DON"T let this happen to your family!!

[chipsgirl1030]

How terrifying for your family (especially your son). It would have been horrible enough if it happened at home, but I'm sure being in a strange city at a strange hospital with no other family for support must have made it even worse. I'm glad he's doing fine.

I've been reading other threads re: snakes in rooms, etc. but I've been trying not to think too much about it. Now after your story I'm really starting to freak out a little. I'll be staying at POR in October and I know one thing for sure, I'm not stepping off of the sidewalk and definitely not sticking my hand anywhere near a bush!

 

[KnitchyFingers]

Mickey Family, I'm so glad your son is okay. That sounds like a frightening experience all around and I'm glad you and your husband acted quickly to get him the help he needed. I can see how that put a damper on your vacation.

This is where I need to chime in and ask if I missed something. With all due respect to you and other posters, I'm a bit surprised at the number of people asking "what Disney did for you". While it was an unfortunate incident that happened on Disney property and I'm quite sure, ruined your vacation... I'm not understanding how any of this was under Disney's control. That type of snake is native to south central Florida. I don't see where Disney is responsible for making ANY of it up to you. This could have happened anywhere in Florida or in that general geographic region. Had it happened in a state park (for example), would the state of Florida been responsible for extending your stay and compensating you?

I'm not trying to flame you... I'm trying to understand.

KF

 

[NDdisney]

I frequently wonder why I live in the part of the country that I do. One Very good thing about living here in No Snakes (except for rattle snakes every now & then). The next time the temp. 50 below outside, I will remember this and maybe it will make me feel better about living in the coldest place in the country.

 

[Vickie46]

we saw snakes at the Port Orleans resort

 

[gk90]

mickey family, so glad that your son is all right! Sending good thoughts your way for your next Disney trip--after that terrifying experience you deserve a magical one!

For anyone who's freaked out about all snakes and wildlife, while there are definitely some very dangerous creatures out there, most of them won't hurt you, especially if you stay away from them.
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History:
A majority of snakes are harmless. Of the 45 species and 44 subspecies of snakes found in Florida, only 6 species are venomous.
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/FL-GUIDE/onlineguide.htm

 

[branv]

Oh my goodness! I consider myself aware of my surroundings, even at WDW, but you're right -- I never would have thought "snake" when considering shrubbery at the resorts. Maybe spiders, but a water moccasin...wow! I'm so glad everything turned out (except that bill, ouch!), but sorry for the messed up vacation.

And thanks for posting your experience to help others.

Now that being said, I'm thinking about the times at night we've trudged over a dark beach, barely able to see a thing, and then plopped outselves down near the shoreline to watch the water parade. Hmmmmm...might rethink that in the future. Or at least carry a flashlight. When you consider how many times here in TX I've seen a moccasin floating along in a lake, you'd think I'd have had more sense.

 

[disneyfantotheend]

Thanks for the warning! I have read many posts of people seeing snakes and always thought nothing of it. I never really thought about just reaching down to pick something up and being bitten. You would think that is a harmless enough thing to do. From now on I will always be watching where I am walking when on Disney property.

I am glad your son is okay.

 

[Beauty & the Best]

Thanks for posting this story. We are staying at the CBR in about 2 weeks...I'd heard that there could be gators there but I hadn't thought about poisonous snakes.

I've seen a bunch of wild animals on WDW property - armadillos, rats (It wasn't Remy either!) and a family of deer (in the parking lot area of the TTC) so it shouldn't surprise me that there are snakes and the like out there.

But I think its easy to forget about things like this at Disney. You're in your perfect little Disney bubble and you just don't think about stuff like scary snakes biting your kids I guess that's just part of getting wrapped up in the magic.

