Gator grabs 2 year old at Grand Floridian?

[Langelo]

Exactly. Because I'm Canadian, and I'm fully aware of the power of dangerous wildlife, I quite frankly, could give a rat's butt about them. Any dangerous animal found within WDW property poses a threat to it's guests and needs to be either relocated or killed. It's how we deal with things up here in Canada. You think that when polar bears come wandering down Main Street, we just let it be?

As humans we took over the alligators habitat. We need to learn to live in their world, not kill them and remove them from ours. As a fellow Canadian I'm shocked and slightly disgusted at your blunt views. Dangerous animal are will always be around. Unless they pose an actual threat to someone, most of them are left alone. What it really comes down to is people need to be educated. Btw, when was the last time you saw a polar bear walk down Main Street?

 

[rteetz]

Ferry boats are not running this morning.

 

[ryansstitch]

I read on on the news page that the father was walking the baby during the movie and the gator came up from behind and grabbed the baby.

Oh my goodness. I just can't even let my brain go there. How many millions of times do parents get up and walk around with the little one to keep them entertained, while letting the big kids continue an activity.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Its only silly sounding because they cant chew you up? They can give you diseases that could kill you slowly or make you very ill. The point is they are part of natur and disney attempts to manipulate it. Im not saying disney should manipulate alligators. Im saying they should take appropriate meASures and keep people out of the water by not making it accesible.

I agree with you here...

But here's the problem: all those water views carry a hefty price tag on your hotel bill.

Think of the big offenders: DVC hotels, mk hotels, and epcot resorts...

Big money.

The only Hotel that is built properly to separate tourists from
Nature?

Animals kingdom lodge

 

[cruisingtwins]

The lake is not full of gators however all Florida fresh bodies of water can easily attract gators. Why can't Disney put a beach there? There was a point in time too that swimming was allowed in the lagoon but that was over a decade ago maybe even two decades.

Because a 2 year old lost his life because of it A family watched an alligator take their child. There are no signs that alligators are in the water and some people like me had no idea there were gators there. In every beach at disney resorts you could see children wading and playing with sand toys and no one discouraged that. During the campfire at CBR there were lots of little kids playing in the water and CMs right there who did not say a thing.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Oh my goodness. I just can't even let my brain go there. How many millions of times do parents get up and walk around with the little one to keep them entertained, while letting the big kids continue an activity.

From the sheriffs press conference...

That was exactly what happened. I'm
Surprised he came out and said it...and you bet Disney was horrified that he did.

 

[Donald Duck888]

Its only silly sounding because they cant chew you up? They can give you diseases that could kill you slowly or make you very ill. The point is they are part of nature and Disney attempts to manipulate it. Im not saying disney should manipulate alligators. Im saying they should take appropriate meASures and keep people out of the water by not making it accessible.

Perhaps one way to do this would be to have it posted that failure to stay away from water will result in being asked to leave the property? I don't think people would want to risk ruining their vacation just to dip their toe in water which gators and amoebas call home.

 

[mshanson3121]

As humans we took over the alligators habitat. We need to learn to live in their world, not kill them and remove them from ours. As a fellow Canadian I'm shocked and slightly disgusted at your blunt views. Dangerous animal are will always be around. Unless they pose an actual threat to someone, most of them are left alone. What it really comes down to is people need to be educated. Btw, when was the last time you saw a polar bear walk down Main Street?

Obvious you don't live in Northern Quebec, Ontario or Manitoba where it happens every year. Also I didn't say to go around all over killing blindly. In fact I said within WDW property, and I said kill or RELOCATE. Alligators can and do pose a threat.

 

[rteetz]

The search continues. The beaches around the lagoon remain closed.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Because a 2 year old lost his life because of it A family watched an alligator take their child. There are no signs that alligators are in the water and some people like me had no idea there were gators there. In every beach at disney resorts you could see children wading and playing with sand toys and no one discouraged that. During the campfire at CBR there were lots of little kids playing in the water and CMs right there who did not say a thing.

Disney employees are subtly "encouraged"
Never to cause conflict...

