From the OS: Gator drags child into Seven Seas Lagoon

[Baltar]

I hate to even ask this question but did anyone other than the family witness the alligator taking the child

Yes.

 

[Master Yoda]

They could use whatever they used at Echo Lake. Isn't that paved over, or supposed to be?

Echo lake at DHS is a rather large and shallow swimming pool and not an actual lake.

 

[durangojim]

Yes, but it's not like that. The bison thing.
The Yellowstone thing is out in nature - the most nature of nature - and there is ample warning about what not to do for the idiots who intentionally screw around with wildlife believing it's all cuddly.
Disney World doesn't even have mosquitos.
Resort guests have no idea that there are alligators in the waters of the Seven Seas lagoon.

First of all I want to make it clear I'm not talking about these parents, nor am I judging them. They may have been doing everything they should have and the child may have just run in to the water seconds before it was taken by the gator and this was just a case of bad luck.

As a parent, I can speak to what we do when we travel. I do a little research. When we go to Chicago, I don't assume a neighborhood is nice or has no crime, I look to see what areas to avoid and pay attention when we're on the street. When we went to Hilton Head, I looked to see if there could be jellyfish, sharks, sand fleas, or other sea creatures that could cause us trouble. So my question is: when travelling to Florida, and Disney specifically, why wouldn't a parent look to see if there's anything that could harm their kids? It not someone else's responsibility to make sure my kids are safe, it's mine, and that means trying to anticipate every possible thing that could happen to them and then determine if there's anything I could do to reduce the risks of that happening.

Maybe I've got this opinion because I'm a physician and talk to people about risks and consequences all day and what they can do to decrease those things. This isn't anyone's fault, this is just bad luck that was made possible by a child's innocent actions.

 

[asianway]

Oh look, parent shaming

and "lol Florida sucks!" posts

You guys are no better than Facebook/YouTube comment threads

Sarcasm is lost on some people. Im still waiting for someone to blame the lifeguard.

 

[thomas998]

Can't believe some are blaming the parents.

They didn't go to a random swamp, dump the kid then leave. They were inside a luxury resort, which at no point has any signs warning "danger, keep away from here", which is inside a place known for being kid friendly (disney) and they were near the kid. How dare anyone suggest it's the parents fault for not thinking the environment inside an expensive resort with no warning whatsoever was dangerous. People should be ashamed.

Yes it is an expensive resort... But they weren't in the wading pool.... They weren't in the restaurant... They were outside in an area that doesn't look like a swimming pool, it looks like a lake. If I go to a resort by a lake I don't expect the lake to be secure and free of wildlife such as snakes simply because the resort is beside it. Same goes for this resort and the gator. No one with common sense would have expected the lake to be free of critters.

 

[durangojim]

Yes, a little. Because when you pay a lot to stay at a resort of that kind, you assume safety is being taken care of. A swamp behind a super 8 is a different matter.

Once you start relying on others for your or your children's safety, you're pretty much ensured that something bad will happen.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Sarcasm is lost on some people. Im still waiting for someone to blame the lifeguard.

Ok good. Sorry, after reading tons of comment threads on the shooting and now this, I'm not sure who is serious anymore.

 

[ford91exploder]

I really can't believe some of the messages I'm seeing on facebook about removing all wildlife from Disney parks and resorts.
Species wise, we seem to be the most dull minded when it comes to the world. People tend to forget that we have crafted our living and relaxation environments out of nature. Everything from bugs and birds to bobcats and moose will remind us of this fact on a daily basis, and yet it doesn't sink home.

This was a tragedy. I don't want to lessen the sadness of the event, but I do hurt worse for the family of the boy who was hit by a Disney bus in Fort Wilderness as well as the driver.

It's the City/Suburbia mindset everything needs to be 'safe' so there are no consequences of my inattention to my environment. Up here we get cases all the time where recent arrivals are attacked by coyotes/bobcats/bears while jogging in the woods plugged into their iphones, Or run over by logging trucks that they never heard coming, Yes the fire/logging roads are beautiful they are not for the inattentive just as the waters edge in Florida also has it's share of unseen hazards

 

[tpoly88]

By "get" you mean slaughtered...


This is a vary valid question and in today's world is very relevant. The press conference didn't go into detail on this subject, they said others were around but never said anyone else actually saw the attack or the gator. I'm wondering this myself.


Tell that to parents of children who are kid napped or lost in stores/theme parks. I've heard countless parents say "I was right there, took my off for only a second and then turned back and they were gone". Happens all the time, only takes a second and that's why this child should of never been there in the first place.

i did hear that there were some witnesses to this horrible incident. one thing about gators are they are smarter than you think. i have stayed at GF and gone on that beach area to watch the fireworks its really pretty, but the gators figure out that every night at a certain time people come to the banks of the water and so they lay in wait and the 2 yr old was an opportunity. happen to a neighbors dog by me. I cannot imagine the nightmare that this father will go through knowing he could not save his child, fighting with the gator and not being able to get the kid loose. Has to be sickening for him and the family. my heart goes out for them.

