So, let me preface this by saying we’re at Disney in Florida. It’s our daughters 11th bday and she’s wanted to come here for a long time. Please no backlash about being here, I didn’t want to come.

Friday at 2:30am I got *VIOLENTLY* ill. This went on for nearly 4hrs until my wife called for help. I ended up having to get a ride to the ER via ambulance (we’re staying at the park and have no means of transportation). I was in the ER for nearly 4 more hours and spiked a 103 temp. EKG’s, belly CT scan, two bags of IV fluids, a ton of phenergan and zofran amongst other drugs…finally I got dismissed with a food poisoning diagnosis. I can pretty much guarantee the meal it came from here. The freaking ER and ambulance bill are damn near going to cost as much as the trip. I’m not happy.

So my question is, do I have any recourse? Should I give them the opportunity to “do the right thing first” or just talk to an attorney? I appreciate y’all’s insight as always. I may not respond to questions very quickly, I’m still recovering a bit even though I’ve been sleeping nearly 20hrs.

Disney has a very interesting philosophy when it comes to claims. If they are legit they resolve them quickly and quietly, if not they fight to the end.

I suggest figuring out where you got it and notifying the restaurant or guest services. They may offer something. Depending on how things go you might suggest to them that you should probably notify the local or state health department, but I wouldn’t play that card first.

Glad you are better; sorry for what you went through. I'd report the illness to the state Department of Health. Your illness could be part of a pattern that leads back to Disney. Or, it could be an isolated case of bad food poisoning. If you become part of a documented (=reported) foodborne disease outbreak that the state investigates, that can be pinpointed back to Disney, that might be your best (and likely only) chance to hold disney accountable. It will be an uphill struggle and I hope it works out for you.

First, be very careful with food poisoning.

in 2018 what I thought was just basic food poisoning turned out to be Clostridium difficle a type of food poisoning. It put me into a coma for nigh on a month and was a total of 5 1/2 months in hospitals and rehab facilities.

Second, report this to Disney NOW! Where you are, what you ate, when the first symptoms manifested themselves. Otherwise it will rip through the Magic Kingdom like norovirus (which isn't what you have if it responded to antibiotics).

Very glad you recovered and are well. My wife and I are not the norm. Five years we stopped going out to eat. I was tired of getting served last with cold food, poor quality and so on. I cook better than most restaurants. Food poisoning also plaid a part. I would see waitstaff munching and nibbling in the kitchens, not good. The clincher was five years ago when a friend and his wife, both vegetarians, contracted Hepatitis, from a restaurant, and died. It ran its course through this county and another in many restaurants during this time. The health department attributed it to staff not washing hands enough and especially after using the rest rooms. Poor enforcement by managers, and highly unskilled workers from other planets.

If it was food poisoning (and I'm not saying it isn't), then there would have been other people affected by it. How come your wife wasn't affected as well? I wouldn't know how to go about finding if there had been other reports of people needing to go to ER but tht would certainly establish it.

It will first hinge upon your medical records and what they say. Hopefully you already have a copy.

And then there's whether or not you were carrying food around the park and the heat and humidity got to it.

I mention it because this happened to Mrs. Flash once years ago. It was totally her fault.

Proving you got it there would be problematic I would think. If they got multiple complaints they might throw you a bone quickly and quietly.

Others have already touched on it. If it was truly food poisoning others would have also become ill. This is why it is important to report it to any location you believed may have caused it along with the health authorities.

If nobody else has fallen ill, you either ate something that nobody else ate or the hospital misdiagnosed your issue.

I’m the only one that ate the suspected food with our group. I’ve started talking to the guest services claim people and reported it. I’ve had food poisoning before and treated people with it, I’m quite sure that’s what I’ve had.

Years ago. I bought 5 beef and cheddar at Arby's for 5 bucks
Got food poisoning, cost me 5 grand
I was working for district health dept at the time
Inspectors went over Pronto didn't find dick
Nothing I could do
Chalked it up to some dickhead with a cut on their hand that was on meat under heat lamps
I was the lucky one wife and kids were fine
Once you've had real food poisoning, you know the difference between it and an upset stomach.
I don't eat out much anymore
Keep driving right past arbys

I had food poisoning during Finals of my Freshman year. Over a thousand kids got sick. A few ended up in the hospital. The health department took stool samples, exams were postponed and nothing came of it. The students, however had a somewhat violent protest.

I got food poisoning from fish twice at Army Mess halls and once from Cream Cheese while on vacation.

Projectile vomiting, going at both ends. Hekkuva experience.

Just to be sure here… I’m not after some 6 figure settlement. I’m just pissed that we’ve spent the money we have to fly here, etc. and now I’m stuck with an ER / ambulance bill. It’d be nice if they’d throw me a bone and pitch in.

Unfortunately, you'll get the bone all right

I'm sorry you got sick but highly doubt any lawyer is going to take your case. Saying you got food poisoning is one thing, even with the diagnosis from ER, but trying to pin it on the resort is an entirely different task.

Just in case, Write down everywhere you ate in the days before this happened and each item you can remember eating.
Did you charge the meals on a card? If so that would help establish that you ate there.
Having that information would help later if you do follow through.

Yup, we’ve charged everything and have been here all week btw. No meals anywhere outside of Disney

I would definitely report this to Disney with all the specifics.

Can you share what you ate that you suspect made you ill?

Remember all the food borne illness outbreaks from Romaine lettuce a few years ago? Could be something like that, it’s the migrant workers harvesting this taking shits right in the fields they harvest the crops from and it gets on them and then all it takes is a lazy prep cook not properly washing something and BAM.