Heartbreaking news...a big reminder to be aware of wildlife on property

[ITALIANNYC]

So much arguing. Here is the sad reality. Sometimes horrible things happen that are just simply an accident. .

This will not change any opinion I have on Disney, and I will still go about and do what I normally do at Disney. I could understand if this happened a few times but its so rare, that it does not concern my well being. It will however make me more aware to watch out at night around those places.

This was a freak accident. The awareness is already there now. Can't blame Disney for anything.

There are no signs saying beware of animals on the safari, so if one day some freak accident happened where an animal attacked someone in the truck, is that disneys fault? No, there a risks in everything you do in life.

All you simply can do is be careful.

Disney is simply class all around and there will be a settlement that is undisclosed. Not because Disney is taking the fault, but because its simply the right thing to do in this tragic situation.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Actually, having moved from Florida to NJ I was shocked at how people here did not take lightning seriously at all. Florida being the lightning capital we know the dangers early on. We've seen the destruction and I've know people who have been struck.

And it's not only an outdoor risk. There were little safeguards we followed like staying away from windows, not running water when it's storming, not using a landline, computer, etc. My husband thought I was completely insane and had never heard of any of that safety info. I don't think people necessarily know how bad the lightning gets in Florida either. The frequency of storms and number of strikes is drastically different in Florida.

I agree with posters that said this is a far greater risk than gators and if you warn of one it would make sense to warn of the other.

This just strikes me as nonsense.

I am at no greater risk of lightning strike on Disney property than elsewhere in Orlando.

I AM at increased risk (however small) of an attack by an alligator when DISNEY ATTRACTS ME to the water's edge where they live and DOESN'T WARN ME about that.

This is simple common sense. People are over complicating.

 

[jknc]

It won't keep everyone from entering the waters. But one can certainly imagine that it will prevent some. Worth it.

And poisionious snakes...and now the highest concentration of the Zika Virus. ..yep people that too...
yeah, in Orlando.......and let's not forget a real danger, the threat of terrorism too....

All sad but true.

 

[bryanb]

I'm here at Disney World right now. I'm not interested in assigning blame. The fact that these incidents are so rare, and that the resort has operated for decades without this being an issue.

I had no idea this incident had happened while I was at the Magic Kingdom enjoying a great night out. The only hint were circling helicopters over Bay Lake, which I thought was very strange, but I didn't know there was something so horrible going on.

Let's not argue about blame right now, or getting into premature discussions about lawsuits.

 

[IrishNYC]

@sunshine1 Those alligators were killed to find the boy, not just because they were there. I'm pretty sure if it was your child, you would have wanted want to bring him home, too.

 

[nandm92574]

The whole lightening thing is silly. Disney does take precautions in lightening. They shut down rides, pools, etc. things that are under their control. Anyplace that they are maintaining a beach for families should be treated the same. Patrolled aggressively and guarded. Just a few more employees on the payroll. Do they need to do ALL of DW no but if they are selling sand toys and hosting people on that beach with the money you pay.... Please put a guard and signage there

 

[margot31]

SHAME ON DISNEY for killing those 4 alligators after the 2 year old child was dragged into the water by a alligator on Disney property.
Walt Disney World is built on swampland so one can only imagine how much wildlife has been displaced and killed since start of constuction of Walt Disney World in the late 1960s.
Humans build on wildlife areas then get annoyed or we kill the animals when they interfere with our way of life.
I have never seen signage warning guests to beware of alligators.
Also it happened at the Grand Floridian where there is a man made beach so it lures guests into a false sense of security.

If there is no proper signage to warn people about the gators then Disney are at fault and play a big part in the fact the poor child lost his life.

Disney now has metal detectors for when guests arrive at the park. So now they have to also 'burst the fantasy bubble' and put up 'Stay out of water, alligators maybe present' signs.

It was not Disney who ordered that to happen. It was Florida Wildlife who ordered it because sorry to be gross but who knows at the time everything started where that little boy was (I won't actually say/type it out you all can figure it out) Who knows what they did with the gators after the little boy was found.

 

[Dis703]

If a large segment of the population is unaware of the dangers within Floridas waters, there is likely a segment of the population unaware that Florida leads the nation in lightning strike deaths.

Governor Scott needs to change all welcome signs immediately.

WELCOME TO FLORIDA:

The home of Oranges, Alligators, Mickey Mouse and Lightning!

And Water Moccasins, don't forget those. Florida Panthers too maybe?

 

[bryanb]

This just strikes me as nonsense.

