From the OS: Gator drags child into Seven Seas Lagoon

[flynnibus]

So far after reading many new reports on this tragic event, Ive come to my conclusion on why it happened and who is to blame. Nobody is to blame. This is a freak accident.

Not a freak accident - There is bad behavior here.. but probably more from being naive about the topic.

Playing at the water's edge **at night** in southern waterway is not smart. Doing it with a toddler that is 'right sized' for predators is even worse. It's bad judgement. It's risky behavior that could have been avoided with some awareness. It's just the kind of behavior that isn't going to get your burned that often.. but when it does, it can be significant.

I doubt the victims really even understood the the risk, so I don't 'blame' them. It's not some extreme risk behavior or taunting fate.. it's just the kind of stuff if you had any background with living with that kind of wildlife you'd know not to do.

It's a tragic outcome.. but just one of the vast possibilities that can happen as we live in the wild open world we do. You balance risks every day you wake up and get out of bed.

 

[steviej]

I'm assuming the officials are catching and euthanizing every gator they now find in the lagoon. I was wondering if anyone here has access to knowledge about how many gators were actually living the lagoon at the time?

Yes, not sure how many alligators are in there right now, but between last night and this morning, they've caught 5

Also, probably a stupid question, but are they looking at Bay Lake as well?

 

[betty rose]

Actually it's only people who live in the country who seem to be aware that wildlife is to be left alone and watched for at all times

Grew up on a farm. And we always try to watch, for any sudden movement as with the snake we encountered. Trouble was, it felt trapped and starting thrashing around to get us away. Got to say, it worked. I've never run backwards so fast in my 68 year lifetime. I did yell snake and everyone started running backwards. Probably looked pretty funny to those who didn't see what was happening.

 

[21stamps]

Terrible and it strenghtens my opinion even more: WHY do the waterbodies in the park areas like Seven Seas Lagoon have to be open to wildlife? Why don't they make them the way they once were in the early 70ies ? Biological dead as a swimming pool but crystal clear and safe? I don't see the necessity for completely artificially created lakes to be treated like natural ones, Florida CRAWLS of wildlife and there are hundreds of lakes in Central Florida which can be used by wildlife, they don't need Seven Seas Lagoon, Bay Lake additionally. Evacuate every animal in the lake, fishes, snakes, alligators and then kill everything remaining (including the flesh eating bacterias) with chemical agents and completely seal of the lake to all wildlife with fences and barriers. It was once possible and changed, change it back.

Seriously? I hope this was sarcasm.

 

[flynnibus]

It only takes one incident to make change happen. I think a seawall would be a great alternative to fencing, a random wall, or whatever else Disney could come up with to deter guests from entering the water.

Just don't let people go outside.. if you want 'effective' that's the only one that works besides having people avoid risky behavior. The idea of a wall is just insanely naive.

Are you going to put walls up EVERYWHERE? You do realize alligators aren't fish right? They don't LIVE in the water, they swim and dive in it. They live ON LAND. You're more likely to find a gator on a bank of a ditch along every road on property than you are swimming in the lagoon.

 

[disneyfan56]

It's just not realistic to think that those poor parents would be reading any type of forum right now. Some people just like to finger-waggle at others. It makes them feel they regain some of their equilibrium in times of crisis. Everyone responds differently to tragedy and there is no right answer.

 

[21stamps]

No, as much as anyone would love to believe it there is no such thing as a perfect parent. You can try pretty darn hard but things can/will happen.

And what's so different in this "parent blame" scenario is - these parents were not in the slightest bit at fault!!!

The Cincinnati Zoo- the mother made a mistake, she took her eyes off of her child, he then climbed over 3 barriers into a gorilla pit.
We have all made the same mistake- luckily none of us have had our children enter an animal enclosure.

But this Disney World thing? It's not even a relatable mistake.. There was absolutely no mistake made! It was just a terrible freak accident.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Just don't let people go outside.. if you want 'effective' that's the only one that works besides having people avoid risky behavior. The idea of a wall is just insanely naive.

Are you going to put walls up EVERYWHERE? You do realize alligators aren't fish right? They don't LIVE in the water, they swim and dive in it. They live ON LAND. You're more likely to find a gator on a bank of a ditch along every road on property than you are swimming in the lagoon.

But the issue at hand is this took place in the shallow water of the zero entry portion of beach access to guests... What do you think Disney is going to do? Just leave it as is? If they extended all the roof top walls in Disneyland, throwing off the scale of Mainstreet to ensure workers don't fall off... I can't imagine they won't do something to prevent guests from entering the water from guest accessible areas.

I'm not arguing that they should or shouldn't, or that is isn't an absurd thought to do such a thing... but this is Disney we are talking about... the bubble wrapping centre of America...

