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

[Pixie Dust ✨]

"No swimming" to this NYC-born, lived my entire life, girl, means "don't go in the water." The East River, Hudson River, at accessible shorelines usually says "no swimming" and I have never even considered putting a toe in them. Looking at the lake water in WDW, without even seeing wildlife, tells me "Ew! That water is too gross to go in!" it doesn't even look inviting to me.

Well... you could swim in the East River. You'd survive. But to want to do it, you'd have to be Kramer.

There is probably more crime that occurs on the subways than gator attacks at WDW.

The most common subway crime is teenagers stealing from other teenagers, and the hours during which crime most often occurs are about 4-6 PM (i.e. after school).

Edit: I don't even know why we're discussing unfounded rumors about the subway when a toddler is dead. I think I'll avoid this thread from here on out as I don't want to end up unable to see the forest for the trees.

 

[barbarabini]

If that child was on the beach, at the water's edge he could have been snatched by the alligator. He didn't need to be swimming in it. Further, he was two, how deep swimming can a two year old get without going under? The child could not have been in deep, if he was in at all. Disney built the beach, for the purposes of inviting guests to it. The could have built a rock wall. They chose not to in order to enhance their resorts for profit. Disney chose to build that beach knowing better than any guest that there were alligators in the waters around it. If there was a known danger of alligators, which all you smug posters seem to know there was, Disney absolutely had a duty to place a warning sign. I am disgusted by the people answering on this thread. No respect for common decency or humanity. Kick me off this board.

 

[Greatfalls]

WDW gets something like 30 million visitors per year, and there's no way to anticipate every possibility. On a couple of occasions, CM's have told me and my family about gator sightings and to be careful -- once on a golf course and once at the canal at Beach Club -- so it's not like they're doing nothing. Disney undoubtedly will reach a fair settlement with the family -- not as a cover up as some might think but as a part of the reality of its business. I expect there will be additional warnings, most likely signage to be aware of wildlife.

Prayers for the family.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

You can swim in the East River and the Hudson River. We have triathlons here.

 

[snoopy352]

I don't get the mindset that the signs were too small or worded poorly. I am not Gator expert but if I see a sign that says No Swimming, that means stay out of the water. What's next, "don't cross the street" means don't take a piece of chalk and draw an "X" on the street but it's okay to RUN since the sign didn't say "no RUNNING across the street?" ridiculous. Now it's certainly possible I guess that the sign was not visible in the dark but common sense would dictate that you don't go into a dark, murky body of water at night when no one else is in the water. I am not saying this to pass judgment on the parents, because this could happen to any responsible parent and my heart goes out to them. I am writing this to reign in the silly statements about taking signs literally and expecting a company to dumb down every single sign so that there is no way that any human being could misunderstand something.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

It would have to be a strong fence, they can smash and cut through a lot if they wanted to

True. It doesn't seem to me like walling off every body of water is the answer. It does seem wrong not to have signs that clearly indicate dangerous wildlife including alligators can be in those waters. I know this from friends and from DIS. I can easily see that not everyone would know, though.

To me, any sign saying no swimming, no entering the water, etc I read as "stay out of the water". Since this apparently may not mean that to everyone, seems like EXPLICIT signage warning of the threat is called for.

 

[jahber]

Oops. Silly iPad didn't quote.

 

[luvthemouse71]

This is a really good point. In the Northeast, "no swimming" does not mean "no sticking your feet in" especially in a lake.

The more I think about it, to me, "no swimming" at a lake means this body of water is not guarded.

I'm from the Northeast as well and no swimming does mean stay out. I do think Disney has to make the signs more specific because plenty of people lack common sense. I can guarantee even if they put a sign up with a huge gator on it with sharp teeth that says, "stay out of the water", there will still be people who figure the sign means something different or applies to other people.

For this reason, they need to put gates or fences up or post security there to keep people away.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Well either they get barriers or those "beaches" will be empty anyway. Nobody is going to get near that water anymore.

For a few weeks/month. People have very short memories...

