From the OS: Gator drags child into Seven Seas Lagoon

[Matt_Black]

It was movie night at the GF and the parents had set up a little picnic area down by the water about 30ft from the bank and the dad had took the little boy down there to let him wade in the water. They said about a foot deep. The signs said No Swimming. I would love to know if there were other kids down there swimming too. I highly doubt it but who knows?

From what I have heard so far, no. No other kids were swimming or "wading", allegedly.

 

[JohnD]

I have just spoken to a co-worker that admitted to feeding a small baby alligator at CS a few years back. I think it happens all the time. In August of last year, I saw an roughly 2ft alligator in the water between Tom Sawyer Island and Frontier Land while walking on the bridge/walkway. Everyone was stopping and looking at it. It was just floating right beside the walkway. I don't think there is any way to stop them from entering the property

Sigh. . . People are already told don't feed the birds because it encourages them. The difference is that ducks and ibises just annoy you. They see you as a source of providing food. Not AS food.

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

The kid was IN the water (any depth) at 9pm at night (dark) with a no swimming sign?

Sorry, but I blame the parents.

Yeah I'm honestly trying to be as nice as I can be about this right now but I agree with you. Disney is not liable here in my opinion. We let our little boy do the Pirate Adventure and basically you meet at the GF and they take them on a pontoon boat to look for treasure and the boat is made in to a "Pirate Ship". Well for that excursion the kids wear life jackets and don't get in the water. There are little places they take them to to hunt for treasure and my little boy loved it and can't wait to do it again. Now I wonder if they will stop that because gators get on land too. Disney does all they can to promote safety but if people aren't gonna listen then there's really nothing they can do.

 

[Master Yoda]

What about the private pools on the bungalows? Aren't those actually like "in" the Seven Seas Lagoon? Couldn't a gator even get in them or are they totally closed off with water generated from elsewhere?

A gator can get in pretty much anywhere. A high school friend of mine lives on the St Johns River and she woke up to a 6 footer floating in her pool.

It is however not that common especially in WDW when there are almost always a large number of people around and the pools are they well maintained. They are typically looking for new food sources and pools just don't provide that.

Bottom line, you should assume that every body of fresh water in Florida has a gator in it and to act accordingly until you know otherwise.

 

[bethymouse]

@SoupBone Please don't cancel your vacation. Go enjoy, and just keep these cautions in the back of your head if you're staying at one of the lagoon or lake resorts. Pray for the family, and Disney cast members in general.

 

[21stamps]

In Florida, in summer, it kind of is. Certainly less YOLO than say car surfing, but far from a wise thing to do.

Ok well get out your pitchfork, because I let my kid do the same.
He also pretty much learned how to swim in the Atlantic Ocean, where there are sharks.
I take him snorkeling in Key West- tons of sharks,barracuda, turtles etc..
He goes swimming in lakes where there are poisonous water snakes...
And I'm taking him to Stingray City this coming winter.
I'm an avid diver and boater. I know what exists in Florida, it doesn't mean I will stop living my life or make my child live in a bubble.

But all of those things I mentioned-
Are a lot more risky than being at the edge of Seven Seas Lagoon.

And btw- if you place your child in a car- and pull out of your driveway, you are basically also taking a risk that something could happen.

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

From what I have heard so far, no. No other kids were swimming or "wading", allegedly.

Wading is just as foolish for a 2 year old. I mean wading is when you're almost waist deep! These parents have to live with this regardless and that's an awful thing but if this brings a little more awareness to people then that is about the most "silver lining" we can hope for. Such a horrible situation all the way around.

 

[JohnD]

From today's Orlando Sentinel:

"One employee at the resort who did not want to be identified said in an email "There is such a problem on property with guests feeding the alligators thinking it's cool." There are two at the Buena Vista Palace that people regularly feed from balconies, he said".

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

Ok well get out your pitchfork, because I let my kid do the same.
He also pretty much learned how to swim in the Atlantic Ocean, where there are sharks.
I take him snorkeling in Key West- tons of sharks,barracuda, turtles etc..
He goes swimming in lakes where there are poisonous water snakes...
And I'm taking him to Stingray City this coming winter.
I'm an avid diver and boater. I know what exists in Florida, it doesn't mean I will stop loving my life or make my child live in a bubble.

But all of those things I mentioned-
Are a lot more risky than being at the edge of Seven Seas Lagoon.

And btw- if you place your child in a car- and pull out of your driveway, you are basically also taking a risk that something could happen.

Out of curiosity, are you referring to cotton mouths when you talk about venomous watersnakes?

