DVC's Beach Alligator problems?

[Olaf]

As risk averse as Disney is about most things, I'm really surprised that alligator signs weren't posted. I guess they were just counting on them being afraid of humans.

I was watching The Five on Fox and Juan Williams related that he'd been on a dinner cruise in that area, and a cast member threw a roll in the water to demonstrate that the gators were out there. One snatched at it immediately, which means that they follow boats knowing that food could be forthcoming. This has been an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Tigger031266]

I think signage is all it would take. (Which is happening). I just think the assumption that everyone knows about Alligators, is just that, an assumption. I certainly don't blame Disney, but just letting us foreigners know would be helpful. They comb the grass, and paint every surface to make the place perfect. If your only experience with Florida is on a magical express bus, than you assume everything is safe, unless you are given a heads up.

I think signage is one thing. I think parents simply dont watch their kids close enough (not talking about these parents). When you have a movie night on a dark beach with Alligators, parents can get absorbed in the movie or with other children. There needs to be Disney folks looking out for risks (drowning as well).

I am still not convinced that building DVC hotel rooms over and on the water is the right move for how DVC packages their products as family. In reality the real risks in Disney probably fall into:

- Heat Stroke
- Heart Attacks
- Falling
- Drowning
- Vehicle crashes
- ....

Unfortunately for Disney, they are going to be paying a pretty penny because of poor signage and supervision at a Disney event.

 

[Don_Air]

I couldn't disagree more. We have gone to Disney dozens of times and are always amazed at what people do there. I do not know the family involved. A more specific sign might have detoured the family in this situation but believe me, there are plenty of other families that would disregard the sign and do as they please - we see it all the time.

I'm not saying people will follow the directions. I'm saying the required information should be available to people (like myself) who didn't know. If someone doesn't pay attention to the signs, that's a different issue. No Swimming where I am from means there's an environmental issue like pollution. A sign that says gators tells me to stay back a fair distance from the shore line, let alone touch the water.

 

[disneynutz]

From the video footage and photos that I have seen, the water there looks disgusting anyways. Filthy actually. I wouldn't want to dip my toe in it.

The water is a combination of storm run off and swamp water, it isn't filtered or treated to remove bacteria. It is for show only.

Bill

 

[granmanh603]

The water is a combination of storm run off and swamp water, it isn't filtered or treated to remove bacteria. It is for show only.

Bill

Been going to Disney BWV for years and that is what I thought out of common sense, who would want to go in that dirty water were lots of boats travel all day long, no less in the dark. There are beautiful pools all lit up and safe. There are so many different stories out there now, who knows what is true. People read a story full of suppositions and it becomes fact because it is in print. I have also heard officials make a statement on TV briefing and heard a reporter immediately after, report something entirely different than what was said. Gave their own sensational version of what was said.

 

[Splashboat]

I'm not saying people will follow the directions. I'm saying the required information should be available to people (like myself) who didn't know. If someone doesn't pay attention to the signs, that's a different issue. No Swimming where I am from means there's an environmental issue like pollution. A sign that says gators tells me to stay back a fair distance from the shore line, let alone touch the water.

I commented on your exact words "I think signage is all it would take. (Which is happening)." As a side note, if you ever go to that beach area you will see the water looks very polluted.

 

[Don_Air]

I commented on your exact words "I think signage is all it would take. (Which is happening)." As a side note, if you ever go to that beach area you will see the water looks very polluted.

Correct. The signage is all it would take to provide the information to tourists about Alligators.

 

[lennyd]

Disney did not put up alligator signs because that would effect business and we all know disneys bottom line.

 

[MasterPrime]

Natural barriers might very well be for containing people, not wildlife.

That actually makes sense. Since you can't stop nature, you can stop negligent people.

 

[MasterPrime]

Disney has a full time staff that already does this.

I guess they are going to be hiring more than.

 

[Dean]

I think signage is all it would take. (Which is happening). I just think the assumption that everyone knows about Alligators, is just that, an assumption. I certainly don't blame Disney, but just letting us foreigners know would be helpful. They comb the grass, and paint every surface to make the place perfect. If your only experience with Florida is on a magical express bus, than you assume everything is safe, unless you are given a heads up.

