Humane gator parks?
November 10, 2010 3:27 PM Subscribe
Is it possible to see alligators near disney world? But not in any sort of context that would make an animal rights activist cry.
My girlfriend and I are joining my family for a few days in the Orlando area to do Universal Studios and Epcot, but we also have half a day on Sunday morning before our flights home, and my lady friend would love to see some alligators...
but not at Gatorland (too much like a zoo)
and certainly not at a place like this, which Roadside America suggests has been regularly picketed by activists and visited by inspectors.
Are there any easy to reach wildlife refuges or similar parks where seeing gators in their natural habitat might be virtually guaranteed? And again, that we could get to from Disney World area resorts quickly enough to have us at Orlando airport by like 1:30 in the afternoon?
My girlfriend and I are joining my family for a few days in the Orlando area to do Universal Studios and Epcot, but we also have half a day on Sunday morning before our flights home, and my lady friend would love to see some alligators...
but not at Gatorland (too much like a zoo)
and certainly not at a place like this, which Roadside America suggests has been regularly picketed by activists and visited by inspectors.
Are there any easy to reach wildlife refuges or similar parks where seeing gators in their natural habitat might be virtually guaranteed? And again, that we could get to from Disney World area resorts quickly enough to have us at Orlando airport by like 1:30 in the afternoon?
I don't remember Gatorland being much like a zoo. In fact it was so expansive and naturalistic I was disappointed that all the alligators were hiding in reeds miles away and we hardly saw any.
posted by fire&wings at 3:48 PM on November 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by fire&wings at 3:48 PM on November 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Unless they have changed it, there are gators living in the canals all over the Disney World property. In the wild. Free.
I know this isn't exactly what you wanted, but as an answer, well - it was how I remember meeting my first gator.
posted by strixus at 4:19 PM on November 10, 2010
I know this isn't exactly what you wanted, but as an answer, well - it was how I remember meeting my first gator.
posted by strixus at 4:19 PM on November 10, 2010
Take the "Behind the Seeds" tour at Epcot. It's a lot of fun, a bit educational, and among other things you'll see juvenile alligators that they raise there.
posted by jedicus at 4:26 PM on November 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by jedicus at 4:26 PM on November 10, 2010 [1 favorite]
Years ago a few of us were in Orlando for work, we rented a car and drove out to Cape Canaveral - it was possible to drive off the road that led to the beach into a kind of wild area - and we spotted some gators. We weren't trespassing and there were other people there, but unfortunately I can't remember the exact place. We looked at the gator, the gator looked at us, and then we drove to the beach and swam in the ocean. It was a pretty cool afternoon.
posted by poissonrouge at 4:29 PM on November 10, 2010
posted by poissonrouge at 4:29 PM on November 10, 2010
I've never not seen a gator at Wekiwa Springs, about an hour north of Disney in Seminole County, and about 40-45 minutes from MCO. Rent a canoe or kayak early in the morning, and you'll probably see plenty of them. The water is freezing year round, but it's also crystal clear, and the area's gorgeous.
posted by ThatSomething at 4:51 PM on November 10, 2010
posted by ThatSomething at 4:51 PM on November 10, 2010
Best answer: Then again, it's FLORIDA.
In 1995, I was heading north on 275 from Sarasota heading to St. Pete in my dad's ol' Grand Marquis (a rolling couch, really). I had....adjusted my attitude, and was blasting the radio (no tapes, no cds). Pink Floyd's The Wall came on and, at that moment, it was exactly what I wanted to hear.
Up ahead in the outside lane....my lane....there was something, but I couldn't see quite what it was. At 80 mph, I would see it soon enough.
The Wall's intro thumped along. Was it perhaps a palm frond? It traversed almost the entire lane.
I was bearing down on it and it was beginning to have a familiar -can't quite place it, but the music was building up almost in sync and just as the song reached the point of the signature "The Wall" strangled cry, the "palm frond" ON CUE swiveled its massive head toward the oncoming headlamp of my car, flashing back at me its lighter colored underneck....
