Actually an official website from disney's moms panel gives boat traffic as the reason why someone can't swim there. No mention of other dangers.

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who has been on those Disney beaches knows what a shock this is. Anyone who hasn't shouldn't have an opinion on it.

I've been there. I just got back, in fact. It's shocking because it's so rare for a gator to attack like this, not because I thought there was no Florida wildlife in, you know, Florida.


No one was in the water in the beaches at the Grand Floridian for the 5 nights I was there in May. I saw a few people walking on the beach. I did. The "no swimming" signs were clear. All the activity was by the pool. And the water was not remotely inviting. It's murky and creepy looking.

And the beach chairs face the pool, not the lake.

We grilled out tonight in our back yard. We live in Florida on a man-made lake. A small (maybe 4 foot) gator was right at the edge of our lake for at least 30 minutes sunning himself . He went back in the water when the sun started to set.

Our kids still play in the yard with the rest of the neighborhood kids. Having alligators in the water does not put you in danger if you are on land. If I had walked towards him, he would have gotten into the water as quickly as he could. Had a child been standing in the murky water splashing, the gator might have mistaken him for prey. I say might because even that is unlikely.

This was a horrific, nightmare inducing accident. I'll say it again - No one needs to be at fault. Bad things happen even when parents do everything right. Disney is in Florida where alligators are everywhere. They will never be able to prevent gators from getting in the water. Signs might help, but I kind of doubt it.

The beaches at Disney have lounge chairs and swinging benches. Don't go there, guests!!!!!

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who has been on those Disney beaches knows what a shock this is. Anyone who hasn't shouldn't have an opinion on it.

Yes.

Anyone who has been on those Disney beaches knows what a shock this is. Anyone who hasn't shouldn't have an opinion on it.

It's Disney World. No one should be eaten by an alligator. A family from Nebraska who didn't know how common alligators are in Florida? What a ridiculous argument. Makes you sound so heartless.

My husband interned at Disney and said the gators are everywhere. They get into the man made lakes through the pipes. He remembers one that they kept catching and moving back into the wild who always found his way back.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes me feel physically ill knowing we were just there in February with our 2 yr old. All the little ones were playing along the water line, ours included while we watched the boat parade and watched the magic kingdom fireworks from the shoreline. That there would be gators there never even crossed my mind.

This isn't some random space in the resort. It's very lively and full of Disney employees showing outdoor movies and keeping the campfire going for s'mores while the kids run around at the shore.

How about snakes? Did those happen to cross your mind?

Nope. I've never even seen a bug on all our trips to Disney. Let alone reptiles.

I went to Disneyworld 29 (!!! Jesus H, I'm old!) years ago, as a teen, and palmetto bugs were falling out of palm trees onto us. Maybe they spray them now? I think that's kind of sad if they do.

Ewww flying roaches!! I remember seeing geckos all over the place and crossing the street with us. My friend over there even gets them in his home. Wherever there is heat and humidity there are bugs and reptiles.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes me feel physically ill knowing we were just there in February with our 2 yr old. All the little ones were playing along the water line, ours included while we watched the boat parade and watched the magic kingdom fireworks from the shoreline. That there would be gators there never even crossed my mind.

This isn't some random space in the resort. It's very lively and full of Disney employees showing outdoor movies and keeping the campfire going for s'mores while the kids run around at the shore.

How about snakes? Did those happen to cross your mind?

Nope. I've never even seen a bug on all our trips to Disney. Let alone reptiles.

+1

BUT I still kept my kids out of the water because the water looked gross. Never would have thought about alligators, even though I've been to Disney several times.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've seen kids in the water at beaches all over Disney. Cast members nearby. Never saw anyone tell them to move. Disney didn't think gator signs looked good. Plain and simple.

You've got it all figure out, have you? Such a genius.

She has actually been to these beaches at Disney, where you obviously have not. Anyone who has been there knows that it could have been anyone's child because the shoreline is full of kids, even at night and the Disney staff never says anything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes me feel physically ill knowing we were just there in February with our 2 yr old. All the little ones were playing along the water line, ours included while we watched the boat parade and watched the magic kingdom fireworks from the shoreline. That there would be gators there never even crossed my mind.

This isn't some random space in the resort. It's very lively and full of Disney employees showing outdoor movies and keeping the campfire going for s'mores while the kids run around at the shore.

How about snakes? Did those happen to cross your mind?

Nope. I've never even seen a bug on all our trips to Disney. Let alone reptiles.

I went to Disneyworld 29 (!!! Jesus H, I'm old!) years ago, as a teen, and palmetto bugs were falling out of palm trees onto us. Maybe they spray them now? I think that's kind of sad if they do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've seen kids in the water at beaches all over Disney. Cast members nearby. Never saw anyone tell them to move. Disney didn't think gator signs looked good. Plain and simple.

You've got it all figure out, have you? Such a genius.

Go away, shit for brains.

Look who's talking. I'm not the one too dumb to figure out you don't enter the water when it says "No swimming."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes me feel physically ill knowing we were just there in February with our 2 yr old. All the little ones were playing along the water line, ours included while we watched the boat parade and watched the magic kingdom fireworks from the shoreline. That there would be gators there never even crossed my mind.

This isn't some random space in the resort. It's very lively and full of Disney employees showing outdoor movies and keeping the campfire going for s'mores while the kids run around at the shore.

How about snakes? Did those happen to cross your mind?

Nope. I've never even seen a bug on all our trips to Disney. Let alone reptiles.

After googling "Florida water moccasins Disney", the first few hits about venomous snake bites at Disney. It happens. Florida has a huge amount of anti-venin and is probably the best state to get bit by a venemous snake in, if you have to choose.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It makes me feel physically ill knowing we were just there in February with our 2 yr old. All the little ones were playing along the water line, ours included while we watched the boat parade and watched the magic kingdom fireworks from the shoreline. That there would be gators there never even crossed my mind.

This isn't some random space in the resort. It's very lively and full of Disney employees showing outdoor movies and keeping the campfire going for s'mores while the kids run around at the shore.

How about snakes? Did those happen to cross your mind?

Nope. I've never even seen a bug on all our trips to Disney. Let alone reptiles.

+1. - Orlando resident.

Hindsight 20/20