Would You Stay at Grand Floridian? Beach Avoidable? No Parent Bashing Please!

[Sammie]

Exactly what LynneM said. In a heartbeat. And would not be concerned. Lightning is more a major concern actually. So please when the lifeguards say everyone out the pool, please go quickly.

As long as you stay out of the lagoon, you will be fine.

 

[Jaybrad]

I would live there! If you are uncomfortable going to WDW, Do Not Go! Problem solved.

 

[Sammie]

The reason I avoid National Parks is because I don't want to put my family in danger. Never in my life have I been camping, hiking, snorkeling, parasailing, sky diving. I take my family to Disney World to have a very safe experience, personal choice, but it's the primary motivation for going there. Man-made lakes so the can experience boating. Artificial campgrounds so they can have a feel for camping. When my kids were 11 and 12, I'd give them their room keys and send them off on their own on the monorail, they got their feel for trust and independence there, was light a right of passage. Go have a good time, have a fun night acting like big-kids, no way they could run into trouble. I mean, it's Disney World.

Now I have to worry that if they are walking from EPCOT to the Beach Club they might run into a man-eating alligator along the International Gateway walkway which runs a mile along a narrow canal and has a 5 foot embankment that's just perfect for stalking. Now I have to worry that if I send them out on Bay Lake in the little water sprites and they pause along the reeds near one of the islands they could get knocked over by an alligator. Now I have to worry that if I'm there with my other child in a stroller waiting on a dock at Wilderness Lodge at night an alligator might jump out of the shallows and attack.

Disney World is the antidote to a "national park" type vacation for millions of people. Because we feel very safe here. Not anymore.

I am sorry, but this is a very naive view of Disney World. For one thing it is 27,000 acres of swampland. The snakes, bears, gators, eagles, deer, turkeys, and so much more were there for many years before Disney. I can assure there are as many poisonous snakes in the bushes as gators in the lakes.

They didn't just gather all this wildlife up and cart them away. Disney lakes and waterways connect to non-Disney waterways. Gators can walk long distances to a place they want to be.

There is no place completely immune to danger. For one thing one of the greatest threats is lightening. Disney can no way control that. I have taken my children since they were 2 and no way would I have ever thought Disney was immune to dangers.

 

[boltjames]

I am sorry, but this is a very naive view of Disney World.
I have taken my children since they were 2 and no way would I have ever thought Disney was immune to dangers.

There is a difference between the dangers one expects to be exposed to like lightning, drowning, ride malfunction, even a plane crash. I get it. That can happen at any resort or amusement park.

They don't build hotels on active lava fields in Hawaii, they don't put hotels at the base of active avalanche reservoirs in Colorado, they shouldn't build hotels around lakes known to contain man-eating alligators. And then host events at night. For children. In the dark. At the edge of the water.

That's not naive; that's a prerequisite.

 

[Lynne M]

they shouldn't build hotels around lakes known to contain man-eating alligators. And then host events at night. For children. In the dark. At the edge of the water.

That's not naive; that's a prerequisite.

They'd have to evacuate FL, unfortunately, to meet that standard. There are millions of alligators in FL, in lakes and lagoons everywhere. There are probably a couple thousand hotels in the state with alligators on the property. My cousins lived in a perfectly average development, had a big pond behind their house, and there was often an alligator in the pond. They used to remind us to use a leash when taking the dog out in the backyard because they didn't want him to go near the pond. Alligators get into people's pools. Floridians aren't kidding when they say "assume there's an alligator in any body of water bigger than a puddle."

 

[boltjames]

As long as you stay out of the lagoon, you will be fine.

We enjoy the Hoop De Doo Musical Review, the campfire, and the outdoor movie at Fort Wilderness. It's always confusing and dark to find the bus back to the Bay Lake resorts from there.

We enjoy staying at the Wilderness Lodge which is not on the monorail, requires a ferry from a small dock, in the dark, at night, at the edge of the water.

We enjoy jogging right at the crack of dawn on the walking path between the Wilderness Lodge and the Fort Wilderness trailer area in the dark, straight through a highly wooded area.

None of these things occur "in the lagoon". The alligators apparently are on land, are de-sensitized to humans, can run as fast as a horse, can leap 7 feet vertically, can climb walls. This threat may have existed all along for the 40+ years my parents and then my family have been visiting Disney World. But now that we are aware of it, the experience is ruined, it doesn't feel safe, and I won't risk going there. All these great touches that made these city slickers feel connected with nature are now frightening evils. The trust that Disney earned has now been lost. It's very sad, actually. If they lose a fan like me, they've lost it completely.

 

[wezee]

So there should be no beach front hotels because of sharks?

 

[boltjames]

So there should be no beach front hotels because of sharks?

Here we go again.

If I stay at a resort on the oceanfront I understand the risks completely. Heretofor if I stay at Walt Disney World I do not believe that there is an uncontrolled population of man-eating alligators all over the resort and the Disney is doing nothing to stop their engagement with guests. You understand the difference, yes?

