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Beyond the Parks Attractions that are not covered by the main Theme Parks. |
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17 Apr 19, 04:38 PM |
#21
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Apprentice Imagineer
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We got home yesterday and in 16 trips I've looked in every lake we've passed and I've only ever seen 2 wild alligators, so this time I was desperate to find some, as close up as possible while keeping safe obviously.
After some googling we decided to try Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive. It's about 30 miles from Disney, took us 40 minutes. It's an 11 mile one way drive at 10 miles an hour, we kept stopping so it took us about 2 hour. We must have seen as least 50 gators, we lost count in the end, only 1 was lying on the bank, but it was a very hot and sunny afternoon so I'm guessing they stay in the water then. We also saw 3 turtles and 100's of birds. It was great fun trying to spot them although in the end we didn't have to try that hard. Even my 12 year old, thought it was great and she'd originally said I was a bit sad for wanting to go. Highly recommended and I've already said I want to do it again on our next trip. It's open from sunrise to sunset on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only.
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Allison 1993, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 all off site, 2007 Pop/AKL + Fairytale Wedding, 2008 Cypress Pointe, 2010 Disney Magic, 2010 OKW/Rolling Hills, 2011 Pop/CBR, 2013 POFQ/Bellavida, 2015 OKW/Windsor Hills/AKV, 2016 CBR, 2017 Cypress Pointe, 2018 OKW/Storey Lake, 2019 BlueTree Resort, 2019 Cypress Pointe/Tuscan Ridge, 2020 CSR, 2021 Formosa Gardens |
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18 Apr 19, 07:43 PM |
#22
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Excited about Disney
Join Date: Aug 18
Location: Devon
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Wekiwa springs state park - about 40ish miles from Disney area from memory. We canoed down the river and there are always a few alligators sunning themselves on the banks. Can’t say I wasn’t a little nervous - but apparently they just need to warm up in the day. They only want to hunt at night. Some people were actually in the water - I wouldn’t want to be out of the canoe myself 😂
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20 Apr 19, 01:13 PM |
#23
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Relaxing at the Grand Floridian
Join Date: Jan 07
Location: UK
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Lakefront park at Kissimmee. Lovely peaceful area & always easy to spot gators in the lake by the pier & coming up on the banks
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Crissy |
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21 Apr 19, 01:30 AM |
#24
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Imagineer
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St John's river cruise in Blue Springs state park. A two hour boar trip up and down the river. You'll see just about every part of Florida's nature. Alligators every time. Worth the trip, we've done it many times.
sjrivercruises
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______________________ Lived in Orlando since 2006 —————————————— |
21 Apr 19, 01:53 AM |
#25
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Apprentice Imagineer
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Silver Springs - they do glass bottom boat tours and we saw quite a few wild gators during our tour
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I-Drive July 2004. I-Drive Oct/Nov 2006. Southern Dunes May 2010 (married in Florida!). Town Centre June 2011. Southern Dunes August 2012. Hampton Lakes and Carnival Cruise August 2013. Regal Palms 2014. Southern Dunes 2017. Southern Dunes and Hard Rock Hotel May 2018. AKL, POFQ, Wilderness Lodge and Disney Dream2019. Dopey challenge - All Stars stay January 2020. Cabana Bay Sept 2022 |
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21 Apr 19, 10:24 AM |
#26
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Disney Dreaming :)
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We always see gators round the lakes in celebration !
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21 Apr 19, 11:00 AM |
#27
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Imagineer
Join Date: Jul 10
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Where there's water there's gators, often see them at Celebration and also seen one where Tom Sawyers lake meets Splash Mountain.
rob |
21 Apr 19, 12:18 PM |
#28
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Imagineer
Join Date: Mar 08
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If you’re staying anywhere near a lake etc you may see them without going anywhere.
We took these from our lake view villa (with a long lens obviously) Fascinating to watch in their own environment. |
22 Apr 19, 05:50 PM |
#29
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Thread Starter
Trainee Dibber
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Brilliant photos. We will be staying at a lakeside villa and I will be more than happy to see one roaming there. We didn't spot one last time: the villa owner told us it had been recently relocated as it had grown too large!
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Every holiday... if only!
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22 Apr 19, 06:01 PM |
#30
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Imagineer
Join Date: Jun 16
Location: God's Own Country
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There's hardly a body of water in Florida without gators in.
I have had them right at the back of the house in Naples. They are shy creatures and when I approached them, they make off. They were in the lake at Vista Cay, Watersong and other areas I have stopped at in Orlando. I have seen a lot in other states too, but the best I have seen is Rotonda in Florida- they were all over the place, in the little parks adjoining the canals, sunning themselves. I have seen quite a few snakes as well. Bears in the Smokies (one overturned a huge bin outside our cabin looking for pizza). Wolves there too. Armadillos and aggressive spiders in Texas. By far the scariest creature I have encountered was a raccoon in Lover's Key, it was going through the bins as I went in the door, saw me, and came for me. Nasty little blighter, very aggressive.
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Edited at 06:04 PM. |
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