Gators at resorts...facts and wise tips

[DVC-Don]

I'm not sure what kind if information you're looking for . The fact is, alligators are present all over Florida. The fact is, given the geography of the area in and around WDW it would be impossible for Disney to keep them all out of their property. That's like expecting NYC to eradicate every rat in the city and keep it rat free.

Disney does try to monitor the Gator population, and their animal control officers will capture and relocate larger gators that are found to be around guest areas.

But there are reasons why there are signs warning people to stay out of the water except for swimming pools. The presence of gators and poisonous snakes are 2 of those reasons.

Stay out of the water. Stay away from bushes or tall clumps of grasses at the water's edge. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Gators spend the majority of their life in the water or along the banks of the river, Marsh, swamp or Lake that they inhabit. On land they can move swiftly for a short period but are generally much slower and ungainly than when they are in the water.

Gators are not relocated in Florida. They are captured and killed. The last paragraph above is good advice. I live in Florida on a pond and watch the gators in my back yard. They do move around on land when traveling from pond to pond, usually after dark.

 

[disneydreamer781]

It's pretty common knowledge about the lakes in FL. If there is a sign posted then no I wouldn't swim or wade in a lake. Renting a boat is not the same as swimming or wading in a lake. If someone like a child is wading and falls in and swallows water there is a risk.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Visting FL, check out this page
http://myfwc.com/
It will explain all wildlife, not just gators.
Better direct link to page on their site to living with wildlife:
http://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/

 

[HopperFan]

NO SWIMMING. What part of "NO" are people not getting??

Sadly there are folks saying that is to be taken literally- I guess as in no freestyle, butterfly etc swimming. Wading doesn't count. Splashing doesn't count etc.

"No Swimming" at a water source pretty much means STAY OUT OF THE WATER. period.

If you can not figure out why ............ just take it that there is something in the water that is not safe.

Most people are not aware of the bacteria... the bacteria everyone speaks of can be in any warm body of water- specifically lakes in the summer. Are you saying you would never swim or wade in any lake in the summer b/c they all have the potential for the bacteria- whether you are in Florida, Alabama, or up here in IL. There is no increased chance of getting infected in Bay Lake versus any other area.

You know you can rent boats and jet skis in the lake too, right??? There is a good chance you are touching the water.

I think it is probably found in Florida more than other areas just because of the year round warm water as opposed to other areas that have very cold winters. I think the odds are probably great to get it in Florida and maybe because there are not way more reports is people in Florida stay out of the lakes. Yes, it can happen anywhere, a woman just died very recently I believe in Oklahoma, but I think your odds are much higher where there is no winter.
http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/general.html

That said the organisms and alligators are more likely to be around the shores and most water sports at Disney are done in deeper water, and you sign a liability waiver. As long as you don't venture up towards shore you are pretty safe.

AND while many years ago we had a boat and spent many days at a large lake not far from home ............ I will no longer get in any lake.

 

[qman6975]

During our 2005 visit to CSR there was a small alligator that hung around the footbridge on the Cabana's side of the resort. We were told that gators were removed when they get to be 5-6 feet long. During our last visit to CSR last month we saw a raccoon run across a walkway 50 feet in front of us and I saw a black snake (about a foot long) in the bushes behind Bus Stop 4.

 

[disneyseniors]

You will be fine as long as you do not get close to the water in the lakes. Don't go walking in the lake - not even just up to your ankles.

Recent news reports say they were in the water a foot deep and splashing around.

 

[tobikaye]

Are you saying you would never swim or wade in any lake in the summer b/c they all have the potential for the bacteria- whether you are in Florida, Alabama, or up here in IL. There is no increased chance of getting infected in Bay Lake versus any other area.

More than half of the primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), the infection from Naegleria fowleri, have occurred in Florida or Texas, so I would think the risk would be greater in Bay Lake than it would in, say, Lake Norris in Tennessee. (http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/infection-sources.html)

 

[evilqueenmindy]

I was born in FL and have lived with a lake literally in my back yard since I was 3 years old. There are alligators in the lake, always have been (you can actually hear them when you are close to the water, they make a grunting noise) We swam in the lake when we were kids, but always during the day, and no one in our area ever fed one. The rule was NEVER be in or around the water after dusk or at night or early morning, that is when the alligators hunt. I've seen plenty of them in my lifetime, but only for a second because for the most part, and alligator (that has not been fed by humans) will avoid you as much as you want to avoid it.

Trouble begins when people stop respecting these animals as the dangerous predators they are and begin feeding them, and being less vigilant about what they can do. Once you start to feed an alligator, and it begins to associate people with food, there is nothing that can be done. If it crosses paths with people, the BEST case scenario is that the gator will be caught and killed, and the worst case scenario is someone gets hurt or worse.

