Alligator Incident Discussion/Fence being built at Grand Floridian?

[Sammie]

Exactly.

What we learned this week is that by putting humans in direct proximity to the shallows in the waterways where the alligators live:

Humans are feeding the alligators and making them unafraid of people and looking to us as a food source.

Humans are being enticed to gather at night time events in the very places they are most vulnerable to the largest population of alligators in WDW history.

And only a tragic death of a child makes Disney finally break down and do the right thing, put up signs that are good for their guests but bad for business. I'll never look at Disney or their management the same way again. They have lost my trust and the trust of millions of visitors who never, not once, ever thought they were putting their little ones at risk.

I think loss of trust in Disney is much less than millions of visitors. Even in a great tragedy as this, people will forget just as they did about the little boy on the bike or the child that drowned at the art of animation pool. Some won't go back, others will take their place.

Since you don't want to go back and you have certainly made the reasons very clear why even continue discussing this. You are not going to change anyone's mind. Either they are going back or upset like you and are not. You just seem to be making yourself more upset.

But I can assure you regardless of where you vacation, you will never be completely free of danger, known or unknown.

 

[KBinCO]

If there is something more dangerous towards an unwanted alligator encounter than gathering children within feet of shallow swampy water at night, please let me know what it is.

This is such an alarmist attitude. What happened is terrible. Be aware that this CAN happen. Don't chastise every single outdoor event that happens because there is an insanely small chance, even SMALLER now that people are actually aware that wildlife indeed exists outside in Disney, that something awful might happen again.

 

[DLgal]

Wow!!! What is wrong with you? You might want to be more compassionate and you clearly don't understand the law. Listen to a judge explain Disneys liability here. Posted above. It is Disney who made the bad judgement!

I can have compassion without feeling he need to bring out the pitchforks and torches. I feel horribly for these parents, I really do, but I also feel like Disney did not INTENTIONALLY put anyone in harm's way. The movies on the beach are at least 20 feet from the water's edge. That is a safe distance as evidenced by the fact that NO ONE has ever seen a gator ON the beach, at night, during one of these events and they have been going on for years. Disney would never WANT this to happen. The way some of you are talking, they were practically salivating at the thought of a gator attacking someone. Get real.

Why can't this be just a tragic,freak accident?

And how does anyone know the parents of this child even want Disney to close the beaches? How do we know they haven't taken full responsibility for this occurrence? Do we KNOW this was their first trip to Florida? Do we KNOW they were unaware of the dangers of alligators? They have not spoken out yet on any of that. Everyone is making so many assumptions here.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

Okay, at this point I'm going to believe some of you are just arguing for fun! My boyfriend just yelled at me for taking a message board seriously!

Cheers everybody!

Looking forward to booking next year's trip this Tuesday!

A child died this week!!! It's not funny and no one is arguing for fun! What's wrong with you???? All you can think of is how it inconveniences you! This child's death will ensure that proper notices and safeguards will be in put in place so that hopefully this will not happen again. If those protections interferes with your fake beach vacation too bad!

 

[OSUZorba]

They did choose not to post a more informative sign, which are posted all over the place in Florida. Considering how many other places have allegator warning signs, I would say they probably made the conscience decision to not use the normal warning signs but to post something much less scary. I am sure the people that made those decisions made them with the attitude of "We've been here for years, nothing has ever happened, so it never will." Which is negligence, but it doesn't mean they wanted anything bad to happen.

 

[amg35]

A child died this week!!! It's not funny and no one is arguing for fun! What's wrong with you???? All you can think of is how it inconveniences you! This child's death will ensure that proper notices and safeguards will be in put in place so that hopefully this will not happen again. If those protections interferes with your fake beach vacation too bad!

Stop.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

I can have compassion without feeling he need to bring out the pitchforks and torches. I feel horribly for these parents, I really do, but I also feel like Disney did not INTENTIONALLY put anyone in harm's way. The movies on the beach are at least 20 feet from the water's edge. That is a safe distance as evidenced by the fact that NO ONE has ever seen a gator ON the beach, at night, during one of these events and they have been going on for years. Disney would never WANT this to happen. The way some of you are talking, they were practically salivating at the thought of a gator attacking someone. Get real.

Why can't this be just a tragic,freak accident?

And how does anyone know the parents of this child even want Disney to close the beaches? How do we know they haven't taken full responsibility for this occurrence? Do we KNOW this was their first trip to Florida? Do we KNOW they were unaware of the dangers of alligators? They have not spoken out yet on any of that. Everyone is making so many assumptions here.

Like I said earlier you don't understand the law at all. It will be a lawsuit based on Disneys negligence. It's not up to what the child's parents want as far as closing the beaches. That will be decided by Disneys insurance carriers and lawyers!!! Why don't you start by listening to a judge discuss the case. Posted earlier.

 

[Boardwalk Tigger]

Stop.

Stop.

Yes please do that because you are offensive

 

[Jessiemendez1]

Listen if these parents ignored their kid in a swimming pool and he drowned, I get your point. If these parents put this child on a ride that they knew he was too small for, I get your point. If he were in New York City and allowed to cross 5th Avenue by himself without adult supervision, I get your point.

That's not what happened here. Disney invited guests to an alligator lair at feeding time and simply had a sign that said "No Swimming, Please". Absolutely not enough. The boy wasn't swimming. He was kicking his sister's sand castles when he was stalked and drowned to death.

