How many gators are in the river?

[PrincessSuzanne]

There was a picture that floated around here for awhile of one in a restroom in Adventureland. Also one at the bottom fo the drop on Splash Mtn.

This trip, we have coming up next week will be our 17th in 7 years and I have not once seen a gator or a snake, that wasn't on exhibit at AK. I'm sure they're there, just haven't crossed my path and we have even stayed in a cabin at FW.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

If there is water in FL, there will be gators. This is why I only swim in pools in FL. Of course, after my DH got bitten by a musky this year in WI, it appears there is danger lurking everywhere! lol!

We too live in WI (Green Bay area) and have a cabin in northern WI. My ds was also bitten by a musky. It's now become his favorite fish to catch in the hopes it's payback for the one that bit him!

 

[twinklebug]

There was a picture that floated around here for awhile of one in a restroom in Adventureland. Also one at the bottom fo the drop on Splash Mtn.

This one?

I thought she was added there for theming

 

[MrsJD]

We too live in WI (Green Bay area) and have a cabin in northern WI. My ds was also bitten by a musky. It's now become his favorite fish to catch in the hopes it's payback for the one that bit him!

We are finding that its not as uncommon as we thought! My DH has actually been in the PMTT (musky fishing) Championships 3 times, so he is an avid fisherman. Oddly though he was bitten while floating in a tube and bass fishing. Thing came right up out of the water and grabbed his arm! Hope your sons wounds were limited!

 

[psac]

This one?

I thought she was added there for theming

Holy Cr@p! (No pun intended.)

If you had to go BEFORE you saw that, I think that would make you really lose control, if you know what I mean.

At least if seeing that did make something happen, you're in the right place.

 

[LaurenT]

I've seen a gator both in MK (just in the water by the wooden pathway along Frontierland) and at Beach Club.
I love having them around. I guess since I have no intention of trying to pet one, I figure I'm safe.

 

[bumbershoot]

Interesting. I didn't think Disney would allow them in there at all. Guess that tells me I wasn't crazy thinking I saw a real gator!

If you think of Florida as being pretty much one big swamp, and realize that they knew that when they bought the land up to make WDW, and realize that nature will try to overtake anything we do, you'll realize it's pretty hard to stop them from getting "in".

I often seriously question the placement of WDW, not quite sure what they were thinking when they chose Florida...

 

[SnapesGirl]

Funny you mention there being alligators at Disney. Last month my mom and I were sitting on the beach at Poly waiting for the fireworks and heard splashing in the water. I was joking that it was an alligator (which we didn't see), but could there be any there as well?

 

[buffettgirl]

Funny you mention there being alligators at Disney. Last month my mom and I were sitting on the beach at Poly waiting for the fireworks and heard splashing in the water. I was joking that it was an alligator (which we didn't see), but could there be any there as well?

Probably, but generally they're not going to be found at the beachy areas.

 

[GeorgeG]

Yes, gators are everywhere and just because you don't see them doesn't mean they're not there. Leave them alone and give them a wide berth and there shouldn't be any problem. They do manage to cover a lot of territory, especially during the mating season.

 

[StEpHandMiKe<3Disney]

There was a very large gator on the walkway to rafiki's island after you get off the train at AK. It was on the other side of the fence but it was still huge!

 

[nutty4wdw]

gators--what was i doing swimming in river country. was there some protection back then.

 

[LaurenT]

gators--what was i doing swimming in river country. was there some protection back then.

I doubt it. If one were to actually chase you (unlikely), your best defense is being able to run faster than the guy next to you.

 

[reginaastralis]

That doesn't surprise me, and I'm honestly sad I didn't see it. Growing up in Florida, I'm "used" to alligators. I don't see them on an every day occurrence, but I've seen them enough to appreciate how beautiful they are. We used to go to a bowling alley that had a retention pond with a HUGE alligator in it ... I'd be willing to bet that Disney has more than one person in charge of tracking their gators as well as the nests.

My favorite place to see them is in a little water alley near the group camping area at Fort Wilderness. Sorry, I'm all about nature, but I don't want to think about leaving my tent and literally stepping out where gators live. But my kid sister and I take our golf cart out each trip to check to see how many babies are living there.

And I agree, PLEASE don't feed these guys. Or birds, especially when you think it's oh so fun to feed the seagulls at the beach. If you think it's cute to feed the seagulls, sit at the beach enjoying a sandwich and have a seagull come up and snatch the darn thing right out of your hand. I love tourists, they pay for me to live here, honestly ... but I hate to see them feeding the wildlife.

 

[reginaastralis]

http://www.baynews9.com/content/new...5/30/this_is_florida_gato.html?cmpid=facebook - this is news here in Tampa. One of the reasons why I love living here ... but I can tell you, this sort of thing surely happens on WDW property

 

[VeganCupcake]

There is a wildlife reserve about 25 minutes west of my house, and you just walk around paths with alligators on the banks everywhere, no fences, no zoo keepers, its quite terrifying for a little chicken like me! My mom use to take us and you could hear them grunting. One actually starting walking towards me with his(or her) mouth open(probably use to people feeding it) I ran like a lunatic to the pavilion for bird watching, it took my mom about 30 minutes to get me down, I was one hysterical 14 year old! To top that fabulous day off, when we went to the visitors center, we got to watch a gator flip a turtle off of it's tail(thought it was a log) and crunch down on it, nice.

About 5 minutes from there there is this amazing family owned U-pick farm that you can take a tractor ride on, at one point of the ride there was a sign that said "no picking beyond this point" and 10 feet after a 6 footer. I said something to the driver and he said there is usually a 10 footer out there everyday as well! I was super happy to get off the tractor and back to the strawberry picking!

They end up in people's pools here all the time!(2 1/2 hours south of Disney)

 

[Art 1]

Not many there. But if you want to see lots of gators in the wild there are places not far from there.

 

[sandydog]

Not many there. But if you want to see lots of gators in the wild there are places not far from there.

Nah, don't need to see any more, just wondering if there are usually more than just the one I saw in the "river". I've seen lots of gators in my lifetime, just not in a Disney park itself, except for AK of course. I've seen them in the canals and ponds on Disney property just not in a park. Me and big critters with lots of sharp teeth don't tend to play very well together.

 

[canopynut66]

NO it is REAL and we were told there are two most all the time and as long as they behave and sty in the water WDW leaves them alone. we have been to WDW for 64 trips and two years ago my brother in law waw standing in the smoking section down by the river boat and we went to get him and he said there was an alligator down there and were like "sure there is" this is MK not AK and he said no he serious and that it would come up on the grass once in a while. so we told him fine we will go get a CM and the CM said yes they just leave him in there and watch him and he is the one who said usually two in that area. CM said they go under the bridge and go back and forth to lake

 

[Art 1]

gators--what was i doing swimming in river country. was there some protection back then.

Snakes were the bigger issue there although I don't know if anyone was ever bitten.