2 Year Old Dragged into Water by Gator at Disney Resort

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know Florida has gators, but I wouldn't have assumed that they are everywhere in densely populated areas like in and around the Disney parks. I get it now, but I wouldn't have assumed that that they are there. And I would've assumed that they were NOT in a theme park. Stupid assumption, I guess, but I think it's a common one. I do think there should be signs indicating the possibility.

I do agree with PP that if this is the first instance in the whole history of the park, Disney probably does make an extensive effort to keep them out, but for whatever reason, that effort failed this time.

Same here. Yes - I know Florida has gators but not so everywhere (similar to our deer and squirrels). I assume most people from the north would think the same thing.

I'm similar. I'm from NoVA and I would not think they are potentially eh.va.ry.where. I had not heard this. I had also never heard anything about fresh water vs salt, hunting at night, etc. Heck, for all I know, the Florida Gators are called that b/c Florida used to be a home of gators, but they are now practically extinct. Who knows? I really did not know. I've never been to Disney and I have only been to Florida one time -- to Siesta Key at Thanksgiving time just for the Thanksgiving weekend. This is not a topic on my radar screen. I have no relatives or friends from there. We are the southern-most family members in our extended family; everybody else lives up North and they consider US the "southerners!" So basically, I am 100% an alligator-ignoramus!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How dumb are these parents? Who in the United States doesn't know that ANY body of water in FL (besides the ocean), no matter how pretty or inviting it may seem likely has gators and/or venomous things. I love that we're splitting hairs between swimming and wading, when this child shouldn't have been touching water, period. Even if the signs don't say it - why risk it?

Wonder how close the dad was to the kid - bc I would think a dad standing right there could grab the kid under the armpits end pull hard enough to pull him out. Though I guess that also depends on the gators grip.

Sad but I don't want to see Disney paying out huge sums here.

Okay, for one thing, if you believe that every single person in the US is aware of the dangers of alligators in Florida, you are a moron. Full stop.

Secondly, even if this kid was standing 12 inches away, not touching the water, the alligator still could have gotten him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is a 2-yr-old up at 9:30?

that's your response to this tragedy? are you the spawn of trump?

I guess, and no. Gators will eat what they eat. Keep kids away and they won't get eaten.

Fuck you, you ignorant piece of shit. Did you even read the article? They were on land and there are NO SIGNS to let anyone know there are gators in a MAN MADE lake. Who the fuck would expect alligators to pop out and eat a kid at Disney?

Too bad there isn't one around to eat you.

There are NO SWIMMING signs posted. The parents let the child wade into the water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously the sign needs to say "no swimming, alligators" or something that makes it clear why. No one would let a kid near the water if it said that. Not the people's fault at all.

Why do we have to spell things out to grown ass adults?

Because apparently telling someone "No swimming" means that wading is fine. To me, "no swimming" means stay out of the water.

There is no way I would let my kid wade in a lagoon that is connected to other bodies of water...in Florida. At night. My DH goes on and on (and ON) about how ignorant people can be about nature, the environment, animals, etc. Clearly he is right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is a 2-yr-old up at 9:30?

that's your response to this tragedy? are you the spawn of trump?

I guess, and no. Gators will eat what they eat. Keep kids away and they won't get eaten.

Fuck you, you ignorant piece of shit. Did you even read the article? They were on land and there are NO SIGNS to let anyone know there are gators in a MAN MADE lake. Who the fuck would expect alligators to pop out and eat a kid at Disney?

Too bad there isn't one around to eat you.

There are NO SWIMMING signs posted. The parents let the child wade into the water.

Wading =/= swimming.

~NP

[Anonymous]

Time to start new business for locals http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524446987012&R=828833705936&P_name=Bottega+Veneta&sid=15554874C88D&Ntt=crocodile&N=0&bmUID=llk6wHE

[Anonymous]

I have a toddler son. I keep thinking about how tiny his little body is compared to an alligator's strong jaws and it makes me physically ill. And the parents saw it happen and were helpless. Now they have the whole world commenting on whether it was their fault or not.

How do you ever get that image out of your head? How do you move on and not replay it every day thinking of what you wish you had done differently. How do you go back to work, back to normal life?

I am just so sad for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a toddler son. I keep thinking about how tiny his little body is compared to an alligator's strong jaws and it makes me physically ill. And the parents saw it happen and were helpless. Now they have the whole world commenting on whether it was their fault or not.

How do you ever get that image out of your head? How do you move on and not replay it every day thinking of what you wish you had done differently. How do you go back to work, back to normal life?

I am just so sad for them.

Not the whole world, just one particularly obsessed DCUM poster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How dumb are these parents? Who in the United States doesn't know that ANY body of water in FL (besides the ocean), no matter how pretty or inviting it may seem likely has gators and/or venomous things. I love that we're splitting hairs between swimming and wading, when this child shouldn't have been touching water, period. Even if the signs don't say it - why risk it?