I agree. Should have had an alligator sign. I am from the Midwest also and we don't have gators here. Didn't occur to me that they were as populous as they are in FL until I saw
One in MK last year. Just floating by Splash Mtn

 

[Lynne M]

How about we knock off the personal arguments? I will remind everyone yet again that if you don't like someone's posts, use the ignore function. If you feel that a post has violated DISboards guidelines, report it and let us handle it.

 

[uccats97]

University of Florida: GATORS
GATORade
GATORland

Florida is synonymous with alligators. There aren't signs at the beach warning of sharks. Does this mean there are no sharks in the Atlantic or the Gulf? Nope. It's common sense. Only oceans are "swim at your own risk." Disney has NO SWIMMING signs posted. It's not relevant to spell out exactly why there is no swimming allowed. Read the signs, follow the rules. Plain and simple. I don't feel Disney is liable any more than a private beach would be if there was a shark attack. It was an unfortunate act of nature.

My heart truly breaks for the family. No one deserves to go through something like this. Placing blame changes nothing.

 

[amg35]

How about we knock off the personal arguments? I will remind everyone yet again that if you don't like someone's posts, use the ignore function. If you feel that a post has violated DISboards guidelines, report it and let us handle it.

Sorry!

 

[fla4fun]

GATORland

With so much talk about how people may or may not visit Disney, I have to wonder how the people over at Gatorland feel. They weren't involved in this situation at all, but I would imagine their business will take a big hit at least in the short term, right during the summer season when smaller attractions have the best chance at breaking even. How many people are going to want to zip line over a pit of alligators right now? Their whole business is dedicated to the one thing most tourists will be avoiding like the plague.

My heart truly breaks for the family. No one deserves to go through something like this. Placing blame changes nothing.

Agreed.

 

[Uncleromulus]

All I know is that some people always think rules, signs (no mater how large or explicit), barriers etc don't apply--to THEM.

Any fence at GF short of 8 feet high will be climbed over by some bird-brain--you can count on it.

And any rope barrier will be crawled under by some unattended kid.

And why would anyone cancel a WDW vacation due to what happened??

 

[perkinsrose]

I agree with the idea of "spectrum" as I checked the us dept of fisheries and wildlife, american alligators are still linked with term "threatened" though as many have said removed from endangered list years ago, US dept of fish and wildlife service says "similarity of appearance to a threatened taxon".

https://www.fws.gov/endangered/


Edit reason: oops quote link didn't work; debate over threatened/endangered

 

[maxiesmom]

I agree. Should have had an alligator sign. I am from the Midwest also and we don't have gators here. Didn't occur to me that they were as populous as they are in FL until I saw
One in MK last year. Just floating by Splash Mtn

I'm sorry, but I am from the Midwest too, and have known as far back as I can remember that there are gators in Florida. It is swampland. One of it's most popular universities has a Gator as a mascot. I'm sure not everyone from the Midwest knows about the gators, but is sure can't be an automatic excuse. It makes people from the Midwest seem dumb and uninformed.

 

[Nancyg56]

I do not know what will happen, but I do believe that if this goes to court and I think it will at begin with a lawsuit, there will be a lot riding on the verdict. YOu can bet a buck that any resort and amusement park will be following this because how the conduct business in the future will be changed based on a ruling. There are posters here who seem to think that WDW is a bubble but they are part of the tourism industry in FL, and if they are held liable for this, others will be forced to make changes as well.

I am not sure if this will get to court but I bet businesses all ove the country are hoping it will not.

 

[maxiesmom]

I do not know what will happen, but I do believe that if this goes to court and I think it will at begin with a lawsuit, there will be a lot riding on the verdict. YOu can bet a buck that any resort and amusement park will be following this because how the conduct business in the future will be changed based on a ruling. There are posters here who seem to think that WDW is a bubble but they are part of the tourism industry in FL, and if they are held liable for this, others will be forced to make changes as well.

I am not sure if this will get to court but I bet businesses all ove the country are hoping it will not.

I'm hoping it doesn't go to court, just for the sake of the parents. And I'm also hoping Disney feels the same way and will make them an offer they wouldn't refuse.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Sure do! One of my favorite things to do is watch the electric water parade on a lounge chair, usually with a nice cocktail! Also enjoyed the movies on the beach, fun to watch outdoors.

Then you can find another way to do it. Or you can find another vacation destination. You can watch a movie anywhere. You can find another place to watch a water parade.

 

[perkinsrose]

I'm sorry, but I am from the Midwest too, and have known as far back as I can remember that there are gators in Florida. It is swampland. One of it's most popular universities has a Gator as a mascot. I'm sure not everyone from the Midwest knows about the gators, but is sure can't be an automatic excuse. It makes people from the Midwest seem dumb and uninformed.

I am so sorry for the loss of little Lane. I hurt for his family. I don't know how you go on after this.

I am from the midwest and neither dumb nor uninformed. I am highly educated and well-read when it comes to learning about places I visit. I knew there were alligators. I remember explaining about alligators when a family member asked about swimming a few years ago. However, I HAVE walked along the beach sand with my children never once with an ounce of fear. It did not cross my mind that we were in danger of an alligator lunging. We did not enter the water but were VERY close to it.

When I visit other places such as bear-country, I am hyper-aware of my surroundings. I'm trying to figure out what happens at Disney. Is it the Disney bubble? How much will things change? It is very sad all around. It is very disappointing to see some of the ugly side of people on here as well...