Traveling to Orlando to get to Universal isn’t easy. It’s not just as simple as using some Floo Powder to travel to Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley or having your Minions prepare for your trip to visit Gru. You run yourself ragged for the week before your trip, making sure everything at work is done, everything at home is done, everything you need is packed and you’re all ready to go. You’ve spent a couple of late nights and didn’t get enough sleep. You’re the perfect target for a cold or flu virus. You know what happens next, right? Runny, stuffy nose and coughing. Or maybe your child has an eye or ear infection or you might be suffering from a case of the stomach flu or food poisoning from that iffy seafood dish you ate at the buffet last night. Whatever the cause, being sick while visiting Orlando isn’t fun. After all, this is supposed to be where you vacation like you mean it, right?
Luckily, there are many ways to help you back on the way to wellness while in Orlando. Here are a few tips:
Call Your Local Health Care Provider
If you have a primary healthcare provider, you can call them and explain your situation. If it’s a simple problem like pink eye, ear infections or a simple chest cold, they may be sympathetic to your situation and willing to send a prescription to a pharmacy in the area. If you normally use a nationwide chain like Walgreens, CVS or Walmart, they will already have your information on file and you can go there to pick up your order, just like at home.
Check out Telemedicine
Many insurance plans include access to a virtual visit by using Tele-Doc, Doctor on Demand or a similar service. This lets you talk to a medical professional over the phone (or by FaceTime chat) and get a recommendation. These providers can send prescriptions to a pharmacy for you. The consultation fee may be free as part of your coverage or might be a relatively small fee (compared to an urgent care copay). If you have your insurance card with you, call the customer service number on the card to see if this is an option. You can also get access to a Virtual Doctor through the Walgreens App for your smartphone – the cash fee for an evaluation varies but may be as low as $49. If it is your child that is sick, another option for telemedicine is with Nemours CareConnect. Their doctors can treat your sick child right from your phone even if they have a case of swimmer’s ear or a sore throat.
Find A Local Pharmacy Clinic
There are several pharmacies in the area with clinics with Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants on-site that can treat basic problems and write for medications if necessary. It would be best for you to check with your insurance plan to see what locations are covered, but the fees are lower than Urgent Care or Emergency Room visits.
CVS MINUTECLINIC
7599 WEST SAND LAKE ROAD
ORLANDO, FL 32819
Local Walk-In Clinics
There are also several walk-in clinics around the Universal Orlando area. Since they treat guests from all over the world, it’s best to check to see if they take your medical insurance and what fees they charge upfront. You don’t want a $300 doctor’s bill for a sore throat to ruin your vacation.
CARE SPOT URGENT CARE
2555 S KIRKMAN RD
ORLANDO FL, 32811
MD NOW URGENT CARE
8972 TURKEY LAKE ROAD SOUTH
ORLANDO, FL 32819
Advent Health Centra Care
Centra Care is the urgent care division of Advent Health (formerly known as Florida Hospital). Their locations are open seven days a week and are staffed by adult and pediatric-trained Advent Health physicians. These locations are where you need to go for a more serious medical issue that may involve X-rays or stitches. The location in Dr. Phillips is the one closest to Universal Orlando.
DR. PHILLIPS CENTRA CARE
8014 CONROY-WINDERMERE RD.
ORLANDO, FL 32835
In-Room Medical Care
An additional option available to guests visiting Orlando is The Medical Concierge. This service by the EastCoast Medical Network runs a Walk-in Clinic open from Monday – Saturday from 8 AM to 5 PM, and provides In-Room Urgent Care (Doctor House Calls) from 8 AM to 11 PM., 7 Days a week, and also can provide services for or provide references to one of their network clinics for the following specialties:
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- Pediatricians
- Dental*
- Chiropractor*
- Dermatology*
- OB/GYN*
- Ophthalmology*
- Orthopedic*
- Psychiatry*
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They can be contacted 24 hours a day at 855-935-5252 and their main clinic is located at:
6000 TURKEY LAKE ROAD
SUITE 208
ORLANDO, FL 32819
I can vouch for this service as we once had a friend visiting from the United Kingdom who needed emergency dental work. He was referred to a dentist who saw him the next morning and provided medications that helped his problem until it could be addressed when he returned home.
Hospital Emergency Room
Sometimes medical emergencies don’t stick to a timetable. If you need emergency care at any time of the day, the Emergency Room is your final option. The closest hospital to Universal Orlando is:
ORLANDO HEALTH – DR. P. PHILLIPS HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
9400 TURKEY LAKE RD
ORLANDO, FL 32819
INSIDE UNIVERSAL ORLANDO THEME PARKS
If you get ill when inside one of the Universal Orlando Theme Parks, you can get medical attention at one of the First Aid Centers.
- At Universal Studios Florida™, a First Aid Station is located at Family Services, located near the Studio Audience Center. The main Health Services station is located on Canal Street between the New York Street Set and the San Francisco Street Set.
- At Universal’s Islands of Adventure™, First Aid is located inside the Guest Services Lobby, just to the right of the main entrance turnstiles. The main Health Services station is in Sindbad’s Village within The Lost Continent™.
- At Universal’s Volcano Bay™, the First Aid Station is located next to the park entrance and is staffed with registered nurses and professional paramedics. If you have any questions or need special assistance, ask any team member.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While it’s not fun to get sick on vacation, especially if you’re at Universal Orlando, it does happen. Hopefully, these tips will get you in touch with the medical assistance you need and get you back to good health and able to enjoy the rest of your vacation.
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