 

[flynnibus]

They weren't a swimming pool but they were much cleaner. The northern most beach at the Polynesian was called surf rider beach for a reason. That whole area was reserved for surfing and swimming or just wading in the shoreline.

Oh I know.. I swam in them, I boated in them, I ski'd in them, I used to kneeboard in it. The water was always like pond water. What Disney did was put in white sand on the recreational beaches. That makes the water look brighter and cleaner than the normal mud and grass that is under the rest of the area.

 

[betty rose]

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

That was confirmed this morning. He was in three inch's of water and one foot into the lagoon.

 

[disney4life2008]

I am trying to figure out how this happened? Forgive my ignorance: I dont see how the gator was able to take the child.

 

[betty rose]

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

As said before, we carry a flashlight and use it to light the path in front of us.

 

[Captain Chaos]

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

Lifeguard? Heck with that, I'm blaming Iger!!!!

All joking aside, sad sad sad situation. A two year old is dead, a family devastated. Their lives will never be the same. I can only imagine the amount of trauma the father is going through watching his son get carried off by an alligator, and being helpless to stop it. A parent is always, first and foremost, going to protect their children. Not being able to has to.... I just cannot fathom how mentally destroyed the parents will be now.

 

[Kylo Ken]

Just read on another Disney blog that the "watch your children, or the crocodiles will" joke has been removed from the Jungle Cruise script. Makes total sense to me and in light of the situation, glad they did.

 

[fosse76]

I tried to make it through this thread before commenting, but couldn't get any further. The continued defense by people of a multi-billion dollar company and demonization of a family that simply dared to be human started to get to me.

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.

Thankfully, your opinion doesn't matter. Disney is legally liable for this incident, no matter what the proximate cause actually is. Here's why:

There are signs. How many? How far apart are they? How far from the water are these signs? Is there signage anywhere else besides on the beach? How close was the nearest sign to this child and his father. It was late, so how well illuminated was the sign? Is there any other signage indicated no swimming allowed? Is there a specific reason for "no swimming"? Why no barricades to prevent anyone from entering the water? Does "no swimming" mean "do not enter the water"? Is there any signage to indicate danger from wildlife? Does Disney have staff to enforce the policies? How is it enforced? How often? Does staff verbally communicate with guests that there is no swimming, and do they clarify that it also means "do not enter the water"? Are they only in English? Was there any recognizably "universal" imagery used on the sign? How does Disney communicate the policies to non-English-speaking guests or guests who cannot read? What does Disney due to control wildlife on its property? What precautions does Disney take during large events on its beaches or in natural settings to prevent the encroachment of wildlife? Has wildlife entered these public spaces before? What is the response to these incidents? What is the response time?

That's why you're wrong and why Disney is liable.

Courts have consistently ruled that property owners are liable for injuries sustained on their property. Sticking a sign in the ground is worthless, and to be quite honest, the laziest way to protect guests. Signage puts the guests' safety in their own hands. But Disney is the property owner, it is THEIR (Disney's) responsibility to keep the guest safe.

Now I wonder if they will stop that because gators get on land too.

What does that even mean? They aren't an aquatic species. They've always been able to "get on land".

 

[Laura]

No, I don't think I can do that right now. Still too angry.

Instead of me having to censor my opinion, I think it would be better to have a separate thread for people to express their sympathy for the parents and come together in that thread instead of doing it this one, which already has different opinions from different people about everything else.

I think you are just asking for trouble in the karma department. Verbally abusing grieving parents....just not a good thing to do.

Don't ever go outside, lest you be struck by lightning. The universe may want to teach you a lesson in foreseeability.

 

[Baltar]

I am trying to figure out how this happened? Forgive my ignorance: I dont see how the gator was able to take the child.

What are you not grasping? I'm really curious.

 

[21stamps]

^^This. And you have more gators because their population has risen (after they were almost hunted by gun-lovers out of existence), less territory sans human beings and, yes, Disney building over the water accommodations. I would love to see the O-Sentinel young reporter, who is doing a GREAT job, ask Disney about these new villas ... and the ones going on Bay Lake as we speak.

There are entire cities in Florida built on a swamp. Many of these cities are fairly new. The wildlife is being pushed into smaller and smaller areas. It has nothing to do with the new Poly Villas.

 

[Baltar]

I was curious if Jungle Cruise changed their script. My daughter is at the MK right now with a friend and texted me that no mention of "Ginger" was made on her boat ride. They just ignored that scene.

 

[fosse76]

Wading is just as foolish for a 2 year old. I mean wading is when you're almost waist deep!

No, it isn't.

wade
wād/
verb
gerund or present participle: wading

1. walk through water or another liquid or soft substance.