swimming at the beach???

[robinsnest49ers]

I heard that you can't actually swim in the water at FW beach, is this true? I thought I saw some pics somewhere of people in the water??

 

[becky1960]

There used to be areas at each resort to swim at their beaches but that was stopped several years ago I believe because of Bacteria levels.

 

[AuburnJen92]

If you saw pictures, they were very dated. WDW has banned swimming in the ponds for some time now. They stopped it around the time they closed River Country. They claim there is a bacteria problem.

 

[LONE-STAR]

I thank it was a gator problem it is Florida . I don't understand why you cant swim in the lake. They hold a triathlon there and hundreds of people swim in the lake. Plus you can go water skiing at CR across the lake.

 

[AuburnJen92]

Hence I used the word claim....

 

[Doggmeat]

has something to do with an ameoba(sp?) problem in florida fresh water lakes. it gets worse as the temp rises, some people it doesnt affect, some like little kids it can kill. they from what ive read swim into the ear canal and make people very sick and/or die. just what ive read.

heres the link if yall want it

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/09/18/zarrella.killerlakes/index.html

 

[AuburnJen92]

Yeah, but that has been pretty recent. They closed swimming from the beaches long ago...

However, you are right, it is a problem now in Florida...

 

[2goofycampers]

We were told by fishing guides that the problem was run off of pesticides and fertilizer from the grass that swimming was stopped.

 

[Mary2e]

has something to do with an ameoba(sp?) problem in florida fresh water lakes. it gets worse as the temp rises, some people it doesnt affect, some like little kids it can kill. they from what ive read swim into the ear canal and make people very sick and/or die. just what ive read.

heres the link if yall want it

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/09/18/zarrella.killerlakes/index.html

I went on the fishing trip last year and this is exactly what the guide told us.

The bacteria lives at the bottom of the lake on the algae and as long as it's not disturbed it isn't harmful.

Disney also periodically clears out the algae from certain parts of the lake, but not everywhere. This is why they keep people out - because it can kill.

I do remember going in the lake from the Polynesian - but this was in the early to mid 1990s.

 

[Disney Campers]

the possibility of gator's in the lake is more than enough reason to keep me out of he water.

 

[Doggmeat]

the possibility of gator's in the lake is more than enough reason to keep me out of he water.

gator tend to shy away from contact with humans, i used to live by the everglades and me and my buddies use to walk2-3 miles in airboat trails to a guy we knew's(word????????) hunting cabin he had out there. the gators just kinda took off the other way, was more afarid of cotton mouths then gators

 

[Sue's Mum]

A good few years ago we heard tht Disney had a big problem with mosquitos and that all the water areas had to be sprayed with pesticide. It is since then there has not been any swimming for whatever reason.

 

[des1954]

Here's my take on it....

I'll buy the chemicals & ferilizer story.

In more recent years, I'll buy the amoeba story - like Jen said.

What I truly believe is..... expense & liability. They had to staff lifeguards at all the resort beaches and it is difficult for lifeguards to watch an area larger than a swimming pool, hense the liability factor.

 

[Escape Artist]

...
What I truly believe is..... expense & liability.

ITA.

I think it's an "all of the above" situation...gators, pesticide/fertilizer runoff, cost of lifeguards, the killer amoebas...but the bottom line is our litiginous culture. Disney doesn't even have to be actually liable for the problem, they'd just have to spend enough defending themselves from being sued over it for it to be a huge problem, so I don't blame them for being conservative on this one. Seriously, is anyone's vacation going to be that much more "magical" because they got to swim at the beach? I've never heard anyone say that's what they were going to WDW for.

BTW, the "killer amoeba" story is true...apparently awareness of it dates back to 1995, and I know it's a problem here in Texas, too. They say to avoid getting your head in the water in the warm, shallow parts of lakes, you know...like the beachy area. All I know is, even if they allowed swimming in the lakes, my kids are only swimming in the pools!

Sue in Texas
...believes in faith, trust, and pool chlorine!

 

[BigDaddyRog]

the possibility of gator's in the lake is more than enough reason to keep me out of he water.

Amen....I love to gator watch from the land, but in their water?On their turf? Um, no thanks! Didnt you guys see "Lake Placid"???

gator tend to shy away from contact with humans, i used to live by the everglades and me and my buddies use to walk2-3 miles in airboat trails to a guy we knew's(word????????) hunting cabin he had out there. the gators just kinda took off the other way, was more afarid of cotton mouths then gators

And sharks aint supposed to live in lakes either....but, didnt you guys see "JAWS"???

... All I know is, even if they allowed swimming in the lakes, my kids are only swimming in the pools!

Sue in Texas
...believes in faith, trust, and pool chlorine!

There ya go...and I aree...why risk swimming with water moccasins, gators, JAWS, and the Loch Ness Monster when you can stick to the pools, where your worst fear is toddler pee!!!

 

[ntsammy5]

Personally, I think the otters objected to people swimming in their water and put up the no swimming signs themselves.

 

[gon2wdw55]

I worry about were the MONSTERS are that come out at night are during the day, I mean have you seen that sea monster, huge snaping turtles or king neptoon & their scary music, no thanks I'm staying out of the water.

 

[mthds]

Just got back yesterday from the Fort and children were swimming (knee- high) at the beach.