How many gators are in the river?

[cm8]

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

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

Thanks everyone, now I'm going to be afraid to walk outside at PORiverside! I don't like snakes or alligators Just thinking about them gives me the willies

 

[Polydweller]

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?

Sure can. I've only seen one once several years ago but there certainly is habitat for them there in the reedy areas on the east side. Not likely on the beach. The sound was likely ducks that are around 24/7.

 

[Sappermont]

Didn't WDW used to have a triathlon? Where did people swim? Crazy.

 

[Baloo]

I've seen gators a few times...staying at CS there was a 3footer living in the water and we' spotted him several times.

You also might be HEARING gators and not realize it! One night my DH and my two DS and I were walking around Crescent Lake.I said "Boy those sound like pretty big bull frogs!" and DH ...who lived many years in Florida says...."Those aren't bullfrogs those are gators!"

WHAT!

They sounded like this...alligator bellow 2

http://www.fws.gov/video/sound.htm


It's actually one of our favorite memories from WDW!!!

 

[articos]

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

They used to keep snakebite kits with the first aid stations, but there was so much activity there, I don't believe it was really a problem. They'd also remove any wildlife found near RC. As far as gators, there were a couple sets of nets that were anchored in the water to keep people from swimming out and wildlife from swimming in.

 

[marius97]

This one?

I thought she was added there for theming

I am SOOOO not showing that picture to DW>

 

[calismic]

My husband and I had a Magic Kingdom photo shoot at 4:30am when maintenance was in full force. We were lucky enough to get to chit chat with a lot of the crew working on the grounds. I started talking about seeing the gator sunning himself by Splash Mountain. (there's several youtube videos as well) Back in 08' Disney apparently had 5 known gators living in the MK at the time which they tracked. He said there were likely more but they only worried about the larger guys. They periodically remove them when they get big enough to be perceived as a threat. No one in the parks has ever been bothered or harmed by a gator. They are extremely docile and won't bother humans unless provoked. He said the only 'problem' they ever had was a turkey leg stand that used to be by the water. Apparently guests found it entertaining to toss the gators scraps. Needless to say the stand was quickly moved.

If you ever want to do some gator watching in Magic Kingdom, check around the docks, especially over near Tom Sawyers Island and the Liberty Riverboat. Food is most likely to be dropped in the area which allows for an all you can eat buffet with little movement. I 'believe' they eat the fishies more than the scraps.

 

[Julie711]

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.

Oh my if I saw this I would have definatley lost control of my bladder while running and screaming for dear life!

 

[Ed J]

That one is from right near the river boat, photo was taken last fall.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

This one?

I thought she was added there for theming

Yes, that's the one.

Yeah, theming, that's a good one. If I didn't have to go much when I went in there, I would have to go back to my resort and change after I saw it. At least it looks like a baby.

 

[hooch11bear]

My DH is always on the lookout for gators while we are at WDW. On our last trip in August, we were driving to POR from the park and he spotted one on the bank sunning itself to the right just before you pull into the resort. I almost wrecked trying to see it. Just before we left we got another chance to see it, and it was HUGE!!! We couldn't believe it. Didn't realize there were any within the parks themselves. I guess we will have to keep an eye out for them when we are back there in August again!!

 

[BigGreen73]

I am SOOOO not showing that picture to DW>

I on the other hand will SOOOOO BE showing this to my DW. That's so awesome. I will be more on the look out now in Parks now to see if we see any. Try to get some pics.

A Gator in the bathroom, is a little startling though. I hope he was done his business when someone barged in on him.

 

[onnawufei]

Gators are pretty chill critters as long as you don't bother them. The closest experience I had wasn't in WDW, but at one of the SC plantations. I turned a corner and found myself staring at a pretty small alligator. It hissed at me and we both sort of backed away from one another, but that was it. There are also alligators in the various ponds in my neighborhood, because apparently in the south they're just everywhere. You sorta get used to them.

That's assuming they aren't hiding underneath a toilet.

 

[Mom2aJessieGirl]

If there is water in FL, there will be gators. This is why I only swim in pools in FL.

I'm more scared of the lake amoeba than gators!

 

[twinklebug]

Gators are pretty chill critters as long as you don't bother them. The closest experience I had wasn't in WDW, but at one of the SC plantations. I turned a corner and found myself staring at a pretty small alligator. It hissed at me and we both sort of backed away from one another, but that was it. There are also alligators in the various ponds in my neighborhood, because apparently in the south they're just everywhere. You sorta get used to them.

That's assuming they aren't hiding underneath a toilet.

It's not so much the one hiding under the toilet I'd be afraid of as the one the next stall over that you don't know is there.

Side note - Alligators are not just freshwater, they can and do swim in the ocean - neighbors saw one coming out of the ocean and back up into the reserve in Myrtle Beach. Before that we didn't even know there were gators over there as a 8' tall fence divided our property from it. Years later when a hurricane blew down that fence we had 2 large ones sunning themselves on our pool deck.

 

[erin1715]

What about the water parks?? How do they know if a gator hasn't snuck in over night and found a home in one of the slides? That would be quite a mess if the first ride of the day was met with a gator!

 

[sexyravenfan]

We have seen multiple critters at POR but not a gator yet. We've seen a lot of snakes and otters. We even saw an armadillo once.