Real bats flying inside wilderness lodge lobby

[Snape]

If it were me and I saw potentially rabies infected bats swooping down on small children in a resort, I'd be taking pictures of said swooping bats to show management. I wouldn't be wasting my precious vacation time with a few mean Disboard jerks .

 

[jngwright]

Stumbled across this article today. http://www.foxsportsflorida.com/msn...ng_grapefruit.html?blockID=409393&feedID=3688

I wonder if it is related.

Ahh, once again-the BRAZILIANS! I wonder if the bats chant and sing and wear matching outfits?

OP-sorry about the bats. Blech. My husband would be seriously freaked out by this (WL is his favorite...I don't think I will mention it to him!)

 

[jngwright]

This is NOT a big deal. Everyone has to stop thinking Dracula......bats are alot less dangerous then snakes and gotor and whatever other animals living in the area!

Any animal, humans too, that is ill, can be dangerous! We put out bat houses in the woods near the house so the bat live nearby and eat the insects. We see them...never had a problem. They dont fly into your face or our hair!

I am sorry if your afriad of them, but as you said its the end of your vacation..........Don't stay at WL next time.

I do find it very odd this is the first we every hread of it......

AKK

What I find odd is that no one else has mentioned seeing the bats.

Other posters in this thread that are currently at WL have seen the bats.

 

[iluveeyore]

OP - sorry to hear your vacation with your wife isn't going the greatest - but if it's such a short trip, why are you wasting an entire morning/afternoon on the DIS boards??? I'd be out enjoying the parks or other resorts if you're not happy at the WL! Hope you found some pixie dust somewhere and your wife had a lovely Valentine's Day

 

[ols386]

This is NOT a big deal. Everyone has to stop thinking Dracula......bats are alot less dangerous then snakes and gotor and whatever other animals living in the area!

Any animal, humans too, that is ill, can be dangerous! We put out bat houses in the woods near the house so the bat live nearby and eat the insects. We see them...never had a problem. They dont fly into your face or our hair!

I am sorry if your afriad of them, but as you said its the end of your vacation..........Don't stay at WL next time.

I do find it very odd this is the first we every hread of it......

AKK

It may not be a big deal for you, but it sure would be for me, and not because I was thinking Dracula.

Not sure how the bats got inside at WL, but we've had them in our house twice now, and not sure how they got in.

And if I were staying at WL, I don't think I'd expect to see bats inside.

 

[RescueRanger]

Ahh, once again-the BRAZILIANS! I wonder if the bats chant and sing and wear matching outfits?

OP-sorry about the bats. Blech. My husband would be seriously freaked out by this (WL is his favorite...I don't think I will mention it to him!)

It ought to be easy for the pest control people to catch them. They can just carry a flag around the lobby til all of the bats are following them and then just walk out the doors.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

You messed up in a couple of places, but this was definitely my favorite. Better luck next time.

That was my favorite too! And it could have started it's own side debate (are those who pay for club level elitist? (The OP's words were "I'm not elitist, I didn't pay for club level.)

I think that there are indeed some animals, be they birds or bats, in the WL lobby. But outside of calling animal control, WDW cannot do anything else, so I don't see where the OP feels that compensation is merited.

 

[jimmysmom74]

We might be a bunch of mean jerks, but we sure are hilarious!!!!

 

[MelissathePooh]

Just got off the phone with my friend Glenda (a Mercantile CM at WL). She confirmed that they have been having an issue with small bats. Some guests have noticed them and some have have mistaken them for small birds. They (WL mgmt) are trying to figure out what to do.

I understand that wildlife is part of life and Florida, but when it starts to become an issue adversely affecting guests, Disney needs to do more. Just saying its nature and shrugging shoulders isn't good enough. Its not okay to have bats flying around a resort lobby. At a certain point its not okay to have 30 birds flying around Chef Mickeys - that was about the number we got to last month counting them. At a certain point, I shouldn't have to worry about coming up on a cotton mouth at my doorstep. its possible that nature has gotten a little out of hand and Disney does need to and could take action.

