How do they keep gators out of the water?

[Judge Fudge]

Well, my idea to keep gators out of lakes they don't belong in is to use a wristband system. This way the lifeguards will know if there is a gator from the generation gap lake swimming in the 7 seas lagoon when he doesn't deserve to be there. Lake hopping is not allowed!!!

 

[Otter49]

I suspect that Disney probably does feed the gators but far away from the humans to keep them predominiately away from the parks. I also suspect that when the gators start to get big they probably trap them and relocate them off the property- so chances are any gators seen are smaller and probably would never attempt to attack a human anyway

You can pretty much be certain that Disney does not feed the 'gators. Florida law prohibits feeding wild alligators.

Yes, trapping and relocation is very common in these parts. That is, unless the gator has become a nuisance because of human stupidity, i.e. feeding. In that case the animal is almost always destroyed.

 

[mom2my3kids]

I hate gators

 

[Aidensmom]

Like some others have said, you can't keep gators out of lakes in Florida. They are there. Disney does make an effort to keep them away from guests and will relocate them (to where, I am not sure, but that is what I have heard a CM say). I would not be surprised if some end up places like Gatorland if they are really a nuisance.

 

[Disney Girlie-Wirlie]

When we were in WDW a couple years ago we saw a gator in the Magic Kingdom! It was a pretty big scene!
What happened is we were in Frontierland where the river is watching the boat go by and apparently someone had thrown their turkey leg to the gator (smart move), so it like pretty much right there in front of us, on land, chomping on a turkey leg!!!
But in no time, animal rescuers came and caught and carried it out. It was pretty scary though!!!

 

[helenm29]

Hey Judge Fudge that is TOO FUNNY! I'm not at all sure Disney hasn't already been thinking of that! Maybe different color bands for different water ways that way we know where they REALLY belong?

 

[safetymom]

Disney has a nature preserve they relocate the smaller ones. Anything over 6 foot is destroyed.

 

[SnwflkCts]

Ooooo I never thought about gators -- SHIVER ----

Do you think they are destroyed if they use their refillable mugs at the wrong resort???

This is a very interesting thread. I knew there was some reason I can tell my DH so he won't rent those little mouse boat thingies ... how about telling me more about the snakes ... that might scare him more???

 

[Lorelai]

When we were in WDW a couple years ago we saw a gator in the Magic Kingdom! It was a pretty big scene!
What happened is we were in Frontierland where the river is watching the boat go by and apparently someone had thrown their turkey leg to the gator (smart move), so it like pretty much right there in front of us, on land, chomping on a turkey leg!!!
But in no time, animal rescuers came and caught and carried it out. It was pretty scary though!!!

Jeez Louise.......in the Magic Kingdom?? That must have been quite a sight to see. And I can't believe that somebody fed it.......and a turkey leg too. Well, it is Florida.....but I don't need to see a gator waving to me as I get on the Liberty Belle.

 

[Windy City Heather]

Jeez Louise.......in the Magic Kingdom?? That must have been quite a sight to see. And I can't believe that somebody fed it.......and a turkey leg too. Well, it is Florida.....but I don't need to see a gator waving to me as I get on the Liberty Belle.

I have heard this one comes back quite a bit. People talk about him on here all the time.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

There was a 2 to 3 foot one at CSR Las week. A captain from CR to Wildernness Lodge told me there are quite a few around the lakes. They move them when they seem to get aggresive or big. He said the people feeding them makes them very aggresive. I think the food is why the one I saw hung out by the bridge.

 

[zookeeper]

Jeez Louise.......in the Magic Kingdom?? That must have been quite a sight to see. And I can't believe that somebody fed it.......and a turkey leg too. Well, it is Florida.....but I don't need to see a gator waving to me as I get on the Liberty Belle.

I'm not surprised at all...I hear gators really like EMU!

Besides, you don't have to worry about a gator sneaking up on you. It's Disney for heaven's sake! You'll hear it tick-tocking!!!!!

 

[Feralpeg]

There is an alligator in the lake of our development. People ski in the lake all the time. The gator tends to stay very near the shoreline. The skiers don't get that near the shore, so it hasn't been a problem. I would imagine the same thing is true at WDW. The gators will stay near the more secluded shoreline areas.