I am at no greater risk of lightning strike on Disney property than elsewhere in Orlando.

I AM at increased risk (however small) of an attack by an alligator when DISNEY ATTRACTS ME to the water's edge where they live and DOESN'T WARN ME about that.

This is simple common sense. People are over complicating.

But it's something that hasn't been happening. I agree with you. Now it's common sense in hindsight. But people weren't looking at those beaches for two decades and saying, "that's common sense that this is insufficient." Because this sort of freak thing just didn't happen. So now it has happened, and of course people are going to react and learn from it.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

There are no signs saying beware of animals on the safari, so if one day some freak accident happened where an animal attacked someone in the truck, is that disneys fault?

Good grief! Really?? It's a safari!!!! You don't see that as different than a movie night on a "beach" where people didn't attend so that they could see an alligator!!

Geez.

 

[jknc]

This just strikes me as nonsense.

I am at no greater risk of lightning strike on Disney property than elsewhere in Orlando.

I AM at increased risk (however small) of an attack by an alligator when DISNEY ATTRACTS ME to the water's edge where they live and DOESN'T WARN ME about that.

This is simple common sense. People are over complicating.

And you were attracted to Florida by Disney where alligators and lightning were dangerous to humans thousands of years before the park was constructed

Damn them for putting a park in a lightning and alligator filled swamp.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

So now it has happened, and of course people are going to react and learn from it.

That's all I'm hoping. That Disney learns how many people have NO IDEA about this risk and just warn them. That's all.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Quite frankly, and I just throw this out there so the wading/swimming issue goes to rest, for all you Floridians... Will an alligator attack someone on the shoreline? Not in the water? If so, seems to me no swimming is a moot point.

It's been answered several times. Yes it can happen but even more rare. They normally snatch small pets. Can they take a small child yes, they can. Chances are they wouldn't. The splashing is more than likely what drew the attention of the gator. Will they walk up to a beach chair and snatch...no

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

And you were attracted to Florida by Disney where alligators and lightning were dangerous to humans thousands of years before the park was constructed

Damn them for putting a park in a lightning and alligator filled swamp.

This has gotten beyond silly. No point in continuing the back and forth.

I'd bet Disney will improve signage because now that they know better, they'll feel a responsibility to guests to do better. That's all. Common sense now.

 

[KateP85]

This just strikes me as nonsense.

I am at no greater risk of lightning strike on Disney property than elsewhere in Orlando.

I AM at increased risk (however small) of an attack by an alligator when DISNEY ATTRACTS ME to the water's edge where they live and DOESN'T WARN ME about that.

This is simple common sense. People are over complicating.

But Disney doesn't attract you to the waters edge, they attract you to the beach. There are signs everywhere saying no swimming, indicating NOT to go past the waters edge. If the alligator had strolled into the beach and attacked someone, that's one thing, but the boy was in the water.

 

[Dis703]

This just strikes me as nonsense.

I am at no greater risk of lightning strike on Disney property than elsewhere in Orlando.

I AM at increased risk (however small) of an attack by an alligator when DISNEY ATTRACTS ME to the water's edge where they live and DOESN'T WARN ME about that.

This is simple common sense. People are over complicating.

You are at greater risk of being struck or a fatality in Florida, period. As for greater risk at Disney vs. other places in Orlando the same could be said about the gators.

Your risk is still infinitesimal regardless. And there are activities near water with gators all across the city and state. There is nothing unique about that.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

But Disney doesn't attract you to the waters edge, they attract you to the beach. There are signs everywhere saying no swimming, indicating NOT to go past the waters edge. If the alligator had strolled into the beach and attacked someone, that's one thing, but the boy was in the water.

Have you read the Poly account?

 

[KateP85]

This has gotten beyond silly. No point in continuing the back and forth.

I'd bet Disney will improve signage because now that they know better, they'll feel a responsibility to guests to do better. That's all. Common sense now.

I agree that Disney might increase their signage, but I think it has less to do with "knowing better" and more to do with the realization that some of their guests don't appear to have brains in their heads.

Edited to clarify: this is not a personal attack on anyone here. But reading through this thread and my Facebook feed and everywhere else, it baffles me how many people don't follow rules because they don't know why the rule is in place.

 

[pigletgirl]

That's all I'm hoping. That Disney learns how many people have NO IDEA about this risk and just warn them. That's all.

AND... how many people read the signs but think they don't apply to them?

Despite signage, people are dumb and do what they want. I guess there will be another Darwin award winner.

 

[KateP85]

Have you read the Poly account?

I haven't but I will, can you point me in the right direction?