Gator drags child into water near Disney's Grand Floridian

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Slacker

Member
Hey parents watch your damn kids or don't have them in the first place.

Yeah! This thing that hasn't happened to the hundreds of millions of people that have visited the Disney resorts over the years was obviously bound to happen any second! How could they not see it coming and watch their kid a little closer? Didn't they realize they were in an extreme danger situation on the beach at their $1000 per night resort?
 

2MF

Member
I wouldn't be surprised if Disney ends up being sued bigtime.

A "no swimming" sign is not enough if there are dangerous animals known to be nearby. Maybe it's enough for Floridians (who probably don't even need a sign in the first place), but definitely not for foreign tourists.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if Disney ends up being sued bigtime.

A "no swimming" sign is not enough if there are dangerous animals known to be nearby. Maybe it's enough for Floridians (who probably don't even need a sign in the first place), but definitely not for foreign tourists.

I wouldn't be surprised if Disney didn't already write a check for 20 million.
 

Data West

coaches in the WNBA
This sucks :(. but regardless we shouldn't be so quick to pile on these parents. They are in a horrible place right now, and they'll suffer with their choices for the rest of their lives. Again I think it's unfair to assume everybody is aware of just how dangerous that water can be, and again I've seen countless people in the waters around those parks.

Considering there's chain link fences EVERYWHERE on the highway when you enter Florida, it sets a pretty clear goal that Alligators can be everywhere. I'm not from the area, have only been once, and even I know never ever leave a child unattended by water in Florida at night.

It's even more known fact than not drinking the water in Mexico
 

jmdajr

Member
Yeah! This thing that hasn't happened to the hundreds of millions of people that have visited the Disney resorts over the years was obviously bound to happen any second! How could they not see it coming and watch their kid a little closer? Didn't they realize they were in an extreme danger situation on the beach at their $1000 per night resort?

This was like getting hit by an asteroid.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if Disney ends up being sued bigtime.

A "no swimming" sign is not enough if there are dangerous animals known to be nearby. Maybe it's enough for Floridians (who probably don't even need a sign in the first place), but definitely not for foreign tourists.

Yeah, Disney is going to get hit hard. If that sign didn't say "no wading," I think they're in huge trouble.

And there definitely should be an alligator warning for a place where a lot of people visit who aren't from the area and are unaware of how prevalent alligators are in central Florida. Really sad story.
 
There are some insensitive, reptilian, motherfuckers lurking in this thread.

If you are incapable of seeing this horrible tragedy for what it is; a reason to hold your loved ones close and pray nothing like this happens to them, perhaps you should take your snarky and callous responses to a thread more appropriate, like "Boy, Celebrity X sure is looking good these days."
 

BFIB

Member
From a PR perspective, I'm sure Disney will compensate. As for the parents, nothing will bring back their son.

Just an unfortunate situation all around.
 
but Disney gets tourist NOT from Florida, it's careless to me.

The no swimming should be enough really. Do we needs signs at every body of water in FL that gators could be present? Because if there is a body of water, it's entirely possible gators are present.

Then again, there was a thread here talking about the person walking off trail at Yellowstone and dying. Others were posting other warning signs that talk about death and destruction that people still ignore anyway.
 

Vyer

Member
This sucks :(. but regardless we shouldn't be so quick to pile on these parents. They are in a horrible place right now, and they'll suffer with their choices for the rest of their lives. Again I think it's unfair to assume everybody is aware of just how dangerous that water can be, and again I've seen countless people in the waters around those parks.

agreed, i feel terrible for the parents and they are suffering far more than any people should for a mistake. asking for charges pressed against them and things of that nature are just ridiculous and they are probably punishing themselves right now far worse than anything anyone deserves.

I think, in regards to the bolded, I'm just sad and angry that (generally speaking) people can be so dismissive of their surroundings and warnings. This may be a problem more with the signage and setup here, as I've never been there so I don't know. But a few small 'no swimming signs' on a man made beach where somewhere could wade out seems insufficient, even if this is a very rare thing.
 

2MF

Member
The no swimming should be enough really. Do we needs signs at every body of water in FL that gators could be present?

A hotel beach is not exactly "every body of water".

It's a very touristy place, where I'd guess a huge percentage of people (perhaps a majority) don't know about the alligators at all.
 
IMO, it was Disney's job to secure the facilities, have security life guard guys watching and proper signage.

it's not a Tier 3 tourist destination. It's freaking Disney. They are supposed to be on top of their shit
 

Zoe

Member
Considering there's chain link fences EVERYWHERE on the highway when you enter Florida, it sets a pretty clear goal that Alligators can be everywhere. I'm not from the area, have only been once, and even I know never ever leave a child unattended by water in Florida at night.

It's even more known fact than not drinking the water in Mexico

Are there signs on those highways saying why those fences are there? Are those signs legible when you're traveling 60+ mph? Are people going to notice them when they're snoozing on a tour bus from the airport to their resort?

I've been to Florida once for Disney World almost 20 years ago. I didn't know until recently that gators might interact with people outside of rural areas.
 

