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

[Sammie]

It certainly has - and it does bring home the point that no matter WHERE you are - we are always, ALWAYS encroaching on animal habitat.

Exactly. Disney World was build on 27,000 acres of most swamp. The gators were there long before the humans. So much of Disney is not developed and gators will not be contained. They get in people's pools all the time. And definitely night time around water is always more dangerous than during daylight.

Sadly I had no idea so many people have no idea of the dangers, and snakes and amoebas.

 

[IrishNYC]

It's a good point. It probably has a lot to do with context. You are in a Village in the middle of the wild - not a theme park in the middle of a large urban metropolis.

Disney really isn't in the middle of an urban metropolis. It's built in swampland, and surrounded by protected wetlands. yes, Orlando is a big city, but the resort itself is outside of the city, and well insulated from the city.

 

[jsrj21]

I'm surprised so many didn't realize there's alligators at Disney. I thought it was pretty common knowledge.

Exactly! When my son was younger...alot younger, like 5-8 etc, we never, and even today at 20, we don't get near that water. At CBR, we get on the hammocks on the sand but never with our backs to the lake or to take a nap. I just cannot imagine what the parents must be going through right now. Their lives are changed forever....as well as the Pulse victims' families, just a sad, sad time in Orlando this week, and across the globe I imagine. Hope that time goes by quick and that the families of all find some peace and serenity in the very near future.

 

[Duckiedee]

Disney really isn't in the middle of an urban metropolis. It's built in swampland, and surrounded by protected wetlands. yes, Orlando is a big city, but the resort itself is outside of the city, and well insulated from the city.

Good point.

 

[megster1123]

The child was NOT swimming.

So where do you draw the line then?
Is standing ankle deep ok? Wading shin deep ok?
Standing waist deep ok?
None of those things are "swimming" then, right?

Maybe I'm the minority? Because I see "No Swimming" basically as "Stay the heck out of the water you don't belong there at all."

 

[A Mickeyfan]

http://www.disboards.com/threads/do-you-ever-see-alligators-on-wdw-property.2694894/

On these boards, never knew, searched and do your research but never heard of gators on Property. ..above is a link from this very board. When in doubt and you are researching, if you don't want to check the official State site, check here. This bosrd is awesome for any of information

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Body recovered ..on cnn now

 

[mamato3girls]

So where do you draw the line then?
Is standing ankle deep ok? Wading shin deep ok?
Standing waist deep ok?
None of those things are "swimming" then, right?

Maybe I'm the minority? Because I see "No Swimming" basically as "Stay the heck out of the water you don't belong there at all."

I think it is so different everywhere. Here it is not uncommon to see no swimming signs but wading or knee and ankle deep is fine. Also no swimming will often mean no lifeguard. I personally wouldn't have let my kids in the water because it looks gross but if the water was cleaner I probably would not have e thought twice about letting them put their feet in. Alligators would not have even been on my radar.

 

[Jfsag123]

I'm wondering if they've finally found something. I'm at BLT right now with a Bay Lake facing room in the center of the "C". Just saw 5 boats go speeding by. It seems like water activities have been suspended for the day, as I haven't seen any other activities. Who knows, but I am so hoping for some closure for this poor family.

 

[PSULion]

So where do you draw the line then?
Is standing ankle deep ok? Wading shin deep ok?
Standing waist deep ok?
None of those things are "swimming" then, right?

Maybe I'm the minority? Because I see "No Swimming" basically as "Stay the heck out of the water you don't belong there at all."

This.

Out of curiosity, I asked my 7 yr old what a "no swimming" sign on a lake meant and he said, "that there are things in the lake that could hurt you and you should stay out." When I asked if he thought it would be OK to walk in just on the edge, he said, "no way."

(For the record, I am in no way blaming the parents, just more food for thought.)

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Body recovered ..on cnn now

If anything, I am glad this family will have some closure, and will be able to bury their little baby. Horrific.