 

[jjatwdw]

My DH plays golf four or five times when we are at WDW. At the courses they tell players that if a ball gets hit into the rough by a lake, leave and take the penalty shot, because there are alligators all over the place.

 

[clownboy007]

Back in the day, I was a riverboat operator on the Richard F. Irvine. One sunny afternoon I looked down from the wheel house and noticed a large group of Japanese tourists gathered along the fence across from the shooting gallery pointing and taking pictures. Normally a group of tourists taking a lot of pictures wouldn't peak my interest at all but these people were shooting pictures in an area not generally regarded as a major picture spot. I didn't think that the resident ducks could be causing that commotion, although after so many years I had learned not to be surprised by anything I saw. Anyway, I didn't see anything along the shoreline in that area that was worth taking a picture of...that's when I noticed a telltale shadow floating silently just a few feet from the riverbank. Closer inspection revealed that it was a VERY small alligator who had apparently made his way into the park via the channel that feeds the Rivers of America. Although the gator was really too small to be dangerous to anybody (he was probably lost and just wanted to get out of there) we put in a call to control and advised them of his presence. The next time I looked the alligator was gone...never did hear what happened to him...and the tour group had gone on it's merry way and probably went back to Japan thinking "Wow, Disney certainly knows how to make realistic looking river critters!"

Bonus alligator story: One day at Pirates a guest came running up to me and breathlessly reported that she had just gotten off the ride and that there was an alligator sticking it's nose out of the water in the burning city scene. While I didn't think that was exactly probably we nonetheless decided it was definitely worth investigating...there are enough hazzards to deal with inside of Pirates without having to worry about encountering a killer lizard backstage. We sent out a few empty boats and then made a quick trip into the ride with a high powered flashlight which revealed that what she had seen was a prop whiskey jug that floated in the water near the boat channel on a chain. Since there is no light shining on it (it was simply one of those little details that most people would never notice that Disney is famous for) I could easily see how it might be mistaken for alligator snout by someone who hasn't had a lot of exposure to alligators. For all I know the jug is still there. If it is, it's on the right hand side of the boat as you approach the hairy-legged pirate at the end of the burning city.

 

[Mariposa]

Aw, Disney gators..

Luckily, alligators aren't known for randomly chasing down tourists. They're much more the lay-about-in-the-sun type of animal. Seriously, when I was little we lived VERY near a little swamp (just up the bank, essentially) and would have gators on the other side of our chain link fence pretty regularly. Mom just told us to stay away from the fence (we'd play in the other yard) and not bother them. If we got too loud or had too many people over they'd usually wander off. Occasionally someone's yippy dog would go missing (it always seemed to be dogs, never cats?).

So, basically, they're generally harmless enough. Just don't feed them, walk directly up to them, throw things at them, etc. And if you're in water in Florida (especially near weedy shoreline) beware of any areas that smell like rotten produce and listen for particularly deep frog/toad type sounds.

 

[AJKMOM]

Aside to Zookeeper: I think the tick-tocking is actually a crocodile! I keep humming "never smile at a crocodile", the song they play when it is after Captain Hook. Crocodiles are meaner and more aggressive than alligators.

 

[Joni317]

Not only have DH and I seen them in the lakes, we've seen many of them on the golf courses. One a mother with a baby. Creepy (for a midwestern girl)!

 

[DumboDash2006]

When dd and I were at CBR earlier in the month we were walking over to the food court one morning and on the bridge we heard a terrible squawking sound. Looked down to see a mother duck and her babies scrambling out of the water. But after several of the babies were up and out the mom stood on the side squawking at the water and I saw bubbles and water moving in the middle. I have a bad feeling that an alligator made breakfast out of a baby duck.

 

[keishashadow]

I've seen gators move pretty darn quick like on shore...@ the golf course water hazards they dare you to retrieve your ball...you feeling lucky tourist?

Some of the springs recreational areas in Central FL, use a netting system to keep out the big ones from enjoying the swimmers.

Any inland body of water in FL is a no-no in my book, would be more concerned about snakes.