Alligator Signs ... inside Magic Kingdom! :(

[saskdw]

Really wish they would ban the next person that starts one of these threads.

 

[wdwrule]

Just who needs a sign to tell them it's a bad idea to feed any wild animal, especially alligators? What happened to common sense?
So in this case, seeing how anyone smart enough to breathe knows you shouldn't feed an alligator, it would be fair to compare putting up signs that warn bees sting and water is wet.

Or if you're pregnant stay off thrill rides....and keep your hands, legs inside a ride...oh wait

 

[Mamanemo]

We leave for our vacation in 23 days and when I let my thoughts drift to all of this I get nervous. Don't want my fear of having an alligator hiding while I am walking at night down the sidewalk of the resort or at the parks ruin my trip. Please help me to not ruin my trip!!!!!! (Certified worry wart)

 

[minnie mum]

We leave for our vacation in 23 days and when I let my thoughts drift to all of this I get nervous. Don't want my fear of having an alligator hiding while I am walking at night down the sidewalk of the resort or at the parks ruin my trip. Please help me to not ruin my trip!!!!!! (Certified worry wart)

How about googling alligator habits and habitat so you can educate yourself about them. Learn the facts.
Spend some time on sites that are science based, rather than sensationalistic "news" sites.

 

[Mamanemo]

Thank you. I will do that.

 

[JerseyJanice]

Years ago, it didn't occur to me that feeding wildlife was a terrible idea. I remember being on a trip in the mountains about 20 years ago. My baby son and I fed Cheez Doodles to deer and wild turkeys, then I had to deal with the wrath of my nature-loving brother-in-law, lecturing me about how bad that was for the animals. I just thought feeding them was a fun way to interact with the animals.

I'm obviously older and hopefully wiser now, and I see the error of my ways. I won't feed wild creatures anymore, and I wish that every parent realizes that feeding the gators may have lead to what happened to Lane, and they find other ways to teach their children how to appreciate wildlife.

 

[Mamanemo]

How about googling alligator habits and habitat so you can educate yourself about them. Learn the facts.
Spend some time on sites that are science based, rather than sensationalistic "news" sites.

Thanks again. Did some further research and feel much better. I really got caught up in the sensationalistic news as you said and boy was that dumb!!!!!!

 

[WEDWDW]

There has been one incident in 40+ years and it was not even in a theme park.

There was an alligator attack at Fort Wilderness in 1986.

Disney took no action in response.

They won't make that mistake again.

 

[AngiTN]

.

I suggest you acquaint yourself with the many youtube videos and guest stories describing people doing exactly this. "Just who needs a sign?" A lot of people, apparently.

No, those people don't need a sign. They need some more brain cells. They know what they are doing is wrong. A sign wouldn't stop them. They'll do what they want to do, signs or no signs.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't really care that Disney has chosen to put up signs. They won't ruin my vacation, or impact it in any way whatsoever. But I'm not unrealistic enough to think they will do a thing. My only point is in reality they weren't necessary. No one really believes feeding an alligator is a good idea.

 

[goopysolelady]

As DH famously says "you can't legislate stupid"; it's sad to think so much of the public now lacks common sense. I'm afraid the signs are necessary and I'm willing to bet there will be at least 50% of the public that will ignore them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Disney should have either taken more control of the wildlife or erected signs previous to the attack.

There have been 28 recorded alligator-caused deaths in the U.S. in the last 43 years https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_alligator_attacks_in_the_United_States It would be unreasonable to expect any business to predict that [this] one might even possibly occur and provide the type of warning you expect.

but signs inside a completely controlled environment (or should be) like the most visited park on earth is a bit overkill

Most waterways are interconnected, and alligators don't know they're not supposed to be in Disney-owned waters.

Really wish they would ban the next person that starts one of these threads.

A) This is new information
B) Not every person has to read every thread.

 

[maxiesmom]

Or if you're pregnant stay off thrill rides....and keep your hands, legs inside a ride...oh wait

And yet, when you look at the threads from women asking which rides are ok to ride while pregnant, you see a bunch of people ignore those warnings and do what they wish anyway.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Yes, exactly where my mind goes. Like I said above, who on earth thinks it's smart to feed an alligator? Or a squirrel for goodness sakes
People aren't thinking and that is the problem

I didn't realize that bird feeders and petting zoos were not common in other places. I (and many of my neighbors) feed the birds every day and by extension, squirrels too since its close to impossible to keep those buggers away. And there are tons of petting zoos that encourage feeding of animals, mostly domestic but some wild too. I've pet a baby alligator in FL at a petting zoo. Yes, I think it's common sense not to approach one in real life. But we do the same thing to people that we do to animals. Train the to behave one way and act surprised when they do it somewhere else. Yes, yes, I know. Common sense. Should people think? Yes. But if no one ever explains to them the why, they may not think about what the consequences are.