 

[famy27]

This was a tragic accident, and I don't think we need to blame anyone. This was a one in millions chance, and the "perfect storm," as the article linked above mentions.

A friend of mine lost her husband a few years back in a ladder accident. Nobody expects to die when they climb a six-foot ladder to do home maintenance, but that is exactly what happened. She was left a widow with three kids under age 10. She considered suing the manufacturer, just because I think the natural tendency is to want to find a reason and someone at whom you can point a finger. At the end of the day, she realized that it was just bad luck. Like this, it was a perfect storm, and he happened to step in the wrong place and land in exactly the worst possible spot.

 

[snoopboop]

So where do you draw the line then?
Is standing ankle deep ok? Wading shin deep ok?
Standing waist deep ok?
None of those things are "swimming" then, right?

Maybe I'm the minority? Because I see "No Swimming" basically as "Stay the heck out of the water you don't belong there at all."

I'm another example of someone who sees a "no swimming" sign as meaning people do not belong in this water. Period. BUT.... it's clear from this thread and others that not everyone interprets the phrase on the sign in the same way. And as others have noted, the moment Disney mentions a specific potential predator on a sign, they then open themselves to accusations from anyone who ever encounters a creature NOT specifically mentioned on the sign. It's a lose-lose for all involved. What a horrific situation for the family.

 

[amg35]

Body recovered ..on cnn now

I'm just nauseous.

 

[jknc]

Not trying to dismiss this families horrific tragedy in anyway, but I would suggest you read the USA Today piece about alligator attacks.
I was honestly surprised to see how rare people are killed by alligators and there are an estimated 1.5 million of them in Florida.

 

[Delirium]

I think it's safe to say that everyone interprets 'no swimming' differently. I personally do not consider wading and swimming to be the same thing.

Given that it can mean different things to different people, it should not be used one way or another in an attempt to assess blame. The fact of the matter is, there is no blame. It's simply a tragedy and tragedies come in many different forms.

Assigning blame isn't going to change anything. Assigning blame isn't going to help any of the parties directly involved feel better.

If you can't feel empathy for the family, then I'm not sure why you are even here. Disney is about family. Disney is about magic. Disney is about hope. Disney is about dreams. This family lost all of that in a manner of seconds. That's a tragedy.

In that vein, why are some so intent on determining fault based on the language on a sign?

 

[mking624]

Speaking of signs...
We all know (well many of us know anyway), Disney has signs about not feeding the animals. How many people do you see doing it anyway? I bring it up because I have spotted an alligator in the Rivers of America a few times (got a picture once). Each time it was waiting at the side for people to drop food...which they were doing. Thus, the fear of humans declining more and more. It didn't matter what the sign said. They were going to do what they wanted and they did. One time we saw people feeding was when we were on the riverboat. A CM on the boat yelled out to them to stop. They looked up, shrugged, and kept doing it. He turned it into a lesson for us...saying gators are removed from MK but eventually find their way back and it is essential not to feed the wildlife. Not only does it harm them because that is not their normal diet, it gets them too used to people which leaves a door wide open. He didn't specify what that door led to, but we all understood the implication. The people by RoA didn't think anything of it. It can't get me from down there, just this once won't hurt, etc. In the end, if someone wants to do something and is determined to do it, it doesn't matter what the sign says. I'm not saying "screw it" with the sign change. I'm not arguing against that at all. But in order for any sign to work, people have to be willing to actually heed what they say.

 

[Boski]

Not trying to dismiss this families horrific tragedy in anyway, but I would suggest you read the USA Today piece about alligator attacks.
I was honestly surprised to see how rare people are killed by alligators and there are an estimated 1.5 million of them in Florida.

Yep, you are more likely to die from a Bee/Wasp/Hornet(which Disney has a lot of) than a alligator.

 

[tomatecerise]

Poor family, poor little boy, It is So sad...

The father Will Be traumatize because he can't save is own little boy. The Life is cruel sometimes.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Apparently there are two other siblings in the family as well. Please remember them in your thoughts.