Alligators and Snakes

[FtW Mike]

Considering That WDW is built on swamp land, the natural habitat to gators, snakes, turtles and all sorts of other wildlife the fact that encounters with them is remarkable. I have been staying in the Ft Wilderness now since 1987 and enjoying ALL areas of the resort and have encountered no snakes ( I look for them ) and have see a total 4 gators. Two while I fishing the spillway into Bay Lake both staying more than 50 yards out so I wasn't too concerned. Number 3 was on a guided fishing trip on Bay lake on the far side of the lake. Number 4 was in AK after exiting the Wild Africa Trek that one was swimming in the creek below a bridge. Just remember that if it is a standing body water in the state of Florida it is likely to be home to gator as not. Snakes are not likely to be in high human traffic areas as we disrupt their prey. Personally I am more afraid of the Ft W squirrels they will rob you blind.

 

[KevM]

Personally I am more afraid of the Ft W squirrels they will rob you blind.

Haha. The squirrels & little birds that just land right in front of people are freaky. But it’s the ducks that really freak me out. I was walking down the stairs of the International Gateway Bridge early one morning last weekend and two ducks just started walking right up. I gave them a wide breadth of room.

 

[Sparty1833]

I think the only time I have seen a gator outside of a zoo/park was at MCO from the tram to the main building.

 

[HopperFan]

Only 2nd or 3rd floor rooms for me. Thanks

Absolutely makes no difference at all ..........

Gators are more athletic than you think ... and can climb stairs ...






AND they can ring door bells

 

[disneydeal]

Absolutely makes no difference at all ..........

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Gators are more athletic than you think ... and can climb stairs ...

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AND they can ring door bells

Don't tell me that. I'm freaked out now. I'm more afraid of snakes than gators.

 

[HopperFan]

Don't tell me that. I'm freaked out now. I'm more afraid of snakes than gators.

If it helps, I am terrified of snakes, they are the #1 thing that I'm scared of animal wise. I always say "the only good snake is a dead snake" .... and on the rare times I saw one in the yard, I literally flew through the air to get away and barricade myself in house.

SO .... we now have a Florida home with a small garden feet from a pond. I have had 4 up close and personal meets with 4 different kinds of snakes by my back door. It was clear they were much more afraid of me than I was of them. Walking the dog came up on a rattle snake ........... now I still turned and ran away. But again, as DH stayed to take a photo, it quickly slid off into the bushes.

At Universal I was waiting for night show and one came out of bushes, over my foot and slithered away. I was frozen and DS couldn't believe he wasn't fishing me out of the lake. But as he cruised and people screamed the poor thing was a wreck trying to get away from it all.

Never thought I would be anything less than screaming running bat crazy mortified but learned if I stay still or move slightly to make them aware they go away. Just don't enter their territory. Stay out of the bushes.

OH, been going to Disney since it opened, been at Disney hotels since 1991 (over 135 times in hotels) and I don't recall ever seeing a snake in the parks or at a hotel. I did see a small gator swimming in the water at AK where it shouldn't have been but not near guests.

You'll be fine just watch where you are walking.

 

[pezaddict231]

We've been to Disney many times and I've never seen a snake or gator.

 

[sponica]

Absolutely makes no difference at all ..........

View attachment 319203

View attachment 319204

Gators are more athletic than you think ... and can climb stairs ...

View attachment 319207

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AND they can ring door bells

These pictures are why I live where my face hurts 4 months of the year (in a good year)

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

Oh good grief! After those photos from @HopperFan, I kind of want to cancel my whole trip. I knew I shouldn’t have opened this thread!

I’m genuinely surprised to hear how many of you have seen alligators in Disney, esp in CSR’s lake (since that’s where I’m staying) and Tom Sawyer’s Island. Does Disney remove them when they see them in such heavily populated areas?

 

[UncleMike101]

Absolutely makes no difference at all ..........
AND they can ring door bells

Lady inside; "Yes, who is it?"

Candygram.........

 

[Minnesota!]

2 years ago we was walking on the sidewalk at the resort and a 4 foot black snake came slithering out from bushes onto sidewalk in front of us... we went up to 2nd level to look down and observe, he kept going back and forth and twice checked out an exterior room door for food. Housekeeping called maintenance who came by after 10 minutes and couldn't locate it in bush.... he's waiting for YOU on your next trip...

Only 2nd or 3rd floor rooms for me. Thanks

As far as alligators we saw a few in water near splash mountain while on ride.

I figure, even if they can climb, I allow myself to believe they are lazy and will just go for the easy rooms - ground floor. We had ducks try and join us in our room during our first stay at CBR in 1999... it's been upper floor ever since.

