are SOL. Been down that road years ago when all I wanted was one day of the DP I was unable to use. Better off writing to GS and explain …. Got sick would it be possible to ….. in the end they did compensate for the one day for only one person however there were rather unpleasant phone conversations.

 

[seven dwarfs]

My husband got food poisoning many years ago after eating seafood at Cinderella's castle. We are 99 percent sure. It's that one percent though that gets ya. We have had other times when the kids were sick on trips where we wondered if it was food positioning as well. We also have had the flu, strep, and all kinds of weird viruses we have collected over the years. Kids touch everything so who knows what really caused any of it. We always made the best of bad situations and moved on. I would want to let someone at Disney know just in case it is an issue that could be prevented in the future. I would also want to prevent it happening to someone else. Also if any one else put in a report then it would help pinpoint the issue.

Just because no one else gets sick, doesn't mean it isn't a virus. Everyone's immune system is different. Same with food poisoning. Some people can fight it off while others can not.

I do not think Disney should compensate anyone for getting sick unless it is proven that it is neglect on their part. Can you imagine how much that could cost Disney with so many saying "I got sick and it was the food" now give me some money back? The entitlement is real and would be so overwhelming. I think it is a risk one assumes when traveling in busy places, and eating in public restaurants.

Sometimes things happen. I am sure Disney would much rather a wonderful experience then for one to be sick for whatever reason. In fact, I have never seen a company do so much with food to make it special. How they handle those with allergies! It is amazing!!

I am sorry for your daughter and it so stinks when it effects the trip. Especially for how dag gone expensive it is. I can understand the panic and concern. I can even understand asking how long she will be sick and if it is food poisoning and she isn't contagious could she go into the park later. I get all of that. I do hope you will consider another trip in the future. Sometimes a redo is the best thing. Some of our families bad memories at the time are the ones we can joke about now that they are all adults.

Just one last thing. Many years ago, my son slipped on the carousel one evening on water that had been sprayed for fireworks. I guess they wet the roofs of the buildings to prevent fires. Anyway, he busted his head real good. I needed ice and badly. (Ice is such an amazing healer of so many things) Cast members could/would not help me. They did call for an ambulance. I couldn't even get a napkin to soak up the blood. I was so panicked as the swelling and blood was awful. I was finally able to get ice from one of those carts where they have the sodas. I just grabbed it in my hands and put it on the spot. When the paramedics arrived (which seemed like forever but was probably ten minutes), I was overwhelmed and didn't understand the lack of help. They informed me the lawyers make the rules. It's a liability issue. Cast Members are not supposed to give any 'medical' help except to call 911. At least that was what I was told back in the day. I think it's sad when you can't even get ice because somewhere someone has sued and won. Just a thought for anyone who felt like staff wasn't much help, that could be why. I never complained to Disney or expected compensation. It was an accident. They happen. And thankfully he recovered fine.

 

[DisneyMama811]

Just because no one else gets sick, doesn't mean it isn't a virus. Everyone's immune system is different.

100% this in September I had a terrible bout of covid, no one else in the house caught it. 3 weeks ago the other 3 members of the household all got covid and I did not. I catch every germ going, my husband never catches anything (recent covid case excluded lol) I always joke it's because he was breastfed and I wasn't

 

[Moliphino]

My sister thinks she got staph from the coleslaw at the Pop food court. We had split a meal there before catching DME to the airport and the only thing I didn't eat was the coleslaw (I had a horrendous cold that I also caught on the trip and didn't have much of an appetite). She started feeling sick at the airport (or maybe on the bus), threw up on the plane, had a fever and felt like death for a day, then was better.
We didn't contact anyone about it, but we also didn't lose out on any vacation time from it, she just had a really rough trip home.

 

[Her Dotness]

The next day my dad called and Disney basically asked what he wanted and he wanted to let the restaurant know. In order to do that they would need to start an investigation and he would have had to fill out a long report. It is almost like they don’t want you to do it so they make it a long process.

No, it's not because Disney doesn't want people to file a possible food poisoning case. It's because a detailed record of what everyone in the party ate, where they went and what they did that day, symptoms anyone may have had, etc. is necessary for comparison in case other similar instances may be reported. If there are others, the health department might determine a wide-ranging investigation is necessary. That's an extensive and expensive procedure not undertaken unless there are multiple reports.

We once attended a cousin's wedding and were notified that the newlyweds spent their honeymoon violently ill. A number of guests were also extremely ill. It was likely norovirus which we learned was widespread in the area at the time, because we never heard anything about food poisoning having been determined to be the cause.

The state health department did an investigation, contacting everyone who'd been at the reception and dinner-dance. It was a detailed phone interview, asking when DH and I arrived, whether either of us had been ill afterward (no, thankfully), and what exactly we'd each eaten or drunk the entire evening.

That was a feat of recollection, because there was an appetizer buffet before the dinner. We ate very different things and had to try remembering not only what but how much of each thing.

So, Disney's requiring completion of a detailed report is simply standard procedure in such instances.

 

[yourewelcome]

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.

I too got what seems like food poisoning along with my mom and wife. We fell sick our first night at the parks (Magic Kingdom) after eating at Pecos Bill for lunch and Diamond Horseshoe for dinner which we believe was the culprit. We were too sick to go to the park on day 2 so we had to leave for home early. I was and am still devastated as it was my two kids first trip to Disney and probably my parents last. We were staying on property and that staff was very nice and did what they could to refund us for unused days in the park as well as unused genie+. They explained though that they could only refund us as credits against our hotel costs as that was within their control and park tickets and sales was a completely different department. I also wrote to Disney Parks and got a canned apology letter and that was it so I advise you to go through your resort customer service provided you stayed at one of their properties, as I had luck there and not with Magic Kingdom. By the way I joined this forum just to respond to your post as I was researching if other cases of food poisoning happened at WDW around the same time as me which was the 18-20th.

 

[Jerseyprincess317]

We just came back from Disney 2 days ago. A similar thing happened to my son. During the first night he got really sick. He tried to power through the day at EPCOT but we ended up going to the medi center to get checked out. They suggested taking him to urgent care, which we did. The doctor said it was a bad 24 hour bug. He was given a shot and some meds and by they next day was almost fully recovered. Disney did contact our hotel to see if we needed anything. We just asked for some fresh towels and linens because it was very contagious but no one else caught it.

 

[SouthJersey]

I don’t recall exactly what they wanted from my dad, but they wanted to have a list of the last 3 days of what places we ate at and what we all had as well. All my dad wanted was for the restaurant to be informed in case there were any other complaints. In order to just do that, Disney needed to have a 3rd party investigation. To me that makes it seem like they don’t want it to be known.

It's not about them not wanting it to be known, it's about the fact that root cause analysis for a business of their magnitude requires an expansive investigation to accurately identify a source.