A possibly dumb question ahead.

[KCheatle]

When we were kids going to WDW, my brother LOVED the jungle cruise. We rode it dozens of times on any given trip. Well...once, we had just gotten off POC and my parents bought my brother a toy pirate gun which he proceeded to "shoot" at everything. We then went on the jungle cruise. My brother proceeds to "shoot" at all of hte animals in the water as they pop up and down and blow water out of their spouts. But, then an animal pops up in the hippos section that was (1) not there before and (2) not a hippo!! My brother starts saying "I'm shooting the alligator" and my mom looks over about to tell him that what he is actually shooting is a hippo, when she quickly realizes it's a GATOR! My parents tell the captain who at first doesn't believe them, but then they see it pop up again. Needless to say, the jungle cruise was out of commission the rest of that day

 

[KCheatle]

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.)

I think there is also concern with the bacteria in the lake. But, it could be a combo of the two reasons?

 

[InLikeFlynn]

The infamous 3 legged Frontierland gator. He hangs out around the bridge...right by the Turkey Leg stand. He's no fool.

 

[Nemo14]

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.

ahhh - thanks for the clarification

 

[Goofyernmost]

Make a trip to Kennedy Space center some time and keep your eyes on the water in the culverts on the side of the causeway. I have never not seen one there.

I have to take issue with that big one in the culvert on the side of the causeway. The reason? Over a number of years, different trips and sometimes spacious time spans between trips that fellow is always there. The bus drivers always see it and point it out. Me thinks that there is something fishy about that Space Center one.

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.

I suppose that it is possible that there might be one in the land based Jungle Cruise, but the indoor rides have their water source separated from the outside influence. And even it they did get in I doubt they would stay very long...there's enough chemical in those waters to fell a whole herd of them.

 

[threeyoda]

I see that WDW has water throughout the park. A ferry boat to hotels and even water sports.
How are there not any alligators?

Clueless from Calif.

For starters it is a man made lake. The gators have long been evicted from there. However, I have heard there were a couple problems with them before. Wasn't there one in Pirates of the Caribbean at one point? Plus I have seen a youtube video with a baby gator on the Splash Mountain ride

The man made lake has nothing to do with the gators. They can easily swim in from Bay Lake and walk over land, especially since the lake has been there for over 40 years now. There are absolutely gators in nearly all natural and man-made lakes and canals in WDW. Even the ones in parks, as those are connected to the outside canal and lake system. I don't think they've ever been in rides though.

 

[JIMINYCR]

The infamous 3 legged Frontierland gator. He hangs out around the bridge...right by the Turkey Leg stand. He's no fool.

And if you listen reeealll carefully you can hear TICK TOCK TICK TOCK TICK TOCK

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

There are absolutely gators at WDW. Lots of them, in almost every imaginable body of water.

There used to be a little gator in a pond backstage behind Space. He was pretty friendly and people would feed him on their lunches. I never did, but it is what it is lol. Don't work in that area anymore, so no idea if he's still there. They live forever and stick around if you feed them, so he probably is lol.

You see them in Frontierland a lot. One in particular.

 

[bethymouse]

I believe youtube has a video of a CM trying to get a gator out of splash mountain.
Yep- they're everywhere!

 

[PUSH]

Back in 2003 we saw one in the river around TSI, and we were crossing over to the island at the time. Exciting stuff for a kid at the time.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

I saw one in one of the small roadside ponds.

 

[harveyt0206]

I believe youtube has a video of a CM trying to get a gator out of splash mountain.
Yep- they're everywhere!

Is it odd that I am totally freaked out by this entire discussion? We saw a gator in the river at Animal Kingdom. He was just chillin on the shoreline. But the thought that one could actually find its way into a ride like Splash.... * shivers*

 

[KCheatle]

The infamous 3 legged Frontierland gator. He hangs out around the bridge...right by the Turkey Leg stand. He's no fool.

OMG!! What is the life expectancy of a gator? Could it possibly be the same one we saw as kids on the jungle cruise? Late 80s?

 

[InLikeFlynn]

From Wikipedia:

There is no measured average lifespan for an alligator.[4] In 1937, a one year-old specimen was brought to the Belgrade Zoo in Serbia from Germany. It is now 76 years old.[5] Another specimen, Čabulītis, in Riga Zoo, Latvia died in 2007 being more than 75 years old.[citation needed]


Safe to say this is not the same guy from the 80's though....he's maybe 4-5' long. If he were in his 20's-30's he'd be a lot bigger.

 

[YoungNY]

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.

Thanks, now that's all I'm gonna think about next time I'm on potc.

 

[Gabe1]

It always amazes me that people are surprised that FL wildlife can be found in WDW, as if some giant bubble exists around disney property.

In days gone by Disney had staff that 'took care' of those issues quietly. Ever wonder why there wasn't the bird problems when you were eating in the good 'ole days. Why geese never seemed to winter on WDW property? It is more difficult these days to accomplish what needs to be done now and then. Every person is carrying a cell with video capabilities, itch'n to post it to YouTube.

DH has seen the gators on the golf courses.

 

[Gabe1]

From Wikipedia:

There is no measured average lifespan for an alligator.[4] In 1937, a one year-old specimen was brought to the Belgrade Zoo in Serbia from Germany. It is now 76 years old.[5] Another specimen, Čabulītis, in Riga Zoo, Latvia died in 2007 being more than 75 years old.[citation needed]


Safe to say this is not the same guy from the 80's though....he's maybe 4-5' long. If he were in his 20's-30's he'd be a lot bigger.

And how many different Lassie's were there?

 

[unkadug]

And how many different Lassie's were there?

I believe the correct question is "How many different Lassie's did this alligator eat?"

 

[DABIGCHEEZ]

Have seen gator on property every trip. Bay Lake, Rivers of America from train and dock, Caribbean Beach Resort, AKVs lake, AK park, OKW Resort, and canals as we drive have had them through the years. Just a few weeks back, on a morning walk around SSR.. had a 5 footer(gonna change it to a 6 footer after looking at the pic again) sunning on the bank of the lake(with fountain) and boardwalk across it. I have pics and video, but not downloaded yet.

Here is a pic and video of little guy we found at AK a few years back...

 

[Raven66]

I have an immense phobia of gators. I have actually had nightmares where I wake up screaming. I used to live in Florida in my teens. We lived where there is a lot of canals. There was an alleyway next to a canal and you could hear the gators during mating season. We had someone tell my friend and I that if you ran zigzag the gator couldn't catch you. So it was about 10 at night and we were walking down that alley and you could hear them so we decided to start running zigzag down the alley. We looked like complete idiots and we kept running into each other. The gators would have caught us anyway because we had to stop because we were laughing so hard we couldn't breath.

We haven't seen one at WDW yet at least not that I can remember. I will definately keep a look out now.