Two year old snatched by alligator at Disney World (FL) resort

IceAlisa said:
You have a very strange understanding of the English language.
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I'll say it again, once more for you: I've been at a number of pools and beaches where the water had to be cleared of people and no exceptions were ever made for people who just wanted to stay in the shallows or put their feet in the water. Everybody out, no exceptions. That includes the YMCA pool where I learned to swim 35 years ago and practically lived at during the summer until it closed down in the late 1980's, public beaches, city and town pools, and NY state park pools.

If management doesn't want people swimming, they don't want them doing anything else in the water, either. It's not rocket science.
 
Karina1974 said:
I'll say it again, once more for you: I've been at a number of pools and beaches where the water had to be cleared of people and no exceptions were ever made for people who just wanted to stay in the shallows or put their feet in the water. Everybody out, no exceptions. That includes the YMCA pool where I learned to swim 35 years ago and practically lived at during the summer until it closed down in the late 1980's, public beaches, city and town pools, and NY state park pools.

If management doesn't want people swimming, they don't want them doing anything else in the water, either. It's not rocket science.
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Then why does every boat ramp around me have a sign that says "no swimming or wading"; if they were clearly the same thing that would be redundant?

And how come I was able to give you an example of an area where you CAN wade but can't swim?

Oh, and the pools I grew up in, when the lifeguards blew the whistles to clear the pool for adult swim, kids COULD dip their feet in the water sitting at the side. Because dipping your feet in the water isn't swimming.

Words mean things, and swimming does not mean "touching water in any way"
 
Skittl1321 said:
Oh, and the pools I grew up in, when the lifeguards blew the whistles to clear the pool for adult swim, kids COULD dip their feet in the water sitting at the side. Because dipping your feet in the water isn't swimming.
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They didn't allow that at the YMCA pool where I swam growing up. If you were under... I think the cut-off age was 17, can't remember because that pool closed before I would have been old enough to stay in for adult swim, or to stay after the public session to swim laps (they didn't allow kids to do that either).... your entire body had to be out of and away from the pool water. They also didn't like it when the kids would stand on the top step of the ladders and hanging onto the metal banisters.

Of course, the vast majority of the adults in the pool for "adult swim" weren't even swimming, just lounging with their back against the pool wall, talking. Very few of them actually did laps.
 
Karina1974 said:
I already said to you, you see very few people actually SWIMMING in a swimming pool.
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You seem to have had some very unusual swimming pool experiences.

But, honestly, if you are designing signs to warn people away from water that may contain alligators, signs that need to be understood by people from all over the world, are you going to design signs that are clear to those odd folks who don't believe people actually swim in swimming pools, or are you going to design signs that can be easily understood by a diverse set of people?
 
Karina1974 said:
I'll say it again, once more for you: I've been at a number of pools and beaches where the water had to be cleared of people and no exceptions were ever made for people who just wanted to stay in the shallows or put their feet in the water. Everybody out, no exceptions. That includes the YMCA pool where I learned to swim 35 years ago and practically lived at during the summer until it closed down in the late 1980's, public beaches, city and town pools, and NY state park pools.

If management doesn't want people swimming, they don't want them doing anything else in the water, either. It's not rocket science.
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You need to get out more.
 
FGRSK8 said:
It is pretty murky with lots of algae and it has very strong algae odor . We were at that exact spot last year when we were down there and it was pretty foul...
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My friend just came back from Orlando Disney 2-3 weeks ago and she was at that very lake. Her reaction to this incident was: "The parents did it on purpose". I was quite shocked by that and although I don't believe they did it on purpose obviously, my friend said that lake was completely disgusting and no one would ever get the idea to splash around in it. She couldn't believe anyone would let a child play in the absolutely filthy water. And she said aligators were everywhere!
 
