Experienced Bad Mom

Not Just a Bad Mom, But an Experienced Bad Mom

  • HOME
  • About Me & The Blog
  • Contact Me
  • How it all began
  • No Guest Posts
  • Publications
  • Reprints

The hawk, baby ducklings, and Pool of Death (Disney Week)

February 24, 2012 By Katy 31 Comments

I can’t make this stuff up, people.

During our stay at Disney, we enjoyed a lovely room on the 4th floor at the Boardwalk Resort. It had 2 balconies and a view of the quiet, or leisure, pool.

The view of the leisure pool from our room

One day, at about 5 pm, we were relaxing in our room and heard some commotion outside. From the balcony, we could see a Mama Duck and 6 little ducklings struggling to get out of the pool. Mama Duck would hop out of the pool, but the wee baby ducklings could not jump over the pool’s side. They kept flopping back into the pool.

Cue Disney cast members to the rescue! (Remember, at Disney they’re not employees–they’re “cast members”.) The cast members had been watching the duck drama from the community room next to the pool and started building towel bridges for the ducklings to waddle onto and escape from the pool.

Awwwww…

Enthralled by the duck drama unfolding before our eyes, my kids and I threw on some shoes and raced downstairs to cheer on the ducks. My husband stayed behind.

When we got to the pool, the ducks had escaped and nestled into some grass poolside. We watched the 6 fuzzy, cute little ducklings for a few minutes.

Awwwww………fuzzy-wuzzy ducklings!

Finally, the kids grew bored and we went inside the community room next to the pool to do crafts and play video games. At this point I see that the silly Mama Duck and her 6 fuzzy, wuzzy ducklings waddled back into the pool. Did they learn nothing? I thought.

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I see a HUMONGOUS bird fly into the pool. I turn and watch in horror as a GIGANTIC HAWK leaves the pool with– yup –a fuzzy-wuzzy duckling in its talons!

ACK!

Here comes the GIGANTIC HAWK

I race to the pool screaming “The hawk took a baby duck! The hawk took the baby duck!”

The Disney cast member in charge of crafts says, “What?” before she breaks down crying.

My husband, on the 4th floor balcony, is screaming my name. “KATY!” he yells. “The hawk took the duck!”

Yes, I saw that.

“He took TWO!” yells my husband.

Oh. No.

“KATY!” he continues yelling, for all of the Disney Boardwalk resort to hear. “I was waving my arms at you and yelling your name to come out and scare the hawk!”

Ok, WHAT?

“Yea, I kept calling your name hoping you’d come outside and save the baby ducks!”

Ok, wait just a minute.

So now I’m a bad mom because I did not race outside at the Happiest Place on Earth and throw myself in front of the GIGANTIC HAWK in order to save the stupid, fuzzy-wuzzy ducklings who got back into the pool? What was I going to do? Wave my arms and throw a glue stick at him?

It gets better. Yea. It does.

Upon returning to our 4th floor room, my husband whips out his camera where he shares all the action shots he took of the hawk preying on fuzzy-wuzzy ducklings. Turns out the 4th floor gutter by our room is the GIGANTIC HAWK’s preferred dining location. (And, no, he’s not on the Disney Dining Plan.)

My husband’s action shot of the GIGANTIC HAWK eating baby ducklings

The children remained fairly stoic and under control throughout the experience. I can tell they are scarred for life, though. My son, 8, would randomly ask me the next day in a quiet voice, “Remember the pool of DEATH?”

And when I picked up my daughter, 5, from daycare on the first day back from Disneyworld, her teacher ran straight up to me. “What’s this about a duck? And a hawk? That can’t be real…”

Yes, friends. It was real! And the irony was that the circle of life happened in the most artificial place on earth!

I don’t need to take my kids to any National Parks, that’s for sure. Disneyworld provided the most crushing example of nature at work that I’ve ever witnessed!

Do you have a Disney experience that tops this one? I’d love to hear it!

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email

Related

Comments

  1. stu says

    February 27, 2012 at 1:15 pm

    There is no way anyone could have a Disney story that could top that…..

    Reply
  2. TheBargainBabe says

    February 29, 2012 at 2:29 pm

    Oh my word! No, my disney stories do not top the POOL OF DEATH. How awful. I was LOLing at your husband though, especially the way he took photos of the carnage.
    TheBargainBabe recently posted…$0 Pantry OrganizationMy Profile

    Reply
  3. Jen says

    March 12, 2012 at 11:29 am

    Holy crap! That was hilarious! I feel bad for the fuzzy wuzzy ducks, but I would not go head to head with a hawk either. “Remember the pool of DEATH?” Classic. You won’t forget your Disney experience.

