Any Alligator Sightings Recently at BCV?

[Melrosgirl]

Personally, I can't wait to see the alligator. I'm fascinated by them, lol. I know, I know, they can kill, etc., but I love to watch them on TV. I also love to go to the Everglades on those "boats" they have to watch the alligators.

WDW was built on swamp land, so alligators were there long before DVC'ers were.

I will not leave BCV next week until I see Al E. Gator there. It's my vacation goal, LOL. (I'm serious too...so if you don't see me post within the next two months, I'm still there - or Al E. Gator got me!)

 

[paulh]

what i want to know is how many points this alligator has because to me he must have a lot to say such a long time at BCV
.I would recomend for him to stay at vero if he wants to stay at disney so he can check out the turtels
PaulH

 

[Pinnie]

We did see the gator on Easter Sunday and again during the week. We did note on Wednesday, there was a boat in the canal with 2 men, so we wondered if they were setting traps.

Terry, we wondered, too, about that grassy area near the bridge/parking lot and if that gator ever decided to leave the canal would he head out that way. Every evening when we came home late, we bypassed the bridge and went in the door near the parking lot

We also saw the gator last July, on our first visit to the BCVs, and in December. He has gotten a tad bigger!

I am going back in June for a "friends only" weekend, sans spouses, and we are going to stay at OKW, but I am going to *insist* on a visit to B&C and see if our 'gator' is still around.

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[pixiedust519]

I've never seen the alligator at BCV but I frequently saw several at MK in the lake area in Liberty Square/Frontierland. If you walk on the pathway near the water, you might see some alligators. We once asked a Disney security guard about them who was standing nearby because one of the gators had created quite a crowd!!! He told us that Disney actually puts them in the lake on purpose to help control the duck population!!!!! He said Disney was having a big problem with all the ducks so they started adding baby gators to the lake. Once they get to a certain size they are released into the wild. He also mentioned that it is against Florida law to feed them and if someone is caught, they could face a $50 fine.

Alyssa

 

[pnelson]

Really!! I just can't believe that Disney would really put an alligator in the lake to eat the ducks! Wouldn't that be a Disney moment for your kids? "Oh Look! There's an alligator eating a baby duck. Isn't that sweet!!!

 

[pixiedust519]

I can imagine that that would be pretty traumatizing for a kid!! However, the security guard implied that they don't actually eat the baby ducks, but they eat some of the eggs.

Alyssa

 

[MiaSRN62]

We saw a small alligator in '97 in the lake between the Poly and the Contemp---we had just finished Mickey's Tropical Luau dinner. Then again, in '01 we saw a really large gator on the Osprey Ridge golf course as we were exiting FW. I think it's the Osprey that is closest to FW ? Golfers were a mere 150 feet away playing like nothing was out of the ordinary and the gator was just basking---minding his own business about 20 feet from the road.

 

[simba3]

The gator is there and apparently has been for months. We saw him several times during Easter week. Apparently the gator can't get out of the waterway and from what we were told Disney will remove alligators if they get bigger than 6 feet. This one is probably five feet but who's counting! It is a nice touch. After all it's Florida!

 

[colleen costello]

The only florida gator we've seen so far was a smushed one on the highway a trip to Cocoa Beach. We live in Indiana so we were fairly impressed but I am dying to see this little "BeachClubVilla mascot" one. I think they should offer BCV shirts with a gator on them. This critter is sort of famous here on the DIS; this is not the first thread regarding him/her. I hope s/he hasn't been "relocated" when we visit in June!

 

[Picasso Boy]

We are not only DVC members,but being lifelong Florida residents I can tell you that the surprise to me is not the gator in the canal but the fact that you dont see gators in EVERY canal!
They are EVERYWHERE......the housing developement we live in is the home to more than I can count and in Florida they are as common as cats.
They are no danger to you if you just leave them be(lke a hornets nest....except with REALLY BIG hornets)
The only time you hear about gator attacks here is when they have lost thier fear of humans due to people constantly feeding them,then they come to associate humans with MEALTIME and tragedy follows.
Apart from that...its kind of cool having them around.
Enjoy them from a distance and you will have NOTHING to fear.
If Disney immediately removed every gator sited...they would be doing nothing else!

