Just back- Cockroach in my room!

[lUVTOGO]

A few years ago we were in Florida in Sanibel Island at the wildlife sanctuary. I was getting in our van when a huge palmetto bug must have dropped out of my hair and fell on my arm. I screamed and my husband, the big man that he is jumped out of that van so quick and left me to fend with this thing. I flung my arm out of the window, and the bug flew off. I have never seen a bug as big as that, and bugs don't really bother me!!!

 

[erikthewise]

Originally posted by >>^..^<<


I had a spider in my room at AKL!

I wanted to kill it - I am terrified of spiders - but I was afraid to go near it.. I was trying to kill it via long distance - throwing towels at it.. etc... ineffective

I was embarrassed to call the front desk - I mean - how lame am I? I also didn't want to leave it - because if it disappeared - I could never sleep in that room - anyway...

I looked out in the hall and there was a man with his teenagers passing nearby - I hailed him and asked sweetly if he could kill a spider for me. (batting my eyes and playing helpless)

He took pity on my and came to my room and killed it - My Hero
>>^..^<<

LOL! I would kill a spider for you any time! Just like that scene in "Annie Hall" where Woody Allen used a tennis racket...

One roach in a hotel room means nothing. I'd just kill it and not think twice. It's part of living on Planet Earth. I'd rather have a roach than a mosquito, a housefly, a bird pooping on my balcony, or a room drenched in insecticide. But a dozen roaches means you have a problem.

BTW surely anyone who has spent more than an hour in the South knows that "Palmetto Bug" is just a euphemism for "cockroach", to be used in polite conversation.

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

I appreciate all the comments about my little episode with the cockroach in my room. I agree that "bugs happen". I am not an idiot. I live in upstate NY and we have our fair share of bugs. We have cockroaches as well. Not in my home. Not where I work. Generally in the lower income housing areas. Which I own several apartment buildings, where I PAY an exterminator MONTHLY to come and spray. I don't want them where I live and I don't expect my tenants to deal with it either. They find one, I call the exterminator.

Maybe they are more common in the south. Fine. Great. But to laugh at me, make a sarcastic comment to me, after I saved for 3 years to take my family to a DELUXE Disney resort is far from acceptable to me. Had he stated, even with a sarcastic smile, that this is extremly common and that Disney does everything possible to eliminate any critters, and that it is unfortunate that one snuck in, and simply said he was sorry that I happened to come upon one, I would have been fine with it. I don't want a REWARD for bringing the cockroack, a freebie for my inconvenience. I wanted them to be aware that there were some in that room. I don't know if they lay eggs, or what they do. I don't care. But for the next person to stay in that room, and me not say something to the staff, I would feel horrible. Some people do have a fear of bugs. Especially big ones. To laugh at me, in front of me, or after I walked away, is hardly Disney Standard. And to say it is, is a disgrace. Disney is a wonderful place. Yes, it has bugs like every other place in the world. But it is the Disney Service, the CM's that make it magical.
This CM doesn't belong at Disney. IMHO.

Thanks for the replies. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. As for me, I hope I never react as the CM did and belittle someones feelings.

 

[Buzz2001]

I have been to WDW on several vacations and have never encounter a bug in my room. My wife would freak out if that happened. That being said, I would never poke fun at any situation that happened to another guest. If they felt strongly enought to post it, it bothers them. Different things bother different people and should be treated as such. What ever the problem, we would all expect Disney to react to resolve our concerns or we all would be on here posting our dissappointment. I would write a letter to WDW to express your concerns.

I think roaches are far more common in places that have restaurants and/or bars located in the same building as the rooms. When the lights go out, they will come out for scraps.

 

[MickeysMommy]

While I agree that you should not have been laughed at and this is totally unacceptable behavior for a CM, I have to ask what you exactly thought Disney would do for you? Palmetto bugs are that, a glorified cockroach. I sympathize with you...I had one chase me into a bathroom in a hotel in South Carolina but, they are infamous in the South and something that you just have to put up with. It doesn't matter if you did stay at a Deluxe resort on a motel on the highway. Disney is not immune to bugs, little or big. You can't really think they are going to try to hire an exterminator to try to get rid of all the bugs on their property. Whenever we go we make sure we have the drains pulled on the sinks and tubs because that is another place they are likely to appear. While they are prone to places where there is food, they can also be found in out of the way places too. I hope your next trip to Disney is just as magical and bug free!
Please don't take any of the comments to heart - as you said everyone has their own opinion and we don't have to like it.

 

[colleen costello]

We live in a wooded lot in Southern Indiana and we have the giant "wood" roaches out in the trees at night as well as the Oriental Roaches in the wood chips/mulch. When we moved to our brand new home and one of these guys got in, I was so clueless I looked it up in a book. I almost fell over when I realized it was a ROACH -- I wanted to sell the house! Now I realize that these are no different from a mosquito or a fly -- they just accidentally fly/crawl in, perhaps heading toward light. They are more active at night and if you leave a light on, you'd better have a screen door shut or you will have VISITORS! This thread is cracking me up... just last night we had a giant wood roach in the bedroom. I foolishly left open the door to our little screen porch and the kids saw him -- they were afraid to go to bed!

If I saw a big, "outside" roach at WDW, I would swat it or flush it (actually have dh do this) and check over the room, realizing it just wandered in. If I saw a little one (or two) I would ask for a new room, because those little ones are the type you could potentially bring home in a suitcase. YUK!

