Alligator Seizes Child At Disney World

[jno]

This is pretty appalling. Why did I assume Disney would secure their perimeter? And why didn't they? Millions of families go there.

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jun/15/alligator-two-year-old-child-disney-world-hotel-florida

[EcclesCake]

I once attended as a VIP a space shuttle launch in Florida. My VIP pass meant that we were closer to the launch pad than the general public and consequently well within the crash foot print at take off. As I sat eating my lunch I looked around and every ten yds was a sign warning us to keep away from the water as there were alligators present.

I started to question the attraction of the VIP pass?!?!?!

[naomi24]

237SJ, as I understand it the child was paddling in the water.

[-Talbot-]

Are alligators engendered, AOG?


Rubbish joke PP

[naomi24]

jno, //Simply surrounding the place with walls would be a start//

Taking the signs seriously and staying out of the water is the safest thing to do.

[jno]

the child was paddling, but the signs apparently said No Swimming, which he wasn't doing. Why would a family from Nebraska (or Britain) be expected to know the risks of Florida if they weren't specifically told?

[237SJ]

That`s what I though naomi. My cousin lives in Florida and there is a small lake/large pond among the houses where he lives which is in a sort of clearing in the woods. I used to walk his dog around the lake and he told me to look out for the alligator. I used to see it in the lake every day - there would just be the two eyes peering at me above the waterline and you couldn`t see the rest of him at all. I`m sure most days, he spotted me before I spotted him. Nobody in their right mind would have gone in the water. He never gave anyone any trouble but then a couple of peoples` pets went missing so they decided to relocate him. When they took him out, he was about 12 feet long.

[jno]

sorry, naomi, that post wasn't aimed at you, your answer wasn't there when I typed it. My feeling is that if signs need to read "Danger - Alligators - Don't Go Near The Water" then they should do so. "No Swimming" isn't enough. But I don't know the exact wording, I'm just going by the news stories.

[Svejk]

When I first heard this story, it said the 2 year old was paddling at 9:30 pm. That sounds mighty odd to me.

[ummmm]

Why is it odd? They were on holiday.

[Svejk]

Well, I was never a member of the jet-set, ummmm. But 9pm seems awful late for a 2 year old. And I didn't wrap my kids in cotton wool but they wouldn't go in a paddling pool at that age unless I had a firm grip on them.

[ummmm]

I wouldn't let them paddle in a lake no matter what time it is but they'd still be up at 9pm. I'm assuming it's still light and warm at 9pm.

[mikey4444]

What difference does it make what time it was ?

This is clearly an area much frequented by tourists, and it doesn't seem very safe to me if there are alligators so close.

[jno]

Nebraska's an hour behind Florida, so it was more like 8.30 for the family. It would have been fairly dark; but I don't know if the beach is lit.

[wolf63]

The Alligators have always been there and I would have thought that visitors would be aware of this.

It is sad that the toddler lost his life in such a manner and his family were there and would have seen the incident.

Alligators and Crocodiles are left over from primaeval times and they may outlive our species.

[-Talbot-]

engendered?

endangered ... ^^^^^

[naomi24]

The little boy's body has been found. How sad this is.

http://news.sky.com/story/1712563/boy-snatched-by-alligator-at-disney-found-dead

[Mamyalynne]

Incredibly sad - the holiday mood often leads to perhaps a dropping of caution and a false sense of safety.

If it isn't done already , all tourists should be well informed on arrival.


Bless that family.

[jno]

according to what I read last night, the signs really did just say "no swimming" and didn't mention alligators at all., so I can imagine the family had no idea of the danger. I suppose it's a blessing that it's never happened before; but guests really do need to be told of the risks. As a parent who's been there, though decades ago, I'm shocked. That poor family.

[murraymints]

is the alligator issue not common knowledge ?

[jno]

minty, no, it wasn't common knowledge when I was there. My assumption would have been that Disney did all it could to reduce danger to its guests (though this would usually involve roller coasters and so on), and would warn of any danger. Isn't that pretty much what you'd expect of the operator of any public attraction?

I wouldn't be surprised if Floridans know all about it, but I'm not one, and neither was the family from Nebraska.