 

[ols386]

Bats must not have good vision. Once we were staying at a hotel (not at Disney World) and were just about to unlock the door to our room, and a bat flew directly into the side wall of the hotel, right next to our door. Someone else on this thread mentioned that a bat flew into a glass of some sort.

I admit that I would not like bats flying around in the lobby of the resort if I were staying there. I wouldn't like it one bit. I wouldn't expect to be compensated for it, but if I were there for a few days, I'd probably ask to be moved to another resort, if possible.

 

[jngwright]

It ought to be easy for the pest control people to catch them. They can just carry a flag around the lobby til all of the bats are following them and then just walk out the doors.

My second big laugh of the day! Right after the lady on the Scalding Cheese thread who tried to reenact the scenario with her children's doll and high chair.
Some days, I just the DIS (well-all days, I guess!)

Sorry to hijack, OP. Bats suck

 

[T*Bird]

We just got back from a 9 night stay and we did see them flying around. Honestly I thought they were sparrows, as they were small and fast-moving. I thought about the bat possibility, but dismissed it. We were on the 5th floor and watched them fly around for a couple of minutes. Nobody seemed especially alarmed in the lobby.

I can assure you that there were flying animals in the lobby this past weekend.

What I find odd is that no one else has mentioned seeing the bats.

I am shocked at how the OP is being treated! I am at a loss for words. His story has now been verified, so those of you who questioned his story outright or subtly should feel badly. (Sammie, I wasn't referring to you. I was just pointing out that someone else did verify the story) He is correct about another thing, too. There are some really mean people on this MB.

As far as his wanting some compensation - it is human nature for us to consider how much we paid for something in our reactions to its outcome. I know if I put on a sweater from Old Navy and snag it on something, I'm not going to be nearly as upset as if I had on a Ralph Lauren sweather. And it has nothing to do with being an elitist.

Yes, he could have moved, and yes, he should have gone to management. But I think some small credit or whatever would have been nice, considering how upset the OP's wife was. Heck, I know of someone in New Orleans (a tourist industry employee) who got $20,000 from BP due to loss of potential income during the oil spill! Ridiculous! I think Disney could spring for a free night.

 

[bytheblood]

OP, I do not know what your expectations are, but I would not expect to be compensated nor would I take the avenue of suing Disney when you get home.

If you would have been asked to be moved when you first arrived, I have no doubt that Disney would have gladly moved you to another Deluxe resort for no additional monies. Waiting until the end of the stay or until after you get home will only appear that you are after personal gain after your free concierge upgrade.

 

[Ratatosk]

We were there two weeks and didn't see/experience any bats. I DID see some birds flying around the upper level of the lobby near the windows one afternoon. We used to stay at a resort in Wisconsin when I was a child that had bats come out of the lodge every evening, so I know what bats look like.

 

[Redheaded Sunshine]

The real issue here is that this OP already stated transfer to another hotel was not an option, but he also didn't say he would check out and request a refund for the nights he was booked but not remaining in the hotel.
The only thing he has said is he wants to be compensated. Which to me translated means something for nothing.
Even the people who verify the report have not stated the bats impeded on their stay.
However, if the OP has that much of an issue, he should do what many have said, request resort change or check out early.
If you want to remain at the hotel, but want disney to pay for it, that's probably not going to fly. No pun intended!!

THIS. If there are unwanted critters in your lobby, which can happen, ask to be moved if you are unhappy at the first sight of this. I don't really get the inconvenience, Disney will move your stuff.

My mother is TERRIFIED of snakes, let me assure you, if we found one in our hallway (or lobby) she would be asking immediately to move.

If you don't take steps to "fix" your vacation on your own, why should WDW refund any or all of your vacation?

And I didn't realize there were that many birds at CR! I HATE birds!

 

[bytheblood]

I am shocked at how the OP is being treated! I am at a loss for words. His story has now been verified, so those of you who questioned his story outright or subtly should feel badly. He is correct about another thing, too. There are some really mean people on this MB.

