WDW Taking a Hit Over Gator and Massacre ...

[Phicinfan]

I understand your point - I get it, I really do. We're just falling on opposite sides of the line here. I understand why it was removed, I'm just not the kind of person who would look out on the water, even the day after, see a light up alligator and say, "I can't believe they're running that light up alligator right where that boy passed away." I just wouldn't. Maybe that makes me callous?

I get your point of view as well. But Disney is a business for people to remove themselves from reality, and go to fantasy.....so a move like this to help remove the "reality" of what happened makes sense to me.

Again, I am not for removing every reference of an alligator in the parks. In these two incidences, I get what Disney is doing, and agree with it.

 

[Stevek]

We were at Disneyland the day after the attack, in the haunted mansion, and my wife asked how long it would take before they removed the stretching portrait with the ballerina on a tightrope above the open gator mouth. Feels like that would be taking it to the extreme either here or at WDW but stranger things have happened. And DL did not remove the gator jokes from JC either.

 

[dizneycrazy09]

I get your point of view as well. But Disney is a business for people to remove themselves from reality, and go to fantasy.....so a move like this to help remove the "reality" of what happened makes sense to me.

Again, I am not for removing every reference of an alligator in the parks. In these two incidences, I get what Disney is doing, and agree with it.

Fair enough - one thing I know that we can agree upon is that hopefully the correct preventative measures will be implemented to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

 

[skimbob]

Well as far as attendance goes the reason travel is down in Florida is due to the economy in other countries or so I have heard which makes total sense if you follow the headlines. As for travel costs I planned my April trip for the Star Wars race a couple of days ago and the cost for my travel package went up by $600 for a three night stay and that was just for the room.

 

[skimbob]

We were at Disneyland the day after the attack, in the haunted mansion, and my wife asked how long it would take before they removed the stretching portrait with the ballerina on a tightrope above the open gator mouth. Feels like that would be taking it to the extreme either here or at WDW but stranger things have happened. And DL did not remove the gator jokes from JC either.

That would be like taking the crocodile out of Fantasmic and the Peter Pan ride. There is a limit to what is reasonable.

 

[Dead2009]

We were at Disneyland the day after the attack, in the haunted mansion, and my wife asked how long it would take before they removed the stretching portrait with the ballerina on a tightrope above the open gator mouth. Feels like that would be taking it to the extreme either here or at WDW but stranger things have happened. And DL did not remove the gator jokes from JC either.

I don't see why they would remove it at Disneyland as it didn't happen directly on their property. That would be like asking what would happen in the States of pirates somehow got into Shanghai and attacked the tourists, would POTC be closed forever?

 

[FigmentJedi]

Having park guests being eaten by a dinosaur at WDW flagship resort is just the shove these addicts needed.

Gators aren't dinosaurs, just cousins. Different branches of the archosaur family tree. Only dinosaur menace on DIsney property are all those flying feathered fiends stealing french fries or whatever.

 

[UpAllNight]

Looks like they might actually have to work to get guests through the door.

For most sensible cash rich companies that would mean INVESTMENT.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Well the netting is up and chairs are being brought back on the beaches. Hearing beaches may have opened back up about 30 mins ago. Closing at dusk until an hour after sunrise.

 

[truecoat]

Why not take it one step further - let's take that Yeti out and make him an Alligator about to chomp you!

They did but only in Shanghai.

 

[TheOrangeBird01]

The kid was just buried a day or two ago, the body is barely cold.

You folks who keep saying such things are trying to sound all tough and jaded but if this was your kid or the kid of someone you know you wouldn't be all "no big deal".

Ironic that the most heartless, callous statements are being made on a Disney website of all places.

Um ... did you read the rest of my post? I said it's a tragic thing that happened, and I really do feel sorry for the family, but it was one gator attack in 44 years and Disney can't keep this event over their heads forever. They need to regroup, learn from their mistakes and move on. Removing all gator aspects permanently from the park is over reacting. Taking them away for the rest of the month is fine, but Disney needs to understand when too far is too far.

 

[JohnD]

EDIT: Just wanted to add that technically it's a crocodile float.

In the context of the recent attsck, that's a distinction without a difference. The image is a chomping reptile with teeth "swimming" around SSL. To argue that it's a reptile with a thin nose from Africa instead of a reptile with a fat nose from Florida wouldn't fly.

