Running at the Resort - A tad worried about critters...

[DLgal]

The lizards will be what you encounter the most. They will run out of your way, for the most part, but I have had to kind of step around them a couple times when it seemed like they weren't going to move.

 

[bryanb]

I was at WDW during the unfortunate alligator incident last year. That was obviously disconcerting and it definitely made me more aware of the critters that populate the Florida swamps. Two days later, I did a run around 5:30am around the Boardwalk and DHS. The only thing I saw were small lizards on the sidewalk and the occasional roach on the path to Hollywood Studios. They would scurry off quickly as soon as they saw me coming.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

My experience (and I did not grow up in Florida) is that you typically don't encounter many snakes before the sun comes up. In the early morning the concrete isn't holding the heat from the sun. And we've been to Disney a number of times and only seen a handful of snakes, and those were during the middle of the day.

 

[Wild4Walt]

The few times I've heard of people getting bitten is when they stray off the path and onto the grass. Staying on the path will reduce the chance of running into snakes or startling them.

 

[disnut8]

I was at WDW during the unfortunate alligator incident last year. That was obviously disconcerting and it definitely made me more aware of the critters that populate the Florida swamps. Two days later, I did a run around 5:30am around the Boardwalk and DHS. The only thing I saw were small lizards on the sidewalk and the occasional roach on the path to Hollywood Studios. They would scurry off quickly as soon as they saw me coming.

The critters are more scared of the humans (think about it, how tall are we to them?) than we should be of them. If running in the early hours, I would wear a light of some sort but that would be the only precaution I would take. Just remember that Disney is a wilderness preserve so there will be critters out getting their food like human will be doing as well at some point.

 

[jump00]

Ok - not a running story and not Disney but last year at Royal pacific resort at Universal I was lounging by the pool and this girl beside me was looking in the bush beside me. I got up and peeked in and it was........ a full nest of black snakes!!!!!!! Luckily they were non venomous - but when some started to slither out - I picked up my towel and told my Dh "snakes- I'm outta here!! I'm rarely rattled - I've seen a cobra in the bush when I was in South Africa but seriously a "nest" of them creeped me out. I did go tell a TM but he didn't seem too concerned till I told him if they all start to "leave" there is going to be a serious amount of people panicking/ running so perhaps you'd better go and get someone to take a look!! I think he got the point. I did let the people around us know what was up- and they all moved.

 

[bumbershoot]

I did go tell a TM but he didn't seem too concerned till I told him if they all start to "leave" there is going to be a serious amount of people panicking/ running so perhaps you'd better go and get someone to take a look!! I think he got the point.

They have a strong protocol for snakes. He wasn't concerned because he was going to start the protocol, which doesn't involve panicking.

We've been at RPR when a snake tried to go swimming, and it was taken care of immediately and with so little drama that most at the pool didn't know what was happening. I only knew because it was hubby and son that calmly alerted the lifeguards, and they calmly began their procedure.

 

[HopperFan]

- AKL is a poor running resort.
- Check with the CBR thread but the construction may have disrupted the ability to loop.
- Epcot resorts are a great option, for moderate CSR and POR are good ones too.

STAY ON THE SIDEWALKS and you will likely be fine.

Do not go in grassy or landscaped areas.

But of course keep your wits about you.

There are plenty of critters on WDW property.

 

[KeepCalmAndCarryOn]

Ok - not a running story and not Disney but last year at Royal pacific resort at Universal I was lounging by the pool and this girl beside me was looking in the bush beside me. I got up and peeked in and it was........ a full nest of black snakes!!!!!!! Luckily they were non venomous - but when some started to slither out - I picked up my towel and told my Dh "snakes- I'm outta here!! I'm rarely rattled - I've seen a cobra in the bush when I was in South Africa but seriously a "nest" of them creeped me out. I did go tell a TM but he didn't seem too concerned till I told him if they all start to "leave" there is going to be a serious amount of people panicking/ running so perhaps you'd better go and get someone to take a look!! I think he got the point. I did let the people around us know what was up- and they all moved.

Oh the heebie jeebies are real!! You definitely handled that MUCH better than I think I would have! A single garter snake up this way is enough to give me the shudders... I can't imagine a nest!

 

[Simba's Mom]

But the black snakes, if they were Indigos, are the "good" kind of snakes! At least that's what DH tried to tell me, then he went on to explain how they eat rattlesnakes. Yeah, right-if they're alive, they're not good IMO. A nest is my worst nightmare!

 

[GrumpyGal43]

I stayed at Royal Pacific by Universal a few years ago...good thing I didn't know about this back then or I may have had to change my resort! LOL! PETRIFIED!

 

[ParrotBill]

I have been walking early at many WDW resorts. There is a lot of good advice above. Snakes are not likely to be on the pavement early in the morning. But as one of the first people to go down a path, there could be spots along the paths with a resting snake. This is only likely where there is open space, grasses and woodlands adjacent. Much less likely if it is landscaped area (but not impossible.) Run in the middle of the paths so you aren't the first to startle a snake. I would also be wary of paths along waterways, as water moccasins may be resting between walkways and waterways. It's very rare, but I would be cautious and remain aware during early morning hours.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We were just at the GF lying out at the Courtyard pool. My husband was lying on a lounger and saw a black racer come out of the groundcover under a woman's lounger. When he told her, she left. I've seen a black racer on top of the bushes at the Grandstand bus stop at Saratoga Springs Resort. It was being attacked by birds so it was on top of the bushes. We've seen a few snakes in the lazy river at Typhoon Lagoon.

