DVC Mike enjoying BLT

[Wedgeh]

Originally Posted by DVC Mike

To me, this is still one of the most beautiful and captivating sights in all of Walt Disney World.

Agreed and it's my new desktop picture, thanks!
Sorry to hear about the issues with your wife's food, it seems pretty inexcusable to make the same mistake twice like that. Hope she feels better soon.

[disneyfamilyvaca]

We're about to leave for our first family vacation to Disney World! I love all of the pictures on this thread!!!

[spleen]

Such beautiful pictures on this thread, Mike! We're in the process of planning a BLT trip in June 2012 and I was hoping to glean some tips from your report. And then I read about your wife ...

So sorry that you two are going through this - and I agree that accidents happen, but this seemed clearly more than that. Food allergies are very serious and I think Disney needs to take some more responsibility here for this. What if your wife had had an anaphylactic reaction? And this was after you two had given clear warning of what could happen and what HAD just happened as well at this same exact restaurant?? Unacceptable.

I hope she recovers quickly from her sprue flare!

[dianeschlicht]

Originally Posted by jekjones1558

OMG. I am NOT one to expect any kind of compensation for inconveniences but this is clearly NEGLIGENCE. No excuse for this. You gave the chef exact warnings and the chef blew it. I don't know who should be contacted but hopefully someone else who knows will post. Your wife deserves a major consideration. I am sure there are attorneys who would be more than willing to file in the courts on her behalf if Disney does not try to make this up to her. Geez. So sorry this happened, Mike.

I totally agree, Jean. I'm one of those with severe food allergies too, and Flying Fish is one of those places I've learned from past experience NOT to trust to "get it right". I have a dwindling list of places I trust at Disney now.

[Harlemgirl720]

So sorry to hear about your wife. I hope she gets better soon. Its a shame that the Chef wasn't more careful when preparing the food.

[londonderrydisneyfan]

Sorry to hear about your wife Mike, I hope she recovers quickly. I'm shocked that a restaurant would make that mistake once let alone twice.

[Muhlenberg]

Originally Posted by dianeschlicht

I totally agree, Jean. I'm one of those with severe food allergies too, and Flying Fish is one of those places I've learned from past experience NOT to trust to "get it right". I have a dwindling list of places I trust at Disney now.

Mike, so sorry to hear of your wife's experience. I'm with Diane...as a minimum, take Flying Fish off your list.

I have a dairy allergy, and I've had various reactions from chefs. Anywhere from..."don't eat from the buffet, I'll make you your own meal" to a look as if to say "what do you want me to do".

I'm wondering if it was the same chef at Flying Fish both times. He/they should be "dealt" with. What if her reaction had been worse?

I hope the rest of your trip is much better!

[disney1474]

Sorry to hear about your wife. I hope she gets better soon!!

[wulfekamp]

Thats not a Disney dream its a Disney nightmare. Someone needs to make this right.

[disneynutz]

Originally Posted by DVC Mike

Paramedics took my wife to the Celebration Hospital due a less than magical experience at Disney. It was a virtual repeat of a poor Disney experience we had just 6 weeks ago on our last trip.

Back on October 27, when we were staying at BCV, we dined at Flying Fish Café on the Boardwalk. It is my wife’s favorite restaurant at Walt Disney World. My wife has an extreme intolerance of gluten – a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. When we make all our dining reservations, we clearly indicate her food allergies. When we arrive at the restaurant, we always speak to the chef about her severe intolerance of gluten and what it does to her. If her food contains gluten, she gets violently ill – including constant vomiting and diarrhea for hours – leaving her severely dehydrated and needing intravenous fluids. Believe me, it’s not fun.

Well, when the chef prepared her food at the Flying Fish Café on Oct 27, he mistakenly used vinegar that contained gluten. That night, she was very sick all night, and by the morning she was too weak to move. The manager of the Beach Club resort called the paramedics, and we spent a day at Celebration Hospital. It was not a very magical time.

So, when we returned to Flying Fish Café tonight, we spoke of this very incident that had occurred just six weeks earlier, and we stressed how no vinegar be used in the preparation of her food. Chef Tim said he would ensure it would not happen this time.

But it happened again – the very same thing. Chef Tim prepared some vegetables with vinegar. After about half of her meal had been eaten, the chef came by and asked how she liked it. She asked about what sauce he used on one of her vegetables. When he became red-faced and said it contained vinegar, my wife rushed to the restroom to purge herself of her dinner. But it was too late, and paramedics were soon called and took her from the Boardwalk to Celebration Hospital.

She’s still there now. After spending hours the last time waiting in the room with her, she asked me to head back to our room at BLT. I’m hoping she might be ready to be released later tonight, or if not, by tomorrow morning.

I’m disappointed that Disney cannot take better care in preparation of her meals. Yes, I know they still do a pretty fine job accommodating everyone’s food allergies, but that’s not much solace to my poor wife, who instead of enjoying her vacation is very ill, laying in a hospital bed receiving intravenous fluids.

So, trip report interrupted…

Mike, so sorry that your wife is ill, prayers for her fast recovery. Knowing Disney like I do, I wouldn't trust anyone to prepare her food. I know that things like this shouldn't happen but people are people and mistakes do occur. This is so sad.

Bill

[Cyndibear]

Mike, so sorry to here of this huge error on the part of Flying Fish. Hope Mrs. Mike is feeling better and will have a speedy recovery and is able to enjoy the rest of her vacation. Keeping you in our prayers!

Cyndi

[RLRDA]

I do hope your wife is feeling better and that you may be able to salvage the remainder of your vacation. What a nightmare!

[DVC Mike]

My wife was released from the hospital on late Monday night around midnight. She hit the sack and slept in on Tuesday, where we spent most of the day in the room.

We spoke to one of the managers at the Contemporary resort, and they were very helpful. They had one of the chefs at the Wave prepare her a simple gluten-free soup via room service, for which we weren’t charged. They also put us in touch with Guest Claims and we spoke to them about what happened. We’ll see what they do. It would be nice if they could cover the cost of the insurance deductible we had to pay for the two trips to the emergency room.

By Tuesday night, she felt much better and was very hungry, so we ate at Artist Point. The meal was great.

Oh yeah, about Flying Fish Café. We never heard from them after what happened on Monday night, despite the fact that the manager asked for my name and phone number, which I provided. I don’t think we’ll be going back.

Here is a shot I took this morning right after dawn from my balcony looking at the Grand Floridian.


DM_20111207_071557 by DVC Mike, on Flickr

[dairyqueenmom]

We are all hoping your wife is feeling better. I know mistakes can happen in food service, I have been in the business for over 20 years, but this is beyond ok. I hope the rest of you trip is better, your pictures are amazing! Thank you for sharing your love of Disney with us.

[mckryan]

Mike, I'm glad she's out of the hospital and back at the room and feeling better! I am outraged at what happened, though. I have a reaction, but not as severe, to shrimp, so I can only imagine what your wife went through. I hope guest claims follows up on this with commensurate attention.

Quick question about pictures. I think I'm going to pick up a DSLR for Christmas this year, and I wanted to ask about your pictures and your post-processing. I looked at the info on the GF photo you just posted, and it said that you used Photoshop. Did you do a lot of adjusting on it with Photoshop, or was it pretty much out-of-camera? I'm trying to decide if I need to go ahead and delve into PS along with my DSLR. I've just been doing compact and bridge camera shots with minimal editing. Taking the leap back to a SLR (had a K1000 film camera back in the day before computers!) and getting sucked in scares me! LOL Thanks!