Alligator concerns?

[RedSoxandPatsfan]

We will be staying at POR in April '08. Is there anything I should be worried about regarding alligators in the water around the resort?

I remember seeing a few along the hiway ponds coming in from MCO on our last visit. I also remember seeing one, from the road, on the way to MK.:gator:

[ibrowse17]

I would not worry. I have been to Disney many times, and have never seen one on property. Also, we stayed at POFQ a couple of weeks ago and saw no gators:thumbsup:

[TexasPrincessAurora]

The only time we've seen alligators is on the golf courses...you'll definitely find them there. We stayed at POR last January and didn't see any there.

[anlashokna]

There are signs up normally if there are issues with them inhabiting the ponds. I know at Shades of green (across from the Poly) they have beware of alligator type signs around all the ponds. And yep, are room last time overlooked the golf courses and we enjoyed watching a gator sun himself on the final hole. I don't think golfers were as amused :)

I actually darn near got run over by a deer on our last trip to Shades, it came busting out of the forest right where I was walking and scared me to death. Mind you it was a dark out. Teaches me to go pick up a pizza! Here I was watching for gators...

[kakn7294]

We've seen multiple deer, rabbits, turkeys, squirrels, those evil white birds, and of course, those little lizards, palmetto bugs and lovebugs galore but never a gator. I know that they are around but I think they are very well controlled in most public areas except for those golf courses and perhaps the path from Shades of Green.

[Figaro]

They don't really bother anyone, also. They tend to stay out of the way. I've gone swimming in Bay Lake a couple of times and never had an issue with them. Leave them alone, and they'll always leave you alone. :)

[RedSoxandPatsfan]

That's great feedback. Looks like nothing to fret over. Thank you all for your responses.:thumbsup:

[MegaDisney]

All the aligators on Disney Property are AA's so no worries! :blush:

[Polynesian Dweller]

Actually, we have seen them in the Rivers of America in MK. Just small, about 3ft but there under the board walk. Saw them in 2005 and 2006 but not this year.

Never have seen them around the Poly.

[Peterpanflight]

When my husband and I went in June of last year we saw an alligator in the water at Animal Kingdom right over the bridge near Expedition Everest...i was shocked!

[pjbs35a]

No need to worry about the alligators. The boa constrictors take care of them. :D

[disneydeb]

The most viscious one are on a football team.:D

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

All the aligators on Disney Property are AA's so no worries! :blush:

I'm glad this was sarcasm! Generally, as a good rule of thumb in Florida, if there is water, there are gators.

But they get feed enough turkey legs from the tourists to not be a concern.

I've personally seen them at Rivers of America, Pop Century, Boardwalk, and Animal Kingdom (not in the safari or "control" areas).

[mickey&missy]

We saw all sorts of great animals last visit. Mostly thanks to a very cool, wonderful bus driver who drove us from WL to Epcot on evening. We saw armadillo (the bus driver told us how they aren't native to FL) deer, wild turkeys, and a gator. MIL and FIL stayed at Coronado Springs a few years ago (probably 5 or 6) and there were having a gator problem. They had CM's patroling the water looking for gators!

I love to walk, especially early in the morning and was wondering about going down by Seven Seas Lagoon next trip. I figured I'd ask at the front desk at GF. I went on the dock at WL last trip at sunrise and saw nothing.

Side note to the animals, we saw a bald eagle from the dock at WL on our last morning of last trip. It was stunning!

[browneyedgirl12]

I have stayed at POR Alligator Bayou and have never once seen an alligator. I have seen rabbits and deer before at WDW but no alligators.

Although if you do see one stay away. Im sure most people know this, but you are not supposed to feed any wildlife or try to touch or capture any wildlife. I don't know why but a lot of people from the north try and get closer to alligators or try to feed them, but I was born and raised in florida and seeing an alligator does not excite me.

[Piglet822]

I'm glad this was sarcasm! Generally, as a good rule of thumb in Florida, if there is water, there are gators.

But they get feed enough turkey legs from the tourists to not be a concern.

I've personally seen them at Rivers of America, Pop Century, Boardwalk, and Animal Kingdom (not in the safari or "control" areas).

Jessica is correct, if you see a body of water, it's best to assume there is a gator in it. (This is the only time I will assume anything)

However, if people start feeding the gators over time the gators start associating people with food and can and do become nuisance gators. When this happens they are usually caught and destroyed (in the real world, I'm not sure what Disney does in these situations).

I have seen gators in several bodies of water at WDW and I've even seen one sunning itself inches (literally) from one of the sidewalks at Corondado Springs. So, yes there are gators at WDW, yes they are real, and they are wild animals so yes, they are dangerous.

[pogo]

I've never seen a gator at WDW..... but I've seen some killer possums. Ask Natazu ! :D

[katzctkpt]

We've been the last 4 yrs and have stayed at POR and haven't seen a alligator yet. The boats are up & down the waterways and if a CM would see one I'd say they have procedures to follow to make sure the guest safety is the primary concern.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

I've always been both shocked and amazed that the Guests will feed a gator. I forgot what the code was for it, but I know we had one at Pop, because it came in and I had to ask what it meant.

I think Disney most likely (based on Walt's morals about animal wildlife and conservation) would capture and re-release further away from property (like...Shingle Creek - Headwaters to the Everglades) or put them into DAK or sell them to Gator World.

[kakn7294]

Although if you do see one stay away. Im sure most people know this, but you are not supposed to feed any wildlife or try to touch or capture any wildlife. I don't know why but a lot of people from the north try and get closer to alligators or try to feed them, but I was born and raised in florida and seeing an alligator does not excite me.I really have no desire to get that close to a wild gator. I have touched / petted one that was being held by a professional handler in a zoo - good enough for me! I'm happy to look at the wild ones from a safe distance since they can probably outrun chubby little me - I'd make a really good gator snack.