 

[JCornell]

This is where I need to chime in and ask if I missed something. With all due respect to you and other posters, I'm a bit surprised at the number of people asking "what Disney did for you". While it was an unfortunate incident that happened on Disney property and I'm quite sure, ruined your vacation... I'm not understanding how any of this was under Disney's control. That type of snake is native to south central Florida. I don't see where Disney is responsible for making ANY of it up to you. This could have happened anywhere in Florida or in that general geographic region. Had it happened in a state park (for example), would the state of Florida been responsible for extending your stay and compensating you?

I'm not trying to flame you... I'm trying to understand.
KF

I know what you mean but I read it as an innocent enough question. I don't think it's the expectation that Disney should take responsibility but everyone on the boards knows they have such a reputation of going over and above on so many occasions that people automatically wonder if they didn't do that in this case, too since clearly this was a family in need of some magic.

 

[bjakmom]

So glad your little guy is better!! Thank you so much for posting your story - I'm another frequent FL visitor (lived there in the 70s) who would have never known to react to a snake bite by calling 911 immediately! Now I know!! (and I will keep the Grandkids a little closer when we walk the pathways along the water - especially at night!)

 

[WUVmyDISNEY]

Thanks for posting this to make us all aware. I know myself I tend to fall into vacationer trap and forget about some of the dangers. Thank God he got help right away and you were able to identify the snake. You must have been beside yourself as I can only imagine! good luck to you, your son and family for this to become a distant memory.

 

[kiranic]

I am so happy your son recovered!!! As an ex-ER nurse, I was thankful that we never had to deal with many snake bites in IL.

I think it is always good to remember that even though we are at Disney, there are things we need to watch out for! Thank you!

 

[2nd childhood]

So glad that your son is recovering.

Thank you so much for reposting your warning. I just read it aloud to my husband and we are both in shock. We've been to Disney many times and have another one scheduled for this October. Never even gave snakes a thought, but we'll be sure to have our eyes open and talk with our son who is 9 and is always investigating everything.

 

[Dopey420]

To keep things in perspective, you are far more likely to be struck by lightning in Florida than to be bitten by a snake or a shark.

 

[Dopey420]

I know what you mean but I read it as an innocent enough question. I don't think it's the expectation that Disney should take responsibility but everyone on the boards knows they have such a reputation of going over and above on so many occasions that people automatically wonder if they didn't do that in this case, too since clearly this was a family in need of some magic.

The old adage, "If a person gets good service, he tells one person; if he gets bad service, he tells 10" applies here X 100. Disney definitely doesn't want someone coming on here and saying, "I got bit by a snake on Disney property. Don't go there, it is full of snakes." Which it is, by the way. I'm surprised they have only offered tickets.

 

[Lynn5700]

Aww your poor son I'm glad he is OK, but what a shame to have that happen on vacation!

Thank you for the warning. I would have never thought.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

You need to watch where you walk anywhere in Fl when walking in the grass, not just at Disney. Snakes are all over Fl, not only Disney. That is one reason why I hate walking in my own yard at night, when I can't see what is in the grass. When on vacation, you still need to take precautions with Fl native wildlife.. snakes, spiders & alligators... and yeah, if in the water.. sharks. While it is unlikely that you will get bitten, you still need to watch out.. just as you do need to watch the skies for lightning. Never take anything for granted and think it cannot or will not happen to you..as you all can see from this story.. it can and does happen......
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


hugs to the little trooper... how is he doing? I know we discussed this over the summer too....

 

[mdurette]

I want to share what happened to my son on our recent trip to make everyone aware and to be very careful.