 

[R W B]

Y'all havent been around gators I'm observing. Gators only will immediately consume their prey if they are very hungry and its small enough to fit down their throat. They like to cache prey under submerged logs, rocks etc so it can decompose into a more easily consumable consistency. So they might have already killed the perpetrator but might never be able to prove it.

I'm in Louisiana, I know all about gators considering we have more here then Florida does lol.

 

[FrankLapidus]

Yes, a little. Because when you pay a lot to stay at a resort of that kind, you assume safety is being taken care of. A swamp behind a super 8 is a different matter.

Safety is taken care of at the Grand Floridian, as it is at every Disney resort.

There are signs around the perimeter of the lagoon on the beaches of each hotel, Cast Members will prevent you going into the water if they see you.

 

[Dylan Ann]

Only thing I see that they did wrong was go splashing the water when it said no swimming.... one report I saw said the kid and mom were splashing in the water.... I don't know but where I'm from a "no swimming" sign means you aren't supposed to be in the water.

True, but there's a huge difference in a "No swimming" sign that you assume is because there is no lifeguards and it's a liability to be in the water, and a "No swimming" with the assumption that you might get eaten by an alligator. The two aren't even close. I used to be a lifeguard, and when we had to close a section, we'd plop a "No swimming" sign up. People who knew how to swim would really have no reason to think they would suddenly be in danger if they swam under the rope to that area. "No swimming" signs are pretty common.

I spent a year and a half traveling throughout Australia - they were quite clear on every sign WHY you shouldn't be swimming in that body of water - they would explicitly state whether the danger was from crocodiles, sharks, or jellyfish. A sign that said "No swimming - Alligators" would have been far more effective in keeping people out. To me, "No swimming" is the equivalent of "No Lifeguard on duty".

 

[Baltar]

Look at this image below. This lady works for 13-WHAM ABC in Rochester, NY. I cannot believe she would joke about this. Soon after she did, she obviously got a lot of heat and her account was "protected". So disgusting. Just as many of the comments being thrown around here without any actual facts.

 

[JohnD]

Some of you blaming the parents remind me of this guy.

 

[Nemo14]

Look at this image below. This lady works for 13-WHAM ABC in Rochester, NY. I cannot believe she would joke about this. Soon after she did, she obviously got a lot of heat and her account was "protected". So disgusting. Just as many of the comments being thrown around here without any actual facts.

You missed a few that were deleted from this thread then.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Look at this image below. This lady works for 13-WHAM ABC in Rochester, NY. I cannot believe she would joke about this. Soon after she did, she obviously got a lot of heat and her account was "protected". So disgusting. Just as many of the comments being thrown around here without any actual facts.

That's not really a fair characterization either, poor Louis is just a gator who wants to BE human, not EAT them!
Ba-dum-dum-tsss.
I'll show myself out now.

 

[Raineman]

Look at this image below. This lady works for 13-WHAM ABC in Rochester, NY. I cannot believe she would joke about this. Soon after she did, she obviously got a lot of heat and her account was "protected". So disgusting. Just as many of the comments being thrown around here without any actual facts.

So tasteless....no words. I can't believe someone would tweet this!

 

[montyz81]

We saw a 6 foot snake on the path next to the adult pool at Saratoga Springs. It didn't deter us from enjoying our vacation, and we had one 10 year old grandson with us. I told Disney, as it was coming at us, and we were running backward. When ever you are outside it's good to look around. But this snake came out of the shrubs so fast , it came out of no where. The sounds of the water at the pool is probably what attracted it. It was very hot that day, mid 90's and I suspect it was looking for water relief. Wildlife lives on the Disney property, please be aware. We carry a flashlight when we are out at night.

OMG. that same snake (assuming it is the same snake) was on the path by the lake in the same exact area when we were there in late April. We stopped and let him move on his way and then we kept walking by. Didn't deter us one bit from enjoying our vacation.

 

[steviej]

Oh good grief. Seriously? The child was in clear view, and the parent was right there. Will folks please stop all this judgement?

Not really clear view considering it was dark out

Can't believe some are blaming the parents.

They didn't go to a random swamp, dump the kid then leave. They were inside a luxury resort, which at no point has any signs warning "danger, keep away from here", which is inside a place known for being kid friendly (disney) and they were near the kid. How dare anyone suggest it's the parents fault for not thinking the environment inside an expensive resort with no warning whatsoever was dangerous. People should be ashamed.

There are indeed signs that specifically say no swimming

 

[steviej]

I don't think these people are bad parents, I'm sure they're good parents who made a bad parenting decision that by very small odds, resulted in unimaginable tragedy. Again, I don't have any kids, but no such thing as a perfect parent, right?