NEWS: Over 400 Alligators Removed at Disney World Over 10 Years

It’s easy to forget that even at Disney World, you can still encounter wildlife!

Do not feed the wildlife

Disney World tries its best to maintain the property and watch for critters to limit encounters with dangerous wildlife as much as possible. Since the tragic passing of the toddler by an alligator attack 10 years ago at Grand Floridian Resort, Disney has removed over 400 alligators.

As reported by News 6, “Wildlife trappers have captured and removed at least 414 nuisance alligators from Walt Disney World property since a toddler was killed by an alligator at a Disney resort ten years ago.” Over the 10 years following the incident, state-contracted wildlife trappers have removed an average of 23 alligators from Disney property, according to records from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Do not feed wildlife

In the year of the fatal attack (2106), 83 alligators were removed from Disney World. In 2017, 57 alligators were captured. From 2018 to 2025, an average of 36 alligators were removed from Disney property annually, and at least a dozen were captured in the first four months of 2026.

Magic Kingdom

“In keeping with our strong commitment to safety, we continue to reinforce procedures related to reporting sightings and interactions with wildlife, and work closely with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to remove or relocate certain wildlife from our property in accordance with state regulations,” a Walt Disney World spokesperson told News 6 in 2021 in response to questions about the ongoing alligator removals.

Hollywood Studios

It’s important to be aware that alligators are very dangerous animals, and you need to stay alert when around bodies of water. News 6 said, “to address complaints about potentially dangerous alligators, the FWC administers the Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program, or SNAP.”

“The goal of SNAP is to proactively address alligator threats in developed areas, while conserving alligators in areas where they naturally occur,” said FWC communications coordinator Hailee Seely. “People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.”

Be aware of bodies of water

The FWC made a list of precautionary measures to reduce the chances of conflicts with alligators. Take a look at the list:

Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator
Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge. Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey.
Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
Never feed an alligator. It’s illegal and dangerous. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to an alligator becoming a nuisance and needing to be removed from the wild.
If someone is concerned about an alligator, they should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.

Be careful around water

Disney cares about the safety of guests more than anything else, so they will continue to work on making sure Disney World is the safest it can possibly be, and then some. For more Disney news and updates, make sure to stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog.

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