Curious about the lake @ Poly / GF

[benamin]

Just a question of curiosity. On our last trip we stayed off site but went for dinner to the Poly and toured GF. I noticed they have beautiful beaches but swimming is not allowed. I didn't think much of it, but then I saw some pictures in this forum of people in the water on these beaches back in the mid 90's.

Why did they stop and not allow you in the water?

Anyone know?

 

[chasgoose]

Because the water in the Seven Seas Lagoon is pretty disgusting. Believe me, you wouldn't want to swim in there.

 

[johnsonet]

Maybe they just need to have control over how far people could go out... there are many different boats in that water and they do have a safety issue. What if some nut decided he was going to swim over to the MK. Disney can't have that sort of problem on their hands... So they just ban swimming altogether.

I have always heard that it was a question of "contaminated" water, but I wonder if it's more of a water safety issue. They would need to have lifeguards and boundaries.

Whenever I sit in the little shaded lounging chairs on the beach at GF there are children frolicking at the water's edge.

 

[MOREMICKEY4ME]

I am not sure where, but someone on this board posted pictures of an aligator in the water.

 

[BCV23]

I agree with johnsonet, I suspect it is just a safety issue. They do allow water skiing and also swimming in the Ironman events.

When we first starting staying at the Polynesian in the early 80's swimming was allowed. The swimming area was roped off. I think swimming was allowed until sometime in the early 90's.

 

[safetymom]

There is also a fresh water amoeba that lives in the waters in FL. that can cause death if it enters your system. I don't want to chance it.

 

[Southernson]

We were there in 1991 and no swiming signs were posted

 

[kelscross]

When we stayed at the Poly the first time there was this HUGE bug in the pool...I mean HUGE and aggressive. The lifeguards caught it in a net and killed it. They said it was an alligator tick and it comes from the lagoon. After seeing THAT I would NEVER let my kids near the lagoon water.

 

[cara loves the poly]

Both times we were there kids were wading (ankle to knee deep) and filling their buckets and stuff! Mine had a blast, but no swimming.

 

[maelstrom]

There is also a fresh water amoeba that lives in the waters in FL. that can cause death if it enters your system. I don't want to chance it.

Exactly. They should start posting this on the "no swimming" signs. Then maybe I'd see less kids out in the water.

 

[benamin]

Thanks, Curiosity fixed. I figured there had to a logocal explanation.

 

[ObsessedwiththeMouse]

We were told by the lifeguards that the sunscreen people were wearing into the water was contaminating the water and making it gross, so they had to ban people swimming.

 

[AJKMOM]

With over a million alligators in Florida, they say that if a body of water is big enough to hold a gator, there probably is one in it. Someone posted that with the Triathalon, they have a certain course set with buoys and guards in boats to watch for alligators during the race.

The story about the amoeba is that it lives on the bottom of the lakes, so it's OK for the Triathalon competition because the swimmers don't stir up the bottom like would happen with casual swimmers.

 

[LakeAriel]

We saw an alligator in the water at the Beach Club last summer. Her picture was posted, she was just their mascot..Fun to see but I'll pass on swimming with her...

 

[deej696]

Yes there is contamination in the water, but I can assure you it has little to do with people swimming with sunscreen. Disney or not, I wouldnt swim in Seven Seas any more than I would swim in the East River in NYC, and for the exact same reasons....

 

[MissionMouse]

While the two lakes adjacent to the MK are man made ...over time mother nature took over and amoebas took hold in these two water sources too. This changed the policy regarding these beaches. The PR also ended the use of their wave machine before this too, as it eroded the shore of the PR. River Country also end with the help of this water contamination issue since it was a mix of lake and tap water. It also required updating to compete with newer water parks...it was cheaper to build the new water parks. Anyway the shallows of the lake are the greatest threat area for amoebas with the highest threat during the Summer months.
http://www.ecofloridamag.com/askeditor_waterborne_illness.htm ... the water-borne illnesses in Florida HIGHLIGHTED area provides the technical information.

 

[my2tinkerbells]

There is also a fresh water amoeba that lives in the waters in FL. that can cause death if it enters your system. I don't want to chance it.

Our butler at the GF last Sept told us that this is the reason why there is no more swimming in the lake.

 

[ConcKahuna]

Seven Seas Lagoon is man-made, but Bay Lake (near FW and WL) is natural. They did drain it while building Seven Seas, but before Disney bought the land there was a fishing camp on Bay Lake (where they built FW).

 

[Hopefully]

On our first trip to WDW in the early 80's my kids swam from the beach at FW each day. They enjoyed it very much. At that point in time FW did not even have a swimming pool, so swimming in the lake was the only choice. We enjoyed River Country at that time too.
I have heard that it is health and safety issues that prevent swimming now.
So we have happy memories of a time gone by.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Well, I use to believe all of the above.
However.... there are triathlon events held at Disney. DH has volunteered at a few.
Where does the swimming portion happen? You guessed it. (My first thought was )
DH said there are CM in boats surrounding the swimmers.
And I am sure they do whatever needs to be done to the lake/area as much as possible prior to the swimming event.