Heartbreaking news...a big reminder to be aware of wildlife on property

[sunshine1]

I assume it's difficult to understand if you're not accustomed to living near gators--and I don't mean that condescendingly at all, because I would have no idea how dangerous show could be if I hadn't spent some time around it, for example. But we live near gators, we swim in lakes WITH gators, water ski, whatever. With gators. Because we can't make them stop coming in our lakes. I've mentioned it before, but as a girl at Girl Scout camp we would take a walk around the swimming lake at night to listen to them. They are part of Florida. Most of us aren't afraid of them, although we certainly respect them, because they just don't attack people that often. And especially not when the people aren't in the water or feeding them or taunting them. This was truly a tragic freak accident. It hasn't happened before on Disney property that I know of. Has it?
All we can do is tell far and wide that there ARE gators in pretty much EVERY body of water in Florida. Go near the water at your own risk (but also know that the risk is small). Obviously that's no comfort to the poor family of the toddler. But maybe it will be a reminder to us all to be vigilant around water. Me included! I rarely even think about it at WDW, despite knowing the gators are there.

What do you mean 'our lakes'??

Humans build on animals land, destory their habitat then if an animal does something that interferes with OUR lives or is deemed as a problem then we remove or kill them.

I am a Disney fan but how much wildlife has been displaced or killled since WDW has been built?
But it all about the humans isnt it? As long as we get what we want then it doesnt matter about the enviroment of wildlife.

Humans are so arrogant.

Awful about the poor little child. If Disney didnt have proper signage up then in my opinion, the blame is on them.

 

[DisLaw]

Add me to the people who never knew there were alligators in the waters at Disney! I agree with the posters who have pointed out that "no swimming" is not the same as "stay completely out of the water." I consider myself very educated and a fairly savvy traveler and am obviously aware that there are alligators in Florida but in my mind alligators are found out in the swamps and more natural areas not in such a highly developed resort and certainly not feet away from an area where children are encouraged to be!

Ive done plenty of Disney research and not once did I come across warnings about alligators.

I'm sure there will be big changes in terms of signage and access to the waterways at the Disney resorts after this. I feel so terrible for this family.

 

[Mickey28]

Uhm... Is this common knowledge?
I consider myself pretty Disney Educated but would've bet money on the fact that there are no gators in the Seven Seas Lagoon...
Yes, I am aware it's Floriday, yes, I am aware Disneybis mainly build on swamp land but I am also aware that it is a man made lagoon.. So...

I just wouldn't expect gators on Property (especially not around the GF or other resorts)...

Wow... How absolutely heartbreaking :/ I would've never expected this to be a possibility... And I am overly cautious and won't even let my kids play alone in the backyard (they are 5 and 7) for the fear of them getting hurt or whatever...

Are you serious with this assumption? Yes this is a man made lake but it is a large body of water in Florida that has been there for 45 years. Animals migrate and as their population grows they have to find places to sustain themselves, so it should be no surprise that there would be natural wildlife in Seven Seas Lagoon.

 

[Kona65]

Sightings weeks before the attack.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/alligator-drags-toddler-water-near-8197003

 

[Disney Khi]

This is so sad. I'm in shock over this. I'm also really surprised that some people didn't know there were gators in the water in Florida. I've seen them many times. Once there was a really big one in the Sassagoula River at POR. A CM told me that they kept trapping it and releasing it, but it kept coming back.

 

[PSUGuy]

An unthinkable occurrence but not really a manageable situation. Several early replies mentioned surprise that gators are 'allowed' in WDW. There's no practical way to disallow them, I'm sure there are as many gators in Fla as white tail deer in Pa and both critters go pretty much where the food is, and we're food for gators. As a Northern guy I don't know about gators being afraid of people, in 2 weeks we'll be in Myrtle Beach for 5 or 6 rounds of golf and if the past is any indication we'll see a few gators on the course if not elsewhere. Once while riding in a WDW bus from park to our resort I saw one in a roadside drainage ditch not 30 feet from the highway. Still, I don't think I'd want to live if I was that father.

Bill From PA

 

[luvgoing2disney]

To lose a child at any age has to be a parents worst nightmare. Our son is 23, and if we lost him my world would crumble.

But to lose a 2 year old in such a tragic way and to be a witness to it, goes beyond anything I could imagine. I feel and pray for that family.

