Real bats flying inside wilderness lodge lobby

[chocovrdmicears]

From a mom who spent most of the end August with her husband and 2 kids (7 & 8) receiving more shots than we all care to remember for rabies exposure - I would not just say * hey! they eat bugs* - We woke up to a bat in our house 2 nights in a row. NOT FUN people. And definately not BS.

 

[ryanshana]

Hey Kathy, I thought you liked me. You do know I'm a little batty

To the op, in all the times I've been to the WL, I have never experienced bats; however, that's not to say they are not there now. I can understand your concerns about seeing several bats, but if your phoebia (not trying to insult you) paralizes you to the point you can't leave your room and you have not accepted WDW offering to relocate you to another deluxe resort you have nothing to complain about. Moving you is a realistic solution, giving you free nights or financial compensation is not.

we JUST got back...and I saw no bats. OP is making it sound like WL is infested with them. Sorry but I also call BS.

 

[T*Bird]

We will be staying in WL in May with a party of 12 which includes 6 children under the age of 5. OP, I am so sorry this has happened to you and I am sorry that you even took the time to report it on these boards. You have been unfairly attacked which seems to be the norm here lately on the Dis. If bats are still flying around the lobby during our visit we will asked to be moved immediately. To be vaccinated for rabies is not as simple as one injection. It is series of painful multiple injections. I do understand the difficulty that WDW faces trying to remove the bats. It is however in their best interest. While rare, people still do die from rabies. I am an ER nurse, 13 years and besides having to administer the vaccines I have seen a young child who contracted this disease from a bat after hurricane Katrina. It is something I will not forget. I will take no chances in exposing my own children or my friend's children to this deadly disease and shame on Disney for not correcting this problem. Perhaps those posters, and they are numerous, who accused the OP of lying and called him names such as a troll should eat a slice of humble pie and say something nice such as "I am sorry" as it has been verified that his story was true. Not sure why some people feel the need to be so darn ugly on these boards.

I'll see your and raise you

Twinboysmom, your post was very well said! As I have said, I am shocked at how the OP has been attacked on this thread. It will be interesting to see if any of those posters you mentioned will indeed step up and apologize.

 

[canongirl]

We will be going on our first Disney trip in August and staying at the WL. I am TERRIFIED of bats after a couple of ugly incidents in our condo several years ago. I can absolutely see how bats flying around (small or otherwise) could ruin someone's vacation. I know it would ruin mine!!

I will be checking into this as we get closer to August, but if they are still there, I will be changing my reservation or I will need massive doses of vallium just to get through the lobby. I am not sure why the OP didn't asked to be moved, but I can understand how upsetting it might be.

I was looking forward to participating on these boards as this is our first trip to Disney and I thought I could get a lot of good tips and planning information, but I have to say I am more than a little hesitant now after seeing how the OP has been attacked.

 

[twinboysmom]

We will be going on our first Disney trip in August and staying at the WL. I am TERRIFIED of bats after a couple of ugly incidents in our condo several years ago. I can absolutely see how bats flying around (small or otherwise) could ruin someone's vacation. I know it would ruin mine!!

I will be checking into this as we get closer to August, but if they are still there, I will be changing my reservation or I will need massive doses of vallium just to get through the lobby. I am not sure why the OP didn't asked to be moved, but I can understand how upsetting it might be.

I was looking forward to participating on these boards as this is our first trip to Disney and I thought I could get a lot of good tips and planning information, but I have to say I am more than a little hesitant now after seeing how the OP has been attacked.

There are some really good knowledgeable people on these boards. Most are nice and quite helpful. Unfortunately, a select few bullies seem to group together now and then. Don't let them scare you off.
I will also say in response to this person's post, I also read another forum quite frequently. Don't remember specifics but a few people were worked up about somebody's question (although not nearly to the point I have seen here lately) and the moderator was quick to intervene and posed the question "if you were new to these boards and were reading these responses, is this a place you would want to be a part of?". This is a perfect example.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Wow, this one has been interesting.

I have to say, it always amazes me how quickly we disboarders can be to assume someone with just a few posts must be a troll if they post anything negative or unusual. I mean the story was verified by someone who was just there so I think the troll thing can be put to rest.

It sort of defies logic to think that if an event at Disney hasn't been posted on the disboards it must be "bs". Disboards is a nice big group of folks but its still a tiny slice of who is at WDW at any given time. WL is one resort and I assume the bats aren't in the hundreds and that many people may be there and have no idea. Many people may also be bothered by it but aren't disboarders who can share this with the rest of us.

