Alligator Signs ... inside Magic Kingdom! :(

[GPC0321]

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.

I don't mind birds (and therefore squirrels), but when foxes and deer start entering the picture, I do get worried. Those animals shouldn't be walking around in people's front yards regularly. They need to be afraid of people, IMO. Not to mention there's a pretty healthy population of black bears where we live, so I also worry about that. They've been seeing one recently (not in the yard, but just around the corner from where they live, in the same section of woods their little neighborhood is situated in.

Most people don't think about deer attacking, but the hunters around here can share some stories. I looked up Youtube videos and was almost sick to my stomach watching a doe with a newborn fawn attack a neighborhood dog that was just walking nearby curiously looking. That poor dog was screaming and could not escape the doe's attack, meanwhile his owner is screaming "No! Stop it! OMG! NO!" because she's watching her dog get pulverized. It was shocking and sickening to see. There's a pretty famous video of a buck attacking a guy too, and some college somewhere has a large population of deer and have reported many attacks on people by the does when they have fawns. They can break people's bones and do some serious damage.

On top of that, we also have bobcats and coyotes in the area. So with that many predators, plus raccoons and possums, I just think putting anything out that encourages critters can be risky. We live in a very, very rural area. There are seven houses in the little area in the woods where my parents live, and otherwise it is all woods and farm land. People are definitely the minority species, LOL. And my folks are getting older and slower and don't see as well. I just worry.

 

[rajak73]

For the love of god how do tourists not know that you shouldn't stop in the middle of the sidewalk when there are approximately a thousand people behind you?!?! Gaaaah!

I would say they should probably put up a SIGN!

 

[Disneylover99]

I would say they should probably put up a SIGN!

It's always nice to have something to read, when you're stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.

 

[calliest]

Team sign! Gators are the worst, people should know they're inside the parks and to leave them alone. Educating the ignorant is worth the ugly signs if it prevents the creation of even 1 nuisance gator. Florida resident here, and I hate them with a passion. I wish they were extinct along with crocodiles. But they're not and people should be reminded that they are in WDW. It's easy to forget about the realities of fl when under the influence of disney.

And warning that there are apex predators and poisonous snakes in the water under the bridge youre standing on with your kids IS NOT the same as reminding people that they could choke on popcorn.

A baby is dead because of alligators on disney property. Be grateful it wasn't yours and grateful that these signs are part of a system to prevent it from happening again.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Well you're going to have to deal with it - even if it prevents ONE person from getting hurt I'm all for it. Your hyperbole about other signage isn't appropriate. I personally am happy that more guests are now aware, and are instructed to NOT feed these things.

Not all of that is hyperbole. Those of us who live in FL know that lightening is a much bigger threat than alligators are. If people seriously thought they were safe from wildlife in the Disney bubble, why wouln't they feel safe running around in a storm too? This is especially the case, when you consider they're now warning people about the alligators & snakes, but not the much more likely threat of a fatal lightening strike. People will start thinking, if Disney isn't warning them of the treat of lightening, it must be okay to continue on their merry way. The fact that they may need to warn people of the danger of a lightening strike seems ridiculous to me, but no more ridiculous than needing to warn people about the alligators & snakes in FL.

 

[Iowamomof4]

Not all of that is hyperbole. Those of us who live in FL know that lightening is a much bigger threat than alligators are. If people seriously thought they were safe from wildlife in the Disney bubble, why wouln't they feel safe running around in a storm too? This is especially the case, when you consider they're now warning people about the alligators & snakes, but not the much more likely threat of a fatal lightening strike. People will start thinking, if Disney isn't warning them of the treat of lightening, it must be okay to continue on their merry way. The fact that they may need to warn people of the danger of a lightening strike seems ridiculous to me, but no more ridiculous than needing to warn people about the alligators & snakes in FL.

Far more people have grown up around lightning than the wild animals particular to Florida. That's why they understand what to do and what not to do when there are storms.

 

[Lavitz]

Most places don't have gators in every body of water. Most places do have lightning, bees, tripping hazards etc. Signs are fine.

 

[AngiTN]

Do you really need to have native alligators to know they are dangerous animals?
I don't live near them, sharks, bears, cobras, boas, tigers, lions, (need I go on) and I know all of them are dangerous.
Are there really people, adults specifically, that don't?

 

[rmm7e]

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.

You can try to idiot-proof anything, but they'll always invent a better idiot!

The temptation to feed an alligator in the moment often outweighs any thought of future consequences, especially when those consequences are to others, not yourself. It's human nature. A sign can help remind people to stop and think. I know better than to do this, but I can't deny the temptation.

I'm in an ongoing argument with a coworker who insists he needs to feed birds in the summertime when it's attracting a bear that then raids his garbage. He'd rather shoot the bear than remove the bird feeder (or the garbage). I hope he's just winding me up and is not serious, but I'm not so sure.

 

[wdwrule]

 

[wdwrule]

Yep they kind of need alligator warning signs. Safety....liability.

 

[BrianL]

There was an alligator attack at Fort Wilderness in 1986.

Disney took no action in response.

They won't make that mistake again.

Okay, well, TWO incidents in 40+ years does not change the percentages that much. I still don't feel like the alligators are a threat to me inside Magic Kingdom.

 

[MariMama]

Far more people have grown up around lightning than the wild animals particular to Florida. That's why they understand what to do and what not to do when there are storms.

Do people really not know wild animals (regardless of what it is) can be dangerous?

 

[CaliTex]

AND HERE'S YOUR SIGN...

