Gators!!!

[29apr00]

There is a lot of water around Ft Wilderness. And there was a picture of a baby gator in the Animals thread!!

Does Disney do anything to try and make sure there are not alligators roaming around the campground?? Snakes, mice, deer, turkey's, Squirrels and chimpmuncks, even Skunks and Racoons I can handle. Gators'? NO WAY!!

 

[2goofycampers]

There are the occassional small gators by the water only, not roaming the campground and yes Disney does remove them. You may want to request in your ressie to not be by a canal. By all means don't let this keep you from enjoying the Fort.

 

[auntie]

We saw one the end of September in the water near the Meadow Trading post..the area out front. There were some people canoeing RIGHT OVER HIM. He saw them coming and slowly sunk down into the water. It freaked me out! There was a woman standing next to us who screamed to those canoeing past "watch out..there's a gator!...don't hit him!"
I remember thinking if I were in a Canoe and someone shouted that to me..I'm sure in my panic, the canoe would tip and I'd probably be gator lunch.
I don't know if she was the FW expert on gators..but she seemed to think it was about a "four footer". Lordy...

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Gator,,,,onna stick, Mmmmmmm, tasty !

 

[AuburnJen92]

If you are in Florida and near the water, you are going to have gators. Most of the time, they leave well enough alone if they are left alone. Walt Disney World is not immune to this. They do a good job of getting the larger gators out of the way of the general population. If you are scared of them, ask to be away from the canals.

 

[Gatordad]

They don't like people from indiana anyway, too chewy.

here is some nature video i took while at the fort.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEckUwfctyM&NR=1

 

[auntie]

Okay..this might be a dumb question..so forgive me..but do gators go into the ocean as well? Say the Gulf of Mexico for instance? We've heard of sharks going up river from the ocean where the water is brackish. Would this be similiar with gators..or do you strictly find them in fresh water enviornments in Florida?

 

[29apr00]

Which loop should i request to be as far away from the canals as possible?? Small children and gators just don't mix well.

 

[29apr00]

They don't like people from indiana anyway, too chewy.

here is some nature video i took while at the fort.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEckUwfctyM&NR=1

Nice video! Yeah, that really relaxes me!

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Here is a map. http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/FWMap.pdf

Gators don't like salt water if you see one near saltwater it is a crocodile.

 

[DisneyBishops]

Don't worry about gators. If you leave them alone they will leave you alone. Don't feed them. Disney gets the big ones away from the guests. The little ones can't eat you anyway. Never heard of anyone getting bitten by one at Disney. Just respect them and they will respect you. Lived here in florida most of my life and have run accross a few but none that bothered me.

Also gators will get lost and end up in the ocean from time to time, but they don't like the salt water. they pretty much stay in fresh water. I agree if you see one in the ocean if is probably a croc.

Don't worry Pete's video is of the everglades and not the fort.

 

[3gr8kids]

They don't like people from indiana anyway, too chewy.

here is some nature video i took while at the fort.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEckUwfctyM&NR=1

 

[auntie]

Don't worry about gators. If you leave them alone they will leave you alone. Don't feed them. Disney gets the big ones away from the guests. The little ones can't eat you anyway. Never heard of anyone getting bitten by one at Disney. Just respect them and they will respect you. Lived here in florida most of my life and have run accross a few but none that bothered me.

Also gators will get lost and end up in the ocean from time to time, but they don't like the salt water. they pretty much stay in fresh water. I agree if you see one in the ocean if is probably a croc.

Don't worry Pete's video is of the everglades and not the fort.

Okay....then are there crocs (and I don't mean shoes) in the Florida ocean waters?..
PLEASE tell they're aren't.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

On my last visit, I would say that the Gators outnumbered the bulldogs by about 10 to 1. Especially after the game was over.

TCD

Seriously, though, I have been to the Fort a lot. More times than I can count. I only saw an alligator once. And, it wasn't bothering anyone. Disney does not want wild animals injuring guests (can you say lawsuit?), so they are pretty vigilant about getting the critters out of the way. Just ask the peacocks.

Gators are one thing that you and your family do not need to worry about while on vacation.


TCD

 

[29apr00]

Thanks TCD!!

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Believe me , there is a much bigger problem with Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus than there is a problem with gators wanting to eat our young.
Just don't let your kids run around the waters alone and you'll be fine.

 

[big kahuna1]

I would camp in a hotel. Here are a couple of pics of a Gator carrying a Deer it caught on the banks of the canals behind loop 300 where BDR fishes.

They don't call Fort "WILDERNESS" for nothing.

 

[2goofycampers]

 

[Gatordad]

Is that gator's name Renee?

 

[Parkers_girl]

Pretty much what everyone else said, they won't bother you. I have lived in FL my entire life, and yeah I have seen my fair share of gators, but not once I have felt threatened by one. Just sit back and watch them..they're pretty cool little creatures.