However, if people start feeding the gators over time the gators start associating people with food and can and do become nuisance gators. When this happens they are usually caught and destroyed (in the real world, I'm not sure what Disney does in these situations).A friend from work had a daughter and granddaughter who lived in a stilt house in a bayou near New Orleans before Katrina. The granddaughter - about 12 yo at the time - would take her allowance and buy raw chicken to feed to one of the local gators from her balcony. Unfortunately, of her gator friend had to be destroyed after he came looking for food - he had gotten quite used to the easy meal and became very aggressive. He wouldn't let them leave the house, the granddaughter had to confess what she did, and the gator had to be shot.


I think Disney most likely (based on Walt's morals about animal wildlife and conservation) would capture and re-release further away from property (like...Shingle Creek - Headwaters to the Everglades) or put them into DAK or sell them to Gator World.I read / heard once that Disney traps and release the gators in the more remote, unused areas on the property and if they truly are a nuisance (meaning overly aggressive), they will destroy them as well. Human safety has to be the number 1 priority.

[Natazu]

I've never seen a gator at WDW..... but I've seen some killer possums. Ask Natazu ! :D
:shake:

[NJGIRL]

Well we saw a gator at the Magic Kingdom Oct 2006 in the water near the Liberty Tree Tavern! A CM was hanging over the ralling looking down into the water as we were walking by. We stopped to see what she was looking at and at first I thought it wasn't real but then I saw it moving it's mouth. It didn't move from the spot but just kept going under and coming back up. When I ask her if it was unusual she said they come in time to time. Needless to say we didn't do Tom Sawyer Island on that visit.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

:) I used to work for Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and if what the one member said about guests feeding the alligators is true then that is a bad thing...alligators have a natural fear of humans, in the wild they will usually leave you alone....when people start feeding them, they lose that fear and associate humans with food...if they are hungry and you are not standing there with food this could be a problem...we used to have people who would feed the animals but then when their pets were eaten they were not happy and when we had to destroy an animal because it was aggressive they would get angry, but they were the cause of the problems for feeding them in the first place.:soapbox::shake: Okay, enough of that...

We stayed at Coronado Springs last visit and were told sometimes you would see them on grounds, but we never did! If you see one, just stay away!

[glenpreece]

Ewwww gators at Pop!!!!!!!!!!

[RedheadWriter]

Wow.I will have to be more aware when we stay at pop in a couple of weeks! I'd love to see a gator, being a crazy nature lover, but I am concerned that most people (my mother included) wouldn't really know what to do, mainly not panic and just leave said gator alone. Here where I live, coyotes are what you need to be aware of. I've seen coyotes in the distance as I have hiked and they have all run off as soon as they have seen me. Do I get a little spooked? Sure. But I stay calm. LOL...I find squirrels to be totally fearless aroudn here. I am more scared of them!

[Marilyn Michetti]

There was a gator in the pond by SOG. DH went down every morning to try and get a picture, until the guard told him the gator could go from "sleeping" to 25 mph in something like six seconds.

People come here to Phoenix wanting to see wild horses, lions, bears, and coyote's. I direct them to the zoo. Wild animals don't want to see humans, and will leave us alone most of the time.:gator:

[Ian]

I've seen quite a few gators around Disney property ... I saw one at the marina at the Grand Flo once (big one, too), I've seen them in the Rivers of America, in the water near Pop, in the ponds along the Epcot monorail line, and in Bay Lake near the Contemporary.

Honestly ... it would never occur to me in a million years to try and feed a wild alligator. Although, it doesn't shock me that people do. The longer I live the more I realize that a large portion of the population is made up of people with no common sense.

Unfortunately, we're such a safety concious society that Darwinism no longer takes care of people like this. :shake:

[medic9016]

Honestly ... it would never occur to me in a million years to try and feed a wild alligator. Although, it doesn't shock me that people do. The longer I live the more I realize that a large portion of the population is made up of people with no common sense.

Unfortunately, we're such a safety concious society that Darwinism no longer takes care of people like this. :shake:

It's the people that don't feed them after they have been feed before that end up getting hurt. We just call it job security. They are feed and feed, then someone gets to close to look and has no food and the end up getting bit.

[pink]

The only time I ever saw an alligator at WDW was near the bus stops at Blizzard Beach. :mickey:

[Natazu]

Unfortunately, we're such a safety concious society that Darwinism no longer takes care of people like this. :shake:
:thumbsup:
Gotta say I miss having you around, Ian.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

:) A little common sense goes a long way, yes they are neat, but they are still wild animals so keep your distance....also, what amazes me is that people are amazed that they may be on grounds.....well, Disney built around their natural habitat (in the middle of Florida wetlands), not the other way around....so yes, you will see them in the water around the parks and resorts...I laugh when people build their nice houses here on the water and then are very upset when they see an alligator...they have to live somewhere...

Disney really has a good common sense attitude about wildlife and are good about supporting conservation....I'm sure if they are aware of an aggresive animal, they will handle the situation to keep guests safe...

[pink]

well, Disney built around their natural habitat (in the middle of Florida wetlands), not the other way around....so yes, you will see them in the water around the parks and resorts...I laugh when people build their nice houses here on the water and then are very upset when they see an alligator...they have to live somewhere...

So true. I know so many people who want to build a "dream home" in Florida and then I remind them of the bugs and wildlife and they get so taken back. DW was a swamp land at one time- that's why they thought Walt was crazy for purchasing it. :mickey: