Child pulled into water by alligator near Grand Floridian

[RedSox68]

Redbudlover said: ↑
Are you kidding? Alligators kill people! Jump in the water with an aggressive alligator? NO!!!



I agree.

The thing that boggles my mind, as a parent, is why didn't the father or the mother (one of them) wouldn't go after the gator. I know the reports say that both tried to grab the boy but were unsuccessful. But, and this is just my mindset as a parent, there's no way in hell I would leave the gator without trying everything. I mean if the gator grabbed the boy then you go in and hang on tight and keep fighting. Even if that means going down with it. I would rather die trying to save my baby girl than walk out of the water with scratches and live to tell about it.
And yes I do realize that there are 2 other children to think about -- hence why I mentioned one of them should have went after.

Were you there? Were these reporters writing the articles there? Do you really know how hard the father fought or how far he went out? You have no right to judge in a horrific situation like this. You can say what you would do from the safety of your chair at home, but in the situation of life and death, with an alligator snapping at you and you (probably) trying not to tear your kids arm off in the tug of war, you have no idea what would be going through your mind. Sheer shock and disbelief might cause a person to freeze and not be able to process what they are seeing. They move VERY fast and often drag their victims underwater. It is unfathomable to me how so many can say the parents didn't do the right thing. Well guess what - they are now stuck with the godawful scene they witnessed and will never be able to forget it.

 

[michelleiada]

Nobody is to blame here. It's like being up north at a resort in the mountains or at our beautiful national parks. The mountains and national parks have all kinds of wildlife including bears, Bobcats, etc. But we still visit resorts in the mountains and visit the national parks. Although rare, sometimes people are attacked and killed by an animal. It is terrible and tragic but it happens. Alligator attacks are extremely rare and most are not fatal. It is my understanding that Alligators don't typically prey on humans and thus the threat is minimal. There is risk in everything we do. This is a rare and tragic event. Nobody is at fault.

 

[MissManda]

Redbudlover said: ↑
Are you kidding? Alligators kill people! Jump in the water with an aggressive alligator? NO!!!



I agree.

The thing that boggles my mind, as a parent, is why didn't the father or the mother (one of them) wouldn't go after the gator. I know the reports say that both tried to grab the boy but were unsuccessful. But, and this is just my mindset as a parent, there's no way in hell I would leave the gator without trying everything. I mean if the gator grabbed the boy then you go in and hang on tight and keep fighting. Even if that means going down with it. I would rather die trying to save my baby girl than walk out of the water with scratches and live to tell about it.
And yes I do realize that there are 2 other children to think about -- hence why I mentioned one of them should have went after.

I'm sure that man did everything that he could to save his child. Just because he didn't die trying doesn't mean he wouldn't have been willing to. He tried to fight him off. The gator is an aquatic animal and probably swam away leaving that poor man helpless. I'm sure right now he wishes he was dead and his child was alive.

I can't believe how judgmental people are being. First its the parents fault for letting him wade in the water, now its his fault for not trying hard enough to save him, now he's being judged for not giving his own life to try and save his child. My God....think about what this family has just endured and everyone out in "internet land" is judging and blaming instead of grieving with him. Makes me sick.

Just to weigh in on the whole wading/swimming debate....a No Swimming signs means different things to different people based on where they are from and what they are used to. Wading in a few inches of water is not swimming. The sign did not say Stay Out of Water. It said No Swimming. This child and his father were not swimming. If Disney didn't want anyone in the water at all, the signage should have indicated that. Plus, they also should not have built up the beach areas with playgounds and events that draw people to the water. Its natural for kids especially to want to put their feet in the water and play. I'm sure the last thing people expect to have happen is to be dragged into the water and be killed by a gator. This family has experienced an unimaginable tragedy while on vacation. They need love, prayers, sympathy. Not judgment.

 

[elizabethswan]

Just look at how close(and inviting) the child playset is to the water! I would be surprised if Disney did NOT get rid of all the stuff on the shores of the lake.

where and when was this photo taken? yikes, there is a person in the water and i am really surprised by how close the playset and hammocks are to the water. is this recent?

 

[ryansstitch]

I'm betting it happened so quickly that it was over before others could react. As for the parents, they both jumped in, but alligators swim very fast. It was dark, they were confused. .

