2 Year Old Dragged into Water by Gator at Disney Resort

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm from Georgia, not Orlando. My point was EVEN PEOPLE NOT FROM FLORIDA know to not go near brackish water like that. In Florida. I'm sure I could similarly detect a not safe environment in Nebraska because shit that's not safe doesn't look safe!

You're local to gator country, that was my point. And no, you won't "detect" an unsafe environment that is beyond your experience. Don't kid yourself.

I've been trekking in the Himalayas, not local to my indigenous habitats. And could tell when a particular rock face looked not so stable for climbing. And I didn't climb. Hey those hot springs at Yellowstone sure are pretty but you can tell you shouldn't be in them! The brain has these awesome alert systems that detect danger! I think someone upthreead nailed it; people in Nebraska would not go in that water anywhere else in Florida but in the Magic Kingdom people seriously seem to think they're in a magical land with no real world intrusions or worries.

[Anonymous]

We stayed at the Polynesian a few years ago. It's on the same lagoon and everyone was swimming, in broad daylight and full view of Disney employees. I didn't see it as a natural body of water at all -- I thought it was a fake lagoon the way everything else at Disney is fake. This family will win and win big.

Yeah, this is a piece of the puzzle that hasn't really been reported on but was suggested by the presence of the lifeguard. If indeed Disney de facto allowed swimming all day, you can see why the parents would interpret the signs not to forbid wading - and/or think that the animating concern behind the sign was risk of drowning, not fear of being eaten.

[Anonymous]

Would it make you happier if Disney required you to read 4000 pages of potential dangers that lurk in the park? Sign a waiver after reading it? Oh. By then it's time to go home. Hope you had a nice visit!

[Anonymous]

Look, even if the kid was snatched by a gator inside a grocery store, the assholes in this thread would find a way to blame the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look, even if the kid was snatched by a gator inside a grocery store, the assholes in this thread would find a way to blame the parents.

TRUTH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We stayed at the Polynesian a few years ago. It's on the same lagoon and everyone was swimming, in broad daylight and full view of Disney employees. I didn't see it as a natural body of water at all -- I thought it was a fake lagoon the way everything else at Disney is fake. This family will win and win big.

Yeah, this is a piece of the puzzle that hasn't really been reported on but was suggested by the presence of the lifeguard. If indeed Disney de facto allowed swimming all day, you can see why the parents would interpret the signs not to forbid wading - and/or think that the animating concern behind the sign was risk of drowning, not fear of being eaten.

Many have explained the lifeguard was at the pool, nearby but not right there and not responsible for the shoreline.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:even a fence won't contain these beasts

Scary shit.

Nah, He's a baby. Not scared of that one. The adult ones are probably too fat to climb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would it make you happier if Disney required you to read 4000 pages of potential dangers that lurk in the park? Sign a waiver after reading it? Oh. By then it's time to go home. Hope you had a nice visit!

Of course not, Hyperbolic Nonsense Mom. Posting a clear and simple notice not to wade or swim in alligator would be sufficient in this situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
This is why Disney is culpable, because they cannot guarantee that the environment is safe, but they give the illusion that it is safe. There should have been alligator warning signs.

You Chicken Littles need to calm down.

The number of fatal alligator attacks in Florida:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_alligator_attacks_in_the_United_States
2 in 2016
2 in 2015
1 in 2007
3 in 2006

So, 8 in the last decade. I understand the concern because this time was a child, but realistically, there are far greater dangers out there to visitors to Disney.

[Anonymous]

And of all you clamor inch about the signs, how many get pissed when your 47.5 inch child is denied the ability to go on a ride they need to be 48 inches tall to ride? Complaining the risk is negligible.

Never satisfied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look, even if the kid was snatched by a gator inside a grocery store, the assholes in this thread would find a way to blame the parents.

I don't think the parents OR Disney are to blame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went kayaking in Myakka River Park and did not see any detailed warning signs against gators, though we did happen upon a 6-footer sunning itself in a narrow bend of the river and we had to paddle within 20 feet of it. As the statistics bore out, they're not an active danger to humans.

What happened was truly a freaky accident. I don't believe anyone is to blame, least of all the parents. In their shoes I'd also be lulled into a false sense of safety b/c it's Disney, the most magical place in the world! More signs, especially about gator presence in the lagoon, would be helpful, but this is all after the fact and we'd never know if it could have prevented a similar tragedy from happening.

There but for the grace of God, go I.

This is such BS. Alligators will attack drunk people and little kids and do so fairly often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

We stayed at the Polynesian a few years ago. It's on the same lagoon and everyone was swimming, in broad daylight and full view of Disney employees. I didn't see it as a natural body of water at all -- I thought it was a fake lagoon the way everything else at Disney is fake. This family will win and win big.

Yeah, this is a piece of the puzzle that hasn't really been reported on but was suggested by the presence of the lifeguard. If indeed Disney de facto allowed swimming all day, you can see why the parents would interpret the signs not to forbid wading - and/or think that the animating concern behind the sign was risk of drowning, not fear of being eaten.

Many have explained the lifeguard was at the pool, nearby but not right there and not responsible for the shoreline.

When we visited there were tons of people in the water -- no warning not to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And of all you clamor inch about the signs, how many get pissed when your 47.5 inch child is denied the ability to go on a ride they need to be 48 inches tall to ride? Complaining the risk is negligible.

Never satisfied.

Exactly. Folks break the rules all the time. How many assholes feed the animals at the zoo?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We stayed at the Polynesian a few years ago. It's on the same lagoon and everyone was swimming, in broad daylight and full view of Disney employees. I didn't see it as a natural body of water at all -- I thought it was a fake lagoon the way everything else at Disney is fake. This family will win and win big.

Yeah, this is a piece of the puzzle that hasn't really been reported on but was suggested by the presence of the lifeguard. If indeed Disney de facto allowed swimming all day, you can see why the parents would interpret the signs not to forbid wading - and/or think that the animating concern behind the sign was risk of drowning, not fear of being eaten.

I saw a picture on the Daily Mail of the Polynesian with the Grand Floridian across the "lagoon." There was a sandy beach with beach chairs along the lagoon. Is that how it was?