Just in time for me to swerve way the hell away from the alligatorlane, past the alligator, and onward and upward to St. Pete.
So yeah, keep your eyes open.
posted by Jezebella at 8:00 PM on November 10, 2010
In 1995, I was heading north on 275 from Sarasota heading to St. Pete in my dad's ol' Grand Marquis (a rolling couch, really). I had....adjusted my attitude, and was blasting the radio (no tapes, no cds). Pink Floyd's The Wall came on and, at that moment, it was exactly what I wanted to hear.
Up ahead in the outside lane....my lane....there was something, but I couldn't see quite what it was. At 80 mph, I would see it soon enough.
The Wall's intro thumped along. Was it perhaps a palm frond? It traversed almost the entire lane.
I was bearing down on it and it was beginning to have a familiar -can't quite place it, but the music was building up almost in sync and just as the song reached the point of the signature "The Wall" strangled cry, the "palm frond" ON CUE swiveled its massive head toward the oncoming headlamp of my car, flashing back at me its lighter colored underneck....
Just in time for me to swerve way the hell away from the alligatorlane, past the alligator, and onward and upward to St. Pete.
So yeah, keep your eyes open.
posted by Jezebella at 8:00 PM on November 10, 2010
Best answer: There are alligators at Disney World. It is hard to see them, but they are certainly around. As mentioned above, it is Florida, they are everywhere.
But what you want is probably to go to the Disney Wilderness Preserve. It is about an hour south of the Magic Kingdom. This is where Disney takes their gators when they get too big (over 6 ft) or if they are aggressive. The prices are reasonable (I think $3 for adults, $2 for kids). There are hiking trails and whatnot, but they used to have have Buggy tours on Sundays at 1:30 pm for $12 per adult and $6 per child. Under 6 is free both to get in and the tour.
Getting there is the only hard part. I assume you are going to have a car?
Feel free to MeMail me if you need more info, or any other suggestions, or something closer. I live in the area (about 5 miles from Disney) and there are gators in my neighborhood.
posted by I am the Walrus at 6:00 AM on November 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
But what you want is probably to go to the Disney Wilderness Preserve. It is about an hour south of the Magic Kingdom. This is where Disney takes their gators when they get too big (over 6 ft) or if they are aggressive. The prices are reasonable (I think $3 for adults, $2 for kids). There are hiking trails and whatnot, but they used to have have Buggy tours on Sundays at 1:30 pm for $12 per adult and $6 per child. Under 6 is free both to get in and the tour.
Getting there is the only hard part. I assume you are going to have a car?
Feel free to MeMail me if you need more info, or any other suggestions, or something closer. I live in the area (about 5 miles from Disney) and there are gators in my neighborhood.
posted by I am the Walrus at 6:00 AM on November 11, 2010 [1 favorite]
Seconding f&w - Gatorland has some zoo-like qualities (and the website definitely makes it seem zoo-like) but for the most part it's just a great big gator habitat with raised walkways for the visitors. It's one of the coolest places I've ever visited.
It's more of a preserve than a zoo, at least as of 4 years ago. (Bonus - the birds there are awesome!)
posted by coolguymichael at 11:32 AM on November 11, 2010
It's more of a preserve than a zoo, at least as of 4 years ago. (Bonus - the birds there are awesome!)
posted by coolguymichael at 11:32 AM on November 11, 2010
Try camping out in the Disney campsite (as my old elementary school class did, decades ago, to save money on a trip to Disney World and Epcot) and you may have a spontaneous, unplanned encounter with an alligator.
Something was snuffling around outside our tent late at night. Everyone in the tent was scared out of their wits. The grownups said that it was probably an armadillo, but maybe they were trying to keep us from freaking out.
posted by bad grammar at 5:06 PM on November 11, 2010
Something was snuffling around outside our tent late at night. Everyone in the tent was scared out of their wits. The grownups said that it was probably an armadillo, but maybe they were trying to keep us from freaking out.
posted by bad grammar at 5:06 PM on November 11, 2010
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posted by Sidhedevil at 3:30 PM on November 10, 2010