Alligator dragged 2 year old into 7 seas lagoon

[Sabeking]

I'm sorry if these questions were asked up thread. I made it to about page 10 and its 11 pm....anyhow.

When we visit Ocean Isle beach I often see alligators on the golf courses; walking up out of the water. Would that be a common occurrence at the beach area by Grand Floridian? If this is the only death in many years, how was it different than any other day? It seems like the little guy was not that far in the water. Do they have any water sports at the Seven Seas Lagoon such as water skiing, etc...? I'm trying to wrap my head around the logistics. Our trips to Disney are usually spent at the parks and the pool. I rarely go near the water and have never really given the alligators a thought!

This week has been very sobering as a parent. I pray all the families in Orlando find a way to to put one foot in front of the other as I would struggle.

 

[bcla]

I'm sorry if these questions were asked up thread. I made it to about page 10 and its 11 pm....anyhow.

When we visit Ocean Isle beach I often see alligators on the golf courses; walking up out of the water. Would that be a common occurrence at the beach area by Grand Floridian? If this is the only death in many years, how was it different than any other day? It seems like the little guy was not that far in the water. Do they have any water sports at the Seven Seas Lagoon such as water skiing, etc...? I'm trying to wrap my head around the logistics. Our trips to Disney are usually spent at the parks and the pool. I rarely go near the water and have never really given the alligators a thought!

This week has been very sobering as a parent. I pray all the families in Orlando find a way to to put one foot in front of the other as I would struggle.

It's been noted that they're less aggressive during the day as they sunning themselves. They're mostly dusk to early morning hunters.

I remembering being in the Everglades area and there were a lot of alligators. A few were swimming, but most were stationary during the day. There were designated raised boardwalks (with railings) along canals to view alligators. However, I also noticed picnic tables alongside the canals with nothing between them and the alligators. It did seem odd, but I suppose few people got hurt.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

This story is hearbreaking. I noted from the DIS article where they are from. I've visited there several times. It's a town of very nice, friendly people. I am sure this grieving family will be surrounded with love and support in the weeks and months ahead.
My prayers are with them.

I live in the area of this family. My son goes to school with his cousin, a couple co-workers of my Dh have some connections to the family. My DD's gymnastics coach used to work with the father. Here's the story from the 10:00 news tonight. Sounds like the neighbors and church community are rallying for this family. I hope that it gives them some degree of comfort.

http://www.ketv.com/news/alligator-...braska-into-water-near-disney-resort/40060990

 

[JPPT1974]

Really sad what happened to this family. Thoughts and prayers are with them!

 

[bcla]

Not meaning to be flip or to trivialize the death, but there has been some talk about alligators as protected species in this thread. There is a law in California that will phase out the legality of the sale of any dead alligator or crocodile part. I think it's supposed to target skins, but it's pretty clear that it includes meat, which I have consumed in California. The phase out was originally going to go into effect in 2015, but there was some lobbying by sellers of finished bags/belts along with Louisiana alligator farmers/hunters who sell the skins and meat, and now it's starting in 2020.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-alligator-legislation-20140411-story.html

I suppose the rationale is that it's difficult to tell the difference between the skins of the non-endangered American alligator and the very much endangered Chinese alligator.

 

[mummabear]

Agree wholeheartedly!! So many people are blaming Disney for this (which boggles my mind), but yet where Disney does have very direct signs people still directly disobey.

So they should just give up having warnings?

I don't know about you biut warning alligator infested water would get my attention. And maybe had they had these signs a gorgeous baby boy would be going home with his family today.

 

[thedonduck]

So they should just give up having warnings?

I don't know about you biut warning alligator infested water would get my attention. And maybe had they had these signs a gorgeous baby boy would be going home with his family today.

Never said they should do nothing. I do think signs should be updated if just for the physical sense of a warning. But again, this was a tragic accident and honestly nothing more than that. Alligator attack are rare. And even more rare for the attack to be deadly. My point is Disney has signs up all over that people directly disobey on a daily basis.

And I am beyond heartbroken for this family. I can't imagine how you move forward from this.

 

[lucky978]

I'm not sure if this has been posted or not but I really connected to this piece below. I think all of us can.

http://www.oneroomcabin.com/2016/06/15/to-the-mom-of-the-gator-attack-at-the-grand-floridian-wdw/

 

[Magpie]

by law, shouldn't that sign be in French also?

Only in Quebec!

 

[desamnik]

So sad for the family. Heartbreaking and tragic. I would hope that Disney would fly the family home on one of their corporate jets and that any expenses incurred because of this horrific incident would be covered by them. I am assuming that even the highest up execs there are as devastated by this as all of us.

 

[Kitty 34]

Wow, please do not read this tread Family. We have shed a tear with you for young Lane.

I went to bed last night thinking what if they are DISers!!

 

[sam_gordon]

For those saying "follow the rules" (although this thread is a prime example of not everyone reading the "rules" the same)... do you go even 1mph over the speed limit?

