From the OS: Gator drags child into Seven Seas Lagoon

[bhg469]

I guess I missed this story somehow.. I wish I didn't hear about it because it sounds horribly heartbreaking. It is the one time I sort of feel bad with what Disney has to deal with this week. All the negative press because of the monster in downtown Orlando and now this, an innocent child killed by a wild animal.. I think most of us understand that it is Florida and alligators are going to be there, but they are going to have a negative press firestorm on their hands.

 

[rob0519]

I don't blame PR for being unprepared to deliver a statement on a tragedy they have no information on

She had a prepared statement. Every major corporation with a PR department has pre-scripted sound bites to cover many kinds of disaster, even death that can be read to the press in the event there is no time to create a statement and have it approved by their legal department.

She read it the best that she could under the circumstances, in my opinion. She looked like she just wanted to cry the entire time she was standing behind the sheriff.

 

[oceanbreeze77]

She read it the best that she could under the circumstances, in my opinion. She looked like she just wanted to cry the entire time she was standing behind the sheriff.

Thats what I thought at first but then as she continued to give the statement she just seemed cold.

 

[R W B]

So, we're already talking about lawsuits and worrying that Disney might have to pay while a child's body is waiting to be found or pulled out of a gator's belly?!?!

No. 1: Disney will pay this family regardless simply because it is the right thing to do and the payment will likely be seven figures (based on my knowledge of other deaths on property).

No. 2: If Disney ignored problem gators or ignored problem Guests tossing food to them from their private bungalows (no gators in Bora Bora), then they can be held liable.

No. 3: The kid was way too young to be swimming, so if he was in what amounted to six inches of water, that is an every day and night happening at the monorail resorts and has been back to the 70s when Disney advertised swimming in that body of water (which I did in my childhood).

And No. 4 ... I just can't even ... time to go do something else.

I wasn't the first one to bring up a lawsuit in this thread.

I agree that Disney will pay them but I disagree that its the right thing to do.

Tikiman posted about a large gator a few weeks ago but then also posted that it was caught and removed so I would say Disney doesn't ignore problem gators. As far as guests feeding wildlife, i'm sure that happens all the time.

I don't have kids of my own but I know its very easy for a 2yr old to drown in even just 6" of water. I don't think I would let my 2yr old wade in a lake by themselves at night even if I was only 5/10 ft away. Especially when its posted No Swimming Allowed.

A 2 year old sloshing in a foot of dark water may as well be a dinner bell for a hungry gator. Sad but true.

Agree 100%.

 

[rob0519]

Thats what I thought at first but then as she continued to give the statement she just seemed cold.

Cold and detached is really the only way to read this type of statement. If she gave into the emotion of the situation, she would have most assuredly have cried.

 

[oceanbreeze77]

Hopefully, Disney will learn to prevent this from happening in the future. Now, having been on the SSL beaches at night, I noticed the clear signs regarding the water and heeded them. Meanwhile, many others, either out of ignorance or disregard, were in the water anyway. The Disney Co has the deck stacked against them to fully educate guests on the seriousness of water hazards. Disney would be better off Imagineering a tall fence.

I think also with the magnificent detail that disney and other theme parks put in sometimes people do read signs that say "Do not enter" or "Alligator Danger" and think it is part of the show. Im guilty of it myself, not with alligators, but seeing a sign and wondering if its decoration or legit.

 

[oceanbreeze77]

Cold and detached is really the only way to read this type of statement. If she gave into the emotion of the situation, she would have most assuredly have cried.

Thats very true.

 

[Gitson Shiggles]

You have a beach on a lake with dangerous wildlife. You have to be prepared for this risk and when it happens you're going to be responsible.

1) The guests chose to go there.
2) The guests were oblivious to or disregarded the signs posted on the beach.

This doesn't mean it's acceptable for the Disney Co to be unsympathetic at all. Also, the company should look into how this tragedy could have been prevented and think of what it could do differently in the future.

 

[oceanbreeze77]

And her job at PR just ended tonight. Just saying, she's not cut out for it.

This is true as well. But as others pointed out at this time of the night it was going to be impossible to pull in a big wig to make a statement. She may be spared, and she may not be spared.

 

[rob0519]

And her job at PR just ended tonight. Just saying, she's not cut out for it.

