aligators at disneyworld?

[Tiggery]

I just wonder if there has ever been aligators at disneyworld? I read that anywhere there is standing water in florida there would be gators but I havent read about anyone seeing one?

[Tink]

Yes, there have been and there are. You rarely see them, but every now and then someone will be in the right place at the right time and snap a shot of one and post it on the 'net.

It is quite true about the body of water thing. I had a trapper tell me that if there is a body of water in Florida (including unfenced swimming pools!) you will find a 'gator in it.

Near the Everglades and certain areas of Tampa you will find crocs. They prefer the brackish water instead of the 'gator's preference for "fresh" water.

You will NEVER catch me swimming in a pond or lake in Florida. I'll take my chances with the sharks in the ocean or the gulf before I'll get into a body of water that has any chance at all of having a 'gator in it!

Lake Jessup, just north of Orlando reportedly has the largest population of 'gators in any one body of water. I used to visit a facility (for work) near there and was early one morning. I stopped by the lake to wait for a decent hour to visit the facility and was actually creeped out by the number of 'gators I saw. Too scary for me.

So, all that to say. Yep. What you've heard is right.

[Ursula]

We saw a gator in the lake at Coronado Springs resort. There was a sign saying beware gators... but as it was Disney we didn't think it was a real proper sign... until we actually saw the gator

[Slowhand]

I read somewhere that there are more alligators than human beings in Florida ! If this is true then it is very likely that they are everywhere where there is water around.
We did however see a huge one [around 8 -10 feet long] waddling through the self parking lot at the GF a few years ago, but that`s the only one I`ve seen in all the times I`ve been there and sadly I didn`t have my camera handy at the time.

[Tink]

They are proper signs indeed!

Another issue that you don't hear about unless you live here are the amoebas that form in standing water once the temp reaches 80 degrees (the temperature of the water) which happens each summer. If the amoeba enters your body (via nose usually) it can lodge in your brain and cause death. This is happening with greater (although still quite rare) frequency (children ).

So. Stay out of lakes, ponds, even so called rivers. NOT safe places. (We haven't even started to discuss the snakes that are in the water).

[Tink]

Yes, WDW does do a very good job of controlling the presence of 'gators but there are so very many of them, it's a continuous job.

[Dawn]

(We haven't even started to discuss the snakes that are in the water).

COTTONMOUTH!!!!!!

[Tink]

Yes. I'm nearly fainting just thinking about it. Also known as a water moccasin. (I've probably spelt that wrong, but you are used to my creative license by now).

[Dawn]

When my mum and myself went to Cypress Gardens before it was all theme parked up we climbed into the boat for the ride around the waterways and guide was going through all the dos and don'ts and one of the don'ts was "DO NOT PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE WATER WE HAVE COTTONMOUTHS HERE"

[Tink]

Someone I once knew was in a pirogue in Louisiana (fishing). There were two guides. One to watch the water and one to watch the trees. The cottonmouths (I can spell that one! ) would come up from the water and try to get in the boat, as well as drop from trees into the boat.

I'd just die. Plain and simple. Ugh. Ugh. Ugh.