Heartbreaking news...a big reminder to be aware of wildlife on property

[chmurf]

In NYC (where I'm from) there are a million rules about parking. There are signs on every corner letting you know what specifically you cannot do with your car.

no swimming means "this body of water can be dangerous" and that should be valid wherever you come from.

Do people lack so much common sense that they need to be told basic things.

That's the very same issue as the guy who sued McDonald's because his coffee was hot and he had not been warned ... come on, coffee is supposed to be hot, and if it's not hot enough people will complain ...
come on people, common sense and logic.

next thing you know, someone will sue an airline because there was no sign at the boarding gate informing passengers that the plane would actually leave the ground.

When people go to the Restrooms, do they need a sign informing them what they're allowed to do on the "throne" ?

Asking for explicit signs for each minute thing, is a way to not take responsibility for one's own actions.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

So many smug posts. Such a lack of empathy. So completely gross.

Specific words mean specific things. No swimming means no swimming. No wading means no wading. No entering the water means no entering the water.

People often seem to have a holier than thou attitude, especially when a tragedy doesn't affect them. This could have been anyone's child.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Why is that so shocking? Does everyone know every danger in every state and country? (Maybe you do, that is more of a rhetorical question)

It's so shocking because it's common sense! Everyone can't know of every danger in every state and country, but common sense tells us that alligators are attracted to water and there are bodies of water everywhere in Florida. Common sense, common sense, common sense.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Swimming is not wading. It's just not. I know not to swim in a rocky brook, but I will sit on a rock and dip my feet in.

 

[NYDisGuy]

I wish every person that comes to Fl whether to our beaches, lakes, or parks inform themselves before visiting. People need to take some personal responsibility. The oceans have sharks, lakes and man made water areas have gators and snakes. Fl has large areas of swamp land. The wildlife has always been here in every part of Fl. Respect it.

Inform us of what? Is it my fault that some idiot family threw bread at the alligators the day before so it got so used to humans it went after me? This isn't some backwoods swamp, it's a theme park that millions of people go to. It was only a matter of time before the gators got used to humans just like everything else there. Now people are coming out with personal stories and pictures about gators ON LAND in Disney, just go to twitter and it's trending. But I guess I need to run from the bus to my room right, is that the personal responsibility you're talking about?

 

[luvthemouse71]

So how do you think this will effect disney's summer attendance? Think a lot of people will cancel trips out of fear? Just stay out of the water and you will be fine but there will be some that say nope I'm canceling the family trip.

I don't think it'll have an effect. This was an isolated incident. They were in the water when they shouldn't have been. Now, if the child got attacked in one of the pools that would be a different story.

Honestly, I've never understood the fascination some people have with the beaches. The water is so obviously not swimming quality and God knows what lives in there. You pay thousands for a resort so your kids can play on a fake beach? I can see them not holding events on the beach for a good long while. Or maybe posting CMs to tell people not to go in, because you can't count on people to read the signs and follow them.

That said, I hope the family finds some sort of closure. This has got to be soul crushing for them.

 

[leebee]

I am listening to MSNBC reporting right now. They say the little boy was wading in very shallow water along the edge of the shore; his dad was close-by and his mom was sitting on the beach when he was snatched. The dad struggled with the alligator but it swam off with the child. It's being reported that the search teams located 4 different gators during the night, but none seem to be the one that took the little boy. Jeff Corwin (marine/animal biologist) says they are reporting that the gator seems to have been 4'-5' long, and easily could have been lurking in shallow water; only about 3% of a gator's body will show above water when he's hunting, even very large (10'-12' long) gators.

 

[blondietink]

Prayers to the family of this little boy.

We have been to WDW over 20 times since 2000 and have seen alligators in many different spots around the parks .... on the edge of 7 Seas Lagoon, on the boat from Old Key West, driving around the roads, especially the on/off ramps where there are small pools of water, walking across the roads to name a few. Also, we have seen snakes, rats, armadillos, deer, etc. Please remember that much of Florida, including WDW, is nothing more than a swamp, all with the associated wildlife.

 

[ArwenMarie]

It's so shocking because it's common sense! Everyone can't know of every danger in every state and country, but common sense tells us that alligators are attracted to water and there are bodies of water everywhere in Florida. Common sense, common sense, common sense.

But you are assuming that out-of-state people, especially from the non-gator states, know that gators are this common in Florida. They don't. At home, gators never cross my mind, ever. Mosquitoes. Bear. Coyotes. Yes.

 

[Gillyrose779]

I think the lack of empathy and finger pointing are a defense mechanism for most.

If they can find blame then it's easier for them to process- ie. this happened b/c the parents did xyz so it won't happen to me.

To feel compassion and/or know it could happen to them is a bit too much for them to emotionally handle or even try to handle.

 

[Amanda Hall]

Signs should say "Dangerous Wildlife May Be Present"

 

[jknc]

In response to those asking if people lack common sense about Florida waterways the answer is "yes".