Why? Bad for business. The police never used to be seen on property...why? Same reason.

The signs will be ignore time and again when they are put up...that is also a fact.

 

[mukorasirish]

Its only silly sounding because they cant chew you up? They can give you diseases that could kill you slowly or make you very ill. The point is they are part of natur and disney attempts to manipulate it. Im not saying disney should manipulate alligators. Im saying they should take appropriate meASures and keep people out of the water by not making it accesible.

Silly in the sense they are MUCH harder to get rid of. And how not make the accessible? Place fences around all the lakes? You realize gators walk MILES. So if you fence in those lakes they will walk from other water ways and wind up out side the fence - where the people are - trying to get in? YES raise awareness. But to think that fences or limiting accessibility is going to solve the possibility of gators and men colliding is naive. Signs. CM's holding a firm line to stay out of water. AND guests being responsible for the actions and decisions THEY make.

 

[Delgado]

Pass the blame? It is a well known thing on the Walt Disney World resort property that you are not supposed to go in the water. Not only for the safety from gators but because the Florida fresh water can carry amoebas that are quite dangerous to the body. The CM that told someone they could put their feet in the water was incorrect. Unfortunately sometimes CMs are misinformed.

If disney wanted to inform their cast members they would. It disnt happen for all the reasons that have been said on this thread. You are passing the blame to a misinformed cm, but its disneys job to train and inform.

 

[rteetz]

Because a 2 year old lost his life because of it A family watched an alligator take their child. There are no signs that alligators are in the water and some people like me had no idea there were gators there. In every beach at disney resorts you could see children wading and playing with sand toys and no one discouraged that. During the campfire at CBR there were lots of little kids playing in the water and CMs right there who did not say a thing.

There is nothing wrong with playing on the beach. That is completely allowed. However wading in the water is not. Unfortunately it seems not all CMs will stop people from doing that.

 

[cruisingtwins]

Disney employees are subtly "encouraged"
Never to cause conflict...

Why? Bad for business. The police never used to be seen on property...why? Same reason.

The signs will be ignore time and again when they are put up...that is also a fact.

If there were signs with gator pics I would have not let my kids anywhere near water. Personally I believe they should put a fence not just a sign.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Obvious you don't live in Northern Quebec, Ontario or Manitoba where it happens every year.

Polar bears are the world's largest land carnivore...

And they have higher thought process than gators that are partying like it's 300 mil BC...

But you're telling me that the policy is "fire away"?

I'm Gonna give your people the benefit of the doubt and say that other options are explored or have been in the past.

And why are polar bears encroaching? The stupidity of another animal species...perhaps?

 

[rteetz]

If disney wanted to inform their cast members they would. It disnt happen for all the reasons that have been said on this thread. You are passing the blame to a misinformed cm, but its disneys job to train and inform.

How do we know there was a CM in the area during the time the family was on the beach and the child was in or near the water? Disney does inform CMs to not let swimming occur but obviously some CMs think wading is okay.

 

[dlavender]

If Disney puts Alligator warning signs up, people know the danger and can be held accountable. If they don't, Disney is accountable. Greed will get you every time. Alligator warning signs don't assist in selling $700 lagoon rooms, or $2000 tiki huts.

To bad.

 

[rteetz]

If there were signs with gator pics I would have not let my kids anywhere near water. Personally I believe they should put a fence not just a sign.

I don't think a fence is necessary but yes there should be signs about gators.

 

[rteetz]

If Disney puts Alligator warning signs up, people know the danger and can be held accountable. If they don't, Disney is accountable. Greed will get you every time. Alligator warning signs don't assist in selling $700 lagoon rooms, or $2000 tiki huts.

To bad.

I wouldn't be surprised if those $2000 bungalows have attracted gators with people feeding them from the balcony.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If there were signs with gator pics I would have not let my kids anywhere near water. Personally I believe they should put a fence not just a sign.

If you saw them...if you weren't distracted...if you have the personality type that heeds all warnings/follows the rules...

See? Lots of variables in big/crowded spaces that are designed specifically for out of towners/no local familiarity.