Alligators?

[steffali]

Has anyone ever seen an Alligator or snake around WDW resorts or parks? With all of this recent news about Alligators attacking in Florida I was wondering with all of that property and lakes around WDW there has GOT to be gators,snakes etc.....

 

[litlpixie]

Take a visit to the Resort Board..there's a thread about the now famous CSR Gator, that they just pulled out of the lake.....pictures too!!!

 

[David R]

To calm you down a little I will say that I've never seen one at WDW so don't let these news reports ruin your vacation. This is central Florida, so of course there will be alligators, but I wouldn't stress about it. I eat lunch by a lake type area everyday and I'm still alive

 

[Allison]

Yes, look there, there are 2 threads going on the resorts board right now.

 

[LISAMWDW]

I've seen snakes at WDW, in water only though, multiple times!

 

[Simba's Mom]

Although I've never seen a gator, every time DH golfs at Palm, he sees one, including when he was there a couple weeks ago. In over 20 trips to WDW, I've only seen a snake once, and naturally it had to be when I brought my very snake-phobic mother with me. It was on the sidewalk by the BC bus stop.

 

[BlindTyldak]

I've seen gators on property several times, including CSR (though not sure if it was the lake gator, this was years ago). But I always see at least one in a canal going to or from a park.

 

[CDSTapisRouge]

The running joke in Florida is that if you leave water in your Bathtub for to long a gator will find it...

Anywhere you have fresh water you will find gators. Keep in mind a gators natural instinct is to be fearful of people. That is why it is illegal to feed an alligator. When people feed them, they lose their fear and will become to accustomed to humans and come to them for food.

With that said, yes, there are many alligators on Disney property. Disney will leave them alone until they get to a certain size (or too aggressive) and then they will trap them and relocate them. We have alligators on the Rivers of America in MK all the time (although the trappers do come get those before they are fully grown), but they generally stay on the backside of the river between Big Thunder and Haunted Mansion where there are no people. When the Riverboat is running you can usually find them on the banks in the back while you are riding, but you will very rarely see them from the park side.

 

[jann1033]

i've seen snakes in the campground at WDW and so they are probably everywhere else to and i know they used to send out a flyer with your campground check in stuff to notify them if you saw a snake.

not at disney but once on our way home we stopped at a park ( Blues springs i think was the name )and people were swimming with gators right there...wouldn't catch me doing it but either something has changed or maybe they are more used to people and equate them with food now? (like some of the problem bears in the Smokies)

 

[james15]

I've seen quite a few gators in the canals around WDW property.Nothing to big now i 've done some camping in the Everglades they have some big boys there.True most gators have a fear of people but i'am not brave enough to be in the water with them.The gal who was killed snorkling was attacked by a 12 ft gator she had no chance what so ever.

 

[steffali]

I am going to take a look on the resorts message board about this. Let me just say that all of the times I have been to WDW I have never seen a gator or snake but if I do you will all hear me scream from where ever you are

I will be looking for them now

 

[tmt martins]

I know one use to hang out by the Turkey leg stand at MK

 

[goofyernmost]

There used to be a resident alligator that stayed by the bridge alongside the castle. Last time I was there I was looking in the river in front of the castle and saw a snake lazily swimming down the river. Plenty of wild life in the World.

 

[Lesley]

We've seen the alligator in the canal by the BCV and my dh saw a snake once when bringing our luggage in at OKW...it was by the stairs on the way to our villa.

I really don't care for snakes, but I know they're there. I'd just prefer not to see them. Alligators don't worry me because I know they'll generally keep their distance. I do get a bit concerned near brushy areas next to water and keep the kids away....we don't need to accidentally be disturbing an alligator.

 

[rie'smom]

My friend Elaine's 10 year old daughter was bitten by a snake @ CBR at Thanksgiving. She was rushed to Celebration hospital and after a long night was allowed to leave. She had to use a wheelchair as her ankle was very swollen. Hint: Stay on the sidewalks,keep your kids on the sidewalks.Do not go to see the pretty flowers alongside the sidewalks. Notice the theme? Snakes are much more visible on a concrete surface than in the grass or near the bushes.
My cousin is an ER doctor there and says they see lots of snakebite victims-not all from WDW-just in the area.Apparently,a small type of rattler is common to the Florida area. It likes to hide in bushes and mulch. Please be careful!

 

[Luv2CtheMouse]

The lake in the middle of CSR.