    Reply
    • Katy says

      March 12, 2012 at 1:10 pm

      Exactly! Happiest Place on Earth—NOT! (P.S. Totally stoked you stopped by!!)

      Reply
  4. just keep swimming says

    April 8, 2012 at 11:25 pm

    Found you from PIWTPITT. I have been to DisneyWorld and Land countless times. I have no stories that can compare to yours in any way. You win!
    just keep swimming recently posted…Dinner with a two-headed monsterMy Profile

    Reply
    • Katy says

      April 9, 2012 at 8:37 am

      Thanks for stopping by! I’m hoping for some sort of “Crazy Disney Experience” contest one day so I can score a Disney cruise! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Derpina says

    April 9, 2012 at 11:07 am

    Heehee. I found you on PIWTPITT. This story is hilarious! No, I can’t top it, but I do have a couple of funny Disney stories.

    My family went to Dineyworld when my sibs and I were teens. We were sitting on a bench one day eating our sack lunches when my 16 year old brother dropped his bread crust on the ground. My mom ordered him to pick it up.

    “Why? The birds will just eat it in a minute.”

    “Because someone might come by and slip on it!”

    We all started to giggle at that stupid statement when my brother, god bless his smart ass, stood up and pretended to be jauntily walking by and slip on said bread crust. He threw himself on the ground and pulled a fake injury act so convincing that randoms with concerned faces started to form a crowd. The rest of us (even mom) were laughing so I hard we were crying, and the growing crowd was looking at us like we were the biggest jerks on the planet. Oh my gosh, I still laugh whenever I remember that. I wish I had it on video!
    Derpina recently posted…Fine Dining at Chez DerpMy Profile

    Reply
    • Katy says

      April 9, 2012 at 11:09 am

      Ha! I’m laughing at the crowd gathering round your brother. I’m surprised the Disney Cast Members didn’t rush up and give him a button to wear in honor of his “magical” memory–or a card so he could go to the front of all ride lines! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

      Reply
  6. Devan says

    April 10, 2012 at 1:56 am

    YUP! This is just as hysterical as it was played up to be! I have tears streaming down my face, for real! Your husband hollering to you to save the ducks….throw a glue stick at it…..hilarious!! Oh and you can thank Jen for my visit as well! (I’m gonna go read some more of your stuff too!) 🙂

    Reply
    • Katy says

      April 10, 2012 at 7:27 am

      So happy that 1) Jen pointed you in my direction and 2) you got a good laugh out of the wackiest Disney experience ever! Thanks for reading and commenting! 🙂

      Reply
  7. disneykatrina says

    May 5, 2012 at 8:42 pm

    Oh my goodness! I am thinking that me writing about your pool of death experience is not going to get anyone to book a trip at the Boardwalk. Then again, that killer clown pool is another deterrent. You’ll have to let me know if you want to go back – I’ll see what I can do to find you a fabulous resort without a killer hawk. I wonder if I could find this hawk when I am there in a few weeks. I have tons of squirrels at my house it could feast upon!
    disneykatrina recently posted…Star Wars Weekends at Hollywood StudiosMy Profile

    Reply
    • Katy says

      May 5, 2012 at 9:12 pm

      Hah! Here, hawky, hawky, hawky! We’ve got squirrels…
      Katy recently posted…SupercalifragilisticexpialidociousMy Profile

      Reply
  8. Steph at I'm Still Learning says

    August 23, 2012 at 7:52 pm

    Wow. What en eventful and unfortunate trip to Disney. The worst that happened to me was that I got bit by an adult duck.

    Came to you from #FindingTheFunny
    Steph at I’m Still Learning recently posted…You Swore You’d Never Do THAT!My Profile

    Reply
  9. sparkling74 says

    August 26, 2012 at 9:49 pm

    Umm, I watched Goofy’s head fall off, is that a good story? It was the character breakfast, way back in the last century, when they probably had just started doing them, and Goofy was being… Goofy and pretending he couldn’t get through the doorway. And he kept pretending to struggle in and out and then when he threw his head back to push himself forward, the head fell right off. We talked about that for the rest of the vacation!
    sparkling74 recently posted…Animals Are AssholesMy Profile

    Reply
    • Katy says

      August 27, 2012 at 6:30 pm

      That’s awesome! And clearly memorable. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Kelley says

    August 29, 2012 at 10:49 am

    That is unbelievable!! It’s amazing that any duckling grows into adulthood with hawks and people like me out there!
    Kelley recently posted…Soooooooooo, I ran over FIVE ducks on Monday. Help me feel better. Please? (It’s also "Finding the Funny" time!)My Profile

    Reply
    • Katy says

      August 29, 2012 at 11:31 am

      I know! Your duck story is unbelievable as well!

