Tiggerfanatic
Well-Known Member
I just blew Coke (the drink, not the powder) out my nose!!!:ROFLOL: :ROFLOL:
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Swimming in Disney's lakes
- Thread starter stalkingmickey
- Start date
I just blew Coke (the drink, not the powder) out my nose!!!:ROFLOL: :ROFLOL:
lilmizpixie3
New Member
Ew i dont think it would swim in those lakes...lakes in Florida..eww gators
LoriMistress
Well-Known Member
Dirty water (which has been discussed on posts before) and gators. No thanks.
Algae is not the problem it is either a bacteria or a parasite (the aforementioned amoeba) I am not sure which species of algae are the most common in Florida but I doubt it is toxic, in fact one species of algae, spirulina, has one of the highest antioxidant levels per gram of any plant on the planet and is commonly sold as a nutritional supplement. I personally take about 1200mg of it per day.
There is very little risk of either parasitic or bacterial infection in the deeper water. The amoeba is most commonly found in the lake bed and becomes a danger when the bottom gets stirred up like it would with people walking at swimming at the shore line.
This is one of several suspected reasons.
He should be fine. I would worry more about sunscreen and proper hydration than bacteria, parasites and gators.
Gators are actually not aggressive unless they are guarding a nest or have been fed by humans and have begun to associate humans with food. For the most part if you encounter one in the wild they will do their best to get away from you. Gators are ambush predators and the most common MO for a gator attacking a human is when some one is running next to the shore line especially in light colored shoes. Gators mistake the shoes for birds and will strike.
Mansion Butler
Active Member
Yeah, it's a head scratcher.
ConstanceIrene
Member
That's interesting, thank you, buuuuuuuuuuuutttt I may rethink the boat rental now.
Post number 42 is direct from the CDC website and will give you all the info about the ameba.
jmvd20
Well-Known Member
Ahh... There's no room for scientific facts or data in a discussion such as this.
For theming and so you can sit on the beach. If you don't want to, don't go to the beach.[/quote]
Thanks for letting me know that if I don't want to do something not to do it.:hammer:
As a beach person I would not go to a beach and sit there unless I could go in the water. It is a tease. Other people may enjoy this but I do not.
At the Poly that have lounge chairs on the sand with canvas canopies attached to them this is not just for theming.[/quote]
Some people just like to sun bathe and the lake area is less crowded than the pool.
Also, people go out at night at the GF, Poly, CR, and WL for the fireworks and electrical water pageant.
Jennifer
Thanks for letting me know that if I don't want to do something not to do it.:hammer:
As a beach person I would not go to a beach and sit there unless I could go in the water. It is a tease. Other people may enjoy this but I do not.
At the Poly that have lounge chairs on the sand with canvas canopies attached to them this is not just for theming.[/quote]
Some people just like to sun bathe and the lake area is less crowded than the pool.
Also, people go out at night at the GF, Poly, CR, and WL for the fireworks and electrical water pageant.
Jennifer
WDW Monorail
Well-Known Member
It is very rare that one was to become ill from the microbes in Floridian lakes.
However, instead of taking the risk, the government decided to prohibit activity in untreated, natural lakes lakes
There have been some gators that have popped out on the shore between Poly and TTC.
However, instead of taking the risk, the government decided to prohibit activity in untreated, natural lakes lakes
There have been some gators that have popped out on the shore between Poly and TTC.
tigsmom
Well-Known Member
Its not an algae its an amoeba that makes you sick. It is not only in Florida, but anywhere there is warm, stagnant fresh water. It is not worth risking your life (not just health, but life) because its infection rate is very high and so is the mortality rate.
Yes you could swim at the beaches in WDW at one time, but are no longer allowed to. The sandy beaches are more for atmosphere now, sunbathing and beach games.
There have been threads about this before and a quick search should bring up those discussions. :wave:
Yes you could swim at the beaches in WDW at one time, but are no longer allowed to. The sandy beaches are more for atmosphere now, sunbathing and beach games.
