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 from south florida and gators are more common than deer are here. VERY common. But they're only near fresh water normally. We were taught as kids what to do if you run into one and how to run in a zig zag pattern.

[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 used to live in Florida and go there once/year or so. I know that there are many gators there, and to say out of lakes. Im always shocked when I see people jet skiing on lakes. I have heard all of the stories about dogs going missing. But I didn't know that gators are more active at night. Never would have thought that, or that they would get you when you are wading at the edge because you would look like prey. I would have assumed that, like sharks, they get you when you are *in* the water. Not on the edge of the water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

It's illegal to capture OR kill gators. They must be 5ft to get captured legally by animal control. Disney doesn't have control over this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not just this lagoon. People on disboards have spotted them at Magic Kingdom, at nearly every body of water on every property, golf course, wilderness trails, waiting for the ferry, etc.

How is this possible? Empty the bodies of water, kill the gators, and secure the perimeter.

Secure the perimeter? Are you kidding?

This is FLORIDA. Every body of freshwater here has gators. There is no securing any perimeters against them.

This is a horrible, tragic, freak accident.

[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.

Who gives an eff what some mega corporation has to pay. I'd sue them out of existence. In America, anything is possible with a jury. I hope we hear about the first trillion dollar award.

[Anonymous]

I predict that in 6 mos anyone arriving at a Disney Resort will be getting a "Welcome to Florida! Here's what you should know about our wildlife" orientation.
And there should be a fence along that water line, even if it will take away from the view.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The pythons scare me more than the gators do. I remember going on a boat tour of the Everglades w/my dad when I was a kid. We saw gators and it was cool. But pythons? Hell no. Im never going back there again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In FL, it is reasonable to assume every body of fresh water -- excluding swimming pools -- has gators.

And sometimes swimming pools, too

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article76031452.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Good to know! Will keep in mind if I ever go down there! Thanks for the tips!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Who gives an eff what some mega corporation has to pay. I'd sue them out of existence. In America, anything is possible with a jury. I hope we hear about the first trillion dollar award.

Not going to happen. It doesn't mean it was the parent's fault. But it wasn't Disney's either. Again, would you sue a county beach for a shark attack?

This story has more details, and it looks like the child was pretty far in the water.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ct-disney-world-alligator-attack-toddler-20160615-story.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not just this lagoon. People on disboards have spotted them at Magic Kingdom, at nearly every body of water on every property, golf course, wilderness trails, waiting for the ferry, etc.

How is this possible? Empty the bodies of water, kill the gators, and secure the perimeter.

Secure the perimeter? Are you kidding?

This is FLORIDA. Every body of freshwater here has gators. There is no securing any perimeters against them.

This is a horrible, tragic, freak accident.

+1. Gators crawl through sewers. I guarantee that they can't secure their sewers. Florida has crazy amounts of flooding due to tropical rain and hurricanes. They cannot put mesh against the sewer pipes because it would block and flood the parks.

[Anonymous]

Man, some of you are assholes. I don't know why, but I expected more compassion and empathy from a group of people who are most likely parents. Some of these comments... I just can't.

What a horrible week for Orlando. I'm so sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Who released those? Those godawful teeth, plus the venom? Shudder. Didn't Sharon Stone's husband almost lose a foot to a dragon bite?

[Anonymous]

I live in Florida and I've vacationed and stayed at Disney World Resorts. I would never have expected a gator to be in a resort lagoon either. It looks like a swimming pool in the pictures and it also appears to be fenced in.

How the hell did a gator get in there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Who gives an eff what some mega corporation has to pay. I'd sue them out of existence. In America, anything is possible with a jury. I hope we hear about the first trillion dollar award.

I do. I don't want their brand to take a hit bc then the stock will take a hit. Heartless I know but it matters to me.