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

[gsp4ever]

I do not recall seeing any signs warning guests that alligators may be lurking in the waters.

There are signs that say “no swimming,” however these signs are vague as to why.

Yeah, I do think more specific signage is needed. Sometimes you do have to spell it out for people. Especially people from other parts of the US and Canada as well as foreign countries. It's one thing to say "no swimming" as if to imply that people are forbidden from open water swimming (as you might see in the ocean or a park with a beach front lake) but it's entirely different if you have alligators lurking nearby and it might make it dangerous for even wading or small children playing near the water.

 

[brooke789]

I guess there is generally just a lot of tragedy surrounding Disney with the amount of space and people they have.

Just before our 2013 trip at boy drowned in the Pop Century pool, where we were to stay. My understanding (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong) is that after this Disney no longer allowed the pools to be used 24hours/day but just during life guard hours.

We just left Sunday and not only was there the shooting (essentially) just down the road but now a child presumably eaten by an alligator. So, sad. For the record the only alligators I saw on our trip were on the Safari.

 

[mom2rtk]

Lol! Yet there are canoes next to the sign. Uhhhhhhh.....no thanks.

Canoeing is not swimming. We went kayaking in Tarpon Bay and were fully aware there were alligators in the area. Lots of people kayak there. They rent kayaks right there at the shore.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Until then, how about we just all issue our thoughts and prayers rather than our Monday Morning Quarterback opinions?

I think that it's human nature to BOTH offer thoughts and prayers AND move to thinking about how/if this could be prevented going forward. That's not Monday morning quarterbacking... That's trying to plan better (if possible) for the future.

 

[gsp4ever]

This article has a picture of the no-swimming sign:
http://wqad.com/2016/06/15/alligator-attacks-toddler-at-lagoon-at-disney-hotel/

Yeah, see this is like actual swimming (with a visual of a person swimming freestyle and everything) it really doesn't even suggest the dangers of even wading or being near shore (if you are small child) due to alligators lurking about.

 

[luvthemouse71]

Let me ask a question? Would anyone go swimming in the ocean at night? Im thinking not very many because of sharks or any predator. How many beaches have signs posted about shark attacks? Its common sense. Dont go in the water at night or if you cant see your surroundings. Everyone was taught in school, gators live in the bodies of water in florida.

Yes. And they also have signs saying entering the water is at your own risk after a certain point.

 

[NeuroCindy]

I am aware of that danger and I feel the same way you do but towards Disney and the fact they they offer activities that will put you in close contact with that water. Specially the preferred method of the nasal passages. Perhaps that's why people are so blase, because they assume if the risk was so great, Disney would not offer activities that put you in such close contact with an apparently great danger. They do warn you of everything else: by the hand, watch your step, do not ride if you have x, y and z conditions, ride has sharp turns and falls, ride is dark, can be frightening for children, ETC ETC. When that is the norm in their parks, I'm sure most people assume if Disney offers it/does not give a warning, it must be safe.

That's a great point. Maybe Disney needs to do something to make it clear that these risks are around, that the lake shouldn't be thought of as clean or animal free.

 

[Robo]

For the record the only alligators I saw on our trip were on the Safari.

I don't remember any alligators as part of the Safari ride.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I think that it's human nature to BOTH offer thoughts and prayers AND move to thinking about how/if this could be prevented going forward. That's not Monday morning quarterbacking... That's trying to plan better (if possible) for the future.

But acting and speaking out based on emotion rather than with a cool head that has all the information necessary to actually make a logical conclusion on what needs to be done is helping no one.

 

[JimmyV]

who's feet...if the parents had their feet in the water and the child was lagoon side of the parents not beach side...he was probably in a foot of water...

First off, I can't imagine anything less relevant to the story than how deep the water was. The child was two years old. That puts him at about 34 inches of height. If he had been in a foot of water, the water would have come up past his knees. I am 6 feet tall, and a foot of water would come up to my mid-calf. I certainly don't get the impression that the father was in calf deep in the water or that the child was up to his thighs. The more likely scenario is that he and his dad were walking on the sand in the area right where it meets the water. Two to three inches, tops. But that is plenty close to catch the attention of an alligator. And it really doesn't matter.

