Pythons

[goofy4tink]

Well, we've had 'em on the loose in Mass as well.....sometimes people get them as babies and then the snake makes it's great escape as an adult. Can happen anywhere. But, for the most part, pythons are only an issue in and around the Everglades. I wouldn't worry about them in WDW.
But, there are plenty of other snakes there...don't be rummaging around in undergrowth or walking through landscaping. No telling what's sitting in those bushes. Stay on the paved paths.

 

[CandleontheWater]

Otters are fairly common in Florida, although they are often hard to spot. I've run into them at SSR and have considered it a treat, they are so cute

I've also seen a few alligators on property, but they will move the larger ones away from guest areas, so you don't have to worry about your safety.

I lived in Florida for 9 years and worked outside as an archaeologist all over the state and I never once saw a python. Rattlesnakes, water moccasins, coral snakes, sure, but never once a python. They tend to be more of a problem around Miami because it is more of a tropical environment year round. It will get cold enough in central Florida to kill a python, so even though I'm sure people will still let them loose around Orlando, they don't have the chance of survival that they do in the Everglades.

That being said, I would still advocate against poking around in the underbush at WDW. There are more plants and animals that sting, bite, itch and hurt in Florida than most other places in the country.

 

[tinkerbell60]

Just another reason to abide by all the no swimming signs around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon.

It is amazing to see how many people let their kids swim - right next to the sign that says "NO SWIMMING". This was quite common at the Poly 2 weeks ago. We also saw an older man swimming at the beach at the Contemporary. He was out about 40-50 feet from shore.

 

[Idontwanttogrowup]

bump

 

[reducereuserecycle]

oh, i saw that story in the news about how the everglade pythons could possibly breed with a non-native species from Africa (that is becoming more populated in FL) and produce a man-eating snake no joke...look on abcnews or cnn for the story.

 

[Scrooge Jr]

A few years ago, as we were walking across the bridge to go to the pool at the Coronado, we saw an alligator in the lake. It was small and right by the shore. I didn't think it was real at first because it didn't move for a while but then it swam off.

How along ago? we'll be there in 58 days.

 

[Scrooge Jr]

I didnt mean to scare people. Sorry to the ones I did scare but I just wanted to ask about it since it was on the news recently.

The thread about the snake bite on the little boy caught my eye.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

It is amazing to see how many people let their kids swim - right next to the sign that says "NO SWIMMING". This was quite common at the Poly 2 weeks ago. We also saw an older man swimming at the beach at the Contemporary. He was out about 40-50 feet from shore.

That is crazy even not taking into consideration the aeomebas, gators,snakes and various other natural things that can p ut one at risk, the boat traffic should be enough to keep people out of the water.

 

[DisneyFed]

The pythons that have been in the news recently were "pets" in "captivity"....

Though one would argue how "captive" a python the size of the one in Ocala really is....then you have the one that killed the little girl in her crib---it was a "family pet", wasn't being fed properly, and it got loose--bad things will follow when you have a predator that size and small children, dogs, etc..

The pythons in South Florida are a problem because people got them as pets when they were small, then turned them loose in the everglades when they got bored with them, or got too big to keep in a home....THEN they become a problem because they're a non native species!!

I saw one while fishing Lake Okeechobee that Florida Fish and Wild Life had killed---it was not small at all.....

 

[clutter]

Not a python story, but when we were there at the end of August, I had an armadillo cross the sidewalk in front of me at All Star Sports! (Too bad my dd wasn't with me, nor did I have any camera!)

 

[Feralpeg]

From what I've heard on the news, pythons are not native to Florida. The ones in the Everglades are descendants of snakes that were released by irresponsible people. The climate is perfect for them so they have multiplied. There is a program in place to capture and kill those in the Everglades before they destroy the natural ecosystem. I don't think you'll ever see one in Disney unless someone smuggles one in.

 

[Kcat1971]

Thank you....I'm seriously quite snake-phobic, so I appreciate that. Although, I'll never EVER step foot in the Everglades.

When I was in 7th Grade my Aunt & Uncle lived in the middle of the Everglades. When we arrived to visit them my cousins immediately wanted to show us the snake they had just caught. It took half a day for my parents to convince me to leave the car.

I'll never go back.

 

[BreezysMom]

Oh good Lord....I run a way from the bees we have here in Chicago this time of year

These threads give me the heebeegeebes

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Yikes! I hope I never see an aligator anywhere!

 

[Idontwanttogrowup]

bump

 

[weewuvvdisney]

A few years back we were walking around the water at the CSR and thought we saw two little eyes looking up at us from the water. Guess we weren't seeing things............

The thought of snacks and gators just gives me the willies......




Jan

 

[Disney Fool]

I'm sure you meant "snakes" not snacks, but it was funny!!! thanks for the laugh!

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

I've seen so many animals at WDW that I tend to loose count but here is my list:

- rabbits/bunnies
- lizards/salamaders
- squirrels
- ducks/ducklings
- a falcon (at CSR in Aug)
- 4 foot snake (one at CSR that was 4 feet long, it was at Casitas 9B right out front our door , we were on the side facing the entrance of the resort)
- smaller snake (Flame Tree BBQ at AK)
- Coyote (on the road to FW)
- a herd of deer (at least 30 of them! Again, on the road to FW)
- deer (out front of WL, along the road past the MK parking gates)
- armadillo (CSR)
- wild turkeys (on the side of the road past the MK parking gates)
- alligator (at CSR)

Bottom line - the majority of undeveloped spaces at WDW are still Florida swampland, they are going to be tons of critters

 

[LorlovesStitch]

So, I guess we won't have to worry about pythons in WDW, unless of course, someone brings one and claims its a "service snake"!

 

[MissionMouse]

Researchers are actually stating pythons are expected to colonize anywhere alligators live. Florida, Georgia and Louisiana are on the list. They have been found to swim up to 37 miles in a couple of hours and are referenced as great swimmers.

After populating the Florida Everglades, thanks to irresponsible pet owners releasing them in a non-native environment there is an estimated 30,000 Burmese pythons now in the everglade area. Pythons are now spreading across the rest of the Florida peninsula which includes the Orlando area.