How safe are the beaches around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon?

[aggiegirl1234]

Hello, we leave in a week and I was just reading the other thread about the poor little boy who was bitten by a water moccasin at CBR. We'll be staying at the CR and at least once during the trip I want to go down to the beach areas, at least to watch the Electrical Water Pageant. Is it safe? Have there been any snake sightings in the sand? Any other "critter" sightings? Thanks!

 

[shyjade]

It's as safe as Disney can make it. Unfortunately, even Disney can't control the wildlife and gators & snakes are a very much in/around the area, especially the lakes. I am TERRIFIED of snakes. Deathly afraid, major phobia. I have actually fainted from seeing snakes before.

That being said, I have never felt unsafe at the Poly beach, watching fireworks. We don't wade in the water, and we stay on the paths & walkways, never cut through the grass. I used to live in southern FL so I know what not to do if I want to avoid snakes & gators.

I will admit, seeing those pictures on that thread freaked me out so bad that I had "snake" nightmares last night. The thought of what that poor boy went through!!! Yet millions of people visit Disney each year and stories like that are few and far between...THANK GOD!!!

 

[disneyag]

In 15+ trips to WDW, we've never seen a snake. Just be aware of your surroundings (like you are here in Texas!) and you'll be fine. Disney doesn't allow swimming in any of its lakes, so you should never be in the water. We have sat in the sand numerous times at the Poly---no snake incidents.

Gig 'em!

 

[tinkgirl18]

Stayed at the Poly in Jan and watched the water pageant from the beach without a problem. To be honest didn't really think about snakes or critters. I wouldn't really worry about and just be aware of whats around you and you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[karajeboo]

After 20+ visits to WDW I was just commenting how I'd never seen a snake there before, and what happens? I see a 3 ft black racer outside the Beach Club a couple weeks ago. I live in Florida and marvel at how they somehow keep the wildlife at bay.

Keep in mind, there is no swimming allowed in ANY Florida ponds or lakes, so you should be fine on the beach. I think that moccassin was a very rare thing.

 

[exit30]

Nope, never seen a snake. In fact when I was a kid we swam in the lake every trip, back when it was still allowed. I know it's a health and safety precaution, but I really miss swimming in the lake.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

If you just want to sit in the sand & watch the parade you should be fine. Just be aware of your surroundings.

As for the water, there is an amoeba that lives in Fl lakes that can be deadly. This is why there is no swimming.

From a 2007 article at CNN Health http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/09/18/zarrella.killerlakes/index.html

And http://www.clean-flo.com/articles/anaerobic-aerobic-disease-bacteria/

On Friday, July 25th, 1980, six-year old Tommy Schultz complained of a bad headache and began vomiting. This was followed by excruciating pain. By Monday he slipped into a deep lethargy. On Tuesday he went into a coma and on the following Friday he was dead. Tommy had been swimming in Grant Lake near Cocoa Beach, Florida. Tommy and his friends were diving to the bottom of the lake and would bring up a handful of muck to show the others that they had reached the bottom. While swimming, an amoeba, Naegleria spp., crawled up Tommy’s nose and burrowed into his brain, causing what is called amoebic meningoencephalitis. Of the fifty-five confirmed cases in the world prior to 1980, only one person survived. Only six other persons had been known to die of this disease in Florida’s entire history; but by the end of the month, four children were dead from the same disease contracted in four different Florida lakes in four different counties. One of the lakes was at Disney World, an establishment catering to millions of tourists. Brevard County has about one thousand of the fifteen thousand lakes in Florida. Only twelve lakes were tested that summer and they were all approved for swimming.

 

[karajeboo]

Yes, when we bought our home in Jacksonville, FL about 3 years ago, we had to sign a "contract" with the state of FL that we would not swim in lakes or ponds. Seemed odd at the time until I learned why!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I have walked around the beaches at the Contemporary and Polynesian and they were both safe.

 

[skipperkim]

You could always sit on the hammocks.