PS: A friend told me about how her new minister came to visit one summer evening and when they came into the living room, she turned the light on. A GIANT wood roach had gotten in and was flying around in circles under the lampshade! She said it was making a real racket as well as casting giant shadows and she was SO embarassed...

 

[Buzz2001]

Disney is not immune to bugs, little or big. You can't really think they are going to try to hire an exterminator to try to get rid of all the bugs on their property.

Alligators and snakes are part of the south but Disney pays to get them moved. Bugs are just as scary to some adults let alone children. If this happenced at the Grand Floridian, do you think it would be left at "well what do you expect, where in Florida." At $300.00+ per night, I hope not.

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

What did I expect?

A simple explanation about roaches and how common they are to Florida. Just like what I have gotten from the wonderful people on this site. NOT an attitude like I should know that. That was what I expected. Not much if you ask me.

 

[ShaneV]

Alligators and snakes are part of the south but Disney pays to get them moved. Bugs are just as scary to some adults let alone children. If this happenced at the Grand Floridian, do you think it would be left at "well what do you expect, where in Florida." At $300.00+ per night, I hope not.

Part of the issue here is where to draw the line. Snakes and alligators are obviuosly more dangerous. I REALLY dont like spiders (I actually make my wife kill them ) , but I wouldnt hold it against Disney or want a different room because I saw one. There is only so much they can do. Where do you draw the line. What if I dont like mosiquotes, should I make a big deal out of mosquitoes or flys being in the room?

 

[NO1BALOO]

diseylover70
we live here in south florida and its very common to see all kinds of bugs here in florida. we are very used to this, and central florida as well......................I know for a fact if I was to visit N.Y. I would see rats in the city.....................We are very happy for you that you had a wonderful time in spite of the BUG.

 

[nicurnc]

There you go-
That's what you expect. And I don' think only at the deluxe resorts, either.
I'm surprised Disney does not use "scripting" for situations such as this. At the hospital I work for we use scripted answers for common complaints. While they can sound almost like a recorded message in content, they teach employees how to handle a complaint, and for the most part we have found them to be effective

Loretta

 

[frndshpcptn]

When I was working down in WDW I saw those huge bugs all the time. Especially at night, if you look they are all over the Boardwalk, in all the parks and outside near the pools. We used to have them in our apartment while I was on the college program. We had one roommate who was the only one who would be brave enough to kill them. Otherwise we'd trap them under glasses and wait or her to come home from her shift to get them out of our apartment. One night, one got in my room and we chased it under my roommate's bed and lost it there. We didn't tell her until we moved out because she would have freaked. One night my rommates and I were leaving epcot and one saw one of the huge palmetto bugs as we were walking and ran away, but fell and ended up spraining her ankle in the process. They are really all over the place down there if you look you'll always find one.

 

[jacksonsmom]

Ok I should not be reading this thread.

I am leaving for Disney in about 2 weeks & I have a very HUGE bug phobia.....especially BIG bugs.
I live in the cold Northern state of Minnesota so we don't have big bugs......they are big enough.

Of course reading this thread has me thinking of all these huge bugs over running WDW!!!

I think I will be watching every step I take. And pray I don't see one of those bugs. If you are in Disney from 6/14-6/27 & here a lady scream bloody murder, if was probably me seeing one of those big bugs!!!!!

 

[AirForceRocks]

This has been one of the most interesting threads I've read in quite some time, I must say.

Maybe it's because I grew up in Florida, but I just can't imagine getting so worked up over a roach. Unless the roach runs off with my husband or one of my kids, I'm going to kill it, let the desk know about it, and be done with it.

 

[candylover]

OH BOY!!
I hate bugs.
If there was on in my room I am afraid the entire resort would have known.
I can't help it...
I start running around and screaming.
If my family sees a bug near me they run from ME!
They say I scare them
I think the CM could have tried to be a little nicer

 

[MickeysMommy]

Buzz.....alligators and snakes are a little different than palmetto bugs wouldn't you agree?

 

[colleen costello]

JacksonsMom, you'll be fine. In all my years of visiting WDW, I have only seen one palmetto bug, a dead one on the paths at what was then Dixie Landings. It smelled like bug spray and I assumed the exterminator had just come through.

Just use common sense. If you are on the balcony at night, close the door to the room. Don't leave a door open after dark. If you are staying at a Moderate or Value where the rooms opens right onto "nature," be careful when you enter so bugs can't fly in. Finally, some folks here have posted about putting a rolled towel against the threshold of the door at night to keep insect guests from crawling in.

I really think that with West Nile Virus, which can actually KILL YOU, our focus here is on the wrong kind of bug!

 

[mitros]

Also, does everyone notice those little lzards {gekos} running around the resort property? Be REAL happy when you see those little guys scampering around, bugs are on their menu!

 

[MLAinVA]

I just KNEW it would be AKL...we check in in 43 days < Bummer.

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

MLAinVA I just KNEW it would be AKL...we check in in 43 days < Bummer.

Don't worry!!!!! It was a wonderful place to stay and it was very clean, as I stated in my first post that got this whole thread going!

You will have a wonderful time. I was down there for 5 days and was in every park, including the waterparks, and that was the only bug that I saw the entire time. It sounds like they are everywhere from these posts, but really, I didn't notice them if they were. And I can spot a bug a mile away!! The only reason I brought this up on the forum was because of the way the CM handle it.

Enjoy your vacation. AKL is a great place to stay. It is absolutely beautiful. Eat at Boma's. Yummy good food!!