But if you are out running, you need to stay off the roadways and off the sides of the roads and just stick to the sidewalks. Disney Security will stop you if you are out along the roads and tell you to return to your resort. They stopped my husband once while he was out training for a marathon.

 

[LovesTimone]

My friend is a runner, and said that one of her favorite places to run is at Disney resorts. She said she doesn't even run with her headphones on, just so nice to hear the birds, and quite. Their home resort in CBR, and she tells a funny story about running, one morning and there was a crane aiming a landing in the grass near the lake and she was on the sidewalk running under some trees and they almost collided, she looked up and there was this huge crane coming straight at her as she broke out of the trees,she said she scream and the bird squawked, and they both tried to dodge each other both went left... then right, she said the bird was so close that she could feel the wind from his or her feathers as the bird corrected and gained altitude, and all this took about 10 seconds to happen. She said now she looks up and down when running and smiles at her near miss...

 

[KeepCalmAndCarryOn]

We were just at the GF lying out at the Courtyard pool. My husband was lying on a lounger and saw a black racer come out of the groundcover under a woman's lounger. When he told her, she left. I've seen a black racer on top of the bushes at the Grandstand bus stop at Saratoga Springs Resort. It was being attacked by birds so it was on top of the bushes. We've seen a few snakes in the lazy river at Typhoon Lagoon.

But if you are out running, you need to stay off the roadways and off the sides of the roads and just stick to the sidewalks. Disney Security will stop you if you are out along the roads and tell you to return to your resort. They stopped my husband once while he was out training for a marathon.

I LOVE Typhoon Lagoon but am not sure I would survive seeing a snake enjoying the lazy river... That river would immediately become less lazy and more jaws-esque with a lot of failing and swimming for my life! (Actually - when it comes to flight or fight I tend to freeze...)

 

[cruisin5]

Might I suggest the dreadmill the fitness center? I too am terrified of snakes. Honestly, my husband want to move to Florida and I won't go cause of the critters. I'll stick with upstate NY.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We were just at the GF lying out at the Courtyard pool. My husband was lying on a lounger and saw a black racer come out of the groundcover under a woman's lounger. When he told her, she left. I've seen a black racer on top of the bushes at the Grandstand bus stop at Saratoga Springs Resort. It was being attacked by birds so it was on top of the bushes. We've seen a few snakes in the lazy river at Typhoon Lagoon.

But if you are out running, you need to stay off the roadways and off the sides of the roads and just stick to the sidewalks. Disney Security will stop you if you are out along the roads and tell you to return to your resort. They stopped my husband once while he was out training for a marathon.

Black racers/rat snakes are pretty harmless. Even if you are bitten (I was about 15 years ago by a black snake I was saving in a McDonald's parking lot) the wound bleeds a little but the snake isn't venomous. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw251. Last time we were at Disney our daughter found a ringneck snake on a sidewalk at Epcot and move it to the wooded area.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

The only critters I'm scared of at Disney are under 18 years old, two legs and screaming at me for ice cream. Creepy....

 

[disnut8]

Might I suggest the dreadmill the fitness center? I too am terrified of snakes. Honestly, my husband want to move to Florida and I won't go cause of the critters. I'll stick with upstate NY.

Google search says you only have snakes and skunks and bats that while not on the ground, well, I'd rather deal with lizards.

 

[ChimCher-ee]

I'm chiming in late here, but I love early morning at WDW resorts so much that I just had to add a little bit to the discussion.

I'm into walking, not running, but I do 3 miles at 4 mph every day, no matter where I go. And the last three vacations, I've gone out at around 5 am to do laps around the resort. I usually choose a route made up of loops on the sidewalks (rather than strictly following the Nike running route) and it's just a beautiful experience.

At ASMu, I'd go through Jazz, up to Calypso, down to Rock, Country, and Broadway before heading back to Jazz to start all over again. That early in the morning, the music wasn't always on and it was a whole different world. I'd see the geckos and even some frogs and rabbits.

At AoA, I'd go from Cars through Nemo to LK and LM, with a loop down by the river as I circled back again. Same fauna...but that was before the alligator tragedy.

So last year, at POFQ, while I did follow the Nike trail at one stretch so I could take in both resorts, I was scanning for alligators as I went along the river. Again, bunnies, geckos and frogs -- even heard an owl -- but no alligators.

And never have I seen any snakes at that time of day!

I'd high!y recommend making your own run, taking you on the sidewalks through parts of the resort you might not other wise frequent. Especially in the early morning, there's no one around (except for a few landscaping and maintenance crews) and all the icons and features become somehow personal. And if you time it right, you can get to the food court just as it opens -- another treat, having a freshly baked danish in your "own" dining room!