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lane-graves-disney-warned-about-alligator-attacks-before-boys-death/
In April of 2015, San Diego lawyer David Hiden took his family to the theme park. His five-year-old son waded calf-deep into a lagoon behind their hotel.
"I saw something rapidly coming on like a submarine," Hiden told CBS News. "And I look and I went, 'Oh my god. That's an alligator.' And it was probably about six to seven feet."
Hiden grabbed his son to safety -- and spotted a second alligator lurking nearby.
The family was staying at Disney World's Coronado Springs Resort, which is three-and-a-half miles from the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, where two year-old Lane [Graves] was killed.
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Lane was the first alligator fatality in Disney World's 45-year history.
Hiden still remembers what he told Disney hotel managers after his son's close call.
"I said, 'I hope I'm wrong, but at some point, I bet I'm going to read about you guys where one of your resident pets killed somebody. And I hope to god it never happens because it's gonna be on your shoulders.'"
Wildlife officials still don't know whether they caught the alligator that killed Lane.
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AxelAnnie said:
I keep coming back to is why does the resort have a lake that people can get near, that is full of alligators?
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How do you know that the lake is "full of alligators"? It was only ONE alligator that attacked the poor child. That doesn't mean the lake is full of them. Think about what you are posting FFS.
 
Karina1974 said:
They didn't allow that at the YMCA pool where I swam growing up. If you were under... I think the cut-off age was 17, can't remember because that pool closed before I would have been old enough to stay in for adult swim, or to stay after the public session to swim laps (they didn't allow kids to do that either).... your entire body had to be out of and away from the pool water. They also didn't like it when the kids would stand on the top step of the ladders and hanging onto the metal banisters.

Of course, the vast majority of the adults in the pool for "adult swim" weren't even swimming, just lounging with their back against the pool wall, talking. Very few of them actually did laps.
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The point is your experience is not everyone's. Not every pool clears everyone from touching the water. Not everyone things just touching water is swimming as you seem to.

In some places swimming is NOT wading. I don't think the two activities are the same. It's clear to me this child was wading.

Stay out of water would have been way more clear of a warning from Disney.
 
I think horrible accident. Disney should have alligator signs and should not allow people near that water period. However if there is a sign that says don't go in don't go in. This being said accidents are just that and that family will pay for the rest of their life. I cannot help thinking of Christ's words he without sin cast the first stone." That goes for parenting anything else.....
 
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IceAlisa said:
Five alligators were found in that lake were not deemed to be the child snatcher. So there's at least one more.
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And since other posts have indicated that alligators could move in and out of the lake through the connecting waterways, that also does not prove that the lake was "full of alligators".
 
overedge said:
And since other posts have indicated that alligators could move in and out of the lake through the connecting waterways, that also does not prove that the lake was "full of alligators".
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There were posters and also employees of the resort who had said there are plenty of them in the Seven Seas. Are you saying they are all wrong and it's a total fluke that 5 alligators have been found, having just wondered in from somewhere? Based on what evidence?

Why are you arguing this?
 
IceAlisa said:
There were posters and also employees of the resort who had said there are plenty of them in the Seven Seas. Are you saying they are all wrong and it's a total fluke that 5 alligators have been found, having just wondered in from somewhere? Based on what evidence?

Why are you arguing this?
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Because it's completely ridiculous to claim the lake is "full of alligators" without more substantive evidence - like how big the lake is and an accurate count of how many alligators are in it. There's enough fearmongering and misinformation in this thread that the situation doesn't need to be blown even further out of proportion.
 
overedge said:
Because it's completely ridiculous to claim the lake is "full of alligators" without more substantive evidence - like how big the lake is and an accurate count of how many alligators are in it. There's enough fearmongering and misinformation in this thread that the situation doesn't need to be blown even further out of proportion.
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The employees said the property is like Jurassic Park at night. The Seven Seas is a vast body of fresh water. Other visitors report seeing several alligators in it.

The person interviewed on this incident who is a local animal specialist said you have to assume there are alligators in a place like that.

That's enough evidence for me. You can think what you want. I still don't understand why this is difficult to believe.
 