Cheebo

Banned
1. How close was the child to the water?

2. Why was he that close to the water?

3. If there are gators in the fucking water, why the fuck are there no barriers up in the first place?

4. Why the fuck would it even be possible for a child to get close enough to alligator-infested waters, at DISNEY FUCKING WORLD, in the first place?

This is either horrible parenting or another boy falling into gorilla enclosure at the zoo incident. There is no way in hell anyone should be on the shoreline of alligator-infested waters.
He was in the water about a foot they said.

And uh barriers? I take it you never been to Florida. Every single land body of water can have gators in it.
 

qcf x2

Member
The no swimming should be enough really. Do we needs signs at every body of water in FL that gators could be present? Because if there is a body of water, it's entirely possible gators are present.

If you are a company that built said body of water and takes peoples money in exchange for them staying next to said body of water and you could be held liable? Yes. Not asking for signs next to lakes in the middle of nowhere.

Are there signs on those highways saying why those fences are there? Are those signs legible when you're traveling 60+ mph? Are people going to notice them when they're snoozing on a tour bus from the airport to their resort?

I've been to Florida once for Disney World almost 20 years ago. I didn't know until recently that gators might interact with people outside of rural areas.

They're also for panthers, jaguars and other indigenous wildlife. If the fence is there, you don't need 100 miles of signage explaining it, you can research it for yourself if you're curious. The fence replaces the need for a sign in the scenario of a property built around a lake. But of course a fence around a lake doesn't look pretty.
 

shiba5

Member
I wouldn't be surprised if Disney ends up being sued bigtime.

A "no swimming" sign is not enough if there are dangerous animals known to be nearby. Maybe it's enough for Floridians (who probably don't even need a sign in the first place), but definitely not for foreign tourists.

The signs also say "no wading" - at least at the resort I was at. They were pretty clear that they didn't want you in the water at all.
 

2MF

Member
I guess they found the body...




:'(

It's a good thing. Gives closure, and will stop the parents' imagination running wild about possible horrendous outcomes.

Honestly, it's the best news that could be expected, short of a near-miracle.
 
A hotel beach is not exactly "every body of water".

It's a very touristy place, where I'd guess a huge percentage of people (perhaps a majority) don't know about the alligators at all.

How did people survive for 45 years here? Look, it's a tragedy, but warning signs not to go into the water existed.

I'm sympathetic to the family, but I wouldn't agree with a lawsuit. Hopefully they are willing to work with Disney and maybe add some clarification to the signs, but that's about it. I don't think there is any blame for Disney here.

You're in Florida. Travelers are frequently advised to be aware of their surroundings and know about the places being traveled to. This is like travel advice 101. And gators are like a basic wildlife feature of Florida. They're filled in just about every tourist trap gift store imaginable.
 

shira

Member
IMO, it was Disney's job to secure the facilities, have security life guard guys watching and proper signage.

it's not a Tier 3 tourist destination. It's freaking Disney. They are supposed to be on top of their shit
It was 9pm at night. They don't allow swimming so there is no need for lifeguards.

8cDG9hz.png


This is the sign for no swimming so Disey is fault for these, but I mean letting your 2 year old wade in a swamp isn't a good idea at night. What reason would you have to let your 2 year old go into a swamp at night?
 

MechDX

Member
Hey parents watch your damn kids or don't have them in the first place.

As a parent let me say: please shut it.

You don't know the circumstances of this incident. No matter how much you try to protect them sometimes things happen and you have to hope for the best. How often do alligator attacks like this one happen? Some people here are acting like they let the kid go for a night swim

As a father of two and a third one on the way this would absolutely devastate me to the point I wouldn't be able to live with the guilt.
 

Cheebo

Banned
If you are a company that built said body of water and takes peoples money in exchange for them staying next to said body of water and you could be held liable? Yes. Not asking for signs next to lakes in the middle of nowhere.



They're also for panthers, jaguars and other indigenous wildlife. If the fence is there, you don't need 100 miles of signage explaining it, you can research it for yourself if you're curious. The fence replaces the need for a sign in the scenario of a property built around a lake. But of course a fence around a lake doesn't look pretty.
It isn't a Disney made lake. It's a lagoon not some Disney ride. And you can't put fences around it because of gators. Otherwise you would have to put fences around every single body of water in the entire state and that just isn't feasible.
 
He was in the water about a foot they said.

And uh barriers? I take it you never been to Florida. Every single land body of water can have gators in it.

We're not talking about every single lake in Florida.

We're talking about a lake inside Disney World - an international tourist spot, specifically aimed at families with kids.

People from England or France or even the northern US states probably aren't worried about alligators eating their kids inside Disney World, especially since there are no alligator warning signs there in the first place.

They're all in Mickey Mouse mode. Not, OH SHIT - GATORS! mode...
 
It was 9pm at night. They don't allow swimming so there is no need for lifeguards.

8cDG9hz.png


This is the sign for no swimming so Disey is fault for these, but I mean letting your 2 year old wade in a swamp isn't a good idea at night. What reason would you have to let your 2 year old go into a swamp at night?