 

[dolphindan1]

Alligators don't just snatch people willy nilly from the land for the heck of it.

but he didn't snatch it from land....the kid was in the water

 

[kydisneyfans]

We saw a gator "sunning" on the side of a small pond during the Star Wars 10K in April. Some were stopping for photos, I ran a bit faster once I saw what it was.

 

[Jennasis]

Im stymied there are so many who thought there were no gators in the lagoon or elsewhere on property. Manmade doesn't mean anything as far as habitability for wildlife. But coming soon no more skiing or parasailing or water mice or renting boats without a CM captaining it. And a fence offshore.

 

[monkistan]

My point about the size of the signs was that I know the signs are there, i went looking for one, and i had a hard time finding it. To me, if someone knows to look for a sign and can't find it, then it's probably too small or inconspicuous for someone who doesn't know that there is a sign there at all.

I don't get the mindset that the signs were too small or worded poorly. I am not Gator expert but if I see a sign that says No Swimming, that means stay out of the water. What's next, "don't cross the street" means don't take a piece of chalk and draw an "X" on the street but it's okay to RUN since the sign didn't say "no RUNNING across the street?" ridiculous. Now it's certainly possible I guess that the sign was not visible in the dark but common sense would dictate that you don't go into a dark, murky body of water at night when no one else is in the water. I am not saying this to pass judgment on the parents, because this could happen to any responsible parent and my heart goes out to them. I am writing this to reign in the silly statements about taking signs literally and expecting a company to dumb down every single sign so that there is no way that any human being could misunderstand something.

 

[teddygurl28]

it is a sad tragedy all around. I do think Disney should update the signs to note that dangerous wildlife could be in the area. I am from New England and travel to Disney yearly. I have seen the alligators around ( see the picture I took from the bridge across from splash mountain). I also have family condo in Fort Myers- and we live on a lagoon and have yet to see an alligator there- though others have in the complex of course. I have seen a panther though and a hog and an armadillo- so there you go. Its a tragic event and while I personally look at the sign and say no swimming= no water at all, I can understand that not everyone has my interpretation and I think it would only benefit everyone to update the signs and be more specific (even if it breaks the magic a little)

 

[jahber]

What do you mean 'our lakes'??

Humans build on animals land, destory their habitat then if an animal does something that interferes with OUR lives or is deemed as a problem then we remove or kill them.

I am a Disney fan but how much wildlife has been displaced or killled since WDW has been built?
But it all about the humans isnt it? As long as we get what we want then it doesnt matter about the enviroment of wildlife.

Humans are so arrogant.

Awful about the poor little child. If Disney didnt have proper signage up then in my opinion, the blame is on them.

Goodness. That was an angry reply to my comment. I never once blamed the alligators. In fact, I said their behavior was natural and that we Floridians usually learn to respect alligators. It's rather obvious that we share the lakes with the wildlife, so there's no need to debate the semantics of "our" lakes.

You don't need to lecture me on the impact of humans on Florida. I'm well aware. Possibly more than many because of my husband's former career as a civil/environmental engineer. That's why we need to be vigilant when we are near water. We have encroached on the territory of very powerful animals.

 

[IrishNYC]

You can swim in the East River and the Hudson River. We have triathlons here.

But the average person should not just go for a dip.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

But the average person should not just go for a dip.

Sure.

 

[BigAlsGal]

Ever since someone posted a picture of a gator in the water around tom sawyers island I have a new pastime of gator spotting when I'm on Disney property. I seriously look everywhere now! When I ride the monorail or by any body of water I'm looking. I have yet to actually spot any though.

This is seriously just the worst kind of tragedy. Kids drown in pools, fall from high places, eat poisonous substances. You just don't have snatched by an alligator very high up on the list of "things that can happen". I'll be thinking about this every time I go to Disney now. Such a shame.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

But coming soon no more skiing or parasailing or water mice or renting boats without a CM captaining it. And a fence offshore.

I hope that this is not the case.

 

[kevdad]

What a heartbreaking story, my thoughts are with the family. I can't even imagine going through any of that...

Just curious, did River Country ever have any issues with alligators? I seem to remember it was pretty much connected to Bay Lake.