Wonder how close the dad was to the kid - bc I would think a dad standing right there could grab the kid under the armpits end pull hard enough to pull him out. Though I guess that also depends on the gators grip.

Sad but I don't want to see Disney paying out huge sums here.

From what I have read, the grip of an alligators jaw has thousands of pounds of pressure. I don't see how the dad could just grab his kid by the armpits and pull him out of thousands of pounds of pressure. Pressure from a moving animal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is a 2-yr-old up at 9:30?

that's your response to this tragedy? are you the spawn of trump?

I guess, and no. Gators will eat what they eat. Keep kids away and they won't get eaten.

Fuck you, you ignorant piece of shit. Did you even read the article? They were on land and there are NO SIGNS to let anyone know there are gators in a MAN MADE lake. Who the fuck would expect alligators to pop out and eat a kid at Disney?

Too bad there isn't one around to eat you.

There are NO SWIMMING signs posted. The parents let the child wade into the water.

The no swimming signs specifically mention "deep water" as a reason to not swim. It is quite reasonable to NOT interpret that as don't ever go near this water, especially when Disney encourages children to play on the beach. Big fail on Disney's part in communication and education. Something they are supposed to be good at, so it seems an intentional choice not to inform guests of the hazard.

They need to learn from National Parks that do a huge education push on new visitors about the dangers of bears and other hazards. Not that everyone pays attention but having been to Yosemite and quickly and thoroughly warned about bears, I wouldn't ever think the park at fault if someone ignored the warning and a child was killed by a bear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know Florida has gators, but I wouldn't have assumed that they are everywhere in densely populated areas like in and around the Disney parks. I get it now, but I wouldn't have assumed that that they are there. And I would've assumed that they were NOT in a theme park. Stupid assumption, I guess, but I think it's a common one. I do think there should be signs indicating the possibility.

I do agree with PP that if this is the first instance in the whole history of the park, Disney probably does make an extensive effort to keep them out, but for whatever reason, that effort failed this time.

Same here. Yes - I know Florida has gators but not so everywhere (similar to our deer and squirrels). I assume most people from the north would think the same thing.

I'm similar. I'm from NoVA and I would not think they are potentially eh.va.ry.where. I had not heard this. I had also never heard anything about fresh water vs salt, hunting at night, etc. Heck, for all I know, the Florida Gators are called that b/c Florida used to be a home of gators, but they are now practically extinct. Who knows? I really did not know. I've never been to Disney and I have only been to Florida one time -- to Siesta Key at Thanksgiving time just for the Thanksgiving weekend. This is not a topic on my radar screen. I have no relatives or friends from there. We are the southern-most family members in our extended family; everybody else lives up North and they consider US the "southerners!" So basically, I am 100% an alligator-ignoramus!

Pro tip: there are also pythons in the Everglades. There have been epic battles between gators and pythons. I have stumbled upon Komodo dragons near Delray Beach. It was shocking.

[Anonymous]

There are very clear "no swimming" signs posted on all bodies of water in all resorts. Still, every time I'm there I see little kids splashing in the shallow areas near the beach. I went to Disney in the early '70s when swimming was allowed and have photos of myself in that lagoon, and I'm betting the parents who allow it have similar memories and are thinking, how dangerous could it be to get your feet wet?

Anyone near water in Florida deals with gators the same way we deal with squirrels, rabid raccoons, and even the occasional bear. A (very stupid) bear could find its way to my patio and potentially attack or eat a pet or small child, and I wouldn't be blaming my HOA for the breach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a toddler son. I keep thinking about how tiny his little body is compared to an alligator's strong jaws and it makes me physically ill. And the parents saw it happen and were helpless. Now they have the whole world commenting on whether it was their fault or not.

How do you ever get that image out of your head? How do you move on and not replay it every day thinking of what you wish you had done differently. How do you go back to work, back to normal life?

I am just so sad for them.

I realize how this sounds and I get that there's no replacement - but they're Midwestern parents so they're likely younger than your typical northeastern parents -- they'll "heal" but having another baby in the next yr -- anything to occupy them so much and bring them joy so they can move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People on DisBoards commenting that gators are routinely spotted in Magic Kingdom near Splash Mountain and Tom Sawyer Island.

How is that possible? Disney doesn't kill or capture them?

This is Florida. There are gators here. Lots of them. It would be a PR nightmare - not to mention impossible - for Disney to capture and kill all the gators.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Florida, and there you are aware of the dangers of alligators (and sharks, and snakes, etc.) at a very young age. My kids think it's hilarious that I still don't swim near cattails when we are on vacation in WV, but I just can't do it. But I can see how a family from another area wouldn't know that, and how a "no swimming" sign in what is seen as a safe and controlled environment wouldn't make a parent think that wading is off limits. It's tragic all around.