Living With the Land Boats

kpilcher

Well-Known Member
I believe that the animals in that tank are swapped out seasonally. I don't know for sure but sometimes the gators appear to be there for an extended period of time and sometimes not.
Iā€™ve never seen them back since Lane Graves died. Iā€˜m local and ride Living nearly every trip to Epcot (which seems to the only park with reservations open last minute)
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Iā€™ve never seen them back since Lane Graves died. Iā€˜m local and ride Living nearly every trip to Epcot (which seems to the only park with reservations open last minute)
Whose Lane Graves? Honestly, I have all I can do to remember my own name. It is not ringing a bell who that was.
 

kpilcher

Well-Known Member
Whose Lane Graves? Honestly, I have all I can do to remember my own name. It is not ringing a bell who that was.
A young boy who was pulled under water and drowned by an alligator 5 years ago last month in front of the Grand Floridian. He was wading in the 7 Seas Lagoon while holding his dadā€™s hand.
 

Poseidon Quest

Well-Known Member
A young boy who was pulled under water and drowned by an alligator 5 years ago last month in front of the Grand Floridian. He was wading in the 7 Seas Lagoon while holding his dadā€™s hand.

I thought this story was false? I thought the kid just drowned and Disney didn't want to look bad for killing a fair number of gators? Last I heard from a few cast members, the boy's body was recovered without bite marks.
 

Cadbury

Well-Known Member
I thought this story was false? I thought the kid just drowned and Disney didn't want to look bad for killing a fair number of gators?
Wait so people were going around saying that Disney made up the story as justification to kill alligators?šŸ˜² That's crazy.
 
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Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
A young boy who was pulled under water and drowned by an alligator 5 years ago last month in front of the Grand Floridian. He was wading in the 7 Seas Lagoon while holding his dadā€™s hand.
Oh, ok... I had not committed his name to my memory. Might not have even known what it was. Thanks for the info.
 

kpilcher

Well-Known Member
I thought this story was false? I thought the kid just drowned and Disney didn't want to look bad for killing a fair number of gators? Last I heard from a few cast members, the boy's body was recovered without bite marks.
I assure you. It was quite real. We covered the story extensively. I was called In to help that night.

In addition to witness reports, and where the child was found, Iā€™ve read the autopsy report. Not to be graphic, but there was Definite evidence of gator attack.

To get back on topic, the baby gators were removed from the Land very quickly afterwards, along with gator jokes on the Jungle Cruise, etc.
 
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Poseidon Quest

Well-Known Member
Wait so people were going around saying that Disney made up the story as justification to kill alligators?šŸ˜² That's crazy.

No, that's not what I meant. As in, Disney had killed a fair number looking for the boy, yet found him physically unscathed other than signs of drowning.

I assure you. It was quite real. We covered the story extensively. I was called In to help that night.

In addition to witness reports, and where the child was found, Iā€™ve read the autopsy report. Not to be graphic, but there was Definite evidence of gator attack.

Good to know. I'm unsure of why other such rumors started.
 

kpilcher

Well-Known Member
No, that's not what I meant. As in, Disney had killed a fair number looking for the boy, yet found him physically unscathed other than signs of drowning.



Good to know. I'm unsure of why other such rumors started.
Human nature. Some peopleā€™s accounts were exaggerated into horror movie territory (the truth was awful enough). Others want to deny anything that bad can happen at Disney, some just like to sow doubts on anything ā€œofficial.ā€

I favor keeping a healthy bit of skepticism, as sometimes it leads to a bigger or better picture. This one was pretty straightforward. Overall, I believe Disney should be applauded for the way they handled this tragedy. They addressed what happened almost immediately. They protected the familyā€˜s privacy until they decided to speak, they took healthy (if maybe occasionally excessive) measures to remove anything That could have been deemed in bad taste, and they immediately set about extensive safety modifications. There is also a small, discrete memorial to the child at the Grand Flo.

There have always been gators at Disney. I miss seeing them in Living With the Land.
 
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lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Given that some people will drink the water on Disney boat rides on a dare, I can only imagine what would happen if they learned there was possibly an electric current they could touch.
It is possible to charge in the water without a direct connection. The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at Disneyland uses inductive charging to charge the submarines while they are in the loading station.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
I agree that unlike, say, Backlot Tour in its final years, or the butchered Great Movie Ride AMC spiel, Living with the Land is better with the automated narration.



But where and how are the batteries charged?

Iā€™ll have a dig.

I dug.

Batteries are onboard and charging units are positioned in the backstage storage flume. A cable is connected to the battery sockets and the boats are charged in sequence. They donā€™t take long to charge.
 

jmc28

New Member
Original Poster
Wow thank you for that info!
I dug.

Batteries are onboard and charging units are positioned in the backstage storage flume. A cable is connected to the battery sockets and the boats are charged in sequence. They donā€™t take long to charge

I dug.

Batteries are onboard and charging units are positioned in the backstage storage flume. A cable is connected to the battery sockets and the boats are charged in sequence. They donā€™t take long to charge.
Do you think engineering handles that aspect of the ride or do regular cast members assist in charging the boats?
 

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