Signs. Walls. Fences. People want to find blame and assume that proper measures weren't taken. But as pointed out, this is the first alligator-related fatality since 1971, and only the second known alligator attack in 45 years. It is irrational to think that a company is going to take extraordinary measures to prevent such a rarity. Think about how many people have died or been seriously injured at WDW since 1971, and now compare that to alligator attacks. Disney has plenty on its plate before it needs to account for the once-every-45-years accident. And that is what this was. No one is to blame. The humans were doing what humans do. The alligator was doing what alligators do. When the two intersected, a tragedy occurred. By all accounts, Disney already searches for and removes alligators that it believes might pose a threat. That is a sensible reaction, and they already do that. But they weren't perfect, obviously. And a family lost a precious boy in part because Disney wasn't perfect, and in part because the family went into water that they weren't supposed to be in, three inches, a foot, or otherwise. When people and/or corporations fail in their quest for perfection, then things like this happen. But are we really at a point where we expect either the parents, the child, or Disney to be perfect? Is the lack of perfection blameworthy?

 

[chmurf]

if you travel to Florida (or anywhere between eastern Texas around the coast to eastern N.C., there is the potential for American Alligators and sometimes nature attacks.

This is valid for almost every part of America (and the world beyond that)

when you go backcountry camping, you need to be aware of bears, or mountain lions, rattlesnakes, you name it ...
going to yellowstone (for example), you'll have wolves, buffalos and bears, all 3 potentially lethal.
and we could take any state and find similar examples.

---

Now for those who argue about wether or not it's okay to let a 2 year old wade in a lake, I will only ask if those people have ever taken a good look at those bodies of water on property
they are murky, dark, and they often smell bad. They're not a place where I would leave my kid wade in

Of course, people might be used to cristal clear mountain lakes, or well kept bodies of water, carefully groomed grounds and shores.
but here we're talking about swamps

we're talking about waters that are far worse than in the toilet bowl in a lousy truck stop in the middle of nowhere.
would you let your kid wade in that ?

so you get your answer, don't let your kid wade in that bacterial culture, even if it's got nice mouse ears on, and a perfect view of the fireworks over MK
And that's even before talking about gators and water mocassins.

 

[brooke789]

I don't remember any alligators as part of the Safari ride.

Perhaps they're crocodiles?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I don't remember any alligators as part of the Safari ride.

Those are crocodiles. Glad that's cleared up.

 

[nkereina]

Its possible the threat of alligators never even occurred to the family, especially being from Nebraska. Being from New York where alligators are non-existant, it's not something I think much about while in Florida. Maybe they did or didn't see the signs, maybe they thought it meant literally no swimming. But regardless of all that, I do wonder why the worry of snakes or even just the bacteria of the murky water in the man-made lake built on top of swamp land wasn't enough for the parents to keep the kid out of the water.

BUT I guess another scenario is that this could have happened quickly - father takes the two year old for a walk along the shore while the movie is playing, kid runs ahead and is running in and out of the water, nearby gator grabs him because it was dark out and the father presumably never saw it coming.

Tragedy no matter how it occurred. Keeping Orlando in my prayers.

 

[luvthemouse71]

When I visited NYC I stayed away from the subways. WDW was built on swampland. What do you propose WDW do? More signs? You can try to idiot proof but it still won't keep people from going in the water or feeding critters. In my neighborhood we have gators and snakes. I don't wander around at night.

ETA..http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/managed/alligator/facts/

Very interesting, thanks for posting.

 

[Disneychick75]

Do you know all of the intricacies of living safely in moose country? It doesn't mean people are stupid for not knowing details about living with gators, it just means they aren't from gator areas.

My point was it's Florida and there are gators everywhere. Just because it's Disney World doesn't mean gators stay away. In no say was I blaming the parents in this tragic situation. I lived near Telluride in the 70's, so yes, I am familiar with "moose country".

 

[luvthemouse71]

http://m.myfwc.com/media/152524/Alligator-Brochure.pdf

 

[Jaybrad]

I don't remember any alligators as part of the Safari ride.

Crocs not Gators

 

[atp]

What activities does Disney offer that puts your nasal passages in close contact with the lake water?

Parasailing, tubing, wake boarding, water skiing, watercrafts...even the kayaks. All of those (except the kayak) will get water splashed on your face where you can potentially breathe it in, and if you fall out of any of those devices, you will be in the water where it can go up your nose or splash up your nose, just as it would if you were swimming.

 

[rmm7e]

That's a great point. Maybe Disney needs to do something to make it clear that these risks are around, that the lake shouldn't be thought of as clean or animal free.

This will be the basis of the inevitable lawsuit, and Disney will settle and make beaches more inaccessible as a result.

I just went through and "liked" a lot of posts so I won't repeat those sentiments. All I'll say is that this was an accident, it was tragic, and I don't blame either Disney or the parents. My heart goes out to them (and even to the alligators they are rounding up and examining for guilt).