Do people really not know that tailgating and/or speeding will exponentially increase the risk of an auto accident? Do people really not know that drinking and driving is an obscenely dangerous behavior that puts everyone on the road in harm's way? I mean, there are billboards, PSA's, law enforcement press conferences...Do people really not know that smoking exponentially increases the risk of cancers? Do people really not know obesity is the number 1 health threat? Do people really not know not to vote themselves a tax hike, because the thieves in DC are happy to do that for us?

The list of what people "know" and what they selectively choose to ignore is astonishing, and no longer has any bearing on public discussion. More's the pity.

For crap sake, WDW is built over reclaimed swamp land. Every once in a while the swamp rears its head, and that is what happened in that terrible, terrible tragedy with that precious baby. Disney will pay, make no mistake, but nothing will bring back that baby or comfort those parents and family.

Disney should have put up signs warning of wildlife dangers. If they had, I would be willing to bet the parents of that sweet toddler would have heeded the signs. But we will never know. But nothing--NOTHING--can make people use good sense or obey the law and the rules.

Disney can put up a thousand signs. They can run PSAs on their in room TV channel. They can go DOOR TO DOOR handing out leaflets, and you will still have those that choose to ignore it, will willfully disobey the rules and laws, and when they are injured sue the CRAP out of Disney---forcing the rest of us to bear the cost. Then we will go on Disboards and bee-yotch about Disney's money grubbing ways.

Contrary to the evidence everywhere around us, I am not certain that people are actually becoming more and more stupid---or if it isn't just their self-entitled snowflake mentality that makes them (and those of us forced to share the planet with them) increasingly vulnerable to bearing the brunt of their foolish choices.

 

[maxiesmom]

AND HERE'S YOUR SIGN...

Do people really not know that tailgating and/or speeding will exponentially increase the risk of an auto accident? Do people really not know that drinking and driving is an obscenely dangerous behavior that puts everyone on the road in harm's way? I mean, there are billboards, PSA's, law enforcement press conferences...Do people really not know that smoking exponentially increases the risk of cancers? Do people really not know obesity is the number 1 health threat? Do people really not know not to vote themselves a tax hike, because the thieves in DC are happy to do that for us?

The list of what people "know" and what they selectively choose to ignore is astonishing, and no longer has any bearing on public discussion. More's the pity.

For crap sake, WDW is built over reclaimed swamp land. Every once in a while the swamp rears its head, and that is what happened in that terrible, terrible tragedy with that precious baby. Disney will pay, make no mistake, but nothing will bring back that baby or comfort those parents and family.

Disney should have put up signs warning of wildlife dangers. If they had, I would be willing to bet the parents of that sweet toddler would have heeded the signs. But we will never know. But nothing--NOTHING--can make people use good sense or obey the law and the rules.

Disney can put up a thousand signs. They can run PSAs on their in room TV channel. They can go DOOR TO DOOR handing out leaflets, and you will stay have those that choose to ignore it, will willfully disobey the rules and laws, and when they are injured sue the CRAP out of Disney---forcing the rest of us to bear the cost. Then we will go on Disboards and bee-yotch about Disney's money grubbing ways.

Contrary to the evidence everywhere around us, I am not certain that people are actually becoming more and more stupid---or if it isn't just their self-entitled snowflake mentality that makes them (and those of us forced to share the planet with them) increasingly vulnerable to bearing the brunt of their foolish choices.

I agree with almost all of this. But if parents ignore signs about steep drop offs and no swimming and allow their child to even go in that water at night, I'm not sure a sign warning about dangerous wildlife would stop them. As posters are so willing to point out on other threads, children can be out of your control in an instant. Dark beach/dangerous drop off/no swimming, that doesn't sound like a great body of water to let your child wade in. Even without the alligator/snake signs.

 

[CaliTex]

Agreed. That's my point; warn people until you are blue in the face but don't be surprised when they ignore the warnings and go their special snowflake way--and if it turns bad? BAM! Sue someone. After all, how dare something bad happen to a snowflake? Snowflakes are too unique and special to be subject to the same rules of man--or the universe--as mere mortals. Laws of physics? Pffft! Rules of the animal kingdom? Double pfft! Actions and consequences--no way! Mommy always shielded the little snowflakes from those nasty, mean consequences!

So...HERE'S YOUR SIGN...

PS: I wouldn't let my kids and now my grandkids near those "lakes", but I'm from Texas and I know brain eating amoeba petri dishes when I see them. The heck with alligators.

 

[saskdw]

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

Telling us that the same signs that are on the beaches are in MK is not information that requires it's own thread when there are already 752 threads on this topic.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Not all of that is hyperbole. Those of us who live in FL know that lightening is a much bigger threat than alligators are. If people seriously thought they were safe from wildlife in the Disney bubble, why wouln't they feel safe running around in a storm too? This is especially the case, when you consider they're now warning people about the alligators & snakes, but not the much more likely threat of a fatal lightening strike. People will start thinking, if Disney isn't warning them of the treat of lightening, it must be okay to continue on their merry way. The fact that they may need to warn people of the danger of a lightening strike seems ridiculous to me, but no more ridiculous than needing to warn people about the alligators & snakes in FL.

I'm always surprised at how people keep walking around outside in the parks during thunderstorms at WDW. I know people say there are lightning rods on top of the buildings, but I'll go inside until it passes thanks. Anyway, to your point, I do think there is an idea that people don't get killed by lightning at WDW. Until someone does

 

[Lothlórien]

Alligators in Disney is the new Ebola

 

[Jaybrad]

All those so worried about alligators should stay off the Living With The Land Ride!! They are raised there!