Gator grabs 2 year old at Grand Floridian?

[ClemmyIndyBambi]

This is such a tragic and awful story. My heart and thoughts go out to the family who lost their child.

I do have to say I am surprised by the number of posts from people who did not seem to think this was a risk. I mean, it's Florida. I'm from Iowa (born and raised) and I know that alligators are a risk. I remember going in the water back in the day, prior to the "no swimming" signs and my mom screaming at me to get out of the water because there might be an alligator.

 

[HappyGrape]

We travel from Ireland and I work in American company. The only reason I knew before our first trip about gators and hurricanes in Florida was that I work closely with teams based in Tampa and New York and colleagues gave me the info. It was impulse purchase (the holiday) and the travel agent didn't really provide me with info.

Now listening Pete's line stay out of the lakes I am well aware of the risks but when alligators aren't common it's easy not to think about the possibility of one

 

[Judyfun]

Breaks my heart

 

[Confederate Scott]

My prayers go out to this family. May God be with them.

 

[MeganMango]

What a sad night it was for this family

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...-dragged-alligator-disney-20160614-story.html

 

[PBB]

On the island near the Polynesian they built a wave machine for the guests to make it feel like it was a real beach and you could swim in the water.

I remember the wave machine......it was televised on The Mike Douglas Show in the mid 70's. It was kind of silly because the waves were about 2-3 feet high and Disney had surfers from CA and Hawaii talking about how great the waves were,LOL. Here is some more info.......http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/seven-seas-lagoon-wave-machine.237541/

I woke up hearing the news tease on Fox & Friends First. I thought I was having a bizarre dream. We were living in Sarasota, FL in the 72-73 and a family was at Myaka State Park swimming on the parks fresh water beach which had an alligator proof netting system in the water in front of the beach. A family was in the water and a gator grabbed the 8 year old daughter. She was my age and it has never left me. The poor parents divorced and were the father institutionalized. We moved to Atlanta and 10 years laterite read an article that the family was still in a legal fight with the State of FL.

It sounds like people were on the beach watching a movie and I would imagine waiting on the water pageant and fireworks. What a tragedy......watching Press conference at 6:33 am.......Child has not been found. The press are making and officials keep mentioning the "no swimming" signs. How far could a 2 year child have been in the water? Just being at waters edge is enough for an attack...........

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Interesting question is why was there a lifeguard at a beach that doesn't allow swimming? And as you said if they are there not telling people to get out of the water

The GF has a pool on the beach by the lake.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/grandflomap.htm

 

[poison ivy]

officials made a point of saying the only signs were "no swimming".

 

[OllieDannyandMe]

Beginning in 1976, we went to Walt Disney World every few years. Since 2006, my daughter and I go every year. I never thought something like this could happen.

In 1988, I even saw an alligator below the deck of The Empress Lilly (Fulton's Crab House), and I have seen one in the lake at Coronado Springs recently. I went water skiing in Bay Lake in 1986, and I was in the water more than on it. The life guard joked with me about looking out for alligators. I didn't think they were a threat to humans, though. Otherwise, why would Walt Disney World offer water skiing on their lake?

Last summer, as we waited for the fireworks to start from the beach of Disney's Polynesian Resort, two little girls played in the wet part of the sand at the water's edge. They were playing only a few feet from the chairs set up for guests. It was the Fourth of July and cast members were all over the beach, but none of them asked the children to get out of the water.

I always thought that the "no swimming" signs were about the amoeba. On their website, Disney still offers water skiing on Bay Lake. I'm leery of alligators, when I am in Florida. While I never would have gone exploring the abandoned River Country by myself, I would have thought that I was safe at on the beaches of the Grand Floridian. False sense of security, I guess.

Does anyone think that the cutbacks at Disney have caused the company to be less vigilante about removing the larger alligators? Or does everyone think this incident was a fluke? Or have Florida alligators suddenly become more aggressive?