 

[TAX GUY]

I guess I'll never understand why some people feel the need to "always be right". Losing focus on the bigger picture in this situation, and for what? Jesus..... **** already. Points or not, I don't care. This poor family doesn't care how you interpret signs. I don't care how you interpret signs. You know what? EVERYTHING is preventable. EVERYTHING. Its easy to say, you shouldn't have done this, or you shouldn't have done that.... it could have been avoided if they/you didn't this or didn't that. Fact of the matter is, its a tragic accident that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

I'll be at the VGF in 2 weeks. My heart aches for this poor family. I will certainly take a few minutes and say a little prayer, have a moment of silence, whatever. It won't change anything other than allowing me to feel for this boy and his family. I couldn't even begin to imagine the pain they feel.

 

[goofy4prez]

I agree 100% with Tax Guy.

I am completely at a loss of words for this poor family. And for some here on the DIS I am actually disgusted to see the blame game going on or what a sign says or doesn't say or what it should mean and etc. IT IS DISGUSTING! At this moment the reality is a beautiful little boy's life was taken from him so tragically, and this family will live the rest of their lives having seen this alligator snatch their little child right before their eyes. As a father I can't even imagine the horror of what they saw and how they are feeling right now.

Just last week I stayed at the VGF and stood on that very same beach and in just about that exact same location my DD (18) stood in her graduation gown inches from the water line as I took photo's of her. It numbs me to think she also could have been in danger. I even noticed in the background of our pictures there were young toddlers right at the waters edge playing in the sand and even getting their toes wet; another chance for tragedy. I'm not even going to sit here at my keyboard and play DIS or Internet police and place the blame on this family or Disney... I'm sure there will be changes coming in the future from Disney, and I'm sure there will be discussion of who is at or not at fault, but at least right now can't we just keep this family in our prayers and for those of you who don't believe in prayer, then keep them in your thoughts.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

I guess I'll never understand why some people feel the need to "always be right". Losing focus on the bigger picture in this situation, and for what? Jesus..... **** already. Points or not, I don't care. This poor family doesn't care how you interpret signs. I don't care how you interpret signs. You know what? EVERYTHING is preventable. EVERYTHING. Its easy to say, you shouldn't have done this, or you shouldn't have done that.... it could have been avoided if they/you didn't this or didn't that. Fact of the matter is, its a tragic accident that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

I'll be at the VGF in 2 weeks. My heart aches for this poor family. I will certainly take a few minutes and say a little prayer, have a moment of silence, whatever. It won't change anything other than allowing me to feel for this boy and his family. I couldn't even begin to imagine the pain they feel.

I was going to put a high five or something smily here, but it just didn't seem right to do so. But yes yes yes.


Things happen, people.

We used to not use seatbelts, not put our kids in car seats, put them in the front seat. We used to feed our babies cereal at one month to help them sleep, swaddle/not swaddle, lay on their belly/on their sides/on their backs. We used to swim in lakes and rivers and ponds without a thought about the dangers. We rode rides at fairs and carnivals that we would never put our kids on today. We played with jarts and mercury. All these things changed because we learned about the dangers of doing them.

Time and perspective change everything.

Disney will change the signage. Maybe even remove the beach area, put down rocks, make it a sharp drop off point. It won't help this family, but it may help the next one.

 

[SgtTibbs]

Disney will change the signage. Maybe even remove the beach area, put down rocks, make it a sharp drop off point. It won't help this family, but it may help the next one.

Putting up signs warning of the dangers of Alligators will lead to more people being in/near the water. Why? Because some people are stupid about animals and if you tell them there are gators in the lagoon they are going to want to see them, feed them, get selfies with them. You see it in State Parks all the time. Don't feed the bears, but every year people do. New warning signs will perhaps protect Disney from some measure of liability but it will be at the cost of actually increasing the real danger.

 

[DizBelle]

Did anyone else read that bear warning sign all the way to the end?

 

[DizBelle]

They found the child, but not the gator.

From what I read, they do believe that one of the 5 gators they pulled an euthanized is the one that snatched the child.

 

[DizBelle]

I think
Most of us can agree that once you are in a certain depth that you are in a recreational sense swimming no one is arguing that, many of us however don't consider ankle depth swimming depth.



Take Australia for example, because of the danger of sharks many of the beaches (like Bondi) have shark bets to allow for recreational swimming in the ocean. And all other beaches would have specific warning stating what is a danger (sharks, crocs, jellyfish etc)

From what I've read, they were in about 1 foot deep of water when the alligator came up. For a toddler, that would be about half of his body in the water.

 

[DizBelle]

This lake was completely man made. It isn't comparable to a dammed reservoir.

Gators aren't really a protected species any more. Someone noted a limited amount of hunting, but any deemed a nuisance will be trapped and killed. They're not like marine mammals, which are protected species in the US even when they aren't listed as threatened or endangered.

Seven Seas Lagoon was man made but the connecting Bay Lake, I believe, was not man made. Since they are connected, I think we can consider Seven Seas Lagoon not man made by proxy.