 

[truecoat]

In the context of the recent attsck, that's a distinction without a difference. The image is a chomping reptile with teeth. To argue that it's a reptile with a thin nose from Africa instead of a reptile with a fat nose from Florida wouldn't fly.

 

[Laura]

Just want to throw this out here. When I rode Living with the Land the other day and the boat passed through the scene with all the realistic gators on the water's edge, all I could think of was that poor kid being dragged under. Did it make me sad for a few minutes? Sure. But it didn't ruin my weekend.

It is inevitable that certain visuals will trigger that sort of imagery in the wake of something so horrific. Mainly - the sight of the Grand Floridian itself. I think it will be a few years before I can look at that resort without thinking of what happened. Or maybe never. They can't exactly put the GF and SSL in storage. So I don't really see the point of removing anything more than the JC joke and the chomping float, because people are going to think about what happened no matter what.

 

[fractal]

While I agree the "gator purge" is stupid, what would you expect them to do in today's hyper sensitive "snowflake generation" environment? The last thing Disney wants is some story on "Extra!" about a parade float causing somebody psychological damage.

 

[mickey v-neck]

who knows whether parade floats or foamheads will ever be allowed to return because one child died in 44 years.

I think you are discounting the psychological baggage that comes with parents and alligators right now. Disney's response had to be strong, and of course they are going to err on the side of being too strong. Parents with young kids don't want to see a gator chomping in an electrical parade on Seven Seas Lagoon right now. I respect Mr. Bricker a great deal, but I don't believe he is a parent. He can't put himself in their shoes. Are you a parent? Based on the flip comment quoted above, I just respectfully think you aren't understanding how close to home this even was for parents who take their young kids to Disney. I hope the playful gator references return, but in time. It's just too soon right now and I'm glad Disney is reacting in the way they are.

 

[CJR]

Hah. That is funny. Disney will let rooms sit empty before they 'give them away' for 'only' $200 a night. ... See: every reason why DVC is expanding (and someone, please tell Tommy Boi that he isn't breaking any news ... as usual. He is taking leftovers. Mine.)

I've actually always found this very funny.

They're the same way with their movies. Instead of selling thousands of copies of relatively unpopular movies for $5 each, they'd rather sell hundreds at $20.

For a bunch of people with MBA's, Disney leadership sure does suffer some serious lack of common sense. "But, that would lower the value." So, naturally, people find ways to watch something they could have paid for free.... and book a room down the street instead.

 

[mickey v-neck]

While I agree the "gator purge" is stupid, what would you expect them to do in today's hyper sensitive "snowflake generation" environment? The last thing Disney wants is some story on "Extra!" about a parade float causing somebody psychological damage.

I am the furthest thing on this earth from politically correct. This is not a matter of hyper sensitivity or the p*ssification of America or helicopter parenting. It's understanding the horror this event caused for parents and reacting appropriately.

 

[JohnD]

Just want to throw this out here. When I rode Living with the Land the other day and the boat passed through the scene with all the realistic gators on the water's edge, all I could think of was that poor kid being dragged under. Did it make me sad for a few minutes? Sure. But it didn't ruin my weekend.

It is inevitable that certain visuals will trigger that sort of imagery in the wake of something so horrific. Mainly - the sight of the Grand Floridian itself. I think it will be a few years before I can look at that resort without thinking of what happened. Or maybe never. They can't exactly put the GF and SSL in storage. So I don't really see the point of removing anything more than the JC joke and the chomping float, because people are going to think about what happened no matter what.

Agree. It's actually the people who disagree with removing anything who are projecting the most outlandish concepts of what could be removed.

"They'll remove Al E. Gator from Fantasia Gardens and and and the gators in LWTL! Don't forget that next thing you know they'll rename Alligator Bayou and will yank the Captain Hook/Tick Tock AA out of Peter Pan."

Anyone who has thought about what they should do in the short term has never advocated anything like that. But the removal of the JC joke, the croc barge in the EWP, and Louis in the castle show makes sense at this time. Although if what's reported is correct, the JC joke is back.

 

[FettFan]

They did but only in Shanghai.

View attachment 147416

Off topic, but Universal should have built that as a Jurassic World expansion instead of killing off part of JP for the new "Konprojection!" ride...

Imagine almost getting chomped by a full sized AA Indominus...