Here now at GF - beach closed & new construction. FINAL UPDATE: Panoramic view of fence and rocks

[Aliceacc]

People have very short memories.

THIS summer, everyone who visits WDW is aware of the dangers.

But there are lots of people who don't have kids, for whom WDW isn't even on the radar yet. They still think WDW is just another theme park, and will continue to do so until they have kids and start to think about bringing them.

So Disney is putting up a permanent solution; something that will be there in 5 or 10 or 15 years.

And Disney is good at most of the things it does, so I'm confident that they'll do all they can to protect people while at the same time not destroying the ambience they've built at all their resorts that have water access.

As much as most of us here think of Disney in terms of "magic" and other intangibles, Disney is first and foremost a business. They live and die on dollars and cents. And if another tragedy were to occur, and they hadn't done everything in their power to keep people out of that water, it would be very problematic for Disney.

 

[Scott MC]

Cool! now my kids will have a rock wall to climb and run on.how fun..!!! did it myself as a kid

Can I sue Disney if the rocks are wet and one slips and breaks an ankle or slips into the water and gets hurt?

God Bless America.

 

[boltjames]

This is great news, I hope Disney takes it even further with regularly scheduled alligator sweeps in all the lakes. They caught 6 alligators in just a few hours after the incident, they need to do this weekly.

News just broke that local firefighters covering the Disney resorts were feeding alligators for fun just a half a mile away in the waterways that feed the Lagoon. Disney employees complained several times, they were fearful getting into their cars at night due to encounters with gators that no longer feared humans. Front-page story in the NY Daily News this morning:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...p-feeding-alligators-attack-article-1.2711129

 

[boltjames]

Goodness. I was at Poly last week and thought the fence with rope and net was sufficient and not distracting from the ambiance.

The point is that the water is disgusting and we now know that there is a stalking threat. Large boulders plus scary signage will make it very clear that no one is to go near the water, it's not just a 'no swimming' situation, and this looks very natural and is less visually obtrusive than a fence. I think it's a great permanent solution, long overdue unfortunately.

If these go high enough (I need to see photos) and if they do something like this not only on the beaches but also on the walkways adjacent to water/canals (like International Gateway's one mile path from EPCOT to Yacht Club, for example) I'll feel safe bringing my family down there again.

 

[tigger1972]

Added a short GIF of ongoing beach project to op.

 

[boltjames]

Added a short GIF of ongoing beach project to op.

What's your estimation of the height of this rock wall? Or is it too soon to tell?

 

[bunnyman]

I thought when the whole incident occurred that the easiest way to deny water access was to create a bulkhead at the edge of the beach (they already have these in the areas between the Poly and GF), so it wouldn’t be improbable that they do it along the beaches. You’d still have sand, but it wouldn’t slope down into the water any longer. Any thoughts?

 

[tigger1972]

What's your estimation of the height of this rock wall? Or is it too soon to tell?

I think it is still too soon to tell. Right now it is quite short and unobtrusive, but they are still working and have not yet completely covered the black tarp with rocks and sand.

 

[Tigger's ally]

I thought when the whole incident occurred that the easiest way to deny water access was to create a bulkhead at the edge of the beach (they already have these in the areas between the Poly and GF), so it wouldn’t be improbable that they do it along the beaches. You’d still have sand, but it wouldn’t slope down into the water any longer. Any thoughts?

Problem with bulkheads is that someone can fall off or over. You could combine the rocks/boulders and a bulkhead and be reasonably sure it would keep both people from going in and varmits from going out of the water.

 

[Hopefully]

The point is that the water is disgusting and we now know that there is a stalking threat. Large boulders plus scary signage will make it very clear that no one is to go near the water, it's not just a 'no swimming' situation, and this looks very natural and is less visually obtrusive than a fence. I think it's a great permanent solution, long overdue unfortunately.

If these go high enough (I need to see photos) and if they do something like this not only on the beaches but also on the walkways adjacent to water/canals (like International Gateway's one mile path from EPCOT to Yacht Club, for example) I'll feel safe bringing my family down there again.

I sincerely hope they do not. I feel perfectly safe taking my family now

 

[Scott MC]

I sincerely hope they do not. I feel perfectly safe taking my family now

^^^^^^^^^^
THIS!

My big idea is this. As the Dis Podcast says, "Stay out of the d*** lakes!"
Disney puts up signs...people need to obey them, or accept that there may be consequences. I don't understand why rules can't be followed.

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

...we now know that there is a stalking threat.

