Gator grabs 2 year old at Grand Floridian?

[Maleffiecent41]

Disney has signs posted everywhere to stay out of the water and that the water is for boating activities.

 

[closetmickey]

I never knew they were night hunters. But I could sort of see why the parents wouldn't think a gator would roll up on a white sand beach, being from Nebraska where they probably have that image of them living in "swamps" (and yes I know Florida IS swamp but you get my drift)

I completely agree. I'm sick to my stomach. Sick for this family and sick with a photo of my daughter in my head, about 8-9 at the time, playing on her stomach in the water at the Poly. Granted she was only about 6 inches from the water line and it was light outside, but honestly, being from the opposite coast, I had no idea of the danger. My heart breaks for this family and i'm sick over all the "what ifs" for so many that are swirling in my head. My prayers go out to them.

 

[Jessiemendez1]

I completely agree. I'm sick to my stomach. Sick for this family and sick with a photo of my daughter in my head, about 8-9 at the time, playing on her stomach in the water at the Poly. Granted she was only about 6 inches from the water line and it was light outside, but honestly, being from the opposite coast, I had no idea of the danger. My heart breaks for this family and i'm sick over all the "what ifs" for so many that are swirling in my head. My prayers go out to them.

Prayers for the family. I can't even imagine. So tragic

 

[Maleffiecent41]

I'm not going to say I haven't done some things I regret but this just goes to show that we always have to be vigilant.

 

[Accident]

cnn coverage now has clips of the press conference if anyone wants to view them. http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/15/us/alligator-attacks-child-disney-florida/index.html

 

[Disneylovingdad]

Oh my god. Completely agree that question was way out of line. Reporters can really lack empathy.

A lot of reporters are really scum. Seriously. What a disgusting vile question. The same reporter would ask the father to his face that same thing or how do you feel about what happened. And they would do it without blinking. Disgusting vultures.

 

[Accident]

Disney has signs posted everywhere to stay out of the water and that the water is for boating activities.

On the old beaches that true but other bodies of water it's just no fishing signs. Many resorts with walkways next to water with no warning to stay out.

 

[nashjw58]

Anyone???

 

[nashjw58]

Took these pics near Splash Mountain last September. WDW can control humans (kinda) but cannot control gators considering all the water surrounding the parks and how much territory they can roam.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

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I can't tell where that is. It also looks a bit fake.

MG

 

[MommyLove]

So you can't swim in the lagoon, but you can jet ski?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/recreation/personal-watercraft/

 

[Delgado]

So you can't swim in the lagoon, but you can jet ski?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/recreation/personal-watercraft/

Im disgusted. And the whole there is signage reasoning is weak. I have an enormous amount of love for disney, but tonight my world is rocked.

 

[nashjw58]

I can't tell where that is. It also looks a bit fake.

MG

Not fake, I assure you. My daughter and I along with several others spotted it near the bridge in front of Splash Mountain. The boardwalk along the water opposite Tom Sawyer Island is in part of one pic. Gator looks bigger in photo than it was. About 3 ft long.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

So you can't swim in the lagoon, but you can jet ski?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/recreation/personal-watercraft/

Probably not any more.

MG

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Not fake, I assure you. My daughter and I along with several others spotted it near the bridge in front of Splash Mountain. The boardwalk along the water opposite Tom Sawyer Island is in part of one pic. Gator looks bigger in photo than it was. About 3 ft long.

Okay... I believe you.

MG

 

[Silock]

So you can't swim in the lagoon, but you can jet ski?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/recreation/personal-watercraft/

Alligators aren't going to pull someone off of a jetski.

 

[msdis]

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We have pics from BCV from 2003 where a very large gator was living. He was in the waterways and hung out around all the bridges there. I forget but they even named him and talked about it on the boards here. We looked over all the banks on the bridges and were concerned that he could get up. People were feeding him and he surfaced when he saw people. He was used to being fed.

Can't imagine what this family is going thru. So sad.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

We have pics from BCV from 2003 where a very large gator was living. He was in the waterways and hung out around all the bridges there. I forget but they even named him and talked about it on the boards here. We looked over all the banks on the bridges and were concerned that he could get up. People were feeding him and he surfaced when he saw people. He was used to being fed.

Can't imagine what this family is going thru. So sad.

I remember the BCV gator.

MG

 

[Delgado]

From 71-88...

The typhoon lagoon wave machines were originally offshore at the polyneisian to allow surfing...but it messed with the beaches.

The grand Floridian was originally "the grand floridian beach resort"...but the name was changed prior to opening Due to red tide.

River country was only partially filtered.

Disney built things trusting the customer exercising common sense. It doesn't appear that it was done entirley in this case. But that will be determined later.

The problem is people forget on,vacation they let their guard down. I will never be convinced it is the fault of the parents in this case. Disney can control the scent in the air. They should be able to forsee alligator natural instinct prevailing.

Alligators aren't going to pull someone off of a jetski.

But they fall in the water? Have you ridden a jet ski? I bet many people that rent them have not before.

 

[LSLS]

Some things are just tragic. Go look at the number of gators in florida. You think disney can control them all? Mating season, gators travel a really long way in short times and are ultra aggressive. On the other side, before I went to school in florida and saw a 10 foot gator sitting on the steps of the admission office (mating season movements), it never even crossed my mind that I could run into one. Just horrible thing all around.