Furthermore, the "Florida has snakes, gators, bats, etc" thing is only worth so much. Yes it does have alligators and snakes. And if one of them winds up in my resort lobby or hallway, that will be of little comfort. I guess I'd take the bat over a snake but then again, I'd prefer not to have to make that call!

I have to say, this is one of the reasons I like the resorts that have exterior hallways, that way if anything in the lobby, whether its bats or whatever is bothering me, I don't have to deal with it.

At the CR once I remarked to the waiter that the birds were sort of gross and he told me they were bats not birds. They seemed too small but I guess bats like many other creatures come in all sizes.

In any case, its a shame for the OP and anyone else there that this happened.

 

[ols386]

we JUST got back...and I saw no bats. OP is making it sound like WL is infested with them. Sorry but I also call BS.

Just because you did not see any bats during your visit to WL, does not mean they are not there.

I did not interpret that the op was making it sound like WL was infested with them.

FWIW, if there is one bat in the lobby, that's one bat too many for me.

Nope, I don't call BS at all.

 

[nala87]

In a few years bats will be all gone anyways. They are dying of a fungus. They are quite important that if they disapear we will know it. What do you think disney could do? I'm sure animal control of some sorts deals with them but really how would you catch a bat? CDC says bats should never be handled by untrained and unvaccinated persons. Did you know cats can carry the plague?

Certain species of bats will be very very rare because of white nose syndrome, including the two species most commonly found in buildings. The only thing Disney can do is fix the building so the bats wouldn't want to live there.

If several bats are in a building you don't need to worry about rabies as much as if you find just one bat. I have rabies shots and have been bit by several bats and have not gotten rabies, however if I was bit by a bat that was acting funny I.e. flying into me or crawling on the ground, I wouldn't hesitate to get more rabies shots.
Also to clear up misconceptions, bats aren't rodents, but if they were no one would have to worry about catching rabies from them.

 

[vicki_c]

Well I commented early on but never thought the OP was making it up or was a troll. I didn't doubt that he saw what he saw. I only questioned what I felt was an overreaction to the whole thing (which I still feel).

But once the conversation moved into how much money was paid, club level, compensation and questioning little girls in the elevator, I thought the whole thing had become ridiculous. Especially given that the OP didn't ask to be moved, but just came here to complain that nothing was being done. And apparently something is being done by his later posts, it's just not fixed yet.

The right approach, if it was bothering the OP and his wife so much that they couldn't even enter the lobby or dine in the restaurant, was to request to be moved somewhere else. I have no doubt that they would have moved you to another resort given your level of discomfort or fear. I feel that if you don't avail yourself of opportunities to improve things by asking for what you need, you shouldn't come here and gripe about how your vacation is ruined and compensation.

So not a personal attack on the OP at all, just a statement that there was a way to fix it while it was happening, but that wasn't done.

 

[Lynne M]

Folks, enough. The presence of bats has been corroborated by other recent WL guests and a WL cast member, right here in this very thread. So enough with the accusations. I don't want to close the thread, but I will if it continues down this road.

Not every report of a negative experience at a Disney resort is made up,. Critters get into buildings. Bad stuff happens, even at WDW.

 

[GatorLady]

We were at the Lodge in December and there was a bat swooping all over the lobby. First I thought it was a bird, but my DH said it was a bat and that was later confirmed by one of the Lodge "Rangers". One of the Rangers ended up trapping it in a box.

Since I didn't see any others I just thought it was a once in blue moon type of event so even though I am scared of them I didn't think much of it.

We stay at the Lodge every year in the summer and have never seen a bat before.

Could this be a seasonal thing?

 

[Colleen27]

It seems Disney really needs to get more on the ball about animal control in general. Between the agressive birds at pretty much every outdoor eating area, the buffet-bomber birds in the Contemporary, and now reports of bats at WL it is starting to sound like Disney is losing a battle with Florida's wildlife!

As far as verification of the bats goes, that isn't really very easy. We live in a small town surrounded by farms. On summer nights, we can sit in our yard and watch dozens of bats hunt bugs in our yard, but I've never gotten a decent pic of one even with my SLR. They move very quickly, and between speed and low light your average tourist's camera isn't going to catch a clear shot.

And because we're all more used to seeing birds in buildings, at Disney and otherwise, people do tend to assume the little fluttering critters up in the rafters are small birds rather than bats. I half wish my neighbor had never shattered my illusion that the swooping, diving things in night sky were just some kind of bird, because while I'm not particularly scared of bats it is a bit unsettling when they're diving down to head-height.