I don't think so. She has been in PR at WDW since 1999 and handled all kinds of issues from other deaths, to injuries, to unions, etc. A two year old getting dragged into the water while his father tries to fight the gator off would shake up even the most hardened professional.

 

[Tony Perkis]

1) The guests chose to go there.
2) The guests were oblivious to or disregarded the signs posted on the beach.

This doesn't mean it's acceptable for the Disney Co to be unsympathetic at all. Also, the company should look into how this tragedy could have been prevented and think of what it could do differently in the future.

Ugh. Disgusting.

 

[Tay]

I've been in lurk mode for awhile but had to log in for this. It's just terrifying. I really hope the 2 year was unconscious. I pray for the parents to have to watch their baby be eaten alive or attacked by an alligator is sickening.

 

[kap91]

That's really bizarre...alligators normally keep away from humans, especially when the humans are on land - and this was during a movie night with a lot of people around? I don't blame anyone for not expecting this.

 

[oceanbreeze77]

That's really bizarre...alligators normally keep away from humans, especially when the humans are on land - and this was during a movie night with a lot of people around? I don't blame anyone for not expecting this.

Whats interesting is that even though the father was trying to fight the alligator did not let go. Are they really that stubborn or was this alligators views towards humans normalized?

 

[jlsHouston]

I'm very familiar with the area and I don't think I've ever seen a sign.

There are no beware of alligator signs but there are signs about entering the water.
I'm from Texas and very aware that gators are present in bodies of water from east Texas to Florida. That being said we've let the kids play in the sand here at Disney but never let them get even close to the water, more from a bacteria standpoint than anything. My friend is from California and just had no clue gators were present here. I can see how people not from the south or not frequent visitors to Disney might be unaware.
The boats are heavy over at the POLY shoreline.

 

[misterID]

1) The guests chose to go there.
2) The guests were oblivious to or disregarded the signs posted on the beach.

This doesn't mean it's acceptable for the Disney Co to be unsympathetic at all. Also, the company should look into how this tragedy could have been prevented and think of what it could do differently in the future.

That really doesn't matter. No, that kid and his dad should NOT have been out there, but putting out a sign says you know there are dangers. There should have been someone watching, on duty, there should have been some kind of a barrier or safety measures if you decide to have a beach designed for guests to utilize it, at that resort on that lake.

 

[HouseHacker97]

1) The guests chose to go there.
2) The guests were oblivious to or disregarded the signs posted on the beach.

This doesn't mean it's acceptable for the Disney Co to be unsympathetic at all. Also, the company should look into how this tragedy could have been prevented and think of what it could do differently in the future.

I don't think anyone is arguing Disney has a right to be unsympathetic. Obviously they will pay up big time regardless of what happens in the near future. This happened on their property and they will always be tied to the loss of this child. However, i do believe the negligence falls on the parents because disney cannot be liable after complying with gator relocation services regularly and having posted signs prohibiting swimming in the lake. I really don't mean to be insincere, and I'm not trying to absolve Disney of any responsibility, but all of this could have been avoided if the parents had complied with the rules that they were warned about. That being said, I'm sure Disney PR will have a bigger statement to share tomorrow

 

[s8film40]

There are no beware of alligator signs but there are signs about entering the water.
I'm from Texas and very aware that gators are present in bodies of water from east Texas to Florida. That being said we've let the kids play in the sand here at Disney but never let them get even close to the water, more from a bacteria standpoint than anything. My friend is from California and just had no clue gators were present here. I can see how people not from the south or not frequent visitors to Disney might be unaware.
The boats are heavy over at the POLY shoreline.

I'm pretty sure the signs say no swimming but I believe they allow wading in the water, which is what it sounds like was going on here.

 

[HouseHacker97]

I'm pretty sure the signs say no swimming but I believe they allow wading in the water, which is what it sounds like was going on here.

who lets their 2 year old child "wade" in pitch black water late at night alone without supervision??

 

[csmat99]

Or someone did something else terrible and this was their plan.. they are both disgusting possibilities, but a gator snatching a child is just odd.

How is it odd? Gator's have snatched kids before. Because it's on Disney property? The gator doesn't care and being a parent it sickens me that people on here are even bringing up the parent is lying. These parents lost their 2 year old!! Our prayers should be with them not debating on how much money they can get.