 

[ck2d]

They found 4 alligators in the lagoon overnight, euthanized them, but have found no evidence of the child yet.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I remember the wave machine......it was televised on The Mike Douglas Show in the mid 70's. It was kind of silly because the waves were about 2-3 feet high and Disney had surfers from CA and Hawaii talking about how great the waves were,LOL. Here is some more info.......http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/seven-seas-lagoon-wave-machine.237541/

I woke up hearing the news tease on Fox & Friends First. I thought I was having a bizarre dream. We were living in Sarasota, FL in the 72-73 and a family was at Myaka State Park swimming on the parks fresh water beach which had an alligator proof netting system in the water in front of the beach. A family was in the water and a gator grabbed the 8 year old daughter. She was my age and it has never left me. The poor parents divorced and were the father institutionalized. We moved to Atlanta and 10 years laterite read an article that the family was still in a legal fight with the State of FL.

It sounds like people were on the beach watching a movie and I would imagine waiting on the water pageant and fireworks. What a tragedy......watching Press conference at 6:33 am.......Child has not been found. The press are making and officials keep mentioning the "no swimming" signs. How far could a 2 year child have been in the water? Just being at waters edge is enough for an attack...........

If you are a hungry gator and you see food then yes being on the waters edge puts you in danger. Walking near any body of water in Florida will put you in danger because you don't know what is lurking in the water and ready to charge you.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Im disgusted. And the whole there is signage reasoning is weak. I have an enormous amount of love for disney, but tonight my world is rocked.

In this case...I think that's unfair.

Maybe a movie next to the lagoon is a bad idea...but nothing lazy or inappropriate on Disneys part.

Stuff happens - as Forest Gump would say. I don't think this will ever happen again because they'll respond.

No reasonable expectation that they should have considered a 2 year old swimming in a non-swimming area in the darkness with a large gator several feet away. This hasn't happened before.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If you are a hungry gator and you see food then yes being on the waters edge puts you in danger. Walking near any body of water in Florida will put you in danger because you don't know what is lurking in the water and ready to charge you.

There's no way for man to completely control nature...man can destroy it...but never control it.

Anyone notice what's been going on with Sharks close to shore the last few years? Well...they've always been there...it was never fully "safe".

So no beach? Stay inside?

...or live your life knowing you never can competely control some things?

 

[JACKNAG]

Prayers for the family

 

[lockedoutlogic]

They found 4 alligators in the lagoon overnight, euthanized them, but have found no evidence of the child yet.

...and this is what I didn't want to see happen..

The "ghost in the darkness"

 

[mshanson3121]

...and this is what I didn't want to see happen..

The "ghost in the darkness"

Meaning....??

 

[poison ivy]

In this case...I think that's unfair.

Maybe a movie next to the lagoon is a bad idea...but nothing lazy or inappropriate on Disneys part.

.

I don't know about this. They should know the population growth of the gators at Bay Lake. They anticipate guest safety all the time. this can't be the first instance of someone wading in the water and thinking it's not swimming.

I saw that gator near splash mountain about a year ago. It was dark. First time I ever saw one at Disney and I was surprised it was so close to everyone on the dock. I have to find those photos.

 

[jennypenny]

They have to euthanize any gators they find in or near that lake to look for evidence of the toddler. Sad and cringe-worthy, but that family needs closure.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Meaning....??

Meaning it's an "ecosphere"...which means there needs to be room for everything...

Because Retlaw bought cheap acreage in 1965 doesn't mean that they have autonomous control over nature. It's a sad event...it's an accident...but this notion to "kill them all" I saw propagated earlier is not correct.

I'm not PETA...but this still doesn't seem like the right move. An overreaction in classic **** sapien form. I don't know...that's just my first take.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

They have to euthanize any gators they find in or near that lake to look for evidence of the toddler. Sad and cringe-worthy, but that family needs closure.

I see that angle...but I'm not sure it really matters. I get it...and i don't at the same time.