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Original poster

Accident of sorts at Disney in Florida, may be upsetting

549 replies

CheerfulYank · 15/06/2016 05:46

A two year old was dragged into the lagoon by an alligator a few hours ago and hasn't been seen since.

It's so awful I feel like I can't breathe. I cannot imagine how scared he/she was and what the parents are feeling.

Accounts vary but apparently they were sitting on the beach either waiting for fireworks or having movie night. It's just too awful. I'm sure it was supposed to be a wonderful trip and now this.

I know the chances that child will be found alive are almost nothing, but I am hoping against hope that he or she is. I just cannot imagine.

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LIZS · 15/06/2016 08:22

Bbc 5 live were reporting it earlier.

AndYourBirdCanSing · 15/06/2016 08:27

Lem because people lot of people aren't wildlife experts and wouldn't expect to find alligators in what I would have thought was a purpose built resort? And if there was a known risk, that they would be at least warned?

Tattieboggle · 15/06/2016 08:31

I don't know Little. This is not even slightly about me in any fashion but I feel so sick and I keep thinking of it and crying. We have been saving up to go to Disneyworld, you know? I can't even imagine how they must be feeling. It's just such a scary world and lately it feels like a scary country I live in

I think you need to try and step back from this a bit. It's not your tragedy, it's another families, and we have no right to make such a big thing of it in our life as you are doing.

I've stayed at that resort and I'm going back in September. . I've also seen people swimming in the lake. Im shocked by what has happened and my thoughts are with the family but it's their very private agony. It is absolutely not mine or anyone else's.

mouldycheesefan · 15/06/2016 08:36

We were thee couple of weeks ago including at that hotel and there are no signs anywhere in Disney about alligators. My dds were playing at the lakeside happily.

Original poster
CheerfulYank · 15/06/2016 08:37

I clearly stated it wasn't about me Tattie.

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Original poster
CheerfulYank · 15/06/2016 08:38

I was answering Little's question.

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mouldycheesefan · 15/06/2016 08:38

The things is when people say " purpose built resort" the whole area is full of lakes it was built on swamp land. Disneyworld is the size of a city its vast, and in fact has city status as 59 million people a year go there. Keeping alligators out wpuld be impossible, but it is bad that there are no signs anywhere. Elsewhere in Florida there are signs at every lake and waterway.

Original poster
CheerfulYank · 15/06/2016 08:42

It's a man made lagoon though, right? It does seem odd that they would dig a lagoon for more fresh water in alligator prone areas and then encourage people to use it.

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YourPerception · 15/06/2016 08:42

I had no idea they would be walking around the Disney resort. Everyone doesn't know. Poor kid. Poor parents.

Blu · 15/06/2016 08:44

I had no idea that alligators were a threat to humans in Florida, or anywhere in America. I thought they were small and quite rare Shock.

I googled 'alligators Florida' and there are numerous, recent, reports of alligator attacks, sightings and trapping of massive alligators, and one horrific story of an adult human death from the last week.

Very tragic for this family Sad

mouldycheesefan · 15/06/2016 08:44

The lagoons and lakes are there because the resort was built on swamp land. There are loads of lakes in Disney.

There are not alligators walking round Disneyland. 😳

59 million people go there every year, how many have been attacked by an alligator? You have got more chance being killed by a dog in the uk.

redhat · 15/06/2016 08:45

To be fair to Disney there are alligator signs around the lakes

Accident of sorts at Disney in Florida, may be upsetting
mouldycheesefan · 15/06/2016 08:46

Yes a man died last week in an alligator attack in Florida.
We spent five hours driving across rural Florida on our recent Disney trip. The are signs everywhere and most lakes have fences around them, but not all.

Original poster
CheerfulYank · 15/06/2016 08:46

The articles I've read say that the signs around this particular lagoon said no swimming but didn't mention alligators.

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mouldycheesefan · 15/06/2016 08:48

I was at this lagoon two weeks ago, it does say no swimming but doesn't mention alligators. I never saw an alligator sign within Disney.

DollyBarton · 15/06/2016 08:50

Tattie, give her a break. You are right that it's best to try and block yourself from becoming too upset about other peoples strategies but sometimes things just resonate or affect us more than we can control.

The horror of this story makes my blood run cold. I can't imagine the sheer terror going through the parents minds both during and after. On that note, I'll now try to block thinking about this. It's too awful.

Sallystyle · 15/06/2016 08:50

Poor little boy and his poor parents :(

It's just beyond heart breaking.

ohtheholidays · 15/06/2016 08:51

That poor little baby,I am praying for a miracle for that poor little boy and his poor family.If he isn't alive I hope like another poster said that it was quick.

I had no idea that alligators would be a problem there but it does sound like an accident waiting to happen going by the accounts from some posters on here that have been near there and saw people swimming in there and the reports of people that are on the resort now and had no idea they could be in danger being that close to that area,it's madness on Disneys part!

OP that was really kind of you to defend the family against some idiots that have been posting messages blaming the family.Like you've said if your not from that area or an area that has problems with alligators and there weren't enough warnings how would you know.

redhat · 15/06/2016 08:51

That's incorrect OP.

Obviously everyone's heart goes out to this poor family but people nowadays are quick to jump to blame and it isn't true that there are no warning signs.

This particular sign is on that very lagoon (next door at the polynesian)

Accident of sorts at Disney in Florida, may be upsetting
gingerboy1912 · 15/06/2016 08:56

Poor poor boy and his parents must be distraught Sad

WhatALoadOfWankers · 15/06/2016 08:56

This is so sad

mouldycheesefan · 15/06/2016 08:56

Red hat, but were there signs at the grand Floridian warning of alligators? I never saw any. A sign at the Polynesian wouldn't have been much help to this family would it?

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 15/06/2016 08:57

We were at Disney last year and quite a few cast members mentioned alligators to us... And we saw one in the magic kingdom carpark, and there was one in the waterways of the splash mountain ride... They remove them all the time but they just get back in.

I've never stayed at this hotel but the film screening isn't right next to the water is it? That seems unlikely. Disney are very safety conscious.

That poor family... My heart goes out to them. Apparently the little boy was holding one of his parents hands... They are just so quick.

PandasRock · 15/06/2016 08:58

There are no signs that I've seen on any of the beach areas at the Disney resorts.

My children were playing on the beach at the Floridian earlier this year (and at the Beach Club, and the Polynesian), and as other posters have said, there are very visible no swimming signs but nothing else.

I am not disputing that your picture is from the Poly, but I've never see those signs by the sandy areas.

Original poster
CheerfulYank · 15/06/2016 08:58

That's good red hat. I haven't been there, I was just going off what the articles had said.

Thank you Dolly. I can't stand people who make tragedies about them and I really didn't intend to if I did. You're right in that it just resonates. You hear a lot of stories in the news and you think "oh God how awful" and then sometimes, for whatever reason, one comes along that just makes you sick. (I do, anyway). This just struck me like that, that's all.

Anyway. The sheriff has said they won't leave until they have resolution, which I hope they do soon of whatever kind. The sun should be up in a few hours.

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