 

[JohnZ46]

Reminds me of an old Carley Simon song:

(withy a Carribean beat)

Fly in me face
Fly in me face
Well I hope de bat don't come out and fly in me face tonight

Well I come home from a party
And I'm feelin' a little spaced
And I walk on in the kitchen and
A bat fly in me face
Well de bat come down the chimney
You see he wait in the fireplace
When he hear that I'm getting a little snack
De bat fly in me face

(Chorus)
Fly in me face
Fly in me face
Well I hope de bat he don't come out
And fly in me face tonight

De bat he rat got wings
All the children know that
What I need to know from the lord
Is how you get de wings on the cat
They say a bat's got radar
And he can fly through fan
But what I am afraid of is
That he got another plan
To fly in me face
Fly in me face

(Chorus)
Well I hope de bat he don't come out
And fly in me face tonight
Fly in me face

One thing I forgot to tell you about the human race
Everybody get a little upset when a bat fly in they face
Fly in me face
Fly in me face
Well I hope de bat he don't come out
And fly in me face tonight

 

[MelissathePooh]

Certain species of bats will be very very rare because of white nose syndrome, including the two species most commonly found in buildings. The only thing Disney can do is fix the building so the bats wouldn't want to live there.

If several bats are in a building you don't need to worry about rabies as much as if you find just one bat. I have rabies shots and have been bit by several bats and have not gotten rabies, however if I was bit by a bat that was acting funny I.e. flying into me or crawling on the ground, I wouldn't hesitate to get more rabies shots.
Also to clear up misconceptions, bats aren't rodents, but if they were no one would have to worry about catching rabies from them.

I thought they were rodents for some reason - my bad. It drives me nuts when people call gorillas or chimps a monkey - so I know if you're a bat person that would be really annoying - sorry!

I'm curious if it really is a major roofing issue when they are going to address it. We'll be down for most of June and have some dining reservatioms planned at WL though we're staying elsewhere. I'm hoping they have the leaking issue resolved - hoping the wildlife issue will be resolved too! I love the lodge

 

[Leajess99]

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!!

When we had an issue with improper room cleaning that caused my child to have an allergic reaction (we had VIP cleaning requested and improperly done by housekeeping), I went to the front desk and talked to the manager. It was not convenient to move rooms, especially just 2 hours before reservations at WCC, but it was what needed to happen for piece of mind and hopefully to stop the reaction from getting any worse. We had to change to a non VIP cleaned room, I would not expect compensation if I CHOSE to remain in the situation for "convenience." If it is that bad that one thinks they should be compensated than they should be requesting to be moved right then.

 

[Juliet25]

OP, I'm sorry you had to experience the ugly side of DIS so soon.

Bats in the lobby would absolutely freak.me.out. So much so, I may cancel my June ressie and switch to another resort. I have a huge bat phobia, so I understand your wife's reaction.

And as the parent of an 8 year old DD, I don't get the "I'd punch you out" remarks for speaking to a girl in an elevator. I'm sure strangers have addressed my DD at WDW; there's nothing inappropriate about making conversation with a family on vacation.

Welcome to the DISboards.

 

[RescueRanger]

Here's a link to a photo of the Brazilian free tailed bat: http://www.orlando-bat.com/brazilian-free-tail.html

 

[DisGirl819]

Here's a link to a photo of the Brazilian free tailed bat: http://www.orlando-bat.com/brazilian-free-tail.html

See, now I find that bat cute...I know I'm a bit odd, but I do.

I still don't think I'd want one in the lobby of my hotel though.
OP I'm sorry about the bats. I do hope you have been able to enjoy your vacation otherwise and I hope you have a great time at your wife's birthday dinner too.

I would like to apologize for my overreaction in a previous post about you talking to the young girl. I admit, I don't know what the situation is that you came across her, other than she was in the same elevator. I was just imagining what I would think of an adult talking to my child instead of myself, the parent. I think maybe I am a bit overprotective as a parent, but my children are also small.

I'm sorry your major introduction to the Dis has been spattered with some mean responses.

 

[*sarah*]

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!

I agree! Hope you were able to enjoy the rest of your trip

 

[Snape]

Someone posted their bat tale of woe at Artist Point on the 13th of Feb on tripadvisor. They left out the part where they spoke to the little girl on the elevator.