From the OS: Gator drags child into Seven Seas Lagoon

[Master Yoda]

I have never, ever heard of guests feeding alligators, so let's just stop that nonsense. If it's happened, then it's a once a year type thing. With today's media I've never seen photos or videos of guests close enough to feed alligators.

Also, there is nothing you can do to keep the gators away. Like deer, there just apart of humans and our habitat.

The only thing I can say is you are not paying attention. Nearly every time I have seen a gator near a public area in WDW, which is frequently, it has only been a matter of time before some one throws food at it.

It seems to happen everywhere.

I live on a lake and we get gators in it from time to time and I have lost count of the number of times I have seen my idiot neighbors throw food at them.

 

[epcotisbest]

I have never, ever heard of guests feeding alligators, so let's just stop that nonsense. If it's happened, then it's a once a year type thing. With today's media I've never seen photos or videos of guests close enough to feed alligators.

Also, there is nothing you can do to keep the gators away. Like deer, there just apart of humans and our habitat.

Are you really that naive? Once a year type thing? Oh please.

 

[xdan0920]

I'm assuming beaches will be replaced by seawalls. Anywhere the land had a zero entry with the water near a guest area will be converted.

Lots of rocks coming to 7 seas beaches, that's for sure. Which, since you can't swim anyway, is the right move and perfectly fine aesthetically.

 

[21stamps]

Sorry but this is just an asinine statement. I do think many visitors to Florida and WDW know about gators but if you think all families that come to our country for the first time knows about the indigenous wildlife that lives in the lagoons in WDW especially ones that can eat you then you are just wrong. I certainly do not know about all of the dangerous animals that may live in other countries that I have visited..I do now some but not all.

My comment was in direct response to someone else. Not in any way blaming the parents of this incident. I don't know how much you read, but I think my position on any kind of blame game has been made pretty darn clear.

You can not blame Disney for not sending info about gators anymore than you can blame the parents for allowing their child to do the exact same thing my child has done just a few months ago.

But addressing the fact that some people may not know there are gators in Florida, so they should send warnings - that's asinine in my opinion. Most people know. I don't care what country your from.

 

[DisDadWoz]

This will probably only bring minimal comfort given the incident last night, but the water by the beach club is very unlikely to have gators in it given that it is an enclosed body of water with no connections to any natural body of water. Obviously it's still possible, because gators can still walk to it, but it's so rare, and it's not really any easy walk for a gator. I've been working on that water for three years now and have never seen a single gator, nor have I seen a gator trap laid out implying that a gator was spotted by someone else. And we're supposed to call animal control immediately if we DO see one so that it can be caught and relocated immediately.

When we were staying at the BCV last year there was a gator in the water by the bridge that takes you behind the building on the EPCOT side. We saw it everyday from our room and those who were working on the room renovations would drop food to it every morning when they walked by. The same trip had us seeing one on the banks by the water next to the DVC pool by the parking lot. Managers were notified about that as it was close to the pool area and not sure what happened after that. So yes, they come very close to resort guests.

 

[misterID]

What else am I suppose to do at 1:45am 650 miles away? Sure I feel bad for the family for their loss and wish for the best but...


No, Disney didn't need someone on duty or a barrier there. Why do people think we need someone to hold our hands for everything these days. How about pay attention to the signs that are posted?


I do think the parents are completely at fault here.

Call me insensitive, a jerk, or anything else you want but people need to have some self liability. Just because something tragic happened on a businesses property doesn't mean that business is automatically at fault. If these parents followed the warning signs that are posted then this kid would probably be tucked away into his bed sleeping right now. Yes, its brutal and too soon for some or most but it is what it is. This is a horrible and tragic situation and the feeling of literally fighting for your sons life a loosing is something that father has to deal with for life now. I just hope he doesn't beat himself up too bad because he still has 2 other children that will need him to be there for them.

You have no clue how to operate a resort. If your answer to tjis situation is seriously you don't need people holding your hand, swim at your own risk, you will not be operating your resort very long. It's your responsibility to have all the I's dotted and t's crossed, especially in regards to safety. You have to carry the burdon of responsibility. When we owned a golf course, we really should have had to put no swimming or fishing signs on our water hazards and canals, but we had to.

And I agree with you, you're acting like an insensitive jerk.

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

I have never, ever heard of guests feeding alligators, so let's just stop that nonsense. If it's happened, then it's a once a year type thing. With today's media I've never seen photos or videos of guests close enough to feed alligators.

Also, there is nothing you can do to keep the gators away. Like deer, there just apart of humans and our habitat.