 

[Gillyrose779]

More than half of the primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), the infection from Naegleria fowleri, have occurred in Florida or Texas, so I would think the risk would be greater in Bay Lake than it would in, say, Lake Norris in Tennessee. (http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/infection-sources.html)

So to add more stats:

Bacteria Per the CDC:
138 PAM infections from 1962 through 2015-- so less than 3 per year- roughly 1-2 per year in Texas and Florida combined.

Alligators Per Yahoo News:
There have been 23 fatalities caused by wild alligators in Florida since 1973- roughly 1 every 2 years.

Both seem to be very rare.

 

[Sagginit]

One key element a lot of people don't understand is the child was splashing around according to reports which does make a huge difference. As someone stated the alligator may have thought it was a duck, goose, or large fish splashing about. Animals that do attack people generally do it if they have had previous contact with humans (such as feeding) or if they catch their eye as they appear to be similar to an animal they naturally hunt. If people just being near the water at dark was enough to attract an alligator then this would have happened already. If you are worried about gators you just need to follow the rules Disney has in place and if unsure about a sign take the safe route.

Gators aren't the first thing that come to mind when I see the water in WDW but I do think of bacteria, sewage, disease, boat pollution etc when I look at them. In that case even wading isn't safe. A lot of Disney is an illusion and people need to keep that in mind when it comes to how much they can protect you from wildlife.

 

[Lynne M]

I am leaving this thread open only as long as the discussion remains respectful. If you've got a mind to post accusations or conspiracy theories, take them somewhere else.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I too am sickened for the family's loss.

On a completely separate note.....to me NO SWIMMING means to stay out of the water.

 

[corinascot]

Poor family. Heartbreaking. I think I read there was a 1 in 2.4 million chance of a Florida resident being seriously injured by a gator. And to have it happen to your family! Something you never get over, but I hope they can learn to live with it. Please don't say unkind things about these grieving parents.

My tip would be to stay out of any water, except pools. And PLEASE don't feed the alligators...or any animal at Disneyworld. I see that often and it's not a good idea. I've seen it at Seven Seas Lagoon.

 

[Fancy2U]

I thought Disney didn't have gators in their lakes. This is scary! Why don't they remove all the gators?

 

[ExExPirateShopGirl]

I haven't seen any gators while in WDW (granted we weren't looking for them) but saw many when we visited the Space Center. To me, no swimming means stay out of the water. Like many posters here, I assumed it was because of micro-organisms or bacteria. Now that I think about it, it makes sense that gators would be in the water there. I grew up on a lake in the Midwest - no gators - but a host of other creatures. Awareness is a good start. I feel so sad for that family.

 

[Mik2DW2007]

I'm ashamed to say I didn't even think about alligators when we were at Ft Wilderness camping last week. We sat out on the beach Thurs night & watched the water parade & Wishes. We were out there from 8:30-11, just relaxing and watching the ferries come & go. My daughter was playing in the sand but the one time she went near the water I stopped her but it was only because I was afraid of the amoeba! There were multiple times little ones were running in & out of the waters edge & around the beach. I was honestly more concerned about bugs, never even once thought about alligators

 

[Fancy2U]

I'm ashamed to say I didn't even think about alligators when we were at Ft Wilderness camping last week. We sat out on the beach Thurs night & watched the water parade & Wishes. We were out there from 8:30-11, just relaxing and watching the ferries come & go. My daughter was playing in the sand but the one time she went near the water I stopped her but it was only because I was afraid of the amoeba! There were multiple times little ones were running in & out of the waters edge & around the beach. I was honestly more concerned about bugs, never even once thought about alligators

I know right! SCARY

 

[Spoiledraf]

I was unable to copy the post but a Brittish family has come forward about an alligator incident in April at the Poly. Their daughter heard a roaring sound. The gator came up on the beach while they were watching the fireworks and lunged at them and another family. Don't know if they reported it. There is also a recent photo of a large gator on the beach with the CR in the background. Scary.

 

[marivigi]

Not being from FL, if I see a sign that simply says "No swimming" I'm thinking, in the water up to your chest kind of no swimming. Letting my toddler splash around in very shallow water is not swimming to me, therefore I wouldn't be 'ignoring' the signs. Even riptides can't grab you unless the water is at least knee deep.

If I saw a sign that said, "WARNING, ALLIGATORS" I'd be a LOT more weary about letting my toddler play.

And while yes, Commin sense says there are gators in FL, I would've thought Disney would take precautions to keep them away (Gates at the waterway openings, etc) and I would not necessarily be thinking I needed to watch for them at my Disney owned resort. Not that they are responsible I'm not saying that, I'm just saying I would not have thought of that if I wasn't living there.

I agree

 

[corinascot]

Has anyone ever read the wiki page for "WDW incidents?" I'd advise you not to. This is the only alligator attack, but many sad pool drownings.