Getting Sick at Walt Disney World: My Urgent Care Experience
Yep, it finally happened – I had to go to urgent care while visiting Walt Disney World. After all of these years visiting the parks it was bound to happen.
Technically, I was staying at the Drury Inn after spending a week at Disney. I was also headed out on a Royal Caribbean cruise just two days later, and I knew I wasn’t feeling well. I am not going to get into the specifics of my medical situation (they aren’t really relevant anyway), but I did feel it was important to share this experience so others know what it’s really like if you get sick while at Disney.
Realizing I Couldn’t Just “Power Through”
At first, I thought I could just power through. You know how it goes, you convince yourself you’re fine and keep pushing on. I spent the day at Disney Springs shopping and decided it was “mind over matter”.
But as the day wore on, I realized that being sick on a cruise ship could be more expensive than getting sick on land. As a Canadian visiting the United States, this is always something I have to consider.
I have travel insurance coverage (it is highly recommended), but I’m never completely sure what will be covered, especially once at sea. I also didn’t want to be on a ship if this turned out to be something more serious than I thought.
Another big factor to get to the Doctor sooner than later was that I really wanted to enjoy my cruise! I knew if I needed antibiotics that the earlier I started them, the faster I would feel better.
Finding Urgent Care Near Disney World
Naturally, I started my search on Google, because that’s where everything begins these days.
I looked for the urgent care center closest to where I was staying and was happy to find one located on World Center Drive. I booked an Uber and headed over.
Buena Vista Urgent Care is located at 8200 World Center Drive, Orlando, FL, 32821
I should also mention that I don’t think I’ve ever had to visit a medical facility in the U.S. before, so I was completely unprepared for what this experience might be like.
First Impressions: Clean, Bright, Friendly and Efficient
When I arrived and walked into the facility, I was shocked in the best way possible.
It was incredibly clean, bright, and welcoming. There were only three other people in the waiting room, and it honestly looked more like a hotel lobby than a medical office.
I checked in at the desk, provided my information, and the staff were absolutely lovely. I think they were a little amused by how impressed I was by the décor and overall efficiency. We had a good chuckle about it while I was checking in.
The Wait (or Lack Thereof)
Once checked in, I sat down and noticed a TV on the wall displaying a list of patients along with their estimated wait times. This was an efficiency I hadn’t expected.
I didn’t wait long at all before being brought into the back. They checked my blood pressure and vitals right away, before I even saw the doctor.
Tests, Results, and the Doctor
The facility was equipped to run several different tests right on site. I had a test done and was then moved to another room to wait for the doctor. They were playing Frozen on the TV and I was quite content to sit there, but I didn’t wait long.
When the doctor came in, he already had my test results. He confirmed what I suspected and told me I needed antibiotics to clear it up. We chatted briefly, and then he gave me two options:
He could prescribe the antibiotics and I could go to a pharmacy
Or… I could just buy them right there
Wait — what?!
No extra stop. No pharmacy run. I could just get what I needed on there, it was so convenient.
And for the record, there WAS a pharmacy next door – but they only sold ‘over the counter’ and not prescriptions (for some reason) so I would have had to make the trek elsewhere.
Total Time & Cost
I checked the timestamps on the photos I took:
- 9:55 AM – seated after registration
- 10:36 AM – walking out the door
That’s under an hour from start to finish.
The cost:
- $250 for the visit
- $105 for tests and antibiotics
They gave me full receipts that I could submit to my insurance when I was done. I have 2 different insurance plans and between the two of them I was reimbursed for 85% of the total cost. Small price to pay for saving my cruise experience! The medication worked quickly and I was feeling so much better by the time I got on the cruise.
As a Canadian, getting sick while traveling is always a fear, but this experience was far smoother than I expected. Hopefully you never need it, but if you do find yourself needing medical care near Walt Disney World or Universal, I highly recommend Buena Vista Urgent Care.
Have you been sick on vacation? How was the experience for you?