      Reply
  11. Adrienne says

    March 19, 2013 at 9:31 pm

    OMGoodness! I’m dying! Isn’t there tragedy in every Disney movie? You should submit the screenplay. Mean, mean Hawk!

    Reply
  12. Mary W. says

    March 19, 2013 at 10:08 pm

    I was at a friends house one day and his cockatiel accidently escaped out the door. Within a matter of seconds a hawk swooped down and did the same exact thing. It was horrifying for me to see it, I can’t imagine how the kids felt.
    Mary W. recently posted…Kidaroo Crew Giveaway (ends 4/2)My Profile

    Reply
    • Katy says

      March 20, 2013 at 9:52 am

      Ack!! So crazy.

      Reply
  13. thedoseofreality says

    July 31, 2013 at 12:19 am

    OH MY GOD!! I just cannot even begin to imagine that moment…and seeing it happen at Disney of all places is JUST the worst!! I am so sorry!!-Ashley
    thedoseofreality recently posted…CAPTCHA, I *STILL* WANNA PUNCH YA!My Profile

    Reply
  14. Michelle says

    November 12, 2013 at 7:47 pm

    That is terrible! Yes, you’re right. I like the duck story I posted much better.
    Michelle recently posted…A Brief Interruption to Regularly Scheduled ProgrammingMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Jen says

    January 8, 2015 at 10:36 am

    OH MY GOSH!! That’s terrible, how sad. I guess though it’s not a bad lesson for kids to learn early on. You know eat or be eaten 🙂
    Jen recently posted…A New Year and a New Dress from eShaktiMy Profile

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Welcome Scary Mommy Readers! says:
    July 24, 2012 at 8:29 am

    […] Some days I rant, like this one about pregnancy vs. parenthood. Or, there’s the outrageous things that happen only to me and my family, like the time we watched a Wild America episode play itself out on our trip to DisneyWorld. […]

    Reply
  2. Vacation, All I Ever Wanted says:
    August 4, 2012 at 10:59 am

    […] let’s not forget what happened this winter when my family went to Disneyworld. We watched a giant hawk swoop down to the Boardwalk Resort swimming pool, scoop up not one but two baby ducklings, and rip […]

    Reply
  3. Experienced Bad Mom's Year in Review says:
    December 31, 2012 at 12:56 pm

    […] 1. My family witnessed a hawk devour two baby ducks at Walt Disney World’s Boardwalk Resort. […]

    Reply
  4. Holy, Holy, Holy says:
    January 31, 2013 at 2:51 am

    […] year we watched a giant hawk devour baby ducklings at the Boardwalk […]

    Reply
  5. Our 2013 Trip to Disneyworld, Part I says:
    March 6, 2013 at 8:46 am

    […] there is NO WAY that the Pool of Death story from last year can ever be topped. Let’s just make that […]

    Reply
  6. 10 Signs That You've Watched Frozen Too Many Times says:
    August 27, 2014 at 9:51 am

    […] could meet Elsa and Anna at Disneyworld. If you’re a big Disney fan, you might also enjoy the CRAZY thing that happened to us during a stay at Boardwalk Resort. I’d also love to have you follow me on […]

    Reply
  7. Off to Disney says:
    February 19, 2015 at 12:28 am

    […] The time we saw the hawk eat the baby ducklings out of the Boardwalk Resort […]

    Reply
  8. 3 Magical Disney World Moments says:
    March 30, 2019 at 6:04 pm

    […] Thankfully, this year we did NOT see a hawk pluck ducklings out of the Boardwalk Resort pool and eat them in a gutter near our room. True story. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badgeShow more posts

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome

I'm Katy, the Experienced Bad Mom. Everything I've done wrong with my first child, I've done wrong with my second child as well. Come laugh with me!

Follow Me

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Subscribe via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

A Santa dances on a chimney in the snow next to the title of the Chicken Soup for the Soul: Tales of Christmas book.

Looking for something?

Pin with me

Visit Experienced Bad Mom's profile on Pinterest.

Tags

80s American Girl back to school bad mom birthdays blogging Cats Christmas coronavirus Disney Disneyworld Disney World Experienced Bad Mom Finish the Sentence Friday funny funny parenting cartoons funny stuff for parents Generation X references giveaway good mom guest post Haiti homework humor ice hockey kids kids say the funniest things middle school parent mommy blog humor movies raising kids school shopping summer summer vacation Sydney teenagers TV tweens vacation We like cats Will working mom Working Mom Juggle youth sports

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Archives

JENerally Informed



Copyright © 2025 ·Modern Blogger Pro · Genesis Framework by StudioPress · WordPress · Log in