From the OS: Gator drags child into Seven Seas Lagoon

[Daveeeeed]

Ironically... I think the INVERSE would cause more of a stir. Everyone knows the alligator's aren't Disney's creation or what people come to Disney for... yet the attractions are.

And everyone knows there is alligators in Florida....

Attraction deaths/injuries happen at pretty much any park around the world, it is a risk just like any vehicle in motion has, but people that don't know about the alligators, or assume there won't be one have no prior way of knowing without a sign or something along those lines.

 

[EngineJoe]

And everyone knows there is alligators in Florida....

You have much higher chance of contracting leporosy from petting or being sneezed on by armadillos in Florida. So Disney probably needs to put up signs for that too.

 

[Daveeeeed]

Aligators can climbs walls and run at 25 mph.

The purpose would be more for the guests not to go in the water at all.

 

[Chef Mickey]

SSL shoreline was gross already and now proven to be dangerous. They should build elevated boardwalks around the whole thing. They'd be more attractive than the water line they have now anyway, and would make it near impossible for a guest to get near the water.

You underestimate peoples' stupidity. People will get themselves into trouble and ultimately blame will be placed upon whoever has the most money.

 

[EngineJoe]

Attraction deaths/injuries happen at pretty much any park around the world, it is a risk just like any vehicle in motion has, but people that don't know about the alligators, or assume there won't be one have no prior way of knowing without a sign or something along those lines.

It was a freak accident. You don't see watch out for being struck by lighting warning signs or beware the armadillos that are contagious with leprosy signs and there's a much higher probability of dying from that or becoming a leper then being killed by an alligator.

 

[Daveeeeed]

And everyone knows there is alligators in Florida....

You may know there are gators there, but if you're not from the south, and if you assume Disney wouldn't have them you would have no way of knowing that there could be gators there without signs etc.

 

[Daveeeeed]

It was a freak accident. You don't see watch out for being struck by lighting warning sidings or beware the armadillos that are contagious with leprosy signs and there's a much higher probability of dying from that or becoming a leper then being killed by an alligator.

My point is some people have no way of knowing there could be an alligator that could attack you there. There's not evens signs!!! This is a tourist destination it is different than some random place too.

 

[englanddg]

You may know there are gators there, but if you're not from the south, and if you assume Disney wouldn't have them you would have no way of knowing that there could be gators there without signs etc.

They may, if they even think about it, assume that Disney has some sort of netting or something in SSL to prevent that around the hotels...which, they don't...but, I could see someone unfamiliar with the local biology assuming that Disney would take such a precautionary step (which they won't/can't).

 

[Daveeeeed]

there's a much higher probability of dying from that or becoming a leper then being killed by an alligator.

That doesn't downplay it though.

 

[PorterRedkey]

Ironically... I think the INVERSE would cause more of a stir. Everyone knows the alligator's aren't Disney's creation or what people come to Disney for... yet the attractions are.

And everyone knows there is alligators in Florida....

Maybe, but when I worked for Disney 25 years ago people would ask when the 3:00 parade started. People are on vacation, their worries are left behind. Alligators are not on most guest minds at all.

That kid just wanted to put his feet in the water, it is such tragedy. So sad.

 

[prberk]

Sigh. So, sad. This image was already my wallpaper. I can't help but think of the serenity of this scene juxtaposed with the tragedy that occurred here (or nearby).

Sigh again. My prayer is that the family, and especially the father, will find solace in the time that he had with his son -- and with faith, will see him again.

 

[Daveeeeed]

They may, if they even think about it, assume that Disney has some sort of netting or something in SSL to prevent that around the hotels...which, they don't...but, I could see someone unfamiliar with the local biology assuming that Disney would take such a precautionary step (which they won't/can't).

I think it is more about people assuming that there are not going to be alligators in SSL, or even Bay Lake. Alligators can walk for miles on land, but if your not from the south you legitimately can't be to blame if signs are not posted.

 

[EngineJoe]

That doesn't downplay it though.

Yes but there's not much Disney can do to prevent such a freak, small probability occurrence other than constantly killing and annihilating all the gators 24/7 on their resort property.

