No more petting farm!

[DisneyFunFan]

The curreny AllEars newsletter reports that the Fort Wilderness petting zoo now features Cinderella style ponies and has changed its name to remove the word "petting". I noticed when I was there in May that there were very few animals there. Although Disney has positioned this as an "expansion" of the Tri-Circle D Ranch it seems to me to be typical Disney spin on shutting down a decades old free-attraction for Ft Wilderness guests. If indeed kids can no longer pet goats and pigs and other barnyard friends and instead are relegated to looking at nothing but horses and ponies from the sidelines, this is another significant change to the Ft Wilderness experience.

 

[Honeibee]

I love the petting farm! (And I'm 44yo!)

 

[Talking Hands]

While I will miss the petting farm, I can see why it is being shut down. There were several incidents of severe illness and deaths related to several petting farms in the last year. While Disney was not involved it may well be that the insurance costs of having a petting farm have become too steep. Also since Disney cannot police hand washing in that area as it is not manned 24/7 they may have decided it is unsafe to continue.

 

[John VN]

While I will miss the petting farm, I can see why it is being shut down. There were several incidents of severe illness and deaths related to several petting farms in the last year. While Disney was not involved it may well be that the insurance costs of having a petting farm have become too steep. Also since Disney cannot police hand washing in that area as it is not manned 24/7 they may have decided it is unsafe to continue.

Illness, Death, INSURANCE

Nuff said.

John

 

[Tri-circle-D]

How sad! Truth be told, the petting zoo has only been a shadow of its former self for years now. Many years ago, you could actually walk into the fenced areas and pet the goats and sheep. There used to be chickens and ducks roaming around, not to mention Minnie Moo (may she rest in peace). The gates have been locked for a long time. Also, when Animal Kingdom opened, a lot of the animals were moved to the petting zoo area there. If this decision is being driven by concerns about liablility, then they would also be closing the petting zoo at Animal Kingdom. They did let guests in with the animals there.

 

[Third times a charm]

<<<<If this decision is being driven by concerns about liablility, then they would also be closing the petting zoo at Animal Kingdom. They did let guests in with the animals there.>>>>


Though there is a CM constantly reminding guests to wash their hands.

 

[minkydog]

Considering the fact that E.coli is rampant in any petting zoo, i'm surprised they have maintained it this long. The fact is, animals poop and germs in their poop end up on their hooves, their fur, their mouths and your hands. Small children are well known to put everything in their mouths, including the pacifier they let a goat lick. As much as I love the whole farmyard concept, I'm glad to see it go. There's not enough insurance in the world to compensate a parent who has lost a child due to E. coli infection.

 

[Memph1s]

For Goodness sake .... Makes you wonder how the poor farmers of the world have survived all these years.


I think the petting zoo as it is now is about worthless anyway.

Leave it to Disney to take something away and spin it so you are getting a wonderful new attraction.

 

[minkydog]

For Goodness sake .... Makes you wonder how the poor farmers of the world have survived all these years.

I would expect most farmers know to wash their hands before eating, smoking or sucking on their pacifiers.

 

[LakeAriel]

I discovered that this past Easter. My daughter and I hopped on the bus to visit the animals and alas most were gone. The CM there told some tale that made no sense. At the same time there was a serious E Coli outbreak in Central Florida and I suggested to her that it probably was why they were gone. The CM got very defensive. I certainly wasn't accusing them, it can occur anywhere. Just a reminder to have the children wash there hands good after fondling the pets. They do still have minature horses which are both adorable and very friendly and you can pet them. (as of March, 2005)

 

[plutospup]

Last week I asked, "what happened to the petting zoo?" Two ladies who were tending to the ponies, a few goats, and pigs (one named Lucille!) told me there were two reasons for closing the petting zoo. First, the petting zoo animals were taken to the Animal Kingdom petting zoo area. Second, they didn't have the staff to take care of the animals. As mentioned above the petting zoo as of two years ago was a shadow of its former self. Of course the pony rides ($3) are still available! DD7 loves the pony rides!!!! The peacocks still strut around FW, as well as the other little furry critters!

 

[trlrboy]

Has anyone checked the grills in Magic Kingdom?

 

[minkydog]

ooh, you are a bad one...

 

[twinklebug]

this is another significant change to the Ft Wilderness experience.

I don't recall FW ever having a petting farm when I first started going there. I really doubt this change will make a huge impact on FW in general, kids love ponies and horses.

Now if anyone were to ask what I miss, it would be the treehouse playgrounds, but I understand that things must change, they were old and also, most likely an insurance issue.

 

[VAN]

There are petting zoos all over the country ... I would hate to think that someone paid WDW prices just to pet a barnyard animal!!!

But, then, I may be biased because I grew up on a farm where tending the animals was WORK!!!!

 

[stillh2o]

Fw is a cash cow for disney, they just keep taking and taking from FW campers and hardly ever give anything back. Look at the new and some old hotel pools thay have updated with slide and lazy Rivers but FW still has the old pools from the 70's.
Some of the comfort station have been updated but not all of them. Now they take the petting zoo. I have been going since the 70's as a kid and our Rv used to fit fine on the site but now the sites are too small for newer RV. Disney need to spend some money and update FW. I have heard Disney has some plans to change FW to DVC hotels and move FW to another place.

 

[plutospup]

There are petting zoos all over the country ... I would hate to think that someone paid WDW prices just to pet a barnyard animal!!!

But, then, I may be biased because I grew up on a farm where tending the animals was WORK!!!!

Where I grew up the only "wild" animals were the rats that resided in the creek filled with coal mine runoff. I have always enjoyed the petting zoo . Fortunately, DD7 has had the opportunity to enjoy grandma's farm animals, as well as those at FW & the Animal Kingdom.