alligators

[dyna]

I too saw a alligator there by the river across from Tom Sawyers Island that was about 3 yrs ago in Oct it was about 4 foot long best I remember.

NO I wouldn't play in the water at disney lakes streams or rivers and the pirates water always seemed VERY NASTY to me

 

[Jobie]

When my wife and I were at the Magic Kingdom in Oct. of 2003, for our honey moon (one day at magic kingdom rest at USF), we saw a gator. He was in the lagoon between Adventure Land and Frontier land. A castmember stood by, making sure no one harassed it or anything. It was just chilling in the water minding its own business. I can not remeber the exact location, but I know it was in that area. Well any way, here are a couple of pics that I took of it:

I know by the images you can not tell that we were at WDW, but I promise you we were!

 

[JMD]

Nothing "odd" or harmful is in any of the closed systems found in WDW attraction floatation water-ways. Any suggestion to the contray is not rational and is uninformed.

That is incorrect. Pirates of the Caribbean has had major problems with snakes. A friend of mine worked as a Ride Operator there, and knows first hand. I've also heard this from others that have worked there as well. Why is it irrational to think that snakes or any other animal can get into a closed water system in the middle of swamp?

 

[DVCconvert]

JMD
I believe your information is incorrect (so hey--we can agree to disagree).

All closed water ride systems have filtration and are treated. They do not "sit in a swamp" in the sense that anything could or does transport from one environ to the other without 'help'.

 

[GinaGrumpyDwarf]

the water there smells bad enough...there's GOTTA be SOMETHING living in there..ewww

 

[Principessa Alba]

I too saw a alligator there by the river across from Tom Sawyers Island that was about 3 yrs ago in Oct it was about 4 foot long best I remember.

NO I wouldn't play in the water at disney lakes streams or rivers and the pirates water always seemed VERY NASTY to me

I agree! And yet you see little children splashing around in it every day at the resort beaches!

 

[JMD]

JMD
so hey--we can agree to disagree

I'll agree with that.

I understand how a closed water system works, and I wasn't implying that the ride is running through swamp water. But Disney has had problems in the past keeping the natural wildlife out of "closed" areas.

 

[Synonymous]

I agree! And yet you see little children splashing around in it every day at the resort beaches!

And somehow, none of them die of it.

People talk about the lakes at WDW as if it is instant death to dip your toe in. If this is so, then why is there a water-sports business with water skiing?

 

[Principessa Alba]

And somehow, none of them die of it.

People talk about the lakes at WDW as if it is instant death to dip your toe in. If this is so, then why is there a water-sports business with water skiing?

I guess we have no way of knowing how many get sick, though.

I guess I just obey signs when I see them.

 

[jarestel]

ok i know some in FL just pretend these are as harmless as frogs

That's the right word, jann1033... pretending. Humans aren't normally on the aligator's menu, but you never know when a gator will decide to try something "new". It seems foolish to swim where gators are known to be present and all published aligator warning publications I've read expressly recommend against this.

 

[Feralpeg]

And somehow, none of them die of it.

People talk about the lakes at WDW as if it is instant death to dip your toe in. If this is so, then why is there a water-sports business with water skiing?

It doesn't happen to everyone and it is not in every lake, but there is a very nasty bacteria in many lakes in Florida. If you inhale it, you end up with a brain infection. Just last year, a little boy died from it not far from Orlando. I guess they figure you spend a lot less time in the lake when you water ski. Little kids playing in the water and getting it in the nose and mouth is just not safe.

 

[buzz2400]

fyi, the majority of alligators are afraid of people. It is when people feed the gators that the gators became less afraid of people and start looking at people as a food source. I just wanted to give this info because I love gators. But still be cautious if and when you enter any florida water, just as you would be cautious of sharks if you go in the ocean.

 

[stacy1229]

Years ago, my parents were walking from the Golf Resort (now Shades of Green) to Poly at night. A Disney bus driving by pulled over, the driver told them they shouldn't walk there at night because of gators and had them board the bus.

 

[pampam]

This is completely off topic, but since we are discussing wildlife, and how it gets into systems, a week ago today I had the scare of my life. I was sitting on the toilet. I had been there for 5 minutes, reading a book. All of a sudden, I heard a gurgle and a glug, of air bubbling through water. I stood up, and there was an animal in the toilet. I freaked! I believe it was a chipmunk, and he got in through the roof vent for the septic system. Sitting on the john will never be the same. Anyway, wildlife can get in anywhere, including snakes in POC, imho.

 

[marj70]

I've seen gators at the SoG many times, mostly on the walk to the Poly. (My mom wouldn't do the walk after she realized they weren't "Disney gators"!) They have signs up all over to watch for them.

 

[Jaybrad]

I have seen MANY gators on the golf courses. The last time my son in law and I played Eagle Pines we saw five. Never seen one that was aggressive!

 

[DVCconvert]

I stood up, and there was an animal in the toilet. I freaked! I believe it was a chipmunk, and he got in through the roof vent for the septic system. Sitting on the john will never be the same. Anyway, wildlife can get in anywhere, including snakes in POC, imho.

Good thing you don't live in asia--it could have been a bengal tiger!

 

[Windy City Heather]

This is completely off topic, but since we are discussing wildlife, and how it gets into systems, a week ago today I had the scare of my life. I was sitting on the toilet. I had been there for 5 minutes, reading a book. All of a sudden, I heard a gurgle and a glug, of air bubbling through water. I stood up, and there was an animal in the toilet. I freaked! I believe it was a chipmunk, and he got in through the roof vent for the septic system. Sitting on the john will never be the same. Anyway, wildlife can get in anywhere, including snakes in POC, imho.

I feel for you. Toilet have never been the same for me since hearing about the water moccian in a FL toilet. I live in Chicago and my husband tells me daily that I have nothing to worry about in Chicago (if he is incorrect please don't tell me...even though I know he is incorrect). I leave for Disney in about 5 weeks and I am now scared to death of the toilets down there.

My girlfriend us to live in Guam. She told me that snakes in the toilets were a frequent thing there.

 

[scoutsmom99]

ahhhhhh This thread is spooking me out as much as the spider and snakes threads did. Worse part is its kinda like the car crash you can't help, but look at it! I have the chills and I hope I don't run into any unfriendly gators, snakes, or spiders in my hotel room, on a path, during any attraction, on a bus, in an eating establishment, or especially my toilet.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

This is completely off topic, but since we are discussing wildlife, and how it gets into systems, a week ago today I had the scare of my life. I was sitting on the toilet. I had been there for 5 minutes, reading a book. All of a sudden, I heard a gurgle and a glug, of air bubbling through water. I stood up, and there was an animal in the toilet. I freaked! I believe it was a chipmunk, and he got in through the roof vent for the septic system. Sitting on the john will never be the same. Anyway, wildlife can get in anywhere, including snakes in POC, imho.

Oh my goodness! This happened to us at Disney World in 1999! We were staying in a cabin in Fort Wildnerness, I think the 2400 loop? - it was across the street and down slightly from the quiet pool. My sister was in the cabin's bathroom, and then I heard her scream. A frog came up out of the toilet! I don't think she was "on the potty" at the time, but she was completely shook up. The frog hopped around the bathroom and climbed the wall, finally lying still on the mirror, where I caught him and released him outside next to our neighbor's cabin . The kids thought it was hilarious, fortunately! We got a photo of that frog, even, to prove to family and friends that it really happened!

I have not stayed in the cabins since ..............!