A possibly dumb question ahead.

DawnBerg

Active Member
On our last trip there was about a 5 ft gator in the lake inside Frontierland. They had a CM "standing gaurd" near the bridge the gator was swimming under. We thought it was cool and watched him for quite awhile. My son talked to the CM and was told that he was there to make sure no one tries to feed the gator so it doesn't want to stay there. o_O HMMM.
 

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
On our last trip there was about a 5 ft gator in the lake inside Frontierland. They had a CM "standing gaurd" near the bridge the gator was swimming under. We thought it was cool and watched him for quite awhile. My son talked to the CM and was told that he was there to make sure no one tries to feed the gator so it doesn't want to stay there. o_O HMMM.

Unfortunately this is true. We once rented a house on a retention pond in FL and every time we stepped out into the back yard, a gator would swim up to the shore right in front of us. It turns out that the previous renters would feed the gator every day, so it expected that routine to continue.
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Unfortunately this is true. We once rented a house on a retention pond in FL and every time we stepped out into the back yard, a gator would swim up to the shore right in front of us. It turns out that the previous renters would feed the gator every day, so it expected that routine to continue.
People feeding them is the number one reason for problem gators. Once they associate people with food it is over.
 

dopeylover

Well-Known Member
I've seen one in or around the resorts every time I've gone! Each time I'm on a water ride, I think about what could be lurking right next to me and I freak myself out...I know the chances are slim to none, but that darn water is so dark in POTC, it's one of the first thoughts in my head. :eek: :D
 

maryszhi

Well-Known Member
i think its because its a man made lake, however, i have seen gators on property, as well as other animal life. one has to remember that before disneyworld was there, it was all orange groves and other natural things.
 

maryszhi

Well-Known Member
Several years ago I remember reading about them finding one in one of the tube slides at Wet 'n Wild first thing in the morning.
that would be my worst nightmare. i am glad they check the water park rides and theme park rides before it opens. i cannot even begin to imagine what the staff thought when they found it. i wonder how it got there, especially with all of the fences and stuff.
 

Polydweller

Well-Known Member
i think its because its a man made lake, however, i have seen gators on property, as well as other animal life. one has to remember that before disneyworld was there, it was all orange groves and other natural things.
Seven Seas Lagoon may be man made but it's a body of water and Florida. I've seen them in there though not frequently.
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
i think its because its a man made lake, however, i have seen gators on property, as well as other animal life. one has to remember that before disneyworld was there, it was all orange groves and other natural things.
Dose not make the first bit of difference. An alligator is just as happy being a swimming pool as a natural lake. The only thing they care about is protection and a food source.
 

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
I do believe that is a Crocdile and there are two!

Though all alligators are crocodiles, not all crocodiles are alligators :)

Also, isn't there a position at Splash called Gtor Watch?

Actually they are 2 different families of the crocodilians species. I think.
 

Plowboy

Well-Known Member
About 10 years ago while staying at the BCV we saw an alligator swimming around in the ditch/canal out in front of the resort. As I recall it was about 3' long. Definitely not animatronic...
 

Nicole

Well-Known Member
I've seen them at several of the resorts, but never at any of the parks. It is my understanding that one of the reasons they have "no swimming" signs in all the lakes is due to gators (but that could just be a rumor.)

We spent a happy hour one night at Coronado Springs on a bridge over the water watching a family of gators swimming around. It was one of my kids' favorite memories of that trip.
 

tahqa

Well-Known Member
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genusAlligator of the family Alligatoridae.

A crocodile is any species belonging to the familyCrocodylidae (sometimes classified instead as the subfamilyCrocodylinae). The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the orderCrocodilia: i.e. the true crocodiles, the alligators and caimans (family Alligatoridae) and the gharials (family Gavialidae), as well as the Crocodylomorpha, which include prehistoric crocodile relatives and ancestors.

Alligators and crocodiles are both in the order "crocodylia" so it is not inaccurate to say that all alligators are crocodiles but not vice-versa.

For the most part alligators in Florida will avoid people but really the big reason for the no swimming in the lakes is because of the amoeba. They thrive in warm water and can be deadly so it's just generally safer to not allow swimming.
 

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