 

[DisLaw]

Just wondering, has anyone stayed at real beachfront property and been given a flyer saying sealife in ocean ie: jellyfish & sharks upon check in? Why would Disney give you a flyer on their wildlife? I don't mean to sound sarcastic so please don't take it that way. I have never heard of a resort doing this, which is why I am asking. Just because you didn't "think" or "realize" thst there is wildlife in surrounding areas is not Disney's fault. Just as it's not a resorts responsibility to inform you of sealife when staying at ocean front property.

Actually we have been warned by a beachfront hotel on the jersey shore about jellyfish specifically when they were in season.

I think it's a bit much to think that travelers to Disney should be researching alligators activity before they arrive. I'm not saying Disney should be advertising this or scaring the beejeezus out of their guests but if this is something that can happen then the signs should say more than "no swimming"

 

[yaya74]

Signs...... you can write as detailed as you want and not everyone would follow it... "No parking" sign in front of school but people ignore. There are "slow down" and "25 MPH" signs in residential area but there are always people speeding down the street and injure young children playing in the area. If there is anything that Disney can add to the sign would be "No entering the lake. But if you do, You are at your own risk"

I hope Disney does not put up fences around the beach though.... that would be an eye sore.

 

[Angie789]

No swimming means stay out.

Then why don't the signs say "Stay out of the water"? In the absence of other information, I would assume that a "no swimming" sign meant that the area was not patrolled by lifeguards, or that there were dangers further out (currents, sharp rocks, etc.), in the areas where you actually SWIM. I wouldn't assume danger just from splashing at the edge of the water. "No swimming" and "Stay out" send two different messages. I don't think Disney should be sued, but the signage needs to be clearer, particularly since so many guests are unaware of the dangers.

For the record, I am well acquainted with the threat of gators and parasites in Florida waters, but that is because we visit often and have family in the state who have informed us. I've never received any information about the dangers from Disney.

My heart goes out to this family. I can't imagine what they are going through right now.

 

[NYDisGuy]

I'm another one that had no idea alligators roamed the lakes in WDW, I figured that Disney would do something to prevent that. And aren't alligators also LAND animals? What would stop a gator from just going on the beach and snatching someone off a hammock? No Swimming does not do enough in my opinion, there should be a warning about this.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

I'm from the Northeast & it honestly would not occur to me that there would be alligators in the lagoon. I don't think I'm a particularly stupid person but I have no experience living in a different environment & that translates into ignorance of Florida wildlife. We just don't have any alligators.

A "no swimming" sign, to me, would mean "no swimming" - wading is not swimming. The father was right there beside the child. I can't even imagine.

 

[rochek1999]

The article I read said the family was "wading" in the water. I'm hoping they were not as there is a sign that says "No Swimming".

 

[AFwifelife]

I'm another one that had no idea alligators roamed the lakes in WDW, I figured that Disney would do something to prevent that. And aren't alligators also LAND animals? What would stop a gator from just going on the beach and snatching someone off a hammock? No Swimming does not do enough in my opinion, there should be a warning about this.

Alligators don't just snatch people willy nilly from the land for the heck of it.

 

[csmith041177]

I don't even know what to say. I am heartbroken for the family. My wife and I have 2 year old twins and simply cannot imagine losing one of them. We have also stayed at the Grand Floridian, the Contemporary and the Polynesian. Such a tragic loss.

 

[Jax1023]

While this is a tragedy, unfortunately sometimes things just happen. Disney can't control everything, parents can't be blamed for everything. Sometimes there are just tragedies despite the best efforts of making the world safe.

If this child had been struck by lightening and killed would you be looking to assign blame then? What if a random sink hole opened up? Should Disney have warned of the possibility of sink holes or lightening in Florida?

It's a terrible story, and we should all hug our children a little tighter but not all risk can be eliminated from life.

 

[anniemae]

Sightings weeks before the attack.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/alligator-drags-toddler-water-near-8197003

Oh my goodness! This is so strange because I have been reading several articles and many say there was no mention or sightings of "nuisance gators" lately at Disney. What an awful tragedy, but this British family was very very lucky.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

My thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time as well as with the search and rescue teams as they search for this little boy.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

I'm astounded by those that didn't know there are alligators in Seven Seas Lagoon. Seriously. I remember a tour guide decades ago saying that there probably isn't a body of water anywhere in Florida that isn't home to an alligator or two. It's common sense, isn't it? They are wild animals, they travel across land and they are drawn to water.

 

[8caliace]

We have stayed at Shades of Green many times, and each and every time we have seen alligators in or around the small ponds surrounding the grounds. There are multiple signs along the walkway to the Poly warning of alligators and snakes on the grounds. I can't say for sure whether these are unique to Shades of Green, or if there are similar signs across the entire WDW property.