We ate outside at tables at Poly. There were lots of birds. At no time did we intentionally drop food on the ground for them. But I did not sweep the ground when we left (young kids, crumbs are inevitable) so we feed the birds and possibly a squirrel or two. It doesn't really matter if it was intentional or not. The birds and squirrels got the same message. Hang around people at these tables and you will get food. The only way to stop that is to move the tables inside or have a swarm of CMs bussing tables.

I agree with the PP who said the signs should have briefly explained why. 'Do not feed the birds.' A subset of people will think, whatever. We do it at home all the time. 'Do not feed the birds because we don't want them to bother guests at these tables.' I think reasonable people will comply. And this is what the restaurant on a lake near us has on their signs.

I am having a hard time thinking anyone genuinely doesn't know it's not a good idea to feed alligators but who knows. Don't feed the alligators because they lose their fear of people might help in a case or two but probably not. And sadly you can't just write it off as 'look at the dumb humans' or Darwin because it's not necessarily going to be the person who feeds the alligator who suffers the consequence. That one is to protect all of us. Disney needs to vigorously enforce it.

 

[Boski]

If they are going to put signs up at least theme them. If they are going for the "its a warning sign for safety and needs to stand out" idea, I want a big bright sign warning people about the food at Diamond Horseshoe.

 

[GPC0321]

I didn't realize that bird feeders and petting zoos were not common in other places. I (and many of my neighbors) feed the birds every day and by extension, squirrels too since its close to impossible to keep those buggers away. And there are tons of petting zoos that encourage feeding of animals, mostly domestic but some wild too. I've pet a baby alligator in FL at a petting zoo. Yes, I think it's common sense not to approach one in real life. But we do the same thing to people that we do to animals. Train the to behave one way and act surprised when they do it somewhere else. Yes, yes, I know. Common sense. Should people think? Yes. But if no one ever explains to them the why, they may not think about what the consequences are.

We ate outside at tables at Poly. There were lots of birds. At no time did we intentionally drop food on the ground for them. But I did not sweep the ground when we left (young kids, crumbs are inevitable) so we feed the birds and possibly a squirrel or two. It doesn't really matter if it was intentional or not. The birds and squirrels got the same message. Hang around people at these tables and you will get food. The only way to stop that is to move the tables inside or have a swarm of CMs bussing tables.

I agree with the PP who said the signs should have briefly explained why. 'Do not feed the birds.' A subset of people will think, whatever. We do it at home all the time. 'Do not feed the birds because we don't want them to bother guests at these tables.' I think reasonable people will comply. And this is what the restaurant on a lake near us has on their signs.

I am having a hard time thinking anyone genuinely doesn't know it's not a good idea to feed alligators but who knows. Don't feed the alligators because they lose their fear of people might help in a case or two but probably not. And sadly you can't just write it off as 'look at the dumb humans' or Darwin because it's not necessarily going to be the person who feeds the alligator who suffers the consequence. That one is to protect all of us. Disney needs to vigorously enforce it.

I'm in the midst of trying to convince my 73 year old mother to stop feeding the wildlife in her yard. It started with birds, which of course progressed to squirrels, and then a fox showed up to snack on the birdseed, and now she has a big doe that frequents the yard and has prompted Mom to buy a bag of corn from the feed store for her. I've tried and tried to explain that (1) it's summertime and ALL of these critters have plenty to eat, (2) it's not good for wild animals to be lured into a residential area (albeit, very rural residential area), and (3) as pretty as that deer is, they CAN be dangerous during certain times of year. If that doe has a newborn fawn with her at some point, she can and will become aggressive. My parents' next door neighbors have very young children who play outside. It's just not a good idea. I know her heart is in the right place, but I'm using this tragedy at WDW to impress upon her once again that feeding wild animals OF ANY KIND just isn't necessary. My only slight exception is maybe filling some bird feeders in the dead of winter. I don't even do that. I spend most of my time trying to discourage wild animals from coming on my place (I have horses, dogs, and cats, that's ENOUGH to feed!).

And don't get me started on the people at the beach that feed the doggone seagulls! One of those rascals took my sandwich out of my hand when I was ABOUT TO TAKE A BITE OF IT! His wings were literally beating me in the face and he ripped my sandwich in half and took off with his half. I couldn't believe it! I thought I was in an Alfred Hitchcock movie, LOL!

So yeah, I don't need signs about not feeding animals, but not everyone is as conscious about the dangers to both humans and animals that it can cause. I love animals as much as anyone. I could spend days at AK just looking at the animals. If I see a petting zoo, I'm going to be all up in it, feeding goats and petting them and giggling like a child. But wild animals are meant to be wild. Even the ones that inhabit Disney World.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Years ago, it didn't occur to me that feeding wildlife was a terrible idea. I remember being on a trip in the mountains about 20 years ago. My baby son and I fed Cheez Doodles to deer and wild turkeys, then I had to deal with the wrath of my nature-loving brother-in-law, lecturing me about how bad that was for the animals. I just thought feeding them was a fun way to interact with the animals.

