Toddler dragged into the water by an alligator at Disney

I'm sorry, I live near Orlando and I wouldn't assume that.

I would assume Disney takes precautions to not have gators in their man made pond on their premises.

I would assume Disney realizes that many people who don't read English visit their resort. A sign with a gator on it would be a tad more revolutionary for all its guests.

I would assume, you don't put beach chairs next to the water if people shouldn't be near the water. I mean would it be better if the kid wasn't in an inch or two of water and was merely at the the waters edge? Are we really going to split hairs here because the toddler was "swimming"?

I would assume Disney realizes that gators do hunt out of the water and that there are children at their resort.

I would assume that Disney would not allow any such waterway where there are children running around.

And smokey...you don't see negligence? Was this the first time of gator run ins at this place of business?

Were they aware of gators in their waters where they receive millions of visitors a year?

Did they take precautions to ensure safety, after other incidents had already occurred, to make sure this doesn't happen. Sorry a "no swimming" sign is not good enough.

Yeah, they are going to get butt reamed. A no swimming sign does not equate to hey dudes, Gators will eat you in these waters. That's like saying a falling rocks sign equals road falling apart killing drivers. Hey, Falling rocks fools.

 

It's really annoying reading the posts from people who CLEARLY do not have kids.

I have a 10 month old, and if I blink, the little dude is trying to do back flips off any ledge he can find.

My heart breaks for the toddler...and for the parents. This is all on Disney, and anyone who doesnt agree is either not a parent, or delusional.

 

Ah just like in a zoo.. You can look at the gator pond but don't get in

Then fkin build a glass around the lake if it's too expensive then fence it out

 

IT IS A FAMILY RESORT WITH DECK CHAIRS 5 FEET FROM THE WATER.

You might fairly assume Disney has done something to keep the gators away from the shore? Or not make it seem so safe by creating a beach and putting the deck chairs so.

If neither then they can't wring their hands and say 'oh but we had a no swimming sign'. Since when is standing ankle deep swimming?

This whole thing is awful.

 

So your parents didn't hold your hand? They are clearly negligent and deserve to live out the rest of there lives in jail.

Your stupid.

 

How can you stop a gator from getting into water? I think some of y'all are being unrealistic.

 

If they cant control that (Which is totally fine and acceptable)...then dont build a little beach with chairs right by the water...and at least have a sign that warns of alligators. It's Disney, at a nice resort, in an area where they designate for families to hang out. No, I wouldnt assume that there are alligators just roaming around there. I would think that Disney knows there would be children and families playing on their little man made beach.

 

Lol exactly...he complains that the parents are negligent for not holding the kids hands...and continues to explain how his own parents didnt hold his baby sister's hands.

 

I don't know...if it's as fairly obvious as some people are making it that "of course there are going to be gators in there." Then yes, it is negligent that Disney would make an inviting lagoon with a "no swimming sign" instead of a fenced off inaccessible shore line with signs that say "Don't get in the water. There are alligators." 100% negligence.

The only thing I can assume is that Disney somehow didn't think there would be alligators in there, or didn't assess the risk correctly.

 

So don't make the water part of the attraction or amenities in your resort or build a fence around it

 

People still like beaches. The chances of you dying from an accident are much higher than gators. Will people stop driving?

I don't understand this wall idea. Do People want to go to a beach to see a wall. Its a tradegy, but let's not ruin it for everyone else. Don't go to the water at night. There is a small risk of something like this happening. Its just life.

 

Adding to what rezdawg said, I think the issue is that the alligators have easy access to the people out relaxing with their families only a few feet away from the water. I don't imagine a Disney resort is a place where we have to be too vigilant from wild predators. Like others have said, a fence or some kind of a separator would help, whatever shape or form it may be.

 

You're making quite a big jump from "building a wall" on a natural beach to a man-made beach lagoon with an inviting shoreline that creates a dangerous situation. You really don't think there's some middle ground there that could have made the man-made beach lagoon safer?

 

Yep. All the armchair Steve Irwins who would NEVER go near the water at a man-made beach on a Disney resort, where something like this has happened ZERO times in history because "it's Florida". I'm guessing most don't have kids and have never been to Disney World.

 

Have you seen a mesh fence or a glass wall? Something which will ensure everyone's safety while still enjoying the view

 

You're stupid*

 

So you held your sister's hand 24/7 and for how many years did you hold her hand consistently? Does this include trips to the restroom?

 

I mean... I get it, but at the end of the day it's nature.

 

It seems like it would be super easy to put a mesh barrier of some time in the water a few feet from the shore that would prevent anything from getting close to people without them being able to see it.

I know it's a super rare event that just happened, but after seeing pictures of the place it seems like it was bound to happen as the alligator population grows in Florida. There are also now Nile Crocs in Florida and a lot of pythons/boas. The water in Florida is getting more dangerous and I'm shocked that Disney would have a beach like setting with no water protection.

I don't care if the sign says no swimming. They put a beach up to the water. People are bound to sit there with their feet in the water at a minimum and that alone puts you close enough that a child could be snatched by a gator. A no swimming sign doesn't mean you can't get near the water if you want to live, geez. How many people have sat at a fountain in a public area? They often have "no swimming" signs but that doesn't people don't put their hands and feet in the water. Normally a "No swimming" sign at a body of water means the place doesn't have anyone watching the water and they don't want to be liable if you drown.

 

Disney decided to encroach on nature