 

[Disney1fan2002]

WOW!!! I would never expect an alligator on Disney property. Yes, I know Disney is in Florida, and that is where gators live, but I would think that with all the tourists, and the stupidity of them, i.e feeding them, Disney would not let them hang around.

The worst thing I ever saw on Disney property, was I was walking to Pioneer Hall from the beach, and a family in front of me stopped short, I almost walked into them, they had stopped because the BIGGEST BLACKEST snake I have ever seen was slithering across the blacktop, heading in the direction of River Country. I vowed at that moment that I was never going to be using my passes for a day at River Country. LOL.

 

[HorizonsFan]

He told us that Disney actually puts them in the lake on purpose to help control the duck population!!!!! He said Disney was having a big problem with all the ducks so they started adding baby gators to the lake.

I think this guy was pulling your leg. Bring in gators to eat ducks? Sounds like the old lady who swallowed a fly...

 

[2disneyagain]

We have recently bought a timeshare at Vacation Village at Parkway (we haven't stayed there yet LOL). While we were leaving we spotted an alligator in a small pond. It was just a baby and they told us it was only about 3 feet and when it got really big (6 or 7 feet) they would remove it.

 

[Nana Sue]

On the boat ride from OKW to DTD we have asked the boat captains on several occasions if they ever see any alligators in the canals there. They all said they often do but when one is spotted Disney comes and removes it I have never spotted an alligator at WDW but my husband golfs the courses frequently and always sees alligators there. Golfers who golf in the south are used to seeing gators on golf courses. I guess it just depends on where the alligators are and how big they are. I personally think that is why Disney closed River Country. Do you remember the CMs always had big sticks? I'm sure they just had too many critters wondering in! Either the gator at BCV isn't large enough to bother with or they can't catch him.

 

[Sammie]

Here is an interesting site about the Animals of Disney World.

http://www.hiddenmickeys.org/WDW/Property/Secrets/Animals.html

 

[colleen costello]

Sammie, thanks for that great link! When I was a kid we stayed at Ft. Wilderness every summer, and one of our yearly "must-do's" was going on armadillo expeditions. "Back in the good old days," the MK was open til midnight so by the time we got back to the campground it would be after 1am. We'd take small flashlights and go search out armadilloes. They are the funniest little creatures and I still look for them whenever at WDW.

Thanks again!

 

[MiaSRN62]

We'd take small flashlights and go search out armadilloes. They are the funniest little creatures and I still look for them whenever at WDW.

We spotted an armadillo a couple years ago near the entrance to the WL.
My uncle lives in southeast FL and says these are the most annoying/nuisance critters around. He told me people in his neighborhood trap and often kill them. They eat gardens, dig deep holes and just wreak havoc to suburban communities. One of my uncles's neighbors tripped into a armadillo hole and fractured his foot or ankle. I think alot of Floridians consider them on par with rats....lol

 

[colleen costello]

To each his own! I live in Indiana and the racoons can drive us crazy -- the get into trash and bird feeders and leave large "calling cards" on my deck in the warm months. I rarely get to see an armadillo and as they don't casue me any trouble, I think they are adorable!

 

[MiaSRN62]

To each his own! I live in Indiana and the racoons can drive us crazy -- the get into trash and bird feeders and leave large "calling cards" on my deck in the warm months. I rarely get to see an armadillo and as they don't casue me any trouble, I think they are adorable!

Colleen ---I'm not dissin' the armadillos at all. I'm just saying some people think they're cute and others find them a huge pain. I was just giving the perspective of some native Floridians, that's all. So I hear ya. LOL
I, agree, I think it's neat to see them. I live in PA and I have racoons, possum, groundhogs and skunks living in my yard (sometimes even fox and deer venture near) !

 

[jcodespoti]

I was wondering where my Mother-in-law went off to

Joe in CT

P.S. This may be my last post