Video or gator at Splash Mountain....is this ride and other water rides safe?

[fairytalelover]

The point is, everywhere on earth has dangers, including where you live. Educate yourself about the dangers around you (like an above poster said, INCLUDING the real chance that they will happen), and only worry about the things that are likely. Don't lose sleep over the things that have a 1:1,000 or 1:100,000 chance of happening (and a gator climbing into a log on Splash is far less likely than that). You're far more likely to suffer from a stress-induced/exacerbated condition than you are to be bitten by a gator at WDW.

I dont need you to preach to me about there being dangers in the world. Im not a freakin' idiot or a child. I simply came here to get some simple information......

 

[BrianL]

I'm sorry, the what?

Don't worry...it's just a joke based on an old thread that threw the boards into a tizzy over an even older urban legend. If you can still find it, it's pretty funny.

 

[JimmyV]

Until this death me and many, many other tourists had no clue this was a danger

But what is the "this?" Your post is specifically about Splash Mountain and other water-based amusement park rides. So if "that" is the "this", then "this" is not a danger; will not be a danger; and never has been a danger. If you had asked: "Do you think it is safe to rent a Water Mouse and zip around SSL?", the reaction here would have been entirely different. But Splash Mountain (and other water rides) has never posed a threat from alligators and it does not today. So people will naturally react to the question, as well as to follow-up posts that say that "this was a danger". What proved to be a danger was a small boy entering water where a 7 foot alligator had not been removed. Yup. That's a danger. Don't do it. Don't let your kid do it. But ride a ride in the MK? Yeah. You can do that. Question answered.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Wow, so I come here and post a concern and just want to discuss the issue but many of you feel that it is an invitation to get personally insulted and told that I need therapy and I should just stay home and never go to WDW again. Very nice. Great community. Until this death me and many, many other tourists had no clue this was a danger so now, I am trying to be inquisitive to see if there are any other dangers I should be alert to when my family goes on vacation but apparently I should be a psychic and already know what is a valid issue and what is not........

I don't think I personally insulted you in my post on the previous page... might you respond to that one, or only the ones that are perhaps more pointed?

 

[margot31]

http://insider.foxnews.com/2016/06/...ployee-fending-alligator-splash-mountain-2009

I know many of you will freak out on me, rolling your eyes and saying that there is more of chance of getting killed on the road to the airport than at WDW but here it goes anyway........the gator in this video is very very close to the people in the logs. If the CM wasn't there the gator could climb over and technically be almost at eye level with the guests sitting in the ride. So.......how safe is this?? I read that gators can lunge so it is close enough to lunge and get in the log as it appears in this video......and on that note, what about the other water rides like Kali River Rapids, Jungle Cruise, Pirates (yes I know that ride is inside)........etc...... I dont want my family to be the next victim where people say as they are now "well it was a rare occurrence"..... I dont want to be that rare occurrence that people speak of.....

Look how you opened this conversation in the first place. Of course people might think you are over doing things, or make jokes. Maybe if it was "hey I saw this video and being a person who has never been/seen alligators do I really need to be concerned with this?"

Being on a forum you are opening yourself up to all sorts of opinions and comments....let alone how someone say's it in their head is very different from the way someone else is receiving when on a message board.

 

[JimmyV]

Being on a forum you are opening yourself up to all sorts of opinions and comments....

Especially when one starts out by saying: "I know many of you will freak out on me, rolling your eyes..." I can't imagine why one would be surprised and/or insulted when people fulfill the prophecy.

 

[anneboleyn]

Don't worry...it's just a joke based on an old thread that threw the boards into a tizzy over an even older urban legend. If you can still find it, it's pretty funny.

That thread was glorious.

 

[maxiesmom]

Wow, so I come here and post a concern and just want to discuss the issue but many of you feel that it is an invitation to get personally insulted and told that I need therapy and I should just stay home and never go to WDW again. Very nice. Great community. Until this death me and many, many other tourists had no clue this was a danger so now, I am trying to be inquisitive to see if there are any other dangers I should be alert to when my family goes on vacation but apparently I should be a psychic and already know what is a valid issue and what is not........

