Reptiles in Orlando

[ely3857]

Hello,

I am (to the point of ridiculous) petrified of snakes.

I am so scared of them I can barely even write the word.

I have been to Orlando before and not come across anything more terrifying than a tiny lizard. But I am reading more & more on trips reports etc that people are coming across these 'things' all the time, At waterparks In their garage and at mini golf courses.

Are they becomming more of a regular feature in public places now?

I am sure the other 10 people who will be with me in Aug will ensure I am kept a safe distance and help me beat a hasty retreat if I was to stumble upon any 'things' but my main concern is the waterparks, I suspect my vulnerability will increase due to lack of clothing and primarily lack of shoes and I really love waterparks and wouldnt want to miss out because of my phobia.

Can anyone shed any light on this for me? Do Disney have measures in place to prevent any uninvited guests?



Jodie

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Florida was a wetland with many types of animals. as the state has got more and more bulit up, the wildlife has less places to go where it does not interact with humans.
In the wooded areas, you WILL see snakes, I came across a rather large one in the wooded area next to the lake at Winter Garden.

Also, alligators are in some of the lakes, our villa had one outside it in the lake, they leave them alone until they get to a certain size, then they come and collect them and take them to non populated areas, though if people keep feeding them, they lose their fear of huimans and have to be put down.

They will not be around the highly populated places such as the theme parks, but in the woods around Animal Kingdom, Fort wilderness etc, you may see both.

 

[floridalol]

When we stayed at the Ramada Inn on 192 in 1991 I spotted a rattlesnake in the grounds of the hotel, I stayed to watch over it while the others reported it to the front desk - a little while later two men came over with a bucket and spade and chopped the head off. I was upset about this but they just said it was for the safety of the guests.

I have not seen anything else before or since to make me worried but I wouldn't want to see a tarantula or black widow spider!

Best wishes

Lol

 

[Goofyish]

Generally speaking snakes are very shy creatures, and less upset or disturbed will not go near humans.

 

[ely3857]

Hello,

I realise I am just been a total wimp!

When I went to Orlando in Oct '02 It didnt occour to me there might be anything around that I dont like and I was fine but since the idea has been planted in my head I have been in full panic mode considering cancelling water park trips etc.

I do have a rational side which understands that it is very unlikley I would come across any & even if I where to then nothing more scary than us both backing off in different directions would be likely to happen. BUT the side of my brain where the phobia lives is NOT a rational place and I have been known to refuse to pick up a newspaper because I had glimpsed a picture of one of these creatures on one of the pages!

I have over 3 months to forget these thoughts have ever entered my head and go back to planning my last(?) WDW trip ever (or certainly for a long long time).



Jodie

NB) Matters are not helped by my otherwise lovely DF remarking that I am 'imagining' my fear & would it help if you touched one?! (He finds it difficult to understand my concerns when I have no logical explanation for them)

NB) I have no fear of gators or lizards (weird but there you go)

 

[Miffy2003]

Jodie, I totally understand.

I am absolutely petrified of snakes. ( I do hope the Trip Report you refer to above about the snake at mini golf wasn't mine!!)

If I see one on TV I have to leave the room!

I just totally block the thought of them from my head when in Florida. It is swampland after all!

So I've not got anything useful to say, just that I do understand They are shy creatures as Tim says and tend to not make themselves too public. That's the way I like it!

 

[ely3857]

Jodie, I totally understand.

I am absolutely petrified of snakes. ( I do hope the Trip Report you refer to above about the snake at mini golf wasn't mine!!)

Miffy, It might well have been!



Jodie

 

[Miffy2003]

Sorry

 

[ely3857]

Hiya

Dont worry Miffy, Your little mention was nothing compared to the scare stories that I got in response to the same thread on the US community board. I am now (if possible) even more scared and may never leave the house again!



Jodie

 

[Miffy2003]

Thanks for the warning Jodie - I will make a point of not reading that thread then!

 

[cazzie]

Hiya

Dont worry Miffy, Your little mention was nothing compared to the scare stories that I got in response to the same thread on the US community board. I am now (if possible) even more scared and may never leave the house again!



Jodie

I really do wish I hadn't read that I thought the snakes were bad enough but now I realise they have spiders that bite.... 2 weeks at home are sounding rather nice just at the moment

 

[Susie]

Hi ely3857! If you are so terrified of snakes it might be wise to skip "Honey I Shrunk The Audience" 3d movie at epcot as there is a snake and although I am not in the slightest scared of snakes - up close and personal with one on 3d is very scary! One of my colleagues has a snake phobia and when I told her how she'd hate it she said she would have been hysterical so just thought I'd warn you.

 

[ely3857]

Hi ely3857! If you are so terrified of snakes it might be wise to skip "Honey I Shrunk The Audience" 3d movie at epcot as there is a snake and although I am not in the slightest scared of snakes - up close and personal with one on 3d is very scary! One of my colleagues has a snake phobia and when I told her how she'd hate it she said she would have been hysterical so just thought I'd warn you.

Hiya Susie

Thanks for that, I think I have to avoid the great movie ride aswell!



Jodie

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

ely3857,
If you thought that snakes were a problem.....................................

http://treets.wesh.com/svc/lnk.cfm?l=51917283&t=1

 

[cazzie]

I shall be strip searching the bed and everything else now!!

 

[musketeer]

i'm also staying on the 192 i hope i don't come across any snakes as i am also petrified of them