I am very angry...

[Lilly]

Re: I am very angry...

So I'm not from Florida. Took the kids to DW 20 years ago. Could have been us. Question: Can't those gators walk on the paths just as easily as swim in the canals? Why are the signs only for swimming in the lakes or canals? Can't - and don't - those gators walk anywhere they please on the Disney property? Also, Shouldn't they have the lakes fenced in? I'm trying to understand the scope of this danger.

[K. McEuen]

Re: I am very angry...

Just wondering--if you live in Florida and have a swimming pool in your back yard would an alligator try to go in the pool? Is that why people put fences around them?

I have a friend that lives in Florida, right on a lake. They also have a swimming pool. Most people fence a pool for safety reasons, as almost all insurance companies and city ordinances require it. In Florida it serves that purpose as well as keeping the gators out. If someone happens to leave the gate open or they use the wrong fencing (like wide spaced wrought iron), a gator can still get in.

[shirleyknot]

Re: I am very angry...

Question: Can't those gators walk on the paths

Yes, actually. They ain't too slow, either.

[RiverMomm]

Re: I am very angry...

Why would Disney create a man-made lake that would attract alligators and children?
Why would Disney hold a movie showing at night next to a lake that might contain an alligator?
There is a HUGE difference between a "no swimming" sign and a "Stay away - beware of alligators" sign.

As a parent, I would expect Disney to create a safe environment. If they can't do that, then proper signage is the least I would expect.

The beach with sand was man made but the pond wasn't. And the pond is connected to other waterways.

Apparently, in the past Disney did remove alligators from the waterways/ponds so at least they were trying. I guess what bothers me the most is that there should have been signs warning of the danger and there shouldn't have been activities in that area encouraging families to linger-such as benches, towels, and white fluffy sand.

I still remember being told over and over as a small child not to get close to the edge of the ponds on my grandfather's property in south Florida, as well as not to play under the bushes. On hot day, I did decided to play in the cool shade under the bushes right beside the backdoor and had a pretty close encounter with a really large rattler.

[Bneighbor]

Re: I am very angry...

Sympathy for the family.
I think the signs should be be more specific, stating not to even think about entering the water.
Disney will not take responsibility for this, they will deny fault or pay off the family to hide their fault.
We went to DW once....never again. I was having my picture taken with one of the characters and was asulted by that character. Disney denies it happened, even with several witnesses.
Not a happy place for many people.

[Cool Breeze Quilter]

Re: I am very angry...

Just wondering--if you live in Florida and have a swimming pool in your back yard would an alligator try to go in the pool? Is that why people put fences around them?

Yes and yes. Gators can climb a 5 foot fence and they do manage to get into swimming pools.

[Cool Breeze Quilter]

Re: I am very angry...

I think there is more than enough blame to go around here. Perhaps Disney could have done a better job of ensuring the safety of their guests, and you could easily argue that the parents should not have let their child go into water (not even to wade) with a 'no swimming' warning posted. It was a heads-up that there was a danger somewhere in that water and it was not heeded.

But in the end, a child is dead, there has been the unnecessary slaughter of several alligators, and the parents will grieve and blame themselves for the rest of their lives. It's all just heartbreaking no matter who you lay the blame on.

I agree with everything you have said. A sweet baby is gone and things will never be the same again for this family. The best we can do now is learn from this tragedy and prevent this from happening to another sweet, innocent child.

I've lived in FL for 20 years. I don't expect people that aren't from around here to understand that gators do go into waters that are manmade. When we first moved here I expected them to be in lakes and ponds. Not man made ponds that have been created on the sides of the roads, or in parks, golf courses, or swimming pools. We have built up around them and then don't understand this.

June is mating season for gators. They are territorial and aggressive during mating season. This is the time of year to avoid areas where gators are and people up north have no way of knowing this. How would they? Even some folks living here don't know it.

I was shocked when we first moved here to see signs that said "Please don't feed the alligators." A sign is needed to tell people this? You might think common sense would prevail but yes the signs are necessary. What happens when the food runs out? Even worse this is how gators lose their natural fear of people. Once they have associated people with food and have lost their fear they will go after a child, even if it is in a stroller. They often will go after dogs too.

[shirleyknot]

Re: I am very angry...

Would THIS make you absolve Disney from blame?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/disney-wa...went-062835940

[WendyI]

Re: I am very angry...

Would THIS make you absolve Disney from blame?

https://www.yahoo.com/news/disney-wa...went-062835940

I'm not sure what we're looking at here??

[WendyI]

Re: I am very angry...

That alligator expert I referenced earlier said there is no man alive that would have enough strength to open the jaws of an adult alligator.

I don't know how I know this but I know if you are attacked by a gator you're supposed to go for their eyes...stick your thumbs right in. That will often make them let go.

So very tragic for this poor family. My heart breaks for them. :'(

[shirleyknot]

Re: I am very angry...

Well, darn! Wonder what happened there. It was an article about a previous attack on a child at the same spot, and those in charge stating the alligators were harmless pets.

[WendyI]

Re: I am very angry...

Well, darn! Wonder what happened there. It was an article about a previous attack on a child at the same spot, and those in charge stating the alligators were harmless pets.

Is this he headline? Man seized by Disney gator in '86 horrified for boy's family

[Cool Breeze Quilter]

Re: I am very angry...

Well, darn! Wonder what happened there. It was an article about a previous attack on a child at the same spot, and those in charge stating the alligators were harmless pets.

I didn't see the article. But yesterday I was talking with someone about this and they said it is not the first time this has happened at Disney. This person couldn't remember the details because it was a while back.

When we lived in a different part of FL we were walking by a lake (natural not man made) and saw a gator, who looked like a log at first. I called town officials thinking that they would remove the gator (it was in a residential neighborhood.) I had this silly notion that they could remove the gator and bring it to the Everglades. That would take more time and money than they were willing to spend. They did nothing. And usually nothing happens as far as attacks go which is great ... until it does happen. I don't think the gators should be destroyed but brought to a location like the Everglades where there are no people. I also think that signs should be up warning people of the danger in all public places. I don't know why during mating season areas aren't blocked off and signs put up telling people to stay away.

A gator can outrun a horse for short distances (a mile or 2.) But a gator can't turn quickly when it is running. So if someone finds a gator running towards them run in a zig zag pattern. They won't be able to keep up.

[easyquilts]

Re: I am very angry...

Just wondering--if you live in Florida and have a swimming pool in your back yard would an alligator try to go in the pool? Is that why people put fences around them?

Oh, yes.,, you have to guard against large snakes, too.....

[shirleyknot]

Re: I am very angry...

The gist of the article I tried to post

In a conversation with CBS News, a San Diego attorney named David Hiden said he notified a manager at the Coronado Springs Resort — part of the the Orlando Disney World complex — in April 2015 after an alligator “rapidly” came after his son, who was wading in the hotel’s lagoon.

“And the response, I couldn’t believe it,” he said in the interview. According to Hiden, the manager replied, “Those are resident pets, and we’ve known about them for years. And they’re harmless, they’re not going to attack anybody.”

Hiden said: “I said, ‘I hope I’m wrong, but at some point, I bet I’m going to read about you guys where one of your resident pets killed somebody. And I hope to god it never happens because it’s gonna be on your shoulders.'”