Sand Beaches...

[SumWhrOvrThRanBo]

I have read and seen pictures showing disney resorts on the beach. Wondering if you can swim at these beaches? Can you enjoy the beach like any other beach? Sun bathe, play in the sand, swim?

Thanks.

 

[Pakey]

You can enjoy the beach area but you cannot go into the water.

 

[grimley1968]

You can enjoy the beach as far as lying out, playing in the sand, etc., but no swimming in that lake. The water isn't safe.

 

[crazy4wdw]

I have read and seen pictures showing disney resorts on the beach. Wondering if you can swim at these beaches? Can you enjoy the beach like any other beach? Sun bathe, play in the sand, swim?

Thanks.

No, you can't swim in any of the Disney lakes or waterways. Mainly because of alligators and deadly bacteria which inhabit bodies of water in Florida. There are serveral types of bacteria in Florida lakes that will cause brain damage if injested.

 

[Kimberle]

The water is gross. You won't want to go in. There are 'gaters and snakes (poisenious) in the water as well.

 

[Lynne M]

And very high bacteria levels, especially in the summer. Believe me, you don't want to be in that water. There are "No swimming allowed" signs at all beach areas.

 

[mmmears]

I have read and seen pictures showing disney resorts on the beach. Wondering if you can swim at these beaches? Can you enjoy the beach like any other beach? Sun bathe, play in the sand, swim?

Thanks.

We are all assuming you mean the ones at WDW -- as everyone here is posting, you can't go in the water there, nor would you want to (yuck).

There are Disney resorts on the actual beach, though (like the one at Vero Beach in FL) where you can go in the water. Maybe one of those resorts was depicted in the photos you saw? There are also Disney resorts in Hilton Head and in Hawaii.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Fresh water in Florida (and other southern states) usually has the brain eating amoeba in the water. If it gets inside your ears, nose, mouth, you can die.

Stick with the pool at your resort or go to the beach for saltwater swimming (Gulf Coast or Atlantic Coast).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowleri

 

[Dominion]

This is kind of funny...I was just looking of photos of our family at WDW and at the Poly in 1980. My brother and I, as well as many other guests, were in the lagoon at the Poly beach! There were even ropes showing where we were allowed to swim. Anyone know when that changed and why? I even asked my dad about it since I thought it was odd with all the alligators in FL!

 

[Cindie-rella]

My cousin and I were just talking about this. He said originally you could swim in the lake at the POLY, he remembered, but said he believed one year he was there and the area was experiencing a drought, and they had found high quantities of bacteria in the water and closed the beach to swimmers. From that point on swimming in the lake was no longer allowed. Not to mention Disney had probably realized that the local alligators and snakes would eventually make their way into the lakes from time to time despite the fact that Disney would try their best to keep them out. Wasn't worth the possible danger I'm sure.

 

[chrisc88]

This is kind of funny...I was just looking of photos of our family at WDW and at the Poly in 1980. My brother and I, as well as many other guests, were in the lagoon at the Poly beach! There were even ropes showing where we were allowed to swim. Anyone know when that changed and why? I even asked my dad about it since I thought it was odd with all the alligators in FL!

I was just reading this and thinking I am almost positive you could swim in the lagoon at the CR in 1977 when my family stayed there. Wonder if I'm remembering correctly.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[MiramarQE]

You most certainly CAN, and people DO swim in Bay Lake - check out Sammy Duvall Watersports at CR marina. Wipeout waterskiing or wake boarding and I can just about guaranty you will be swimming (and have fresh water up your nose).

You just can't swim at the beach!

Don't know how they cope with the amoeba danger (Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) - just about every freshwater lake in Florida - see http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/ne...-danger-lurks-in-some-florida-lakes-and-ponds) - testing of the water maybe? The article states "Basically the organism likes to stay in the surface mud layer in a spot where there isn’t a lot of changeover in the water" so they may be counting on being away from the shallows along the shore - swimming puts you right in those shallows.

Haven't seen the liability release form you sign for Sammy Duvall but I bet you must acknowledge and accept the risk - anyone know?

 

[momof2gr8kids]

You most certainly CAN, and people DO swim in Bay Lake - check out Sammy Duvall Watersports at CR marina. Wipeout waterskiing or wake boarding and I can just about guaranty you will be swimming (and have fresh water up your nose).

You just can't swim at the beach!

Don't know how they cope with the amoeba danger (Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) - just about every freshwater lake in Florida - see http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/ne...-danger-lurks-in-some-florida-lakes-and-ponds) - testing of the water maybe? The article states "Basically the organism likes to stay in the surface mud layer in a spot where there isn’t a lot of changeover in the water" so they may be counting on being away from the shallows along the shore - swimming puts you right in those shallows.

Haven't seen the liability release form you sign for Sammy Duvall but I bet you must acknowledge and accept the risk - anyone know?

I've always wondered how people can enjoy those activities with that organism in the water. Yech. I'll save that for our fresh water lakes, sans ameoba, at home!

 

[goofy4tink]

It's a depth issue. The amoebas are in the shallow water, not the deep water. Hence the no swimming rules. Now, I'm always curious how the triathletes deal with it.

 

[crazy4wdw]

This is kind of funny...I was just looking of photos of our family at WDW and at the Poly in 1980.

Yes, I remember this also. I stayed at the Poly with my grandparents in the late 70's and I remember there was a platform or floating dock out in the Seven Seas Lagoon that you could swim to and then jump or dive into the lagoon. I've always wondered why swimming was allowed then and not now. Certainly the dangerous bacteria were in the Florida waterways then.

 

[macnodos]

Don't people water ski in those same lakes?

 

[wiigirl]

Fresh water in Florida (and other southern states) usually has the brain eating amoeba in the water. If it gets inside your ears, nose, mouth, you can die.

Stick with the pool at your resort or go to the beach for saltwater swimming (Gulf Coast or Atlantic Coast).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naegleria_fowleri

 

[Lynne M]

Yes, I remember this also. I stayed at the Poly with my grandparents in the late 70's and I remember there was a platform or floating dock out in the Seven Seas Lagoon that you could swim to and then jump or dive into the lagoon. I've always wondered why swimming was allowed then and not now. Certainly the dangerous bacteria were in the Florida waterways then.

I don't think people were as aware of the Naegleria problem back then. I think Disney just arrived at a point where the potential for harm to guests (and liability) became too much for them.

The amoeba lives in the silt in the bottom of the lake, so a lot of people splashing and kicking up silt in the shallow areas along the beaches are kind of the ideal situation for infection. It's not so much of a problem out in the deeper parts of the lake, so water skiing is ok.

 

[ParrotBill]

Yikes, I used to go to River Country at Fort Wilderness where the main "pool" was shallow lake water. Is that what's wrong with me now?

 

[DizneyNutz]

I have read and seen pictures showing disney resorts on the beach. Wondering if you can swim at these beaches? Can you enjoy the beach like any other beach? Sun bathe, play in the sand, swim?

Thanks.

Also the Beach Club has a white sand bottom pool area and an island for kids to play.