I am deeply saddened by this news and pray for the family.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't think it'll have an effect. This was an isolated incident. They were in the water when they shouldn't have been. Now, if the child got attacked in one of the pools that would be a different story.

Honestly, I've never understood the fascination some people have with the beaches. The water is so obviously not swimming quality and God knows what lives in there. You pay thousands for a resort so your kids can play on a fake beach? I can see them not holding events on the beach for a good long while. Or maybe posting CMs to tell people not to go in, because you can't count on people to read the signs and follow them.

That said, I hope the family finds some sort of closure. This has got to be soul crushing for them.

But isn't everything fake at WDW?

Anyway, they make the beaches look attractive and hold events on them, that's why people are attracted to them. It's human nature. Honestly, it always looked weird to me to make the beaches look so appealing yet you couldn't swim in them.

 

[minniemous]

So many smug posts. Such a lack of empathy. So completely gross.

Specific words mean specific things. No swimming means no swimming. No wading means no wading. No entering the water means no entering the water.

In NYC (where I'm from) there are a million rules about parking. There are signs on every corner letting you know what specifically you cannot do with your car.

"No Parking" signs mean you can't park your car. (As in, put the car in park, turn it off, take out the keys and leave.)
"No Standing" means you can't sit in your car waiting for someone (like if you're picking up a friend and waiting outside their place), even with the car running and the driver present.
"No Stopping" means you can't stop even for a handful seconds to let someone out of your car.

You CAN, however, stop in a "No Standing" zone. and you CAN stand in a "no parking" zone.

If the rule is "don't enter the water because even standing for a few moments ankle-deep while fully dressed (something NO ONE would ever call swimming) is dangerous," then the sign needs to reflect that. "DO NOT ENTER THE WATER" would do nicely. "NO SWIMMING, WADING OR ENTERING THE WATER IN ANY WAY" works too. Or how about ""PLEASE KEEP BACK TWO FEET FROM THE WATER'S EDGE."

Because this child wasn't swimming when he was taken.

Absolutely! I would never think in a million years "no swimming" means there is a danger of an alligator attacking you. It is ridiculous that Disney did not put that on a sign if that is part of the reason why they say no swimming.

People come from all over the country and the world. They have no idea that alligators are all over Florida. I know there are Alligators but still did not think it was a danger in the Seven Seas lagoon. If there was a sign alerting to the specific reason for the danger there is a better than good chance the parents would not have allowed the child near even the edge of the water.

I live in a beach town and when the Jelly fish warning sign goes up everyone stays out of the water. If the sign was danger Alligator I bet 95% of people would not allow the kids near the water..there are always the ones who will do it otherwise but that is beside the point. A simple outline of an alligator on a sign like that of "deer crossing" would alert people to the possibility.

At disney where there are SOOOO many children I think they should have Alligator alert signs along water areas.

 

[NeuroCindy]

I don't think the gators usually take off with children.

Usually they don't. Alligators usually avoid humans, but this wasn't a fully mature alligator, and it was a small child.

Yes there are signs but none warn of alligators. Any attorney will ask "why didn't the sign say 'danger: alligators are in the water'" Imagine you're on the jury and the lawyer points out the sign says "don't go in the water" vs "alligators are in the water" and asks you, the jury "how would you behave differently if you saw sign #2"? This is a slam-dunk case of negligence on Disney's part.

I'd behave absolutely the same. No swimming means don't go in the water.

I'm from Chicago and never knew about the threat of gators.

If I saw a "no swimming" sign I would think it was because there was no lifeguard. If it's common knowledge among Floridians that there are gators in the waters then that should be posted on a sign.

A few years ago my kids were walking about ankle deep in the water outside the Beach Club at night. I never considered alligators being in the water.

To imply the parents from NEBRASKA should have known better is just awful.

I'm also from Chicago. No swimming means don't go in the water to me, otherwise they post the sign saying "No lifeguard on duty".

Right, especially since the boy WASNT IN THE WATER AT ALL from every report I've seen

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/15/us/alligator-attacks-child-disney-florida/index.html <-- Says he was in the water from the OCSO

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

Right, especially since the boy WASNT IN THE WATER AT ALL from every report I've seen

Washington Post reported that he was wading in the water

 

[wdw4rfam]

Washington Post reported that he was wading in the water

Too many conflicting stories out there.

 

[AFwifelife]

Maybe it's just because I'm a Floridian but if a sign says no swimming, that means don't get in the water.

I think putting signs saying there is alligators in the water won't stop people from still going in. If anything, people should be more cautious about water moccasins.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

It also 100% does not matter if he was wading in the water or by the water's edge. Neither circumstance allows anyone to cast judgment on parents who have very likely lost their two year old.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I am from South Louisiana where a gator can meet its death on the side of the interstate. I've seen many a dead one and even live ones roaming on the shoulder.

I still would never have imagined this would happen.

My sincerest condolences to this family.