Gators at resorts...facts and wise tips

[boltjames]

I actually read that he was wading in the water and that his sister was on the beach in a pen.

"Wading in the water" for a 2 year old that is 34" tall, can't swim, is from Nebraska, at 2 hours past his bedtime that law enforcement said was "a foot out" from the shore or about 3" of water. He was standing in a puddle. He's 2. You realize this, yes?

This family was not night swimming in a lake. They were walking around on a tiny beach watching fireworks and an animal came up out of the water and grabbed the small shadow that was splashing around. The family is not to blame for being at the edge of the water, they get the best view there and it's encouraged. The only warning is "no swimming" and they weren't swimming.

Oh, and here's what we non-Floridian's learned today: People shouldn't encourage families with small children to congregate near water in the dark because apparently there are alligators down there who are hungry. Fools like me from New York might be excused for not knowing Floridian amphibian culture; there's no excuse for Disney.

 

[boltjames]

Note to all NYers. No swimming to me means do not go in the water.

A 2 year old is walking in 3" of water because, wait for it, beaches tend to end where the water begins and you think he is "in the water" or "swimming".

We own a beach house in New England. When the weather is bad, the flags go up, no one goes in the water. But people go down and walk at the shoreline, take a stroll. They're not at risk of a rip tide because they're not in the water, they're not swimming, they're walking.

 

[disneydreamer781]

"Wading in the water" for a 2 year old that is 34" tall, can't swim, is from Nebraska, at 2 hours past his bedtime that law enforcement said was "a foot out" from the shore or about 3" of water. He was standing in a puddle. He's 2. You realize this, yes?

This family was not night swimming in a lake. They were walking around on a tiny beach watching fireworks and an animal came up out of the water and grabbed the small shadow that was splashing around. The family is not to blame for being at the edge of the water, they get the best view there and it's encouraged. The only warning is "no swimming" and they weren't swimming.

Oh, and here's what we non-Floridian's learned today: People shouldn't encourage families with small children to congregate near water in the dark because apparently there are alligators down there who are hungry. Fools like me from New York might be excused for not knowing Floridian amphibian culture; there's no excuse for Disney.

What are you so hostile? I'm just relating what I read. Relax!

 

[boltjames]

What are you so hostile? I'm just relating what I read. Relax!

Apologies! Not intending to sound that way.

Details here, boy's name, photos, etc:

http://heavy.com/news/2016/06/matt-...y-orlando-nebraska-son-photos-video-daughter/

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Many people thought the "no swimming sign" means there is bacteria in the water . Isn't bacteria as equally scary as a man-eating alligator??? I would not let my kids to touch a drop of that dirty lake water with the chances of getting sick during a vacation.

Right now, in Jacksonville area, we're dealing with a toxic algae bloom on the St. Johns River, Doctor's Lake, and other areas. It's killing the fish, and people have been warned to not even boat on it.
Plus there is flesh eating bacteria in the waters around the gulf.
And then the brain eating amoeba.

 

[HopperFan]

I think we need to really get away from this "No Swimming" definition discussion because it really doesn't matter and is not beneficial.

And folks continuing to make excuses is not beneficial at all. No need to tell others what to discuss.

What I do know is Disney needs to make their signs very clear to stay out of the water and build barriers. It reminds me of a marketing class when a lawnmower company had to put on their boxes, do not use to trim hedges. Well apparently since the warnings were not explicit enough, it happened.

It was a tragedy, horrible, but folks need to find a lesson in all this so it won't happen again and it's to stay out of the water as warned.

And sadly as usual there are so many stories swirling around that it's just best to stick with the facts as presented by the Sheriff.

The child WAS IN THE WATER, whether a few inches or a few feet, he had (for whatever reason) entered the lake in the dark which put him in danger.

It's not helpful to perpetuate he was on the beach and the gator came up out of the water on to the beach to grab him, as that creates more panic.

 

[Dave006]

Gators are not relocated in Florida. They are captured and killed. The last paragraph above is good advice. I live in Florida on a pond and watch the gators in my back yard. They do move around on land when traveling from pond to pond, usually after dark.

You are incorrect, there is no blanket rule on killing alligators vs relocation.

If a licensed trapper or a FWC officer removes an alligator that is not aggressive or has not been "hand fed". It is very easy to tell, the alligator will approach directly looking for food (a handout). The normal behavior is for most of them to just submerge in water or slowly swim away when encountering humans. They are relocated to designated areas and will not return.

Alligators 8 ft or larger establish a territory and they can be very aggressive. The issue with larger male alligators, they establish a territory and will return to it instinctually from quite a distance. Also this time of year is alligator mating season, and many alligators are on the move looking for a mate and a home "nesting area".

Dave

 

[OKW Lover]

If a licensed trapper or a FWC officer removes an alligator that is not aggressive or has not been "hand fed". It is very easy to tell, the alligator will approach directly looking for food (a handout). The normal behavior is for most of them to just submerge in water or slowly swim away when encountering humans. They are relocated to designated areas and will not return.

I live just two miles from the Castle in the MK in a community that has several small ponds. There's one in my back yard in which we have seen alligators several times. Our HOA has passed along information to us from FWC and the Orange County Sheriff's office that all gators that are trapped are euthanized, not relocated.

 

[PrinceOfPeace]

I am the original poster. I just wanted to thank all of you who responded. You have all been so kind and informative!! I tried to use my verbiage so it would not lead to a word war and my questions were a means to help not just myself. So grateful for responses.