Yes that's quite likely

 

[boltjames]

Just look at how close(and inviting) the child playset is to the water! I would be surprised if Disney did NOT get rid of all the stuff on the shores of the lake.

Play gym's on the beach is only the tip of the iceberg, it's going to be more than that, trust me.

My wife works for a large company that hosts an annual gathering at Disney World every February, big national conference. They stay at the Beach Club or the Boardwalk every year and the highlight of the trip is the big beach barbecue where about 75 executives and their families are treated to a huge spread of food on a narrow strip of beach, the odor of fresh meat lofting through the nighttime air, kids sitting at tables just a few feet from water's edge, watching the fireworks glisten on the water.

Not going to happen next year, trust me on that. No one in her company is going to want their little ones kicking off the flip-flop's and kicking the sand on that tiny beach, no adult is going to want to sit with their backs to the water and their feet hitting the sand under a table that's filled with the smells of BBQ pork and chicken.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Where is this child's body? A five foot gator can't swallow a whole kid and not die. Why haven't they found this gorged gator. They don't eat a whole person and swim back to the everglades.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Ive stayed on the monorial loop many many times. It is common knowledge that there are gators in the lagoon and in Bay Lake. I dont go near the water, mostly because it looks disgusting and full of bacteria. I am a parent of 3, often called a helicopter Mom. If the water looked refreshing in any way, I probably would have dipped my toes in it a few times. Im from the North and dont have a ton of knowledge about alligators. Yes, I know they kill, but my mentality, until now, if I dont see one, they dont see me! I wouldnt imagine it coming up to the beach out of nowhere. I guess Im super lucky the water looked gross.

I have been parasailing and wakeboarding in Bay Lake. Sammy Duvall runs the programs at the Contemporary. Would they allow people in the water if it was unsafe?

When I first heard the story, not knowing the resort, I thought for sure it was Ft Wilderness. Kids are in that water all the time.

So back to my original point about staying at the resorts on the monorail loop. Not once have I seen a sign about alligators. Yes, do not swim, but nothing about alligators. I heard it from the boat captains, and hear it quite often. Possibly this family hadnt taken a ferry and did not know.

It is just so horrific. My heart continues to sink thinking about it. All my thoughts and prayers go out to this family.

 

[manicstreet]

Evidently the dis unplugged needs to do better advertising if you don't have a clue what podcast I'm referring too. You are using his site. I assumed you were a fan like most of us here.

Podcasts? What podcast? Am I supposed to listen to a podcast before going to Disney World to learn of hidden dangers?

When skiing off-terrain in Colorado, they put up big signs that say AVALANCHE WARNING. They don't put up signs that say "Shh, please." That's what happened here.

 

[Cira]

I, personally would erect something to keep people away from the shore. That way, parents and kids can enjoy the beauty of the view (including water), without having to move the jungle gym far away.

I agree completely. If Disney put up a sign addressing the real threat (man-eating alligator) and then the parents let their kids go in the water, I'm with you, stupid parents. But that's not the case this time.

All Disney resorts have beaches with jungle gym's, lounge chairs, and hammocks on them. If there is a legitimate chance that every body of water in Florida has an alligator in it then don't you think that Disney either should very clearly tell guests about it or, I don't know, stop building kiddie structures a few feet from the water?

Those people in that photo there. You think they're doing something wrong? They breaking some rule? Do they deserve to die because Walt Disney built beautiful kiddie beaches atop an alligator habitat and decided not to tell anyone about it?

 

[Lucys dad]

I'm blown away that some are trying to distinguish "no swimming" from "no wading".
Really??

MG

And I'm blown away by your complete lack of self awareness. I can only assume your input on this thread is down to desperate attention seeking. Surely nobody can be that crass.

 

[Disn3yVision]

