Warning: Castaway Cay Stingray Experience, skin ripped off

[George69]

Hi. I got back from the cruise a few days ago...we did the stingray experience. Please know that they tell you they do not bite.....HOWEVER....the stingrays suck the food out from between your fingers with a powerful suction. The stingray that took my food also sucked my finger up into it's mouth and ripped the skin off. My finger was dripping blood. The person in charge took me to feebily put a band-aide and ointment on (didn't really know how to even do that simple task well) after the experience (not even immediately after it happened) and sent me on my way. I met someone on the ship that had the same thing happen to her on the experience as well, so I am not the only one. Please be aware! Had I known this could happen I would NEVER and I mean NEVER allow my children to do this! Disney did not even offer to refund the money.

 

[TheRatPack]

That is scary!

 

[jlemieu1]

A question. Do you recall exactly how you were hold the food?

If I recall correctly, at least this is what they told our group last fall, they told us to hold the food with palm down on the board and hold the food as close as you can to the palm of your hand. In the class they used the example to hold the food in between pointer and middle finger. I would say like people used to hold cigs. One lady in our group didn't follow those instructions and got bit, no blood.

Sorry about the way they handled the first aid.

 

[pkgman]

My family of four did the string ray excursion this past 8/3 Fantasy cruise. It as a great time. Sorry to hear of less than great experience.

 

[George69]

A question. Do you recall exactly how you were hold the food?

If I recall correctly, at least this is what they told our group last fall, they told us to hold the food with palm down on the board and hold the food as close as you can to the palm of your hand. In the class they used the example to hold the food in between pointer and middle finger. I would say like people used to hold cigs. One lady in our group didn't follow those instructions and got bit, no blood.

Sorry about the way they handled the first aid.

It was handled EXACTLY how I was told to handle it, unfortunately they forgot to mention that the suction may also take your finger up into the stingray's mouth. I teach and have 2 Master's Degree's plus......I'm good at following directions.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

A few have posted experiences similar to this. We did something different at Grand Cayman and while they had food available for the big sting rays to eat, we never actually fed them by hand (but we did get to pet some, swim with them, and the handlers would hold some.) It was a great experience, but much more natural I think. The stingrays there aren't contained and are natural (meaning not clipped because they live in the wild) but they grew up with people and like free lunch. It was a neat day. I'm sorry this was a bummer for you.

On the bright side, if you feed the sea lions at blue lagoon like we did, they are very gentle!

 

[George69]

If this happened to me, someone who DOES follow directions, how about a child.......a child is less likely to follow directions than an adult?

 

[quickcat]

ouch! That just sounds painful!
We have done the stingray feeding and have not seen that happen. Yikes!! We are planning on doing the one in Cozumel this coming winter. I think I will stick to petting them now.

How is your finger now? How much of the skin came off?? Was it all of it on the finger or the top part by the nail?

 

[TheRatPack]

If this happened to me, someone who DOES follow directions, how about a child.......a child is less likely to follow directions than an adult?

Not to mention smaller more delicate fingers, it might take off more than skin ......I'm too scared to do anything like this anyway but I'm thankful for your warning. I'm sure it would come up at some point with either DH or one of my children wanting to do it and I'd rather not take the chance knowing that this is a possibility.

 

[moonlily8]

When we did Stingray City on our honeymoon the same thing happened to my DH. The crew of our boat told us to hold the food with our thumb tucked into our fist (so fingers closed in a fist around our thumb). My DH forgot for a second and his knuckle got sucked up. It was a minor cut, nothing serious but he learned his lesson. Lol.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[jlemieu1]

It was handled EXACTLY how I was told to handle it, unfortunately they forgot to mention that the suction may also take your finger up into the stingray's mouth. I teach and have 2 Master's Degree's plus......I'm good at following directions.

Sorry, I didn't mean to insult you, sorry. I was curious if they forgot the give that part of the instruction to your group. I honestly would not put it past them to forget a part, maybe later in the day. I was in the first group of the day and as looked I around only the kids in my group were listen to the instructions.

Plus my Pooh sized Sausage Fingers could not fit in their mouths. I don't think I could ever go noodling.

 

[Bonniec]

I was under the impression sting rays had flat teeth for crushing and that they suck up your food. I'm not saying it didn't happen or anything. I just wouldn't think it common. But just pointing it out that I don't think you have to be frightened to have a child participate.

 

[Kendal]

My family was also told to put palm down and foo between fingers... We felt th suction but hand never came off of the Mickey head

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[luv2sleep]

Hi. I got back from the cruise a few days ago...we did the stingray experience. Please know that they tell you they do not bite.....HOWEVER....the stingrays suck the food out from between your fingers with a powerful suction. The stingray that took my food also sucked my finger up into it's mouth and ripped the skin off. My finger was dripping blood. The person in charge took me to feebily put a band-aide and ointment on (didn't really know how to even do that simple task well) after the experience (not even immediately after it happened) and sent me on my way. I met someone on the ship that had the same thing happen to her on the experience as well, so I am not the only one. Please be aware! Had I known this could happen I would NEVER and I mean NEVER allow my children to do this! Disney did not even offer to refund the money.

I've read stories like this before. I don't understand why people let their kids do this.

 

[EDH Family]

Just trying to figure out the OP's motive here. A warning, a complaint against the CM that didn't know how to put on a band-aid or a complaint against DCL for not offering a refund?

 

[George69]

ouch! That just sounds painful!
We have done the stingray feeding and have not seen that happen. Yikes!! We are planning on doing the one in Cozumel this coming winter. I think I will stick to petting them now.

How is your finger now? How much of the skin came off?? Was it all of it on the finger or the top part by the nail?

The side of my knuckle about the size of a dime got ripped off. It felt like a hard plate came down the side of my finger and took the skin off.

 

[luv2sleep]

Just trying to figure out the OP's motive here. A warning, a complaint against the CM that didn't know how to put on a band-aid or a complaint against DCL for not offering a refund?

I took it as a public service announcement. I appreciate it. I'd hate for my child to lose skin or a finger.

 

[George69]

Just trying to figure out the OP's motive here. A warning, a complaint against the CM that didn't know how to put on a band-aid or a complaint against DCL for not offering a refund?[/Q

?

 

[George69]

I took it as a public service announcement. I appreciate it. I'd hate for my child to lose skin or a finger.[/QUOTE

Sometimes people attempt to turn info that is shared around and make it something it isn't . Thank you for understanding why the post is here.

 

[George69]

Sorry, I didn't mean to insult you, sorry. Thank you, I appreciate that I was curious if they forgot the give that part of the instruction to your group. I honestly would not put it past them to forget a part, maybe later in the day. I was in the first group of the day and as looked I around only the kids in my group were listen to the instructions.

Plus my Pooh sized Sausage Fingers could not fit in their mouths. I don't think I could ever go noodling.