You know those little water reservoir things on the sides of the road in FL? I see them a lot on the way to the resort from MCO. Well I've seen TONS of gators just in those things so you know the 7 Seas Lagoon has to be crawling with them but I've never seen one out there before. I bet a gator could even get in the water of the Jungle Cruise if it wanted to couldn't it? Is the perimeter totally fenced off on the edges of the park? I mean I don't think they WOULD get in there just because I don't think they would have a food source but I'm just saying it might actually be possible. If Disney really wanted to get rid of them they would have to get rid of all the deer, groundhogs, raccoons, and every other type of food source for them. That would basically be an impossible task.

 

[OliveMcFly]

Maybe closing the beaches at night and posting signs. I agree with what someone said about a receiving a flyer at check-in about local dangerous wildlife. Wouldn't hurt I guess.
I've seen little ones, about 3 feet long, on the WDW golf courses. Nothing was there to block them from running up the small bank. I was confident that they were on top of checking land and water for them, I always see them around the lake, but perhaps I was wrong.
My bf and I used to ride our bikes around the lake in our neighborhood and all I could think of was one running out at me as we went past. We were just talking about it the other day. It always freaked me out.

 

[Matt_Black]

This attack is roughly equivalent to the idea that a Florida Panther or Black Bear might grab your child at the resort.

Oh, it's only BLACK bears that attack people? Not the polar bears? SHAME ON YOU!

Gamera.

GAMERA IS FRIEND TO CHILDREN!

 

[Incomudro]

You are wrong. Let's just leave it at that.

How much guest feeding of alligators could possibly go on?

 

[TH88]

Truly shocking news. My heart goes out to those affected. Like what has been mentioned numerous times already, this is a very very rare incident, from which no hasty decisions should be made.

 

[TeriofTerror]

I have never, ever heard of guests feeding alligators, so let's just stop that nonsense. If it's happened, then it's a once a year type thing. With today's media I've never seen photos or videos of guests close enough to feed alligators.

Also, there is nothing you can do to keep the gators away. Like deer, there just apart of humans and our habitat.

I've seen it personally. There are about a gazillion small gators in the lake behind Flame Tree BBQ at DAK, and people seem to adore tossing them scraps of food, despite signs everywhere saying not to feed animals.

 

[hopemax]

Am I right in thinking this has happened at a Disney resort in FL many moons ago??? Im sure I read it in one of my Disney books

Someone on the DIS posted a link to an Orlando Sentinel article from 1986, concerning an alligator attack at Ft Wilderness. In that case, the child (age 8) was saved by his 2 siblings.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1986-10-12/news/0260190168_1_hitt-alligator-fort-wilderness

 

[Master Yoda]

How much guest feeding of alligators could possibly go on?

Quite a bit and it does not take long for it to become a problem.

 

[Rodan75]

Lots of rocks coming to 7 seas beaches, that's for sure. Which, since you can't swim anyway, is the right move and perfectly fine aesthetically.

You are probably correct...a quick way to eliminate the option of hanging out too far on the beach/into the water and discourages gators from hanging out.

 

[epcotisbest]

How much guest feeding of alligators could possibly go on?

Ever been to Florida?

 

[JohnD]

Other than putting up gator warning signs or closing all the beaches not much they can do.

The other alternative is having gator hit squads constantly patrolling and killing ever single gator in the Disney world property (which is a huge area). But that would lead to an Inhumane outcry.
They already patrol the area and remove any gators they see

They reacted by closing all the beaches. It's obvious they had to do that.

 

[Chef Mickey]

This is terrible that it happened and I feel for the family.

That said, I hate when this kind of stuff happens because Disney really can't win. They can post signs. They can have lifeguards. They can close off the beaches, but the next thing will be just as random/tragic and won't be preventable. What if a coyote wonders into the Magic Kingdom at night and eats a kid the next morning?

Do we know the exact circumstances at this point? Was the child actually in the water or doing something they are advised against?

 

[Disneyyensid]

How in the world are they going to close all the beaches? And, if they are closing just the beaches, what about the grassy areas and sidewalks that are adjacent to water areas. There must be literally miles of land/water border in the resort.

And, this might have been asked before, but isn't Seven Seas Lagoon part of the same waterway that connects to the Rivers of America and the Cinderella Castle moat system? If the alligator problem is that rampant, how would they protect those areas?

I thought the moat around the castle was removed

 

[21stamps]

Agreed. I think for a vast majority of guests they expect that Disney bubble effect. Dare I say it, the grand Floridian its probably even more so. I'm sure some guests think they are spending 600 as night on a room, that beach has to be safe.

The area between mk and the Grand Floridian is very dense with trees, there are undoubtedly thousands of venomous snakes there. Disney does the best they can but it won't matter, they are going to get destroyed by the media for this unfortunately.

There are lots of snakes, most are not venomous. I don't think they will remove that area. It's a beautiful peaceful spot. Like I said- the only way to prevent Florida wildlife from ever having a chance to harm a human- is by removing all wildlife. That's not going to ever happen. But the chances of actually being harmed by Florida wildlife- about as slim as winning the lottery.