Anyone else notice bird problem at WDW??

[NLK]

Just to clarify, although we hate the bird situation, in no way are we discouraging folks from going to Disney. In fact we just purchased a DVC membership.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease, is a commonly known saying. So we are still hoping that Disney does something to address the issue. Until then we recommend you come prepared, although it is hard to prepare for a dive bombing =)

And I can honestly say there was no exaggeration in my post. On the one day in frontierland this past Xmas vacation, IMHO there were just as many if not more birds than people. Given the crowds of Xmas you can estimate what those numbers were like.

 

[NHAnn]

People are not exagerating at all kaabost, based on my experience in MK last week. I actually LIKE birds, am a backyard watcher and feeder of birds. But there were DEFINITELY many more birds than people in that park the day, droppings everywhere, and aggressive flocks of seagulls. Even my DH was grossed out and he's a lot more easy-going than I am
As others have said, it won't stop me from going back to WDW or to MK, but the walk through Frontierland was definitely not the pleasant experience I recall from earlier trips. DH jokingly referred to the walk as "the revenge of the Tiki Birds" It won't hurt (may help) if people let Disney know of their concerns.
I didn't start the thread to start a controversy, just to see if anyone else found it a problem, and it looks as though I'm not alone
Mamu, have fun on your trip!!

 

[goofyernmost]

Man, this topic has completely blindsided me. I have been numerous times, at different times of the year over a period of 20 plus years. I have always wondered how Disney was able to keep all the birds of nature out of the parks because although I saw a few I never saw very many comparitively. Seagulls especially, will be anyplace that food exists so the brain dead individuals that continue to feed them are without a doubt the ones responsible for the problem.

I will, however, have to take your words for it as a problem because I have been fortunate enough to never actually witnessed it.

 

[invalid_char]

This is DISGUSTING!!!! We encountered a similar situation with birds in the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island. After that we decided, as much as we loved this resort, that it simply was not pleasant, relaxing or safe to continue to go there with the horrendous, scary bird problem. That is the whole reason we decided to go to WDW instead... to avoid the birds.

If we encounter these problems when we go then that will be the last straw... selling our DVC membership and moving on. I don't want to have to defend my lunch or get covered in bird s***. I would have a more relaxing time at home.

How idiotic and insensitive of Disney to not atleast get rid of the feeders. They could post signs against feeding and discourage people from doing so.

 

[ilovefh]

We have only encountered a bird problem once, but it was a double whammy! The bird swooped down, pooped in my mom's lemonade on its way to take the hot dog out of my little sisters hand. She must have been only 5 or so at the time! It was pretty gross.....but oh so funny! (Although I have to add, it would not have been so funny if Disney hadn't given us a new hot dog and lemonade!) I like birds I guess, but good lord when people feed them they become a problem...the birds are not stupid! We even had problems with birds here at our house when a neighbor was feeding them!

 

[Mackey Mouse]

My suggestion here would be to send off an email to Disney with your concerns...For some reason I remember reading something about how they are aware of the problem but because of animal rights cannot do anything... other than shoo them away.. and then they come right back.. Another area that is pretty bad with attacks from seagulls is on the Boardwalk, you are guarding your food while trying to eat..

I thought the food machines in the area were to feed the ducks and I am not surprised that the other birds are getting into the act to get fed.. This could present health issues in the park never mind people being grossed out..

 

[Kristi1357]

We were also attacked by "The Birds" a couple weeks ago. I never would have believed the number of birds over Frountier Land had I not seen it myself. I was sitting on a bench outside Thunder Mtn. eating popcorn and got dive-bombed. The bird swooped down as I was putting some popcorn in my mouth. He got just between my hand and mouth and got all the popcorn I had. That bird nearly gave me a heart attack.

When we left that area, we were passing in front of the Country Bears and my BIL got pooped on.

I certainly think Disney should have their CMs discourage guests from feeding the birds. And if they do have those machines with food for feeding ducks, those need to go also. I don't know what else really could be done - but they need to at least try something!

 

[Spartan]

Add me to the list of attacked. On our last trip I was eating my lunch and had a french fry in my hand. I turned my head for a moment and didn't even notice the seagull that swooped buy and bit the top off. I was just about to put it in my mouth when I realized there was no longer any ketchup on it. I looked around and saw the thing sitting a couple of tables away munching away on a piece of fry with ketchup on it. I was amazed (and annoyed among other things) that the thief got away with it without me even noticing. To think I was about 1 second away from putting the rest of it in my mouth. Now I hold my food like it's a poker hand whenever I have to eat outside.

 

[Tess]

I hung a swimsuit out to dry on the balcony line at Polynesian one day. We had been down to the concierge lounge and we had food (including a full tuna sandwich) on our table. My daughter was munching, son showering, and husband watching TV, as we readied ourselves for an evening out. I hung up the swimsuit, turned to return to the room, and hot on my heels was a HUGE crow. It flew into the room directly to the table, snatched the tuna sandwich and flew directly back out the balcony door! The door was only open wide enough to permit me to exit and re-enter--maybe a foot and a half to 2 feet wide. It was a precision attack!

At Polynesian I've seen gulls and crows watching tables from the beach or trees. If you would dare to leave your fruity drink (alcoholic or otherwise) unattended the birds will have it in a second. We watched in shock one day as a lady went to the trash can some 3-4 feet from her table and the birds pounced on their mai tais and daquiris--took the fruit, had beaks into the drinks, and didn't spill a drop! The lady returns and the birds are gone. . .still don't know if she realized what had happened--how gross!

I've seen people divebombed, food stolen from hands and tables, and the inevitable bird bombs landing on shoulders, heads, strollers, etc.--thoroughly disgusting--husband has been the target at least once--that was enough, but better him than me!