I'm obviously older and hopefully wiser now, and I see the error of my ways. I won't feed wild creatures anymore, and I wish that every parent realizes that feeding the gators may have lead to what happened to Lane, and they find other ways to teach their children how to appreciate wildlife.

Well said! I think before people visit or move to Fl that they learn about our state and teach their kids some facts about our wildlife. There is more to Fl than just theme parks and beaches.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

I didn't realize that bird feeders and petting zoos were not common in other places. I (and many of my neighbors) feed the birds every day and by extension, squirrels too since its close to impossible to keep those buggers away. And there are tons of petting zoos that encourage feeding of animals, mostly domestic but some wild too. I've pet a baby alligator in FL at a petting zoo. Yes, I think it's common sense not to approach one in real life. But we do the same thing to people that we do to animals. Train the to behave one way and act surprised when they do it somewhere else. Yes, yes, I know. Common sense. Should people think? Yes. But if no one ever explains to them the why, they may not think about what the consequences are.

We ate outside at tables at Poly. There were lots of birds. At no time did we intentionally drop food on the ground for them. But I did not sweep the ground when we left (young kids, crumbs are inevitable) so we feed the birds and possibly a squirrel or two. It doesn't really matter if it was intentional or not. The birds and squirrels got the same message. Hang around people at these tables and you will get food. The only way to stop that is to move the tables inside or have a swarm of CMs bussing tables.

I agree with the PP who said the signs should have briefly explained why. 'Do not feed the birds.' A subset of people will think, whatever. We do it at home all the time. 'Do not feed the birds because we don't want them to bother guests at these tables.' I think reasonable people will comply. And this is what the restaurant on a lake near us has on their signs.

I am having a hard time thinking anyone genuinely doesn't know it's not a good idea to feed alligators but who knows. Don't feed the alligators because they lose their fear of people might help in a case or two but probably not. And sadly you can't just write it off as 'look at the dumb humans' or Darwin because it's not necessarily going to be the person who feeds the alligator who suffers the consequence. That one is to protect all of us. Disney needs to vigorously enforce it.

But shouldn't that be the job of parents? It should not be Disney's job to idiot proof everyone that visits. Take the time to educate your kids!

 

[wdwrule]

And yet, when you look at the threads from women asking which rides are ok to ride while pregnant, you see a bunch of people ignore those warnings and do what they wish anyway.

Oh I agree, some people will do what they want to do anyways. But one's common sense on a topic may not be equivalent to another's common sense. Not everyone is educated equally, so I think for big dangers that are easily accessible, companies need warning signs for safety and liability.

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm in the midst of trying to convince my 73 year old mother to stop feeding the wildlife in her yard. It started with birds, which of course progressed to squirrels, and then a fox showed up to snack on the birdseed, and now she has a big doe that frequents the yard and has prompted Mom to buy a bag of corn from the feed store for her. I've tried and tried to explain that (1) it's summertime and ALL of these critters have plenty to eat, (2) it's not good for wild animals to be lured into a residential area (albeit, very rural residential area), and (3) as pretty as that deer is, they CAN be dangerous during certain times of year. If that doe has a newborn fawn with her at some point, she can and will become aggressive. My parents' next door neighbors have very young children who play outside. It's just not a good idea. I know her heart is in the right place, but I'm using this tragedy at WDW to impress upon her once again that feeding wild animals OF ANY KIND just isn't necessary. My only slight exception is maybe filling some bird feeders in the dead of winter. I don't even do that. I spend most of my time trying to discourage wild animals from coming on my place (I have horses, dogs, and cats, that's ENOUGH to feed!).

I don't see the harm in your mom feeding birds and things in her yard. Comparing feeding birds and deer to an alligator attack is really reaching for a connection. I will admit I feed the birds in my yard. I love seeing all the different types of birds that come. Plenty of people bird watch for a hobby.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

As DH famously says "you can't legislate stupid"; it's sad to think so much of the public now lacks common sense. I'm afraid the signs are necessary and I'm willing to bet there will be at least 50% of the public that will ignore them.

It's not one sign that bothers me. It's the slippery slope we are headed down by adding one sign. "You addd it for this case, why not that one?"

My concern isn't one sign. My concern is that I don't want to go walking down magic kingdom with 20,000 signs each one saying "don't feed the gators", "Watch your step", "don't walk on the grass", "Do not order peanuts if you allergic to them", " Popcorn is a choking hazard", "hot drinks are hot", and so on... There needs to be a line at which you stop adding signs and just have one that says "you are expected not to be stupid beyond these walls. Failure to adhere to this is not our responsibility". Otherwise, waning signs lose their effectiveness and become a major eyesore.