At the end of May we were staying at the Caribbean Resort. We had only been there for 2 hours when we headed toward the bus stop to go to dinner. We were walking on the sidewalk when my 7 year old son dropped a toy into the landscaping. The toy landed less than a foot from the sidewalk edge into some very manicured landscaping. He bent down to pick it up, his feet never leaving the sidewalk, when he suddenly said, "Daddy, Daddy, something just bit me!" At first we thought it was just a prickly bush or a lizard until my husband saw the snake. We immediately called for an ambulance and I scooped him up, praying all the while, and headed for the bus stop to wait for the ambulance. The pain was excruciating and his hand began to swell. He kept asking me if he was going to die. Imagine hearing a question like that from your child and not knowing the answer. He was bitten three times on the finger by a water moccasin. We were first taken to Celebration Hospital and then transferred to Florida Children's Hospital. He spent three days in the pediatric intensive care unit and received 12 vials of anitivenin. The swelling reached all the way to his shoulder, but antivenin was administered before it invaded the shoulder joint, or he might have lost his entire arm. Thankfully the antivenin worked, he survivied, and was able to keep his arm and finger. For several weeks he was sleeping over 14 hours a day, one of the side effects of the antivenin, and he still has some stiffness in his finger.

I know the chances of getting bitten by a venomous snake at Disney are very rare, but it can and did happen. I just want to make everyone aware. It is a natural wildlife area. Watch your children around the landscaping, keep them from making shortcuts through it. Would our experience keep us from Disney in the future? No, but I would definately be more cautious. Just be aware of your surroundings.

When we were at Saratoga Springs last January about 10 feet in front on of us on the walkway to the pool a huge black snake slithered by. It was about 4 feet long. After that - I watched everywhere we were walking!

 

[720L]

I just wanted to add that it is a good idea to keep your little ones out of any type of bushes or flowerbeds at WDW or any place in Florida. Not long ago, I spotted a banana spider in the UK area of Epcot. I was doing the Kim Possible Adventure with my daughter. A clue had sent us over behind the tea shop. The spider was near the next clue area. Banana spiders are not something you want to bite you. In the past, I saw a black widow on some bushes in another part of Epcot. Black widows are very common. I've killed several outside my home.

Any way, they can be anywhere there are a lot of bushes or flowers. It's just best not to go into the flowerbeds. I'm saying this, because I see it happen on a fairly regular basis. Not a good idea.

On our trip this past June, we were sitting in the very back of a Disney bus. I'm in the seat next to the window. All of the sudden, a HUGE spider crawls on to the wall next to me. I jump onto my DH's lap, yell to my daughter to move because the spider was crawling on the window towards her. She sees it, screams & people on the bus are looking at us like we are crazy. I was so scared I could barely talk..until I got the word SPIDER! out..and people saw it on the window. The whole bus jumped to the opposite side of the bus. This thing was huge. I believe it was a Banana Spider..I googled it and it looked similar. It definitely had yellow in it and I kid you not it was as big as my hand (with it's legs-- the body was probably the size of my thumb). Even the men on the bus were scared to kill it. When we got off the bus the driver asked us what the commotion was about and we told her...but couldn't find the spider to show her ..so I don't know what she did about it. The rest of the trip I was sweating riding the buses. What I read it doesn't sound like they are poisonous?? I don't know how that thing got on the bus without someone seeing it...it really was huge.

 

[1stvisit0909]

I just wanted to add that it is a good idea to keep your little ones out of any type of bushes or flowerbeds at WDW or any place in Florida. Not long ago, I spotted a banana spider in the UK area of Epcot. I was doing the Kim Possible Adventure with my daughter. A clue had sent us over behind the tea shop. The spider was near the next clue area. Banana spiders are not something you want to bite you. In the past, I saw a black widow on some bushes in another part of Epcot. Black widows are very common. I've killed several outside my home.

Any way, they can be anywhere there are a lot of bushes or flowers. It's just best not to go into the flowerbeds. I'm saying this, because I see it happen on a fairly regular basis. Not a good idea.

And FYI..not all widows have the red mark on the abdomen either. Many these days are solid black. Scientist think its b/c humans have been killing the red marked ones for so long, allowing the genetic mutation of solid black to become more common than in the past. (same theory applies to rattlesnakes...more are found with less/quieter rattles than in the past). Just thought I'd share b/c I meet people all the time who don't realize they CAN be solid black.