The resort was hosting a movie on the beach night - the kid probably wandered over to the water.

You make it sound like the parents turned their kid loose into a "swamp" at night for no good reason. It doesn't even look like a swamp with all the sand they have dumped along the shoreline there. They dressed it up to look like a beach to make it more comfy, except there are fucking alligators in that water.
 

ZeroCDR

Member
I thought it was commonsense that Gators are all over Florida. Hell it's the mascot for one of their flagship state universities.

On Disney property, in a man made lake, openly accessible to guests without a single gator warning?

Disney should be in complete control of their environment, if they can't keep alligators out of the water then this area fully accessible to guests it should not exist.
 

Cheebo

Banned
We're not talking about every single lake in Florida.

We're talking about a lake inside Disney World - an international tourist spot, specifically aimed at families with kids.

People from England or France or even the northern US states probably aren't worried about alligators eating their kids inside Disney World.
That's why the have the signs to not enter the water. Flordians know better to go into a swamp. So the signs to not go in the water are for those who are unaware.
 
On Disney property, in a man made lake, openly accessible to guests without a single gator warning?

Disney should be in complete control of their environment, if they can't keep alligators out of the water then this area fully accessible to guests it should not exist.

You try and keep alligators out of an area 40 miles wide with thousands of possible locations for gators to exist.
 
On Disney property, in a man made lake, openly accessible to guests without a single gator warning?

Disney should be in complete control of their environment, if they can't keep alligators out of the water then this area fully accessible to guests it should not exist.

Probably unrealistic to have complete environmental control of a 40 square mile space.
 

Cheebo

Banned
On Disney property, in a man made lake, openly accessible to guests without a single gator warning?

Disney should be in complete control of their environment, if they can't keep alligators out of the water then this area fully accessible to guests it should not exist.
It is absolutely impossible to keep gators out of a 40 mile are in Florida.

Did you just ignore my whole post?
the second half of my post was in reply to you. The entire point of the signs to not go in the water is for non-Flordians.
 
Seven seas was dug out for the foundation of the Magic kindom. Every building in Florida has a nearby canal/pond/drainage ditch because they needed the dirt to raise the property up. Every park has a man made pond in or near it. Alligators don't distinguish between civilized areas and natural areas. They even hang out in the Rivers of Americas. Plus, Disney is 47 squate miles. Most of it is completely untouched natural land, including hundreds of acres between each park and hotel.
 

2MF

Member
It was 9pm at night. They don't allow swimming so there is no need for lifeguards.

8cDG9hz.png


This is the sign for no swimming so Disey is fault for these, but I mean letting your 2 year old wade in a swamp isn't a good idea at night. What reason would you have to let your 2 year old go into a swamp at night?

Honestly anyone I know who sees this during their vacation might just assume that it's a regular beach where they can swim. I guess I'm just your average European who is not used to dangerous wildlife other than mosquitoes and the rare occasional snake.

That might sound stupid to people from Florida, but at a huge place geared towards tourists, calling people stupid is not enough.
 
Might sound like an idiot but is there a piece of tech that can show what is in a body of water? Like I know it's impossible in an ocean but for a swamp wouldn't it be a good idea to have that? Especially if it's a movie night at the swamp area
Or put trackers on the water

They gotta know their swamps have gators in it
 

spootime

Member
If its unrealistic then they shouldnt have the freaking beach in the first place. Disney is going to get demolished in court (well, theyll probably settle)
 
It was 9pm at night. They don't allow swimming so there is no need for lifeguards.

8cDG9hz.png


This is the sign for no swimming so Disey is fault for these, but I mean letting your 2 year old wade in a swamp isn't a good idea at night. What reason would you have to let your 2 year old go into a swamp at night?


I've never seen a swamp with a manicured sand beach and beach chairs on it. That setup gives people a false sense of security and a no swimming sign is not enough when the real threat is alligators.
 

Cheebo

Banned
Honestly anyone I know who sees this during their vacation might just assume that it's a regular beach where they can swim. I guess I'm just your average European who is not used to dangerous wildlife.

That might sound stupid to people from Florida, but at a huge place geared towards tourists, calling people stupid is not enough.
Most beaches don't have signs warning to not enter the water though. Huge difference.
 

AkumaNiko

Member
I've never seen a swamp with a manicured sand beach and beach chairs on it. That setup gives people a false sense of security and a no swimming sign is not enough when the real threat is alligators.

So you're going to ignore the sign and go swimming? come on, common sense.
 

Zackat

Member
Strange thing is the gator grabbed the kid in the first place. Gators are not known for going after humans.
Yep. It's towards the end of mating season though (I think) and they are particularly aggressive at this time. Still extremely strange. Very sad and unfortunate :(
 

DuffDry

Member
Yep. It's towards the end of mating season though (I think) and they are particularly aggressive at this time. Still extremely strange. Very sad and unfortunate :(

Considering the kid's size, location, and time of day, there's nothing particularly strange about this, just extremely unfortunate. A lot of bad things just came together at the wrong time.

Gators will totally go after something of that size if it's at night and they're in the water.
 
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