My prayers and thoughts are with the family. I know when I'm exhausted I sometimes make dumb decisions without realizing....so no judgement here. For me, I do interpret 'no swimming' as 'keep out'. Had no idea about venomous snakes....however we live on land in SoCal and have to keep an eye out for rattle snakes.

Grace and peace

 

[Hikergirl]

A 2 year old is walking in 3" of water because, wait for it, beaches tend to end where the water begins and you think he is "in the water" or "swimming".

We own a beach house in New England. When the weather is bad, the flags go up, no one goes in the water. But people go down and walk at the shoreline, take a stroll. They're not at risk of a rip tide because they're not in the water, they're not swimming, they're walking.

Not sure if you put that "e" at the end of my "not" but I did not say "Note to all NYers" in my original post, I said "Not to all NYers".

 

[msnewfie]

My heart and prayers are with the family at this sad time.

 

[conandrob240]

The No Swimming signage and designation is going to be a critical distinction moving forward. The fact that the sign says simply No swimming AND that Disney encourages activities on the shoreline/beach are going to mean that Disney will be paying out on one huge lawsuit. Had the sign said "Stay away from water-alligators" and there were no chairs/activities on the beach, the outcome may have been very,very different.

 

[rg35]

So, when did gators stop walking on land?

It is the motion in the water that draws their attention. They typically attack from water (and in the dark).

 

[rg35]

There are 1.6 million alligators in Florida. It's not practical for Disney to be able to keep them out. What happened here is terrible, no doubt.

Fools like me from New York might be excused for not knowing Floridian amphibian culture; there's no excuse for Disney.

I am also from New York, but being from out of the area is really no excuse to not be well informed about the area you are traveling to. When we stay at Old Key West I am always wary of alligators because there are several bodies of water throughout.

 

[HopperFan]

One could also assume that since Disney lets people wakeboard in the seven seas lagoon for a fee, it is safe to be in the water. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/recreation/contemporary-resort/wakeboarding/

Amoeba and alligators are along the shores. The water sports occur out in the deeper water.

 

[chigirl]

There are dangerous bacteria and alligators in water in Florida, but the Disney bubble gets most people too comfortable. Plus a family from Nebraska might not know that, if they dont know alot about Florida. I was taught as a child by my Floridian grandparents to stay away from fresh water and especially at night, but many dont know. Famed zoologist Jack Hanna was on the radio in Chicago and he said this was a freak incident, like a 5 million in one chance. When you think of the millions of people who have been to Disney since it opened in the 70s: this is the first gator related death and second attack. Every time Ive been to wdw, Ive seen alligators, but I love nature, so I was looking. Just like I look for the feral cats at Disneyland. Stay out of murky water anywhere in summer...even here in Chicago ponds get Naegeli Floweri, a dangerous bacteria. Couple that with coral snakes, cane rattlers, alligators...its awful. I feel devastated for poor Orlando. I also couldnt help but think of a famous short story by the author TC Boyle called "Jubilation". Its a take off on Celebration, and the park is called Contash World. In the story, a 2 year old gets plucked off a boat by a gator, on a man made lagoon where alligators evicted from Contash World were placed. I read the story years ago and it disturbed me, then I thought of it again with this event. Poor boy. Poor family. Unimaginable.

 

[opusone]

Amoeba and alligators are along the shores. The water sports occur out in the deeper water.

Actually, when you rent a ski boat there, you are in the water by the shore at certain times (at least we were in 2014). They take you to a dock at the north end of Bay Lake which is right next to the shore. That is where they get tubes, etc. to drag behind the boat. That is also where we first entered the water.

 

[amyamya]

I'm a native Californian here and have never been to Florida. Two confusing things for me regarding this horrific story....they called the area where the boy was wading/walking/whatever a BEACH, and from the news footage there are lounge chairs near the water? Was swimming permitted at one time? What is this area used for now? Can someone clarify? Thanks!

 

[rg35]

Famed zoologist Jack Hanna was on the radio in Chicago and he said this was a freak incident, like a 5 million in one chance. When you think of the millions of people who have been to Disney since it opened in the 70s: this is the first gator related death and second attack.

Attacks are rare. I believe there have been only 24 gator fatalities in Florida since the 1940s. There are about a dozen bites reported each year. The chance of being killed by a gator is very low. This is a very unfortunate incident. I can't imagine the devastation that this family is going through. I can't imagine how the father is handling it - fighting the alligator to save his son and being unable to. I don't know how I would be able to move on.

 

[boltjames]

I'm a native Californian here and have never been to Florida. Two confusing things for me regarding this horrific story....they called the area where the boy was wading/walking/whatever a BEACH, and from the news footage there are lounge chairs near the water? Was swimming permitted at one time? What is this area used for now? Can someone clarify? Thanks!

It's artificial but it looks like a beach, it acts like a beach, it has chairs and hammocks like a beach, it has a jungle gym like a beach.....you aren't allowed to swim in the water but there is nothing physically there to keep kids from dipping their toes in and everything there encourages families to treat it like a real beach.

They're everywhere. This one is at the Carribean Beach Resort at DW.

This is the actual beach where the incident occurred, note the little kids at the shoreline as it gets dark and the outdoor movie is about to begin. The gator was hiding submerged a few feet off shore and then lunged and pulled the boy off the beach and under. Note that none of the kids are 'swimming' but all are in mortal danger with no warnings posted for parents.