Alligator Drags 2 Year old into water at Grand Floridian resort.

[OLSinFLA]

The "no swimming" has nothing to do with alligators (In fact in the early days swimming in Bay Lake and the SSL was one of the amenities used to promote the 'beach' resorts). It comes from the bacteria that basically eats your brains. Its also one of the reasons River Country (which used lake water) closed (capacity being the other). I remember swimming in Bay Lake years ago when we stayed at Fort Wilderness

 

[Teebin]

The "no swimming" has nothing to do with alligators (In fact in the early days swimming in Bay Lake and the SSL was one of the amenities used to promote the 'beach' resorts).

Yuck! Well, it should be now... so now we have to add to the sign, "deadly bacteria". I forgot about that stuff. Been a few killed in the last decade.

 

[Mad Dog]

Yuck! Well, it should be now... so now we have to add to the sign, "deadly bacteria". I forgot about that stuff. Been a few killed in the last decade.

They'll have so many signs near the water it will look like that portion of Dudley's Rip Saw Falls that have all those warning signs.....No swimming... No wading... Don't go Near the Water...Amoeba will turn you into the Walking Dead.... Don't pee near the water, bad things could happen to you....Don't feed the critters, you may be their next meal...Water areas may flood after Orlando's daily 4:00PM thunderstorm...Dangerous Disney fans in area...Donald Duck is not your friend...Go to Sea World, their animals are friendlier.....By the time you read all the signs, your vacation will be over.

 

[Bulldog45]

Have they reopened the ferry and boat services?

 

[Scott W.]

It's a bit alarming that Disney show people in the water in promo images for the Grand Floridian.

 

[captainmoch]

It's a bit alarming that Disney show people in the water in promo images for the Grand Floridian.

Yeah. That, and the sign says "No Swimming," right? Nothing about "No Wading"...

 

[Nick]

Yeah. That, and the sign says "No Swimming," right? Nothing about "No Wading"...

I'm fairly certain we will see huge changes across Disney property to security in the coming weeks given recent events. Of course that doesn't bring back the 2-year old, but this was also the first incident of it's kind in 45 years.

 

[IzzyB]

I'm fairly certain we will see huge changes across Disney property to security in the coming weeks given recent events. Of course that doesn't bring back the 2-year old, but this was also the first incident of it's kind in 45 years.

I agree. Security and signage will be changing. But I still don't see this as Disney or the parent's fault. I think it was a freak accident that just happened. Sometimes no one is to blame. With the statistics of the number of Alligator attacks mixed with the number of deaths, you can't say that anyone should have seen this coming.

Now would I personally walk along there? Probably not, but then again I am a little paranoid about all that stuff now that I am educated. But when I first moved down here I walked my dog along a pond (not in it, just along it) not realizing the rule of if there is water, there is a gator. A couple days later some co-workers were giving me the information about things to look out for and mentioned that. From that point forward I never did that again. So I think some signage is needed so non-locals understand that there are gators in the water.

In South Carolina I believe it is a law, every place I have been to with water in SC has signs saying gators can be present, do not feed them. We always laugh about them because we can't understand why anyone would think it is a good idea to feed a gator. But we see those signs a lot in SC. Maybe Florida needs to adopt similar laws for public non-residential areas.

But I do have an issue with this family suing and winning if they do. You going to sue the state if you get eaten by a shark? Or drown in the ocean? Etc. Some things are acts of nature that just can't be prevented.

This is a very sad event and I hope some more effort goes into awareness and less effort into who is at fault.

 

[Nick]

I agree. Security and signage will be changing. But I still don't see this as Disney or the parent's fault. I think it was a freak accident that just happened. Sometimes no one is to blame. With the statistics of the number of Alligator attacks mixed with the number of deaths, you can't say that anyone should have seen this coming.

Now would I personally walk along there? Probably not, but then again I am a little paranoid about all that stuff now that I am educated. But when I first moved down here I walked my dog along a pond (not in it, just along it) not realizing the rule of if there is water, there is a gator. A couple days later some co-workers were giving me the information about things to look out for and mentioned that. From that point forward I never did that again. So I think some signage is needed so non-locals understand that there are gators in the water.

In South Carolina I believe it is a law, every place I have been to with water in SC has signs saying gators can be present, do not feed them. We always laugh about them because we can't understand why anyone would think it is a good idea to feed a gator. But we see those signs a lot in SC. Maybe Florida needs to adopt similar laws for public non-residential areas.