Not to minimize the danger of alligators in Disney World, but, just to put it into the context of other, more common dangers, how many young children have drowned at Disney World? How many have died on rides? How many have been hit by trams? Other accidental deaths? Are there statistics?
 
Is anyone arguing that alligators are snatching children left and right at Disney World?
If so, I must have missed it. What the animal specialist said was alligators are there, generally fear humans unless enticed with food but also that it's the mating season and they are more aggressive and territorial.

Fatal alligator attacks on humans are rare but alligator bites are on the rise.
 
Xela M said:
Poor family :( I don't know how anyone can live on after something like this :(
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Oh my gosh...I forgot all about the four year old sister. She's going to be so lonely and possibly terrified of water. She was a big sister and now...no more baby brother. I wonder if children this young can respond to counseling? :(
 
I have stated up thread that the gators are there mostly at night when the boat and other activity ceases or slows on Seven Seas Lagoon. It's FL and it is expected that there are alligators and other wildlife there especially at night but it's in no way "Jurassic park" that is just ridiculous.
As well, I mentioned up thread if idiots would stop feeding the gators, they would not be coming there expecting to interact with humans and seeking handouts of food.
 
overedge said:
Because it's completely ridiculous to claim the lake is "full of alligators" without more substantive evidence - like how big the lake is and an accurate count of how many alligators are in it.
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What?! Is there a specific number of alligators to water that would satisfy your use of the phrase "full of"? 10? 20? :lol: :rolleyes:

Alligators not only swim but walk over land. Disney installed mesh grates on much or all of their waterways and have an active catch and release program for alligators found on the premises. Clearly Disney would like to keep alligators out of their parks entirely if they could, but they can't.
 
twinsissv said:
Oh my gosh...I forgot all about the four year old sister. She's going to be so lonely and possibly terrified of water. She was a big sister and now...no more baby brother. I wonder if children this young can respond to counseling? :(
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I believe there are counselors specializing in children. A 4 year old may not understand fully the gravity of the situation but she will be impacted by how those around her (her parents in particular) are acting. She may have many questions and she may not always get satisfactory answers. She may have to deal with it at some point when she grows up. I really feel for this family. I wish there was a website to help them by posting messages.
 
Children that age and younger can respond to counseling, a lot of times it will be "play therapy " since children will and do act out their fears in play.
 
MacMadame said:
Honestly, IceAlisa, I've lost track of what people are arguing. :D
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Funny! So - miscellaneously......

They are looking for the one alligator out of 1 million in the state who attacked the child? Why? It's not like a rogue alligator in a horror movie who is roaming the beaches looking for people to eat.

They are putting up signs for people who have never seen a nature show in their entire lives, or America's Funniest Videos, or Crocodile Hunter (well, gee, we don't have to worry because there are no Crocodiles in Florida?) a blurb on the sports from a golf tournament showing an alligator on the course, that there are over 1 million alligators in Florida and that they move fast? They should have billboards on all the state lines - there are 1 million alligators here. Enter at your own risk.

I would be the person who got made fun of for saying I'm not going in that dark, murky water, there could be alligators in there. I wouldn't even sit on the edge of our pool at night without the underwater lights being on because anything could have crawled or fallen in during the day. (I rescued a bunny once with the pool net - looked out the 2nd story bedroom window one morning, and there he was.) I would have freaked out if a leaf would have touched my foot in the dark!

I can't swim, so who thinks I should be able to ignore any signs that say no swimming and go on in because I'm not swimming. (Yes, they should have signs telling you to stay away from the water and why. But then who would stay there.)

Every time I see a deer crossing sign, I expect to see them standing on the side of the road waiting to cross! And I have seen them cross at lots of places where there weren't signs. ha ha Anyway, who is going to pay attention to signs that say there might be alligators here. Do they expect the tourists to all stay inside?

Never been to Florida. Never had the urge. Because of the humidity and bugs. Not because alligators are everywhere!
 
Actually a couple of crocs were caught in the Everglades a couple of weeks back as reported in USA today...
 
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