Wonder if anyone else saw what I saw

[lovedvc]

Last August my family and I were at MK. We were walking the path down by the river boat and we spotted baby ducks. Of course we stopped to get a better look. Well while looking about 5 feet to the right under the water was either an alligator or a crocodile. At first we thought it was fake, you know a prop or something. A man heard us talking about it and decided to throw a stick in the water. Well that thing was very much alive. It stuck it's head out of the water and grabbed the stick. My dh went over to the Liberty Tree Tavern and spoke to a CM. The CM came over to where we were standing and tried to play it real cool. He told us that it was put there on purpose and not to worry that it was well fed. After all the comotion died down and the crowd walked away I asked the CM exactly what was going on. He told me that he didn't know how it got there and that he was going to notify security. Well dh and ds decided to go on Splash Mountain after that. So my other ds and I decided just to sit by the water to see if security was going to do anything. Nothing was done and I watched either the croc or alligator swim by me again. Could you imagine the mayhem if that thing decided to climb out of the water and walk down Main Street. Those little bodies of water in the park don't have fences around them.

I kid you not this is a true story!!

 

[WonderfulDreamer2]

I bet he could have the park to himself if he wanted.

 

[kdibattista]

It's pretty common to see alligators in WDW... we saw several on our last trip and were told that Disney keeps an eye on them and will remove them once they get to be about 5 feet long.

ETA: Although I have never seen one in Magic Kingdom

 

[sue1013]

It was an alligator. Alligators can be found in any body of water anywhere in Florida. There are many in the waters at WDW most visitors don't see them but they are there. Don't feed them or tease them by throwing things in the water near them.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

I wouldn't want to be the poor sap wearing the Captain Hook costume that day

 

[chell]

A few years ago we saw him too. When I asked the CM if that is how they get rid of the bad children he didn't laugh. It was interesting to sit and listen to what others had to say about it.

I figure the alligator wouldn't want to come out of there into a crowd of so many people. He is probably more afraid of us at this point than we are of him.

 

[tevagirl]

Think he had a park hopper ticket?

 

[DisMN]

You mean this harmless lil guy?

 

[tmt martins]

Yep that's it Thats a natural waterway so they can't do anything with them until they get past the 5ft mark .I also wondered if thats why they did away with the canoes some time ago ( They still have them in DL ) .I also wondered about looking for the paintbrushes on TSI if you might just find 1 on these guys up there bathing in the sun.Do 1st CM's check the caves.

 

[chyam]

It's pretty common to see alligators in WDW... we saw several on our last trip and were told that Disney keeps an eye on them and will remove them once they get to be about 5 feet long.

ETA: Although I have never seen one in Magic Kingdom

Exactly! We have one in our pond at work and no fence around it, as long as people don't feed them they are more afraid of you. There is wildlife everywhere not just FL, people need to learn to live with them, and don't do anything stupid. Disney does remove them to another part of their property once they reach a certain length. It simply amazes me how people get so upset about the animals that also inhabit our earth...........I've seen people get upset about the ducks in the swimming pool at the WL for petes sake!Disney has so much water and waterways that you can find them anywhere.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Not sure if that is a natural waterway, especially if it is in the MK. I do not think there is anything natural in MK, including waterways. I know that one had a concrete bottom and shore.

 

[mommaU4]

Exactly! We have one in our pond at work and no fence around it, as long as people don't feed them they are more afraid of you. There is wildlife everywhere not just FL, people need to learn to live with them, and don't do anything stupid. Disney does remove them to another part of their property once they reach a certain length. It simply amazes me how people get so upset about the animals that also inhabit our earth...........I've seen people get upset about the ducks in the swimming pool at the WL for petes sake!Disney has so much water and waterways that you can find them anywhere.

Obviously I cannot speak for anyone else, but ducks wouldn't bother me. An alligator on the other hand would.
Not because I feel they don't have a right to be there (where ever there is), but because they are scary and potentially dangerous.

I always see foot prints in the snow outside my house and sometimes they freak me out. If I knew it was from something harmless like a deer or raccoon or any of the other harmless animals I wouldn't mind. But the bigger tracks that I don't know what they are bother me. Especially with reports of cougar sightings becoming more common not too terribly far from here.

I think most people enjoy nature and wildlife, but it doesn't mean we have to be happy with an alligator, snake, cougar or other dangerous animal right in our back yard. Especially if there are small children running around.

Just how I feel about it.

 

[Mermaid02]

this is why dd (16) didn't want to go to Tom Sawyer Island our last trip. Our ds (almost 9) on the other hand, was all for it- a gator would just be a bonus to him.

 

[Marseeya]

Obviously I cannot speak for anyone else, but ducks wouldn't bother me. An alligator on the other hand would.
Not because I feel they don't have a right to be there (where ever there is), but because they are scary and potentially dangerous.

I always see foot prints in the snow outside my house and sometimes they freak me out. If I knew it was from something harmless like a deer or raccoon or any of the other harmless animals I wouldn't mind. But the bigger tracks that I don't know what they are bother me. Especially with reports of cougar sightings becoming more common not too terribly far from here.

I think most people enjoy nature and wildlife, but it doesn't mean we have to be happy with an alligator, snake, cougar or other dangerous animal right in our back yard. Especially if there are small children running around.

Just how I feel about it.

Very well said.

Another thing, I also think there's a familiarity factor going on. Those little lizards running around Florida scare me, and I'd probably freak if I came face to face with one -- but we just don't get them in Pennsylvania. Mice, yes. Little lizards, no.

 

[slo]

Alligators in the waters of WDW is one of the reasons why you can't swim in the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake anymore (I got this info from a retired WDW CM).

It's to bad, but it's Florida.

 

[Poohnatic]

Not sure if that is a natural waterway, especially if it is in the MK. I do not think there is anything natural in MK, including waterways. I know that one had a concrete bottom and shore.

That one is a natural waterway. If you ride the riverboat, as soon as you pass BTMRR, the waterway goes to the left. If you look over there, you see the floats for the electrical water pageant.

If I hadn't lost my links in my hard drive crash, I could have given you the link to the terraserver images of WDW...but you can find it on your own with Google Earth

Suzanne

 

[txSleepingBeauty]

there are lots of creatures in that water. If you pay attetion you'll notice that there is always a cast member on the bridge from lower Frontierland to Upper Frontierland, that CM is on gator watch. He makes sure that no one is in harm's way and people don't feed the gator (they love turkey legs). As a matter of fact the best place to see the gators is just behind the turkey leg stand

 

[Poohnatic]

Found the terra server link!

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/image.aspx?T=1&S=11&Z=17&X=1107&Y=7859&W=3&qs=|Lake+Buena+Vista|FL|

look to the left of the image, you'll see a long, straight waterway that feeds into Bay Lake.

Splash mountain, Jungle Cruise, and Pirates are all interconnected and use the same dyed water. It is dyed to hide the track for the Jungle Cruise.

Suzanne

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

I didn't realize that water was dyed. DH & I always laugh and poke a little fun at the "swampy" Splash Mtn water. I'll have to tell him that.

Last time we were there (Oct), we were at the OKW waterslide. I was walking behind it and there was a huge black snake on the sidewalk in front of me. Scared me to death. I shrieked and this lady says, "Did you see a little lizard?" Uh, no, a big snake. I don't think she believed me.

I know I tend to be unaware of the wildlife for the most part. I forget that they are there and that Disney can't keep them out (most of them). I've never seen an alligator, but the next time I go, I'll look behind that turkey leg stand.

 

[mickeyfan2]

We have seen them in all parts of WDW. They relocate then when they are too big for safety. They are a park of life in FL.