
An elderly guest is trapped in Orlando, Florida, after taking ill on a trip to Walt Disney World Resort.

Credit: Inside the Magic
A vacation to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Central Florida, is meant to be a momentous, magical, and celebratory occasion. However, while Disney aims to get the real world out of the magic, unfortunately, reality does creep in. For one family, this meant leaving one of their own behind.
76-year-old Patricia Bunting, who hails from Wigan (Greater Manchester) in the United Kingdom, took ill while on a dream trip with her children and grandson at Disney World. After saving for years, Bunting collapsed while on her Disney trip and has been in hospital in Florida for the last seven weeks.
Bunting has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and atrial fibrillation (AF), and after contracting coronavirus and flu on vacation in November 2024, has been bedridden in the U.S. Her family, including daughter Emma, has been raising money to get their matriarch home. They have raised £40,000 so far, according to Bristol Live.

Credit: rickpilot_2000, Flickr
However, a bright spark was recently quashed after the planned medical transport to bring Ms. Bunting home was canceled. “I’m afraid mum isn’t coming home yet due to complications, so she’s in hospital in the US,” Emma said, via Bristol Live. “I haven’t got an exact date as of yet when she will be returning I’m afraid. It’s a massive blow and shock to all our family as we are eagerly waiting for Mum’s safe return.”
The outlet explained how Bunting “spent two years saving up for the family holiday but couldn’t afford the £3,000 travel insurance quoted to her for the trip due to her pre-existing conditions.”
Upon contracting the illnesses on November 23 and being transferred to the hospital, Ms. Bunting initially spent “five days in intensive care at Orlando’s Dr P Phillips Hospital.” The report shares how her other children and grandson had to take their planned flight home on November 28, with Emma stating that the British Embassy in Miami was unable to assist in her mother’s case.

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Even without travel insurance, Ms. Bunting wanted to take her family to her “happy place” in the United States, deeming it to be her last chance to do so.
While there is no confirmation on where, when, or how Ms. Bunting contracted coronavirus and flu, the Disney World parks in late November are notoriously busy due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Disney saw major crowds, as did other high-traffic areas like Orlando International Airport, during the latter weeks of November. It is also worth noting that flu season, which has recently been deemed “very high” in Florida, runs from October to May.
Disney Tips will continue to update this developing story.