 

[dbond]

LOL! This thread reminded me of our bird experience in MK just a few weeks ago. DD (18!) has this neurotic fear of birds. We tease her about it, she really does get a bit obnoxious sometimes. We were walking through Frontierland and the seagulls were swooping very close overhead. She was shreaking and jumping around, we were all a little embarrassed about how she was behaving so we kinda pretended like we didn't know her. Then, and I'm not kidding here, a seagull swooped down and took her churro right out of her hand. She screamed bloody murder, we all looked back and there went her churro flying through the air hanging out of a birds mouth. We were all laughing so hard we were about to wet our pants and she was screaming about the bird and mad at us for laughing, we were making such a scene. She refused to walk through Frontierland the rest of the trip! I still fall out of my chair laughing just thinking about it. BTW, it seems that the birds are especially bad late in the day, just before dusk. We really didn't notice them at other times.

 

[Brando 90210]

Thats funny because the last time I was at WDW I was very impressed that I did not see one seagull the entire time, the only birds I saw were ducks and some other type of bird. I thought to myself that Disney must exterminate seagulls on WDW property because I did not see one at all.

 

[annej]

Just got back yesterday and the seagulls at MK were awful..especially around Pecos Bills and headed to adventureland around the Mcdonalds french fry cart. couldn't even sit down for fear of being bombed!!! There were little black birds flying all around INSIDE pecos Bill's on Friday ... totally disgusting. No problems anywhere else though. We wondered what Disney could possible do without getting attacked by animal activist though. Kinda a no win situation.. Oh well WDW was still the best!!!!

 

[SondraD11]

Count me as another bird 'victim'. In February 2002, I was enjoying a snack of fish and chips in England at Epcot. I took my food to a table near the walk-up window. Before too long, a seagull landed on my table. I continued to eat thinking the seagull would be too leary of people to actually do anything. Mistake! Suddenly, he lunged (yes, lunged) forward and snatched one of my fish fillets then flew off. I was shocked.

You can bet that I kept an eye on the sky when I returned with my sister and niece in October 2002. However, it didn't seem necessary. The only birds we experienced were small sparrows hopping around looking for crumbs. These birds were quite timid and more "normal" in their behavior.

Maybe there is something to the winter bird migration theory to account for my different experiences. Hope I get to WDW before the birds on my next trip in December this year.

Sondra

 

[jfulcer]

Originally posted by kaabost
Ok come on.....it seems as though there is quite a bit of exaggeration going on here. Well, I will find out for myself in a couple of weeks. Am I the only person who finds bird behavior fascinating, amusing, funny,etc.? They are remarkable animals.....so smart. If the little poopies bother you so much, take a couple of "Shout" wipes in case you get bombed. If you are worried about the germs, I would suggest that you do not touch any handrails or board any rides or sit in any theater, etc. as they are FULL of "people" germs which affect people more than "bird" germs. It's always a good idea to wash your hands and/or carry hand sanitizer anyway, especially to use before eating, to reducr the "people" and "bird" germs. Just thought I'd throw in a little contraversy

I agree that people germs are just as bad, but that doesn't minimize that a lot of people have had problems with birds - that's it' not an isolated person that was feeding birds and got what they deserved.

Until YOU and your husband (or SO) BOTH have to try to clean those 'little poopies' off your shirt(repeatedly), I wouldn't be so flippant about it. Yeah, you can wipe it with the shout wipes, but some of those 'little poopies' are QUITE large and still show even after lots of time in the bathroom cleaning and using the wipes.

 

[kevind65]

we have always went in april, may, or june and have never really encountered mass flocks of seagulls. we have witnessed food abductions by those black birds in the MK before though. DW took one right on the head over at Discovery Island in 96. pretty gross, but, man was that funny! She didn't want to go to DI in the first place. we talked her into going and whammo! dd and I got alot of mileage out that one. got my payback last year over at John's Pass in Maderia Beach: just returned from chartered fishing trip--while cleaning fish: took a direct hit from a brown pelican perched on the boardwalk directly above me--really gross and smelled horrific..didn't bother cleaning the shirt; it went directly in the trash. hope this is not a problem when we go in april.

 

[twinmomto3boys]

The birds in Disney are AGRESSIVE! Especially at MK. One positive thing about rain in Disney is you can wear your rain gear and not worry about bird poop.

I don't know what Disney could do about this problem. But how come I don't notice the birds so much at Universal Studios???

 

[nativetxn]

I certainly noticed them in December. They were all over the hot dog stand in Frontierland. A little girl getting a hot dog got "bombed" and then her mother got "bombed". I covered my hotdog quickly with a napkin and hightailed it out of there fast.

It was truly yucky

 

[d.kurz]

oh EEEEEWWWWW!!! Birds gross me out!!

 

[madcoco]

Love birds.However, you see people feeding them constantly. Not a bird expert by any means, but Imho it changes their behavior. When they don't get fed they get aggressive (Some species more than others.Including most humans.LOL)The seagulls can be bad near the docks at the WL. They will snatch the fish food before it hits the water. Some birds love sugar to the point they will steal packets and all off the tables. Here are some poor quality pics We took of a culprit in action at Pucks Westside. Was drinking ice tea and they snatched the Sugar and Sweet and Low(must have been watching her figure) right from our table. It was pretty funny actually.
Caught in the act:
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=MDM3&album_id=116242&image_id=4&courtesy=1

Leftover Sweet and Low:
http://www.printroom.com/_vti_bin/ViewImage.dll?userid=MDM3&album_id=116242&image_id=3&courtesy=1

 

[lilboo]

I thought they were FISH FEEDERS...at least the ones by the Boardwalk were labeled as such. Either way, doesn't seem like a great idea, does it?