Pretty sensationalist don't you think?
The alligator did not attack because it knew he was a small child. It attacked because it thought it heard "food" in its habitat.
Alligators do not seek out humans to prey upon, unless of course you're watching a SyFy Original Movie.

 

[Dean Marino]

All personal opinion - I'm not right, no one else is wrong...

Rock barrier LOOKS nice. And I hear the concerns about children crawling on the rocks. Then again, short of barbed wire? My kids would have crawled on anything when they were little .

What I do NOT know... how do ALLIGATORS feel about going over a rock wall? Is this really designed to keep people IN, or the potential alligator OUT? Anyone have any insight?

 

[tigger1972]

Updated op with a picture of likely final plan of fence AND rocks.

 

[wilkeliza]

All personal opinion - I'm not right, no one else is wrong...

Rock barrier LOOKS nice. And I hear the concerns about children crawling on the rocks. Then again, short of barbed wire? My kids would have crawled on anything when they were little .

What I do NOT know... how do ALLIGATORS feel about going over a rock wall? Is this really designed to keep people IN, or the potential alligator OUT? Anyone have any insight?

All of this is designed to keep people out. There is absolutely nothing Disney can do to guarantee alligators aren't in the water. The gators are going to be there as it is their natural habitat. Disney will do what it can to keep the population down but it would be bad for the ecosystem of the WDW land and central Florida to get rid of all the gators.

 

[Tigger's ally]

All of this is designed to keep people out. There is absolutely nothing Disney can do to guarantee alligators aren't in the water. The gators are going to be there as it is their natural habitat. Disney will do what it can to keep the population down but it would be bad for the ecosystem of the WDW land and central Florida to get rid of all the gators.

But, what Marino was asking was- Do Alligators climb over rocks like that? I would have to say that it would be uncomfortable for them at the least. I think by now everyone knows that there are and will continue to be gators in the water, but these rocks might be doing double duty if they don't like to crawl over them they will just go somewhere else to get out of the water (away from the beaches).

 

[BabyFu18]

All personal opinion - I'm not right, no one else is wrong...

Rock barrier LOOKS nice. And I hear the concerns about children crawling on the rocks. Then again, short of barbed wire? My kids would have crawled on anything when they were little .

What I do NOT know... how do ALLIGATORS feel about going over a rock wall? Is this really designed to keep people IN, or the potential alligator OUT? Anyone have any insight?

It's meant to keep people's awareness up, that the water isn't safe and that wildlife is in the area and to basically 'keep out' of the water and the waters edge. With rocks, a fence and signage if people go around those barricades they are doing so against excpliate notes not to. Will people still try to go over, under, around fences and rock walls, I hope not but some people... you just never know. However, with all of this put in between people and the water if someone gets near the water they can't say Disney didn't do enough to deter them.

 

[Sue M]

They could be a discreet way to manage line jumpers, too.

So many uses! Pool lounge chair hogs too! The ones that go put towels on chairs early morning then go to the park! Or the ones that leave wet towels on lounge and can't be bothered to throw into the bin they have to walk right by to leave pool!

Or those line savers. The families that send the fastest one ahead to grab a spot on line. Then all of a sudden there's 10 people joining line holder ahead of you pretty much in line jumper category!

 

[Sue M]

It's meant to keep people's awareness up, that the water isn't safe and that wildlife is in the area and to basically 'keep out' of the water and the waters edge. With rocks, a fence and signage if people go around those barricades they are doing so against excpliate notes not to. Will people still try to go over, under, around fences and rock walls, I hope not but some people... you just never know. However, with all of this put in between people and the water if someone gets near the water they can't say Disney didn't do enough to deter them.

It's sad that signage isn't enough.

 

[wilkeliza]

But, what Marino was asking was- Do Alligators climb over rocks like that? I would have to say that it would be uncomfortable for them at the least. I think by now everyone knows that there are and will continue to be gators in the water, but these rocks might be doing double duty if they don't like to crawl over them they will just go somewhere else to get out of the water (away from the beaches).

Gators don't traditionally like to get out of the water to feed unless they are unafraid of the predator that may be in the area. That is the biggest issue on property of gators not in the water ways. People are feeding them and so they just aren't that scared of us any more.

Now I can't imagine a Gator really cares if there are rocks or not. If they have gotten to the point that they are actively looking for food because it is either unavailable or not easily obtained elsewhere then they are going to do what they have to in order to survive. Rocks and sand won't stop them. Now they aren't going to go over that if they don't have a food source. So as long as people aren't throwing food over the bungalows or marshmallows from the fire pits or whatever then gators aren't going to have a reason to be by the resorts. They'll go elsewhere where small animals are a plenty.