From the OS: Gator drags child into Seven Seas Lagoon

[peter11435]

One facebooker went so far as to claim that they make you sign a waiver at checkin.

Definitely not true. I know they did (and may still) make you sign a waiver at checkin at AKL stating that you would not feed the animals in their collection.

 

[jaklgreen]

Ok so basically I wouldn't have been liable. And Disney isn't liable, unless several employees contradict what Orlando officials are saying.

I still don't think these parents will file a suit. I wouldn't relive that. I do think Disney has already offered to pay for their counseling..as well as much more. The whole family is going to need it, for a long time. I can't imagine ever closing my eyes and not seeing the incident described.

No amount of money can replace a child. It would depend on how strongly they personally feel that Disney is somehow responsible. Its usually not about the money. They don't need the money, they are pretty well off.

 

[gmajew]

A number of people have claimed that you are warned about alligators when you check in at Grand Floridian. I'm too cheap to know one way or another. Has anyone recently stayed at Grand Floridian and can confirm?

Was not warned today about anything.

 

[FrankLapidus]

There is a huge difference between "safety proofing everything" and taking steps to prevent there ever being a second fatality as a result of an alligator attack on Walt Disney World property.

This isn't a question of removing every threat posed by local wildlife that make their way on to Disney property. Anyone who thinks that that is possible is, to put it mildly, incredibly naive. This is about looking at a very specific threat and ensuring that no one is put in a position to be harmed by it on Disney property again.

 

[Beacon Joe]

If this fence stops even one death, then it's necessary.
I am so very thankful they are putting up this fence.

This is a parody post, right?

 

[jaklgreen]

Just read it. What happens though when the actions of the wild animals are altered by the negligence of the property owners (knowing about guests feeding them and not stopping them)...

You would have a hard time proving that the alligator was not just doing what it naturally does. And that it's behavior was directly a result of people feeding it. It's not like this is the first time an alligator has attacked a person. No on can go into its mind and see that it thought people means food. There is no case on that point at all.

 

[gmajew]

Fences are up and on the fences are warning about alligators and feeding the animals.

 

[Kylo Ken]

Lol I knew that the "fencing" going up at The beaches along the resorts would set off a firestorm on this thread. I'll just sit back and listen to all of the arm-chair safety experts chime in.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Disney knew

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/1...s-before-attack-reports-say.html?intcmp=hpbt3

They were being fed from the Bungalows.

 

[Lucky]

You would have a hard time proving that the alligator was not just doing what it naturally does. And that it's behavior was directly a result of people feeding it. It's not like this is the first time an alligator has attacked a person. No on can go into its mind and see that it thought people means food. There is no case on that point at all.

It's not the first time people have fed alligators either.

Attacking humans is not what alligators "naturally" do.

Should we believe all the experts on this subject or should we believe you?

 

[rogerrabbitfan9]

I'll be curious to see what the permanent solution looks like. The anti erosion stones that they have over at part of the Contemporary could do a decent job keeping people out of the water. They also have some fencing on part of the beach at Ft. Wilderness already that they could use all over.

 

[ssidiouss@mac.c]

The fences at the Poly are absolutely horrible looking.. like Spaceship Earth finale or Disco Yeti horrible. They totally break you out of the ambiance of the place. First Disney Parks take away the hammocks, then they take away most of the beach to add in a bunch of pizza hut looking rooms for rich people to feed alligators, now they finish it all off by fencing the lake away completely.

Ugh.. what a waste of what was once a magical spot to visit. At least i have some great memories of spending many nights relaxing on the hammock as the sun sets watching the lake as the hawaiian music played lightly in the background. Now instead of that you get hard benches, fences, and floating pizza huts.

Makes staying at Cabana Bay and Universal so much easier since Disney keeps taking away various old temptations to visit. Yah yah i know Disney Parks could care less.. they are less interested in magical moments for the fans these days and more interested in magical money and Shanghai.

View media item 1224

 

[copcarguyp71]

yep...some things will never be the same. Game changer for sure. Still so sad about the loss of life.

http://www.fox29.com/news/161153414-story

 

[ford91exploder]

Definitely not true. I know they did (and may still) make you sign a waiver at checkin at AKL stating that you would not feed the animals in their collection.

As of January they were making u sign waiver not to feed animals

 

[jaklgreen]

It's not the first time people have fed alligators either.

Attacking humans is not what alligators "naturally" do.

Should we believe all the experts on this subject or should we believe you?

I am just saying that it would be hard to prove in a court of law. Not saying that I believe one way or another. But alligators have attacked people before and have for years. If this was the first time ever in history that it has happened, then yes a person could possible blame people feeding them as the cause.

 

[R W B]

View attachment 146544

Such a knee jerk reaction by Disney. Place has been open almost 50 yrs, millions and millions of guests have been and they change the whole landscape of the resort/s because of one freak situation.

My fiancé and I sat on their beaches many nights to watch the fireworks or the water pagent and now we will have this fence to stare at.

Well on the bright side, no need to pay extra money for the views anymore. Done with the monorail resorts, it was always down on both of our Poly trips anyway.

 

[ford91exploder]

Exactly. I posted something similar earlier in the thread. We could try to "safety proof" everything. But what kind of world would that be?!?

One that helicopter parents would love at first until one of their favorite activities was banned as unsafe

 

[BrerJon]

The fences and signs don't look great but at least they make the point clear. I wonder if people will ignore them and climb over though? If guests don't heed no flash photography warnings on rides, they'll probably ignore these too. It's not like the lagoon has suddenly become more dangerous overnight, it's always had dangerous wildlife in it, so if people went in the water before, I'm sure a rope fence won't stop them doing so again.

 

[21stamps]

Such a knee jerk reaction by Disney. Place has been open almost 50 yrs, millions and millions of guests have been and they change the whole landscape of the resort/s because of one freak situation.

My fiancé and I sat on their beaches many nights to watch the fireworks or the water pagent and now we will have this fence to stare at.

Well on the bright side, no need to pay extra money for the views anymore. Done with the monorail resorts, it was always down on both of our Poly trips anyway.

This is why I'm angry. We already have reservations at a monorail resort. I would still go on the beach without a fence. This is an over reaction to appease the public.

 

[Lucky]

I am just saying that it would be hard to prove in a court of law. Not saying that I believe one way or another. But alligators have attacked people before and have for years. If this was the first time ever in history that it has happened, then yes a person could possible blame people feeding them as the cause.

But it's not the first time in history that people have fed alligators either so I don't see the logic.

On the proof issue, sure it's hard to prove that this particular alligator was fed, and you could argue about whether wading equals swimming equals breaking a rule, etc. etc. But I don't think Disney's lawyers and execs even in private are talking this way. Their lawyers don't get paid big bucks to think like rabid Disney fans. I'm sure they understand weaknesses in their case much better than their fans on social media do.