If I go to a beach, I understand my children might drown or encounter a shark. If I stay at the Grand Floridian resort, I don't expect my children to be swallowed by an alligator. I really cannot believe we are even having this conversation. Clearly the Walt Disney corporation gets it, if this were some random occurrence like a lightning strike they wouldn't be building fences and putting up signs all over the place.

 

[momofkids]

Just putting this out there...you can't win an argument against the irrational.

I would definitely stay at GF. At this point, someone has died almost everywhere people are. There is no way to avoid all those places. GF is a lovely resort.

 

[sarah4770]

This is like saying Manhattan has an uncontrolled population of Rats and the City is doing nothing about it
What I mean is, if you have been visiting Central Florida for 40 years, as you say, you surely must of had some awareness that Alligators exist in Central Florida. And you surely have seen One Man;s Dream, where it was explained that Walt Disney purchased swampland.
Sounds like it is time to find a new place you deem safe to vacation with your family.

 

[Sammie]

We enjoy the Hoop De Doo Musical Review, the campfire, and the outdoor movie at Fort Wilderness. It's always confusing and dark to find the bus back to the Bay Lake resorts from there.

We enjoy staying at the Wilderness Lodge which is not on the monorail, requires a ferry from a small dock, in the dark, at night, at the edge of the water.

We enjoy jogging right at the crack of dawn on the walking path between the Wilderness Lodge and the Fort Wilderness trailer area in the dark, straight through a highly wooded area.

None of these things occur "in the lagoon". The alligators apparently are on land, are de-sensitized to humans, can run as fast as a horse, can leap 7 feet vertically, can climb walls. This threat may have existed all along for the 40+ years my parents and then my family have been visiting Disney World. But now that we are aware of it, the experience is ruined, it doesn't feel safe, and I won't risk going there. All these great touches that made these city slickers feel connected with nature are now frightening evils. The trust that Disney earned has now been lost. It's very sad, actually. If they lose a fan like me, they've lost it completely.

That is certainly your choice. I have been going for over 30 years and while like everyone this event is heart breaking, I am not afraid to do anything you mentioned. Driving your children to school is much more dangerous. I knew the danger was there and did everything possible to avoid it. Lightning is more dangerous in central Florida than gators.

But you do what you have to do, I will be right back at Disney walking all those trails.

 

[boltjames]

This is like saying Manhattan has an uncontrolled population of Rats and the City is doing nothing about it
What I mean is, if you have been visiting Central Florida for 40 years, as you say, you surely must of had some awareness that Alligators exist in Central Florida. And you surely have seen One Man;s Dream, where it was explained that Walt Disney purchased swampland.
Sounds like it is time to find a new place you deem safe to vacation with your family.

We have bees in New York, and if your toddler was attacked and killed by a swarm of 10,000 bees on your vacation because the luxury hotel you were staying at didn't inform you that they have dozens of hives just a few feet from where your child was playing and didn't think they should address it I'm sure you would just say "wow, how random, just bad luck really, oh well, we could have gotten hit by a taxi too so there's that".

 

[katyjeka]

We enjoy the Hoop De Doo Musical Review, the campfire, and the outdoor movie at Fort Wilderness. It's always confusing and dark to find the bus back to the Bay Lake resorts from there.

We enjoy staying at the Wilderness Lodge which is not on the monorail, requires a ferry from a small dock, in the dark, at night, at the edge of the water.

We enjoy jogging right at the crack of dawn on the walking path between the Wilderness Lodge and the Fort Wilderness trailer area in the dark, straight through a highly wooded area.

None of these things occur "in the lagoon". The alligators apparently are on land, are de-sensitized to humans, can run as fast as a horse, can leap 7 feet vertically, can climb walls. This threat may have existed all along for the 40+ years my parents and then my family have been visiting Disney World. But now that we are aware of it, the experience is ruined, it doesn't feel safe, and I won't risk going there. All these great touches that made these city slickers feel connected with nature are now frightening evils. The trust that Disney earned has now been lost. It's very sad, actually. If they lose a fan like me, they've lost it completely.

I assume you will be traveling nowhere from this point on as there is danger everywhere you go. We have attended movies at the pool several times. We never allowed our girls by the water especially at night. Why does blame have to be placed and why do some many go to WDW with blinders on? We love Disney but understand that u still must use caution while visiting. It is an amusement complex not a fantasyland where nothing can happen. I feel and have prayed for the family living this nightmare. I'm however shocked at the number of people claiming to not know that bodies of water in Florida are dangerous. Come on, I live up north and am well aware that Florida has gators. The poor baby was at the wrong place at the wrong moment and the unimaginable happened. Let's honor his memory by keeping our kids safe and away from water that may be dangerous.

 

[boltjames]

I'm however shocked at the number of people claiming to not know that bodies of water in Florida are dangerous. Come on, I live up north and am well aware that Florida has gators. The poor baby was at the wrong place at the wrong moment and the unimaginable happened. Let's honor his memory by keeping our kids safe and away from water that may be dangerous.

I agree with all of your sentiment about the child and his family. Just awful.