It is sickening how insensitive some people can be. The family did absolutely NOTHING wrong. No swimming does not mean no wading but that argument is irrelevant because this could have happened even if the boy was one foot away from the water walking along shores edge, and i'm sorry but no swimming definitely doesn't mean don't go anywhere near the water. The real issue is that being ANYWHERE near the shoreline puts you at risk for a potential Alligator attack and nowhere is that made known to the guest other than assuming they have "common sense." Granted it may be extremely unlikely, but it is still a KNOWN risk and one non florida natives such as myself are completely unfamiliar with. If Disney is going to invite and even entice families to enjoy activities so close to the water's edge (and even in the water with wake boarding, etc), where they are at risk of being eaten and killed, it is their responsibility to educate them of that risk. Disney knew this was possible but calculated it was extremely unlikely and that posting "Beware of Alligator" signs would have negative effects to attendance and public image (IE their bottom line and profit). The past is now the past but if there is even a 1% chance a sign saying Beware of Alligators could save one persons life then it should have been put up a long time ago. If Disney can put up signs right below the no swimming signs that say don't feed the birds and explain why in depth they can put up beware of alligator signs. Disney took a calculated risk not to put more specific signage up because they thought this was unlikely to happen and didn't want to jeopardize profits. Sure this was a freak accident but I guarantee Disney executives has discussed the possibility of this happening many times and decided not to act on it for whatever reason. They didn't put safety first, period, and therefore are partially at fault in my opinion.

 

[ryansstitch]

Where is this child's body? A five foot gator can't swallow a whole kid and not die. Why haven't they found this gorged gator. They don't eat a whole person and swim back to the everglades.

I don't know much about alligators and how much they can eat. But I do know 2 year olds are often not much bigger than say, a large opossum. Mine is only 27 pounds. I hope the alligator did die. But gosh, 2 year olds are so small.

 

[barney4liz]

Where is this child's body? A five foot gator can't swallow a whole kid and not die. Why haven't they found this gorged gator. They don't eat a whole person and swim back to the everglades.

Unfortunately, gators don't feed like that. They will lodge their prey underwater someplace and feed off of it as it decomposes. Sorry for the graphic description, but that is what they do. And this is a helluva long way from the Everglades, btw.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Wakeboarding in Bay Lake.....

 

[RedSox68]

I sure wish these boards had a dislike button for some of these posts!

 

[grimley1968]

And I'm blown away by your complete lack of self awareness. I can only assume your input on this thread is down to desperate attention seeking. Surely nobody can be that crass.

Unfortunately, that's not the only input on this thread that can be can be characterized that way. Read a few posts above yours. Nasty stuff.

No amount of doubting witness accounts, blaming the parents, blaming the witnesses, blaming Disney, or blaming any other group can change the fact that this was simply a tragic accident. I realize it's sometimes easier to accept a tragedy if there is a convenient scapegoat, but this is not one of those cases. It's just a tragic, and extremely rare, accident. Disney could and probably should do more to keep alligators and people separated on their property, but scapegoating won't bring that child back.

 

[ryansstitch]

Ive stayed on the monorial loop many many times. It is common knowledge that there are gators in the lagoon and in Bay Lake. I dont go near the water, mostly because it looks disgusting and full of bacteria. I am a parent of 3, often called a helicopter Mom. If the water looked refreshing in any way, I probably would have dipped my toes in it a few times. Im from the North and dont have a ton of knowledge about alligators. Yes, I know they kill, but my mentality, until now, if I dont see one, they dont see me! I wouldnt imagine it coming up to the beach out of nowhere. I guess Im super lucky the water looked gross.

I have been parasailing and wakeboarding in Bay Lake. Sammy Duvall runs the programs at the Contemporary. Would they allow people in the water if it was unsafe?

When I first heard the story, not knowing the resort, I thought for sure it was Ft Wilderness. Kids are in that water all the time.

So back to my original point about staying at the resorts on the monorail loop. Not once have I seen a sign about alligators. Yes, do not swim, but nothing about alligators. I heard it from the boat captains, and hear it quite often. Possibly this family hadnt taken a ferry and did not know.

It is just so horrific. My heart continues to sink thinking about it. All my thoughts and prayers go out to this family.

Your point about Sammy Duvall is why I think there really was a failure to communicate risk to guests.if no swimming does indeed mean don't touch the water, Disney certainly doesn't agree.

 

[manicstreet]

I agree with you. I am not blaming anyone. I just don't think Disney is at fault. This was a tragedy. That doesn't have to mean that anyone is at fault.

 

[obx_mama]

First, my heart is breaking and I can't comprehend this happened. Prayers for the family and anyone who was there during this horrific event.

Now, to those posters saying they would have helped and why didn't the parents fight more, I wasn't there, but I am betting this happened in a matter of seconds. Think about it. You hear a splash and some yelling, you turn your head to see where it's happening, you maybe run towards the area. 20 seconds maybe, and this child was gone.