 

[fightinillini229]

In the many times I've walked the beaches of Disney I have yet to encounter a snake. These incidences are few and far between. As mos everyone else has said, even Disney can't control the local wildlife. -At least not all the time!

 

[DisneyChristmas]

DH and I have both seen snakes at the Poly - not on the beach but on the sidewalk between pool and Ceremonial House. Not very big snakes - not too big a deal.

Probably the most compelling reason not to wade in the water is that there's no control over bacteria or tiny parasites.

BYW - the most surprising creature we've seen at the Poly was a cat. She/or he was spotted by guests for several months until it "disappeared".

 

[Lovedisney77]

We stayed at the WL in August of 09 and went to the beach nightly for the water parade (it was my 4 year olds favorite thing). We never had any problems with critters just the mosquitos.

However the wildlife is there just be observant. My husband went out to the beach at 5:30 am one morning to smoke and have his coffee and heard a splash just to his left near the brush around the geyser and saw a gator swimming away

 

[jamie&Greg]

I wouldn't worry about it. I think you are just as likely to fall and end up in the ER KWIM! Think of it this way – of all the posts on here that is the first snake bite I have ever seen!

 

[treehugnmama]

we watched waterpagent at poly and never saw anything. However on our 9 day of a 10 day stay at cbr last year we saw a huge water moccison curled up just off the path. We read the snake thread before going and we were carefull (and a bit paranoid) about keeping the kids on the path...I have to say it paid off. We saw a ton of tiny little lizzards....I don't know much about snakes but I would assume they would be a easy meal for the snake...stay away from snake food

 

[JerseyJanice]

I wouldn't worry as much about encountering one on the beach as I would finding one inside landscaping. On top of sand, you'd see a long, black, slithering thing more more quickly and easily than if it were under a plant.

The little boy (God bless him) in the recent thread got bit when he reached down near some vegetation, not on an open beach.

 

[Feralpeg]

There was a snake today in Mickey's Mart at DTD. They had to come in and remove it.

Snakes are just a part of Florida. Most are harmless and prefer to avoid people. Just stay away from the water's edge and overgrowth and you should be fine.

 

[aggiegirl1234]

Thanks for the responses y'all! You've made me feel a whole lot better. I think the post just got to me, poor little boy, and also last night my DBF stepped on a small snake. He was fine, just scared us (the snake included). I've also seen three more snakes in the last month just while out on walks with my dog (a black snake, water moccasin, and another little snake). They are scary and I prefer avoiding them if I can

It's as safe as Disney can make it. Unfortunately, even Disney can't control the wildlife and gators & snakes are a very much in/around the area, especially the lakes. I am TERRIFIED of snakes. Deathly afraid, major phobia. I have actually fainted from seeing snakes before.

Right there with you, they are terrifying to me!

In 15+ trips to WDW, we've never seen a snake. Just be aware of your surroundings (like you are here in Texas!) and you'll be fine. Disney doesn't allow swimming in any of its lakes, so you should never be in the water. We have sat in the sand numerous times at the Poly---no snake incidents.

Gig 'em!

A fellow Aggie! Whoop!

If you just want to sit in the sand & watch the parade you should be fine. Just be aware of your surroundings.

As for the water, there is an amoeba that lives in Fl lakes that can be deadly. This is why there is no swimming.

From a 2007 article at CNN Health http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/09/18/zarrella.killerlakes/index.html

And http://www.clean-flo.com/articles/anaerobic-aerobic-disease-bacteria/

We have those in Texas too. DBF's sister had a friend who went off to summer camp, swam in the lake there, and died two weeks later. It's so awful.

Yes, when we bought our home in Jacksonville, FL about 3 years ago, we had to sign a "contract" with the state of FL that we would not swim in lakes or ponds. Seemed odd at the time until I learned why!

Wow, that is interesting that they write it into their contracts. I had never heard that before.

Think of it this way – of all the posts on here that is the first snake bite I have ever seen!

That does make sense. Thanks!