I'll use myself as an example, I'm very smart, I never considered this as a threat.
15 years ago, Caribbean Beach Resort, we're bored with the pool, it's late in the day, a few yards away there is a white sandy beach, my wife and I are in a hammock, we've got our 2 year old with us, just lounging after a long day in the sun. We're on the swings, we're on the slides, he's in a bathing suit, we're playing with a pail and shovel they gave us from a kids meal, he's running around, he's excited. He goes down to the water, he's splashing right at the shore line, he's in no less than 1" of water, I'm standing there with him, I'm not giving it a second thought.
Why? First, I'm not from Florida. Second, there are no signs with big pictures of f----ng alligators on them. Third, I'm at Disney World. So they must be protecting us because we're not from this region, there are no signs with big pictures of f----ng alligators on them, and we're at Disney World, the last place on Earth we should feel threatened.
Alligator threats are common sense if you live in the South. It's not something we run into in the Northeast. If there is a legitimate threat of being attacked by a wild animal lurking in the water, there shouldn't be an inviting beach with a playground on it. At a family resort. Designed for children. By imagineers.