FWIW, OP - I have been to WDW 35 or so times in 18 years and only ONCE have I seen a snake. Last trip, at night at AK...bunch of CM's crowding around a bench on the path to Dinosaur. DH said it was a big snake under there. I couldn't really see what it was, but they were all pretty concerned.

 

[DisneyOma]

Good Evening Everyone,

I am taking a shot in the dark that this is the appropriate board. If it is not, please move accordingly...

We have a family trip planning for September. My DH is terrified of snakes and is very worried of alligators and snakes. So much so that I am afraid it will ruin the trip for him. I tried to Google information that could help alleviate his anxiety over this and only found a story on the snake that they trapped at MK and the amount of alligators they catch every year (with a reflection on the poor family who lost their 2-year-old to an alligator a few years ago).

Neither of these are stories I want to share with him for obvious reasons. Does anyone have tips, advice, thoughts on the matter that I could share with my DH to help ease his anxiety at all?

Thanks in advance.

We had a snake in the water with us at Typhoon Lagoon. The CMs said it wasn't poisonous, but it did like to bite. I've also seen them at our resort (Pop Century) and at MK. Also saw a rat at MK, and quite a few small gators over the years as well. There is a good chance you will see a snake or a gator. Take him to a therapist?

 

[PollyannaMom]

Good Evening Everyone,

I am taking a shot in the dark that this is the appropriate board. If it is not, please move accordingly...

We have a family trip planning for September. My DH is terrified of snakes and is very worried of alligators and snakes. So much so that I am afraid it will ruin the trip for him. I tried to Google information that could help alleviate his anxiety over this and only found a story on the snake that they trapped at MK and the amount of alligators they catch every year (with a reflection on the poor family who lost their 2-year-old to an alligator a few years ago).

Neither of these are stories I want to share with him for obvious reasons. Does anyone have tips, advice, thoughts on the matter that I could share with my DH to help ease his anxiety at all?

Thanks in advance.

Fear is not always logical, but if your DH mentions it again, I would try to reassure him that Disney management is very on top of it's wildlife control. I haven't seen one snake in eight trips to Disney World. (I did see one at a Universal resort, and the staff was excellent about keeping guests away from it without causing a panic.) These critters are not looking to interact with humans! Keep to the paths, and you are unlikely to see any at all.

 

[maxiesmom]

Oh good grief! After those photos from @HopperFan, I kind of want to cancel my whole trip. I knew I shouldn’t have opened this thread!

I’m genuinely surprised to hear how many of you have seen alligators in Disney, esp in CSR’s lake (since that’s where I’m staying) and Tom Sawyer’s Island. Does Disney remove them when they see them in such heavily populated areas?

Of course they do! But Florida is basically swamp land. Stay out of the lakes, and don't go down by the water, and you will be fine.

 

[littledebbie335]

I don't like encountering snakes either, but those photos of the snakes and gators are just pictures of wild animals doing what wild animals do: living! They are not out to get in you. As some previous posters mentioned, most of the time, you and the wildlife will both be hurrying to get away from each other.

The advice to stay out of bushes and water is solid, though. Animals tend to attack when they feel surprised or cornered, so if you reach into a bush where a snake is chilling and scare it, that's when you'd be most likely to get bit.

 

[BOG Tom]

I had no idea gators could hop fences. Needless to say, stay away from beaches and you should be fine. Other than that, leave them alone, and they leave you alone. Treat them like bees. My understanding is most gators are under 4 feet long.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I had no idea gators could hop fences. Needless to say, stay away from beaches and you should be fine. Other than that, leave them alone, and they leave you alone. Treat them like bees. My understanding is most gators are under 4 feet long.

Ummmm no those are "teenaged" gators. Adults are about twice that. They are removed by Fish/Wildlife usually at that teen stage of life as they become nuisance gators (like any teenager!)

If you're close enough to the gator to see how big its head is to figure out how old it is, you're probably too close.

 

[CeruleanMoon]

Well...I actually saw a snake at AKL two nights ago! It was a tiny one slithering across the pathway at the Urusha Rock overlook. It was around 9 o'clock at night. Everyone on the pathway just stopped to let it pass and it slithered off into the bushes.

 

[usnuzuloose]

Snakes for the most part don't want anything to do with people. That is why they hide in bushes. And remember you would not miss seeing an alligator Enjoy your vacation

 

[JAMIESMITH]

One of the boat drivers slowed down to point out the alligators to us. We were traveling from The Polynesian to Magic Kingdom.