However I must point out the arrogance shown on these boards the past few days by assuming that all people outside of the state of Florida know of a life-threatening problem that is very specific to that part of the country. You live up north like me. Okay. Tell me about your specific knowledge of lava flow predictability in Hawaii. Go into specifics demonstrating your thorough understanding of how the people of Colorado handle avalanches. Explain to me, in detail, how and where tornadoes strike in Nebraska, what to do when one occurs, what course of action to take. You may have a superficial understanding of what may take place in all of these examples, we all do, but you don't know what is being held from you.

In Walt Disney's case, they knew that alligators were all over the property, they knew that the vast majority of their tourists had no clue, and they didn't lift a finger to let anyone know about it. Those are the facts. You can be angry about it, you can tell me I'm naive and ignorant, you can defend Disney all you want, but the fact is Disney had a secret that was bad for business and so they kept their mouths shut and it had disastrous consequences.

 

[katyjeka]

We have bees in New York, and if your toddler was attacked and killed by a swarm of 10,000 bees on your vacation because the luxury hotel you were staying at didn't inform you that they have dozens of hives just a few feet from where your child was playing and didn't think they should address it I'm sure you would just say "wow, how random, just bad luck really, oh well, we could have gotten hit by a taxi too so there's that".

The same bee attack can happen in Florida. By the way, a swarm of bees can attack miles from the hives. So a swarm may attack in an area that has absolutely no hives and I wonder who u would blame.

 

[Sammie]

There is a difference between the dangers one expects to be exposed to like lightning, drowning, ride malfunction, even a plane crash. I get it. That can happen at any resort or amusement park.

They don't build hotels on active lava fields in Hawaii, they don't put hotels at the base of active avalanche reservoirs in Colorado, they shouldn't build hotels around lakes known to contain man-eating alligators. And then host events at night. For children. In the dark. At the edge of the water.

That's not naive; that's a prerequisite.

If I am in Florida where there are 2.1 million gators, I expect every body of water to possibly have a gator.

 

[boltjames]

The same bee attack can happen in Florida. By the way, a swarm of bees can attack miles from the hives. So a swarm may attack in an area that has absolutely no hives and I wonder who u would blame.

I can create more analogies, but I think you know the point I was making, Katy.

Let me ask you- you think Disney did the right thing by not informing guests about alligators they knew were on the property and inviting children to frolic in the very places and times that were the most dangerous?

Simple question. Answer it.

 

[katyjeka]

I agree with all of your sentiment about the child and his family. Just awful.

However I must point out the arrogance shown on these boards the past few days by assuming that all people outside of the state of Florida know of a life-threatening problem that is very specific to that part of the country. You live up north like me. Okay. Tell me about your specific knowledge of lava flow predictability in Hawaii. Go into specifics demonstrating your thorough understanding of how the people of Colorado handle avalanches. Explain to me, in detail, how and where tornadoes strike in Nebraska, what to do when one occurs, what course of action to take. You may have a superficial understanding of what may take place in all of these examples, we all do, but you don't know what is being held from you.

In Walt Disney's case, they knew that alligators were all over the property, they knew that the vast majority of their tourists had no clue, and they didn't lift a finger to let anyone know about it. Those are the facts. You can be angry about it, you can tell me I'm naive and ignorant, you can defend Disney all you want, but the fact is Disney had a secret that was bad for business and so they kept their mouths shut and it had disastrous consequences.

We have traveled for over twenty years to a lot of unique spots. I spend a lot of time researching the area before we go because I believe being educated on the dangers will in turn help to keep u safe. If u ever go to Florida again stop at the welcome centers where u can read several warnings about the dangers in bodies of water.

 

[boltjames]

If I am in Florida where there are 2.1 million gators, I expect every body of water to possibly have a gator.

If I am a New Yorker who only visits Disney World while in Florida and there are dozens of waterways with no signs warning of alligators, and nighttime events for children near swampy waters with no signs warning of alligators, I expect every body of water to not have an alligator.

Because if there were alligators in all those places, Disney would surely tell their guests about it, right? I mean, they tell me that if I am over the age of 40 and if I'm pregnant and if my great-great grandfather had a heart condition and if I'm short of breath and if my left eye is smaller than my right eye that I shouldn't go on Space Mountain, right? With warnings about every conceivable concern on every single ride in the park, why none on the waterways where the alligators live?

The one thing everyone here seems to agree on is that the selfish guests who feed the alligators are training them to feel a certain way towards humans. Well, selfish Disney and their lack of appropriate warning signs conditioned their guests into thinking there was no alligator problem and that's actually a worse thing than a handful of people throwing food at reptiles; Disney deceived millions of people.

 

[katyjeka]

I can create more analogies, but I think you know the point I was making, Katy.

Let me ask you- you think Disney did the right thing by not informing guests about alligators they knew were on the property and inviting children to frolic in the very places and times that were the most dangerous?

Simple question. Answer it.

While watching the movie, not once, did Disney invite me or my children to frolic in the lake. I'm sorry but I saw the no swimming signs and knew of the dangers. We were honest with our kids and told them the water was not safe, not only because of alligators but the bacteria. With this I respectly back down and wish you luck in finding a 100% guaranteed safe place to vacation.