And that's likely more than they need to do. They can't cover everything, the sign would have to be a billboard or enough signs it'd actually create a fence themselves. Bacteria, snakes, poisonous spiders, drowning, rabies maybe even each species that's higher risk for rabies. The list is almost endless. They'll put up signs, say they did something and move on. But as I tried to convey in my previous post, when you go somewhere YOU take the inherent risks involved. There's no amount of signs, warnings, fences, etc that will prevent these issues completely. How many fences did the person at 6 flags climb over to get the hat that caused them to be decapitated in 2008, I think it was 2?

 

[Don_Air]

So I guess we agree then. Taking a risk means to have all the information at hand, so you can judge for yourself if you want to take said risk. It's not taking a risk, when you don't know you are taking a risk. Thats the point you keep missing. Being an "Asshat" by ignoring the signage is a totally different argument all together. A sign is a perfect solution.

 

[Dean]

So I guess we agree then. Taking a risk means to have all the information at hand, so you can judge for yourself if you want to take said risk. It's not taking a risk, when you don't know you are taking a risk. Thats the point you keep missing. Being an "Asshat" by ignoring the signage is a totally different argument all together. A sign is a perfect solution.

If by thinking that you and I are responsible for evaluating the risks for the positions we put ourselves in and that additional signs over non swimming are and were unnecessary legally or ethically, then yes we do agree. The family made a poor choice and were unlucky and have paid the ultimately price. Disney did NOTHING wrong. BTW, signs won't make any difference anyway other than if there were a SECOND incident in giving some liability protection. It's like when your neighbors tree falls on your house, it's your responsibility not theirs. But if you give them notice that there is a specific risk and then something happens like this, different ballgame.

 

[Don_Air]

The family made a poor choice and were unlucky and have paid the ultimately price.

Once again. They made a choice based on the wrong information. There's no way they would have made that choice if they knew there were gators in the water.

 

[Dean]

Once again. They made a choice based on the wrong information. There's no way they would have made that choice if they knew there were gators in the water.

No, they made a bad choice which had risk. They knew or should have know the water was off limits (no swimming). If they had wanted to know risks for FL near water, they could have investigated that. It is impossible to spoon feed people every single risk and detail and off the things that might have tried to warn people about, this would NOT have been at the top of the list. To think adding an alligator picture to a no swimming sing or beware of alligators would have made any difference in this situation is naive, IMO. People have to take personal responsibility which seems to be far too lacking now days.

 

[Tigger031266]

People. You can't say the water is dirty, filled with disease and alligators and then say we are going to make money off of waters skiers, jet boats and other boats. I have rented boats there. Many times the water blows right into me eyes, mouth and face. Either it is one or the other. The water skiers fall into the water! Is it a recreational area or disease infected?????

 

[Don_Air]

No, they made a bad choice which had risk. They knew or should have know the water was off limits (no swimming). If they had wanted to know risks for FL near water, they could have investigated that. It is impossible to spoon feed people every single risk and detail and off the things that might have tried to warn people about, this would NOT have been at the top of the list. To think adding an alligator picture to a no swimming sing or beware of alligators would have made any difference in this situation is naive, IMO. People have to take personal responsibility which seems to be far too lacking now days.

We're going in Circles. You are not reading a thing I've said. I had no idea there were alligators in the lakes at Disney until 2 days ago. Where I am from, we warn people about the risks when taking part in local attractions. To assume everyone knows everything you do is pretty ignorant. All you need is a sign, a message, even an email when you book, to tell them there are Alligators in the lakes at Disney. I had NO IDEA there were alligators in the lakes at Disney, because it's not on my list of things to look up when planning a trip.

 

[Don_Air]

And from what I understand, you don't even need to be IN the lake to be attacked by an Alligator, so the sign that is there is completely useless. You just need to be standing by the water's edge.

 

[jodifla]

People. You can't say the water is dirty, filled with disease and alligators and then say we are going to make money off of waters skiers, jet boats and other boats. I have rented boats there. Many times the water blows right into me eyes, mouth and face. Either it is one or the other. The water skiers fall into the water! Is it a recreational area or disease infected?????

Sure you can. Many Florida lakes are this way, in fact. People use them recreationally, but don't swim in them.

 

[erionm]

I had no idea there were alligators in the lakes at Disney until 2 days ago.

Were you previously aware that there are alligators in the state of Florida?