Where to see wild aligators in WDW area
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
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Where to see wild aligators in WDW area
My cousin and uncle really want to see a live alligator in the wild when we are down at Disney in a couple of weeks. I know plenty pf places to find them that are a bit of a drive from the parks, but any suggestions on a reliable spot in t4h Kissimme area? We won't have time for a airboat ride (would be appropriate for the group anyways) and was hoping for something wild, not Gatorland.
thanks!
thanks!
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Jupiter, FL
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This has some good advice, though some are a bit far afield.
6 of the Best Places to Spot Alligators Near Orlando
Top on the list:
The most infamous spot in town is Lake Jesup, which is 100,000 years old and home to a whopping 10,000 alligators. (We'll pass on the midnight swim, thank you very much.) Located just north of Orlando, Lake Jesup holds the record for the largest concentration of gators in any lake in the U.S.
https://rootsrated.com/stories/6-of-...s-near-orlando
6 of the Best Places to Spot Alligators Near Orlando
Top on the list:
The most infamous spot in town is Lake Jesup, which is 100,000 years old and home to a whopping 10,000 alligators. (We'll pass on the midnight swim, thank you very much.) Located just north of Orlando, Lake Jesup holds the record for the largest concentration of gators in any lake in the U.S.
https://rootsrated.com/stories/6-of-...s-near-orlando
#3
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One more note. You really have to know how to spot them. I was at the Canaveral National Seashore quietly enjoying lunch at a lakeside turnout.
A van full of tourists parked, got out, wandered around loudly and then complained that there weren't any alligators to be seen. I had already seen 4 or 5, including the one that was about 6 feet away from them.
When I pointed it out (and there was no protective barrier between them and the gator), they quickly got back in their van and drove off.
A van full of tourists parked, got out, wandered around loudly and then complained that there weren't any alligators to be seen. I had already seen 4 or 5, including the one that was about 6 feet away from them.
When I pointed it out (and there was no protective barrier between them and the gator), they quickly got back in their van and drove off.
#4
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posts: 3,360
Yes, they are easy to miss (by design). I once took one of the specialty tours at Kennedy Space Center. It was the tour that visits the oldest launch sites on the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. One of the stops was Launch Complex 34, where the Apollo 1 tragedy happened. There's a lot of swamp surrounding that site and the guide suggested it would be smart to stay away from the vegetation because of alligators (and snakes). As if on cue, this massive gator crawled out of the water about 20 yards away. It was easily 10 feet long. I'd basically been looking right at it but only saw it once it moved.
#5
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One more note. You really have to know how to spot them. I was at the Canaveral National Seashore quietly enjoying lunch at a lakeside turnout.
A van full of tourists parked, got out, wandered around loudly and then complained that there weren't any alligators to be seen. I had already seen 4 or 5, including the one that was about 6 feet away from them.
When I pointed it out (and there was no protective barrier between them and the gator), they quickly got back in their van and drove off.
A van full of tourists parked, got out, wandered around loudly and then complained that there weren't any alligators to be seen. I had already seen 4 or 5, including the one that was about 6 feet away from them.
When I pointed it out (and there was no protective barrier between them and the gator), they quickly got back in their van and drove off.
David