 

[Hakunamatata]

Wading is just as foolish for a 2 year old. I mean wading is when you're almost waist deep! These parents have to live with this regardless and that's an awful thing but if this brings a little more awareness to people then that is about the most "silver lining" we can hope for. Such a horrible situation all the way around.

A foot into the water is most likely no more that ankle deep.

 

[JohnD]

Yeah I'm honestly trying to be as nice as I can be about this right now but I agree with you. Disney is not liable here in my opinion. We let our little boy do the Pirate Adventure and basically you meet at the GF and they take them on a pontoon boat to look for treasure and the boat is made in to a "Pirate Ship". Well for that excursion the kids wear life jackets and don't get in the water. There are little places they take them to to hunt for treasure and my little boy loved it and can't wait to do it again. Now I wonder if they will stop that because gators get on land too. Disney does all they can to promote safety but if people aren't gonna listen then there's really nothing they can do.

Actually, I blame all the idiot guests for feeding the alligators. The gators become desensitized. Why eat hot dogs thrown to it day in and day out? It sees a live creature ready to eat.

 

[EngineJoe]

It was movie night at the GF and the parents had set up a little picnic area down by the water about 30ft from the bank and the dad had took the little boy down there to let him wade in the water. They said about a foot deep. The signs said No Swimming. I would love to know if there were other kids down there swimming too. I highly doubt it but who knows?

From what I have heard so far, no. No other kids were swimming or "wading", allegedly.

Yeah I'm honestly trying to be as nice as I can be about this right now but I agree with you. Disney is not liable here in my opinion. We let our little boy do the Pirate Adventure and basically you meet at the GF and they take them on a pontoon boat to look for treasure and the boat is made in to a "Pirate Ship". Well for that excursion the kids wear life jackets and don't get in the water. There are little places they take them to to hunt for treasure and my little boy loved it and can't wait to do it again. Now I wonder if they will stop that because gators get on land too. Disney does all they can to promote safety but if people aren't gonna listen then there's really nothing they can do.

It was a two year old toddler not a grown boy. seems kind of young to be swiming in a lake.

 

[natatomic]

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.

yes, of course they can get close. WDW is one big swamp. But I was talking specifically about Crescent Lake. If the gator made it to that body of water, they'd set a trap immediately, knowing guests have access to it (not to mention the damage it could do to a prop if a boat hit it, though that is of course a lesser concern compared to guest safety).

 

[EngineJoe]

A foot into the water is most likely no more that ankle deep.

For a 2 year old?

 

[me_stitch]

Ok, the father was approx. 6 feet from the child. The kid was about a foot into the water (less than 3" deep) wading. The signs say "No Swimming". He wasn't swimming. The father wrestled the gator and suffered lacerations on his arms and was transported the hospital. It was movie night on the beach. The 2 year old lost interest and started playing at the waters edge. The father was watching his kid play. This is not a case of bad parenting and this line of discussion is not appropriate.

It's not bad parenting but you have to realize your in Florida, I look for animals walking from my room to the food court at night when we stayed at CBR ad CSR, it's dark and there's lots of water

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

Sigh. . . People are already told don't feed the birds because it encourages them. The difference is that ducks and ibises just annoy you. They see you as a source of providing food. Not AS food.

The thing about all the ducks that people enjoy so much and the rabbits in MK too are actually food sources for gators. A small gator could easily survive on them. So if people are wanting to get rid of gators they are gonna have to cut off their menu and I just don't think that's ever gonna happen down there.

 

[WDWdream97]

I am not trying to place blame in light of this tragedy, but aren't there signs that's specifically point out the dangers of "Florida Woldlife"? I remember seeing one at Shades of Green saying something like "Florida is a natura wildlife preserve..."

 

[JohnD]

The thing about all the ducks that people enjoy so much and the rabbits in MK too are actually food sources for gators. A small gator could easily survive on them. So if people are wanting to get rid of gators they are gonna have to cut off their menu and I just don't think that's ever gonna happen down there.

Good point.

 

[21stamps]

It was a two year old toddler not a grown boy. seems kind of young to be swiming in a lake.

Have you stayed at Poly or GF? It's zero entry at the lake. A foot in is ankle deep. Yes even for a 2 year old.

 

[SoupBone]

@SoupBone Please don't cancel your vacation. Go enjoy, and just keep these cautions in the back of your head if you're staying at one of the lagoon or lake resorts. Pray for the family, and Disney cast members in general.

Maybe I wasn't clear in my post, but it's not because of my concern about my children getting attacked. I think this was an extremely rare tragedy with a very low possibility of happening again. It's about the fact that my mind is not right because of how close it hits to home. I'm going to be consumed with thoughts about this family for a while, and we're going to be staying near the spot that this occurred. It's going to be difficult to disconnect like I normally do on a Disney vacation.