Boy jumped into lake a Epcot!

[IanDLBZF]

ICYMI, over on Facebook this interesting story happened at Epcot today. A boy with autism slipped away from his parents jumped into the water near the Imagination Pavilion. CMs were able to coax him out and he was fine.

Before you guys go on jabbering about, I'd like to say that this boy had autism and it was revealed that the boy was hot and wanted to cool down. Why couldn't the family go back to their hotel and go the pool? Or go into the cool A/C and grab some water?
Thank god Disney's Cast members stepped right into action before it was too late!

 

[Mouse Trap]

I've dreamed about doing the same myself a number of times.

 

[disney4life2008]

Be prepared for fences around open water.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

I'm betting we can all say that we have wanted to do this ourselves on those hot Florida days!

 

[IMFearless]

Having spent a lifetime working with children and adults with Autism I can completely see how this could happen. Even with the most experienced staff an individual can act quickly in a way that is very hard to predict.

Most fences would need to be fairly extreme to prevent this type of individual from getting to the water. Many severely autistic children are extremely agile at climbing, with great speed, and no sense of danger.

Appropriate high levels of supervision with a good knowledge of the person is the only mechanism to maintain a person's safety and avoid incidents such as this. The environment can not really be adapted enough to make it safe in most situations.

 

[ToTBellHop]

That's one of my life goals.

You go, kid!

 

[John park hopper]

Kids will say and do the darndest things , glad he did not get hurt. I know how hot it can get bet that felt good.

 

[IMFearless]

When you look at the location the similarities between the environment and a leisure pool are very similar. For a person who has difficulties interpreting visual perception it is easy to see how they felt they wanted to swim. It appeared to them that the water was there for them to swim in.

 

[muddyrivers]

I can totally understand why the child felt the need and thought it would be okay to go into the fountain for a swim, but I cringe at the thought that like @disney4life2008 said, fences will now pop up everywhere around the water. God I sure hope not

 

[peter11435]

I can totally understand why the child felt the need and thought it would be okay to go into the fountain for a swim, but I cringe at the thought that like @disney4life2008 said, fences will now pop up everywhere around the water. God I sure hope not

Well there are already fences up entirely around the water. He obviously climbed it.

 

[BEARSHOUSE4]

Now I know why some parents use " the leash"

 

[HMF]

The boy does not "Have autism", He is autistic, autism is a defining part of ones identity not merely an aside.issue.

 

[The Mom]

I'm not really sure why this was "reported" as this isn't the first time someone has gone swimming in a non-swimming area. Of course, that was before social media and cell phones, where people report all of the minutia of their days. I guess if something isn't recorded and shared, it didn't really happen?

 

[bclane]

I'm surprised someone hasnt jumped into the crystal clear "spring" water at Disney Springs yet. That water looks pretty darn inviting on a hot day.

 

[Bolt]

I'm surprised someone hasnt jumped into the crystal clear "spring" water at Disney Springs yet. That water looks pretty darn inviting on a hot day.

You're thinking no one has done that yet? As @The Mom said, things happen that just aren't filmed.

 

[bclane]

You're thinking no one has done that yet? As @The Mom said, things happen that just aren't filmed.

Maybe I've jumped in and I'm just trying to throw the Mickey police off my trail.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I'm glad he's ok.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Well you never know what a child will do in the blink of an eye. Even the most watchful parent can have their child dart away in a second and they have no chance of stopping them. Go to the pool.... get into a/c...grab water...???? Even though the child was hot, the parents couldnt have known their child was going to jump into the water. Kids are unpredictable, autism or not. Thankfully there wasnt a creature lurking in the water when he went in and another tragedy happen.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

ICYMI, over on Facebook this interesting story happened at Epcot today. A boy with autism slipped away from his parents jumped into the water near the Imagination Pavilion. CMs were able to coax him out and he was fine.

Before you guys go on jabbering about, I'd like to say that this boy had autism and it was revealed that the boy was hot and wanted to cool down. Why couldn't the family go back to their hotel and go the pool? Or go into the cool A/C and grab some water?
Thank god Disney's Cast members stepped right into action before it was too late!

Video on youtube popped up..

 

[wdisney9000]

Is that a Tier 1 FP+ to swim in the lake?