Putting up a sign or a sea wall would only reduce the probability from .00000001 to .000000011%

 

[scmit02]

Will something change? yes. Will it be extreme? Maybe. But paving over SSL? If it isn't there...the gators move, they just don't go poof. I don't think there is one resort on property that doesn't have body of water with a gator in it (rides don't count).

This morning the news said that in the 60/70s there were about 1,000 gators in FL. Today there are over 1.5 million! As I type this now I see one 25 yards from my office parking lot. On my way home I will 1 or 2 more in the man made drainage ponds in my neighborhood. I have had them under my car, in my back yard, at my front door. I don't live near a natural lake and don't live on water...they walk!

If you don't have "man made" bodies of water WDW would be underwater every time it rains. Disney doesn't spend all that money building lakes, rivers, ponds because they are pretty it is because they are required, serve a purpose and allow WDW to exist.

 

[polynesiangirl]

The Seven Seas Lagoon is kinda gross. That water is nasty, the shorelines are weedy, puke-green and mucky in places, and any time I see people swimming in there (in spite of the posted signs, it happens ALL the time,) I think they are insane. You could not pay me to get in that water, and there was no doubt in my mind that it was teeming with gators. While I don't know that Disney NEEDS to change anything given how extremely rare this event was, I maybe wouldn't be opposed to a barrier/additional deterrent of some sort that would be a CYA for them. I mean, I LOVE the loop resorts for many reasons, but "let's go hang out by the man-made swamp" has never been high on my list of things to do, anyways. It's not like the SSL is super-glamorous as it is.

This crazy scenario just never crossed my mind, though, in part because "fatal, unprovoked alligator attack along a shoreline at Disney World" is not something we've ever heard of happening before.

 

[PhotoDave219]

You have much higher chance of contracting leporosy from petting or being sneezed on by armadillos in Florida. So Disney probably needs to put up signs for that too.

Armadildo?

 

[flynnibus]

You may know there are gators there, but if you're not from the south, and if you assume Disney wouldn't have them you would have no way of knowing that there could be gators there without signs etc.

The point being... a news story highlighting the fact there are GATORS IN FLORIDA and GATORS CAN KILL doesn't have a lot of teeth.

This only has traction because its DISNEY and the story relies on the idea of the safe serenity that people expect on their vacations is violated by such an act.

Where as if it were a Disney attraction accident.. not only is your vacation ideal crushed... we have the angle of Big Corporation does bad things... scandal.. etc

 

[EngineJoe]

Will something change? yes. Will it be extreme? Maybe. But paving over SSL? If it isn't there...the gators move, they just don't go poof. I don't think there is one resort on property that doesn't have body of water with a gator in it (rides don't count).

This morning the news said that in the 60/70s there were about 1,000 gators in FL. Today there are over 1.5 million! As I type this now I see one 25 yards from my office parking lot. On my way home I will 1 or 2 more in the man made drainage ponds in my neighborhood. I have had them under my car, in my back yard, at my front door. I don't live near a natural lake and don't live on water...they walk!

If you don't have "man made" bodies of water WDW would be underwater every time it rains. Disney doesn't spend all that money building lakes, rivers, ponds because they are pretty it is because they are required, serve a purpose and allow WDW to exist.

Yeah there not much Disney or anyone can do other than the state of Florida enacting a gator species extermination program. And even that would take a long time to extinct the population of gators.

 

[Daveeeeed]

The point being... a news story highlighting the fact there are GATORS IN FLORIDA and GATORS CAN KILL doesn't have a lot of teeth.

This only has traction because its DISNEY and the story relies on the idea of the safe serenity that people expect on their vacations is violated by such an act.

Where as if it were a Disney attraction accident.. not only is your vacation ideal crushed... we have the angle of Big Corporation does bad things... scandal.. etc

Exactly, but people like the family of the child from Nebraska probably didn't think that there would be gators in the lake. The gator was just using it's instincts it is not to blame, but of poor signage, and removal of the gators etc.

 

[EngineJoe]

Armadildo?

Yup 9 cases of people contracting leprosy by petting or being sneezed upon by armadillos in 2015 just in Florida.