What would you like to be told? Yes, the water rides are safe. They are. If you are worried about gators, then stop. As long as you don't hop into any body of water, except for a resort pool, you will be fine.

 

[glohoffman]

yeah I definitely think it is the tone in your post...combined with others. You could simply ask "should I be worried?" and then discuss the reasons you shouldn't if you were simply curious as to what you should be concerned about. People in this thread are doing just that...trying to tell you WHY you don't have to worry about it. The gator in that video is obviously very very small. I would not fear that thing. A gator larger than that would be very obvious near splash mountain and removed immediately. The lagoon is not as easy to control. It was a terrible unfortunate event. The reason people said not to go is because if your fears are really that strong with something like this...you will not enjoy your vacation.

 

[JimmyV]

As long as you don't hop into any body of water, except for a resort pool, you will be fine.

Better stay away from the pool at PORFQ.

 

[luvthemouse71]

yes

it's funny because there are a couple of other threads where they are talking about the gator attack and many of the same type of posters are preaching to those of us who said we didnt even know these threats existed, that we should have known and we should research every location we go to vacation to and that it is our responsibility and not disney's. Although I think that Disney is very much at fault, I still like to research and now even more so. It just seems here on the boards people will fight with you and insult you no matter what you say or ask. So now I want to be educated but I am still insulted as being too paranoid! Well which is it??? I'm too ignorant about my vacation venues or Im too paranoid because I am trying to ask questions and learn more????

It's good you are asking questions but there is also this thing called an Internet search engine. Tons of info out there.

 

[fairytalelover]

It's good you are asking questions but there is also this thing called an Internet search engine. Tons of info out there.

yes I already did that. I just thought I would get some helpful tips from disney goers too but I was wrong.....

 

[margot31]

Many of us said its not something you need to worry about.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

yes I already did that. I just thought I would get some helpful tips from disney goers too but I was wrong.....

Again... you didn't respond to my post from last page... I was genuinely trying to be helpful...

 

[luvthemouse71]

Here's something to get you started..lots of informative stuff on this site..

http://myfwc.com/conservation/you-conserve/wildlife/gators/

 

[MissPrincessKendall]

I think everyone needs to relax a little bit. The gators have always been there and will continue to be there. They inhabit central florida that is common knowledge. It is like going to vacation in Hawaii and getting attacked by a shark in the ocean, they live in their own habitats and we are just doing recreational things around them. Im not saying swim in Disney's lakes because there are clear signs everywhere not too, but I'm pretty positive you can ride SM without worry forever.

 

[JimmyV]

I just thought I would get some helpful tips from disney goers too but I was wrong.....

This is mind boggling. You didn't find anyone who would agree with your preconceived and ill-conceived notion that going on Splash Mountain was dangerous. Lots (most?, all?) told you that it was safe and that your fears were not well-founded. You got "helpful tips" from people here. You just didn't generate the Disney-bashing thread that you hoped you would. You are clearly looking to find people who will agree with you that a baby alligator in the Splash Mountain water collection area is a huge problem and a danger to guests. You aren't likely to find any confederates here. Sorry if that upsets or offends you.

 

[anneboleyn]

I think everyone needs to relax a little bit. The gators have always been there and will continue to be there. They inhabit central florida that is common knowledge. It is like going to vacation in Hawaii and getting attacked by a shark in the ocean, they live in their own habitats and we are just doing recreational things around them. Im not saying swim in Disney's lakes because there are clear signs everywhere not too, but I'm pretty positive you can ride SM without worry forever.

Exactly. People need to put away their pitchforks and recognize that this was just a single unfortunate incident and not the beginning of Gatorgeddon.

 

[MrsDuck]

Better stay away from the pool at PORFQ.

$10 they'll be removed soon.

 

[fairytalelover]

actually i started a post in the cruise section about crocs in the Caribbean and I got some very friendly, nice, informative tips. No insults and put-downs or judgments........I really appreciated the people that posted there about the subject. Here, it appears most of you are very aggressive and judgmental and looking for a reason to attack posters...