There have been threads about this before and a quick search should bring up those discussions. :wave:
beachclubbasics
New Member
Actually, back in the late 70's when I was a kid, a child contracted this exact amobeic infection at WDW and passed away about a week before my family visited. At the time I think it was blamed on a visit to the water park (I think it was called River Country at the time and was relatively new) instead of swimming in the lagoons/lakes. I remember reading about it in the paper.
I also think that another reason the lakes were closed because, let's face it, it's just dangerous to have boaters and swimmersso near to each other. Even though WDW used to rope off the areas where you could swim, you know that someone is just going to have to be defiant and go where they shouldn't..like out of the roped off area.
From the Center for Disease Control's website
How common is Naegleria infection?
Although Naegleria is commonly found in the environment, infection occurs rarely.
Only 24 infections were documented in the U.S. between 1989 and 2000.
Officially you can't swim in the lake.
You can go in the lake, put your feet in it. If you are short, or a little kid I guess you can swim in it, but you can't really go that far out. For one, it's a lot deeper than you think it is, and for another there are water crafts all over the place.
I suggest you go down and look at it. It doesn't look like a place you would want to go swiming in once you are down there, sitting on the beach.
Disney4648
New Member
Disney has pools, dont get mad at them for not being allowed to swim in the lakes!
Who said anything about being mad at Disney.
I was trying to figure out why you couldn't swim in the lakes like you used to be able to. :drevil:
wdwmomof3
Well-Known Member
wdwmomof3
Well-Known Member
This was from a couple of years ago. We were waiting for my wife and daughter while they were riding Splash Mountain. Appears there was a gator hangin' out at the bottom of the hill waiting for snack.
Wow, I guess I will be looking from now on. I have a pretty good eye for gators but I have never seen one at Disney. I have heard others say that they had seen them before. I think that they are so interesting to watch but kind of scary too.
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
I grew up in the Central Florida area (don't live there now) and learned to swim in lakes at parks that were designated for swimming. We also swam in creeks where we found little swimming hole areas that were fun. Mind you, this was 15+ years ago. We knew there were gators and/or snakes. I think the gator population was lower then, also. I remember when gators were protected. Now they have a hunting season for them.
Would I swim in a lake or creek now? Nope. If I have a pool to swim in, great. I never cared for the squishy feeling of the lake/creek bottoms. My brother once gashed the bottom of his foot open on a broken bottle hidden in a soft, muddy pond bottom. He had to be stitched up in layers and on crutches for months. Nope, not me.
I always saw the pretty sandy beaches at the WDW resorts as a nice place to take a romantic sunset stroll with your sweetie. I imagine when taking in the water pageant it's a good place to hang around or maybe get your toes wet. I wouldn't swim there, though. Too many pretty pools to partake of.
If you truly want that fresh-water feeling, central Florida has some nice springs where you can swim/tube. I couldn't tell you where the heck they are now but I remember them from when I was a kid. I'm sure info can be found. I distinctly remember Blue Springs. We always laughed at the name because the water was so cold we were sure that the name came from the color your lips were when you got out. The springs were always so dang cold. I don't think any reptiles could survive there.
Would I swim in a lake or creek now? Nope. If I have a pool to swim in, great. I never cared for the squishy feeling of the lake/creek bottoms. My brother once gashed the bottom of his foot open on a broken bottle hidden in a soft, muddy pond bottom. He had to be stitched up in layers and on crutches for months. Nope, not me.
I always saw the pretty sandy beaches at the WDW resorts as a nice place to take a romantic sunset stroll with your sweetie. I imagine when taking in the water pageant it's a good place to hang around or maybe get your toes wet. I wouldn't swim there, though. Too many pretty pools to partake of.
If you truly want that fresh-water feeling, central Florida has some nice springs where you can swim/tube. I couldn't tell you where the heck they are now but I remember them from when I was a kid. I'm sure info can be found. I distinctly remember Blue Springs. We always laughed at the name because the water was so cold we were sure that the name came from the color your lips were when you got out. The springs were always so dang cold. I don't think any reptiles could survive there.