But I do have an issue with this family suing and winning if they do. You going to sue the state if you get eaten by a shark? Or drown in the ocean? Etc. Some things are acts of nature that just can't be prevented.

This is a very sad event and I hope some more effort goes into awareness and less effort into who is at fault.

I'm not even just talking about the beaches, but i'm talking about increased park and likely DS security given the reporting of the shooter's whereabouts.

 

[JoeCamel]

I'm fairly certain we will see huge changes across Disney property to security in the coming weeks given recent events. Of course that doesn't bring back the 2-year old, but this was also the first incident of it's kind in 45 years.

I keep seeing that this is the only time this has happened but my Tampa station had a guy on with bite scars and documentation of being bit at FT Wilderness 30 years ago. Someone is rewriting history here

 

[Mad Dog]

It's a bit alarming that Disney show people in the water in promo images for the Grand Floridian.

Exhibit B in the law suit.

 

[Teebin]

I also blame the general legends and myths that have been conjured about WDW through the years. There are tons of them, the most common being that everything at Disney is fake and signs are just part of the theming. Older locals will boast that if a full grown tree dies or is blown down at WDW, it will be replaced over night which is complete BS. The list goes on and on. Many guests are complacent because everything is safe and wonderful at WDW.

 

[Nick]

I keep seeing that this is the only time this has happened but my Tampa station had a guy on with bite scars and documentation of being bit at FT Wilderness 30 years ago. Someone is rewriting history here

There would be news stories on the internet if true. Orange County would also have records. Maybe one could say they are "re-writing history" to make Disney look good, but i'd love for some proof to this attack 30 years ago. I'm not just going to take some random guy at his word. For all I know, he could have it out for Disney.

 

[Nick]

Exhibit B in the law suit.

If they file a case, this won't even go to court, Disney will just settle immediately. It's sort of sickening that people want to blame Florida Wildlife on Disney. There's very little that could've been done besides slightly better signage. Even some of the most cynical members of the community have admitted to this.

I know it's natural to want to place blame, but I just don't think there is any blame in this situation.

 

[Scott W.]

I also blame the general legends and myths that have been conjured about WDW through the years. There are tons of them, the most common being that everything at Disney is fake and signs are just part of the theming. Older locals will boast that if a full grown tree dies or is blown down at WDW, it will be replaced over night which is complete BS. The list goes on and on. Many guests are complacent because everything is safe and wonderful at WDW.

One myth that I see over and over again is that nobody has ever officially died in WDW parks. They're always pronounced dead in the ambulance or in the hospital regardless of how obviously dead the person is.

 

[Scott W.]

If they file a case, this won't even go to court, Disney will just settle immediately. It's sort of sickening that people want to blame Florida Wildlife on Disney. There's very little that could've been done besides slightly better signage. Even some of the most cynical members of the community have admitted to this.

I know it's natural to want to place blame, but I just don't think there is any blame in this situation.

As a brit, I definitely see a sue culture in the states.

It's just a crap situation for Disney right now and it looks like they're not having the greatest summer anyway before this week.

 

[Nick]

One myth that I see over and over again is that nobody has ever officially died in WDW parks. They're always pronounced dead in the ambulance or in the hospital regardless of how obviously dead the person is.

Well that myth is (unfortunately) officially broken. That child was pronounced dead inside of WDW property, live to the world.

 

[JoeCamel]

I am on a tablet but they had the newspaper story with pictures of him as a boy in the hospital. I doubt Channel 13 made it up or didn't do their homework before broadcasting the story last night

Mickey and Snow White came to see him in the hospital

Previous Disney alligator attack victim has message for boy's family - Story | FOX 13 Tampa Bay

 

[MrRoamer]

I would think a court would likely chalk this up to Act of God, but at the same time I would hope that those No Swimming signs get a beware of alligators sign added to them. I see this as just a bad situation and don't really see anyone being at fault on this.

 

[Nick]

I am on a tablet but they had the newspaper story with pictures of him as a boy in the hospital. I doubt Channel 13 made it up or didn't do their homework before broadcasting the story last night

Mickey and Snow White came to see him in the hospital

Previous Disney alligator attack victim has message for boy's family - Story | FOX 13 Tampa Bay

I wasn't suggesting it was made up, but that I wanted proof. You've provided that.

However, when the OPD said "First such event of it's kind" at WDW, I believe they meant death. This man didn't die or else... well, he wouldn't be alive to talk about it. They used specific language to create a grey area.