As far as his wanting some compensation - it is human nature for us to consider how much we paid for something in our reactions to its outcome. I know if I put on a sweater from Old Navy and snag it on something, I'm not going to be nearly as upset as if I had on a Ralph Lauren sweather. and it has nothing to do with being an elitist.

TBird, I personally am not discrediting that the bats are there. I am looking at statements from the OP.

1st - There are bats, help! What can we do as our vacation is a disaster?
2nd - It is too late to ask to be moved as the trip is over in 2 days.
3rd - We paid a lot of money for concierge.
4th - We did not pay for the upgrade.

 

[Snape]

I am shocked at how the OP is being treated! I am at a loss for words. His story has now been verified, so those of you who questioned his story outright or subtly should feel badly. He is correct about another thing, too. There are some really mean people on this MB.

As far as his wanting some compensation - it is human nature for us to consider how much we paid for something in our reactions to its outcome. I know if I put on a sweater from Old Navy and snag it on something, I'm not going to be nearly as upset as if I had on a Ralph Lauren sweather. And it has nothing to do with being an elitist.

Verified by whom? Strangers on a message board who claim to have seen the bats? Until I see pics of the bats in WL Lobby, I choose not believe the OP. It's really quite a simple act to pull out your camera or even a phone to snap a pic, especially if the bats were flying around as the OP suggested. Even with claims of dirty hotel rooms here I don't believe it until I see evidence to suggest the claims.

I'd be willing to guarantee there are bats in Disney, but in this case I don't believe it.

 

[ols386]

I believe the op when he says there are bats inside the WL lobby. I don't really have a reason not to. What would be the point of starting a thread about it if he didnt see them. And, no I don't think he's a troll.

 

[MelissathePooh]

THIS. If there are unwanted critters in your lobby, which can happen, ask to be moved if you are unhappy at the first sight of this. I don't really get the inconvenience, Disney will move your stuff.

My mother is TERRIFIED of snakes, let me assure you, if we found one in our hallway (or lobby) she would be asking immediately to move.

If you don't take steps to "fix" your vacation on your own, why should WDW refund any or all of your vacation?

And I didn't realize there were that many birds at CR! I HATE birds!

They were awful at Chef Mickeys - saw them swoop down on a couple of tables when people got up to go to the buffet line. We've watched the problem for a while and this last time was the most we've seen. We did say something to the restaurant mgr and got a "what can we do response" the monorail opening is wide open all the time. Okay - not acceptable.

Birds are nasty disease carrying creatures. Disney really does need to do a better job. As for WL - given the leaking problems that they have, my guess is they have serious problems with that roof in general. Well that's actually what our friend Glenda told us - the one who's worked there for 10 years.

I don't think anyone is saying Disney isn't great or that we don't all love them, but sometimes I think the boards get a little tunnel vision that Disney is never the one at fault and everyone else is always the unreasonable one. Or because they would have handled the situation differently (better) that Disney some how gets a hold harmless. Whether people are or aren't unreasonable, the fact Disney charges a fortune for their resorts - even the values when you compare it to other places. Yes you get benefits by staying at Disney, but if it were any other hotel and it had bats in the lobby or towels laid out everywhere to soak up the water people would be having a fit. Disney markets themself as magical and they make you pay for magic - its not unreasonable to expect a rodent free lobby.

 

[ols386]

Verified by whom? Strangers on a message board who claim to have seen the bats? Until I see pics of the bats in WL Lobby, I choose not believe the OP. It's really quite a simple act to pull out your camera or even a phone to snap a pic, especially if the bats were flying around as the OP suggested. Even with claims of dirty hotel rooms here I don't believe it until I see evidence to suggest the claims.
I'd be willing to guarantee there are bats in Disney, but in this case I don't believe it.

So you don't believe the other posters who said there are bats in the WL lobby?

If someone says their room was dirty, what evidence do you need to confirm that a room was actually dirty? A photo? Or some other kind of evidence?