Beach, but you cannot swim in the water? About This Page:

[Nubbit]

Why can you lay out on the beach, but cannot go into the water at some of the resorts that have beaches? Is it that crocs [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] are in the water?

[pflamingo]

More likely 'gators, being Florida, and all. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Actually, I think it has something to do with a nasty little amoeba-thing that tends to grow in Florida lakes, and causes something like encephalitis. That and the (insurance) risks inherent in letting people go into an "uncontrolled" body of water. Disney has enough trouble with lawsuits from people doing dumb things. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[ 03-19-2003, 10:09 PM: Message edited by: pflamingo ]

[Swazie]

Yes, I've heard tell of the amoeba thing. Any Disney employees out there have an official answer?

[chezp]

I just assumed that you couldn't go into the water at the lagoons because they'd be too deep and people would get into trouble too easily?

Cheryl

[DVC_Don]

I have a cousin who lives in Florida and he assures me that you do not want to swim in lakes and ponds in Florida.

[MargaretJ]

I would think the watercraft would have something to do with it. Not only would it be dangerous to have people swimming while some 12 year old is flying around a lake in a Water Sprite, the fuel must get in the water.

[DAD]

I too had heard it had something to do with bacteria in the water. No gators to be found.

[KimandMark]

I would love to know the real reason. I can remember swimming in the lake at FW when I was a kid in the late 70s. And River Country water was lake water, with a underwater barrier to keep the critters out. I wonder what changed?

[stonewall]

Actually, there are gators in Bay Lake.I know,because I have seen them, and also because the staff at WL warns against being on the beach at night at certain times due to gator sightings.If you are fortunate enough to be on a boat in the vicinity of the island gators are sometimes visible, as there is a lot of food(otters,ducks,fish) available to them. While we were there, two Water Mice,with youngtsters horsing around on them,ran into each other and one boy broke his arm.Can you imagine if the lifeguards had to watch over folks in the bays and lakes too? A nightmare!

[Joy J]

I also have serious doubts about the quality of the water for swimming. We were told that wading is allowed but no swimming. However, when we strolled along the beach from the Grand Floridian to the Polynesian, one close look at the water was enough to convince us not to even stick our tootsies in. From a distance the water looked lovely but up close, it was all green and slimey and certainly not something I'd want to swim in. [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[HiddenMickey]

Last spring when my son and I were at WL, we spent some time on the beach one afternoon. There was a family in the water playing frisbee. They were falling all in the water trying to catch it and might as well have been "swimming" for the amount of time they spent in the water with their heads under. We thought they were pretty dumb to be doing that. And no one ever came and advised them against doing it. -HiddenMickey

[disneydonna]

I'm probably showing my age here but I remember swimming at the beach at the Poly for years. They eve had lifeguards then. I suppose they no longer permit swimming for all of the reasons that you guys have mentioned. I do miss swimming at the beach ,though, because the one at the Poly was quite nice. Bing from Connecticut, I don't gt to experience nice beaches very much.

[otownguy]

Having lived in florida most of my life I can address a few of the questions. As to the safety of the water: Yes there have been cases of Ameoba's making people sick but that only occurs when the water gets to a certain temp (above 85 degrees, I think) but it is very rare. As for the alligators, you can bet that there is at least one in every lake, but they won't bother you if you don't bother them. Again, Alligator attacks are very rare. It is probably because disney does not want to have to provide lifeguards to keep people from doing stupid things. Thats my 2 cents for what it is worth.

[eiknarf]

Boy I'd love to know the answer to this one! I've emailed JimHillMedia.com and I'm hoping he has the inside scoop (as he does on so many other things).

I remember spending afternoons at the Poly beach and playing in the water and visits to River Country.

All of the reasons stated so far sound quite reasonable. I'm going to try and find an answer while I'm at the Poly next week. Someone must know! Then all I have to do is convince them to talk.....

[Brian]

I lived in the Disney-sponsored apartments when I participated in the College Program in the spring of 2000. There were two lakes there, and swimming was prohibited in both. There were several signs surrounding the water that indicated that it was by order of the Department of Health. We were warned of the bacteria, so I'd assume this is a common Florida problem as was mentioned above.

And it is true that River Country used water right out of Bay Lake, but only after it was filtered of course!