Shockingly “Giant” Alligator Is Captured Near Disney World

Many Walt Disney World Resort fans already know perfectly well that Disney means business when it comes to no-swimming zones — and there are plenty of signs warning Disney World visitors about the dangers in those forbidden waters, even if some people are still too reckless to heed their warnings.

Central Florida waters (like those inevitably found in Disney World) are home to a variety of dangerous wildlife such as snakes and alligators.

Credit: Disney

It is not uncommon to see alligators in Disney World, even though Disney staff work hard to keep the waters as safe as possible (especially after the tragic Seven Seas Lagoon attack that happened back in 2016) — and Cast Members have shared enough shocking stories behind the scenes to confirm that there is no shortage when it comes to snake appearances in the Disney Parks, either!

13 Feet, 920 lbs

However, two Florida hunters have just caught and harvested an alligator that serves as an extremely vivid reminder of just how important it is to stay out of the water — and to be vigilant anytime that you are even remotely close to alligator habitats or shorelines.

A hunter named Kevin Brotz (from Florida Gator Hunting) just shared information about his recent catch, which happens to be the second-largest American Alligator ever recorded in Florida.

Alligators do occasionally appear within Disney Parks or Disney Resort water features. Credit: InsuranceJournal.com

Brotz has reportedly caught almost 1,000 American Alligators, but Princess Tiana’s gator friend Louis has nothing on the recently captured behemoth!

Another hunter who participated in the event, Carson Gore, made it clear in an interview that this particular catch was a “totally humbling” and “surreal” ordeal to witness.

This alligator weighed 920 lbs, came in at 13 feet 3 ¼ inches long, and was so huge that Brotz and Gore were completely exhausted by the fight between man and gator.

“A Giant Dinosaur”

In another interview, Gore confirmed that “it was way bigger than anything we’ve ever caught before; it was a giant dinosaur. Not every day you get a giant dinosaur in your boat.”

After getting the alligator into the boat, Gore reportedly “laid down in the front of the boat and said, ‘Alright, I have to lay down until we get back.’”

“I thought I was going to die,” Gore added. “That thing was huge.“

Warning: the images shown below may be disturbing to some readers.

It should be emphasized that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reportedly has very strict regulations in place for alligator hunting and harvesting, and that this practice is part of an effort to manage the species and prevent overpopulation issues (which would not only affect humans and non-gator wildlife, but could also create life-threatening issues for the alligators themselves).

According to the FWC website, “alligator management programs implemented by FWC emphasize the conservation of alligator populations for their ecological, aesthetic, and economic values while providing for public use and safety.”

Credit: Wesh2/ Carson Gore Instagram

No Swimming

If seeing this “giant” alligator isn’t enough of a deterrent when it comes to swimming in off-limits bodies of water in Florida (including on Disney property), then consider this: this 13-foot-long alligator was reportedly caught in a small lake close to Orlando.

This means that a gator this size can be found in bodies of water nowhere near as big as lakes like Lake Kissimmee (which is also very close to Disney World and is known for its high gator population).

When you see a sign telling you not to swim, including on your Disney vacations, it’s a warning to take very seriously!