Wild Gator in Magic Kingdom – Photos

[Derrick19]

In December we come to Orlando from London for the Disapalooza party at Universal. We also hit the Disney parks and in Magic Kingdom spotted something I had never seen in the 20 years we have been coming to Disney!

A gator!!! In the water at Splash Mountain! The gator could easily walked up the bank and over to the passing boats full of guests.

Is this a normal occurrence? Has anyone else seen this in a Disney park?

Below are some links with the photos I took.

https://imageshack.us/i/plPx0LI8j

https://imageshack.us/i/plCnwwqfj

https://imageshack.us/i/plicwDlJj

 

[aprincessatlast]

Oh my! That is close We have seen them at the Beach Club but never in a park. Perhaps gator patrol missed that one?

 

[nilla]

We've seen small gators in the lake at Animal Kingdom, by the lakeside seating for Flame Tree.

 

[pontikes67]

 

[Pkltm]

We have seen them in AK too, and I have heard of them on the beach at Poly. Wow that was crazy close to guests!

 

[CampbellzSoup]

I hope no one gets bit from that - now that would lead me into cardiac arrest :0

 

[Indio]

I think they are more common than people may think. It is Florida after all and there are thousands of gators around. I've seen many posts on here of pictures around the parks, especially near Splash.

 

[Alesia]

We see them every single trip. Disney is aware of them and removes them from the park before they get big enough to hurt anyone.

 

[tinkerone]

happens more often than you would think.

 

[AJA]

Although we haven't seen one on our trips I do remember several posts over the years of gator sightings/photos in the parks and other places on property.

At least we aren't being charged extra for the wildlife experience....yet anyway.

 

[mom2rtk]

Well, they have to do SOMETHING to keep the little kids from playing in the water.

 

[AngiTN]

This should be no secret to anyone. It's one of the many reasons you do NOT get in the lakes on the property.

 

[Toad_Passenger]

Over the years we have seen 3 gators. All of them have been in the Splash Mountain/Frontierland boardwalk area.

 

[mrzrich]

In Florida you can find gators any place that there is water.

 

[PSUGuy]

While riding the bus from MK to Board Walk a few years back I noticed a 'gator in a roadside ditch, not 25 feet from the road.

Bill From PA

 

[brownie_17]

There was one living in the lake at CSR. I'm not for sure if he is still there or not since it was back in 2009.

 

[dancin Disney style]

We saw one in the lake at CSR in 2005. Very tiny one though, maybe 3 feet long. We were told that they can stay put until they get to be 5ft and then they are relocated.

I remember seeing a picture once of a baby gator in the GF parking lot. It was at most 1.5 ft.

I've seen a few in the ditch along side the road in many places in FL. Last year I saw one in the water beside the road going to Kennedy Space Center. Well didn't my DH ask me if I wanted him to stop and back up so I could "get out and take a picture". Ya right....I'm getting out of the car.

 

[DisMama5]

We always see a few gators in MK in frontier land, I always assumed they were put there and it was known. Only usually 2-3 but every trip we see them floating around in the water in the frontier land area.

 

[DVCcurious]

This is why I used to take my gun to the parks, for protection. But now that's no longer an option. I'm just a sitting duck armed with nothing but a cell phone.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

#floridaproblems