Accident of sorts at Disney in Florida, may be upsetting

[CheerfulYank]

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.

[redhat]

There's no welcome meeting at Disney hotels. People are coming and going 24/7.

[Goldenhandshake]

I have a 2 year old and saw this on the news this morning, was like a punch to the guts, absolutely stomach churning thinking what that poor baby and his family have been through.
Reports I've seen say the Father tried to wrestle with the alligator to get the boy back

[passmethewineplease]

I cannot get my head round this.

It's such a freak accident.

That poor family. Their lives changed forever on what was supposed to be a lovely holiday. Doesn't bear thinking about.

[divafever99]

Tragic story. We have booked to go to Florida next year, I had no idea alligators were so common there.

[Mrs9C]

Awful! To be honest it's possible the dangerous of alligators in Florida aren't highlighted enough, it sickens me to read "everyone knows there are alligators" errr well, yes I knew there were alligators, but to be honest I did not know they lived in built up areas, I honestly thought they were more in country areas, what do I know! This has put me off planning a trip to Florida, I have been doing a lot of looking into a holiday there and I haven't once come across anything about alligators. The poor parents, my heart goes out to them .

[CheerfulYank]

I've read that too Golden, that both the father and mother entered the water to try to get him back. The father has some minor injuries to his hands.

[TheFairyCaravan]

It's so, so sad.

We've seen alligators in Florida. I would never have expected them to be in Disney though. That probably makes me really stupid.

That poor, poor family.

[Magicpaintbrush]

This is an absolutely horrifying tragedy, very upsetting, that poor family will be traumatised by this for the rest of their lives.

I love Disney, but I think if alligators were known to be in the lagoon then there should have been barriers up. You wouldn't knowingly wander around an alligator enclosure in a zoo without any defences. I think there will be changes made after this.

I think the chances of finding this poor child - at all - are tiny. Absolutely horrific. The poor poor family.

[AppleSetsSail]

I can't even imagine what that poor father has to live with for the rest of his life. I hope he gets the support he needs.

Ugh.

[BoatyMcBoat]

I felt sick when I heard this on BBC earlier too. You can't help but empathise, can you.

Reading this thread has been an education. (I really want to know what you do if you fall into an ice hole.) I had assumed that Disneyland was enclosed, completely cut off.

[AppleSetsSail]

I really can't get my head around this either.

[redhat]

The theme parks are enclosed with security on the entrances. Disneyworld itself is about the size of greater manchester and there are roads etc running through it. It isn't enclosed.

[PansyGiraffe]

Disneyworld is in total about 47 square miles of swamp. It's full of lakes because it has to be - it's a swamp, there's a high water table, and they need to drain the other bits. There is no way you can keep the native wildlife out of the area completely, even if they try their best and remove those they see.

I am sure this tragedy will mean the beach areas will be closed in future to everyone.

[imwithspud]

I read about this earlier, it's awful. That poor family and that poor boy.

Already seen some disgusting comments on Facebook berating the parents and assuming that they weren't watching their child. Makes me angry, what good does blaming the parents do? I'm sure they're beating themselves up enough as it is.

[Mrs9C]

Makes me angry too, the parent blaming. The child was in a FOOT of water. And my 2yo won't hold me hand, she's fiercely independent...as many 2yos are. I don't hold her hand on the beach, I let her play, assuming it's a safe haven. Who would expect such danger at a Disney beach. Maybe they don't want to let on it's a problem incase of bad publicity. OR maybe it was a real freak accident .

[notamummy10]

imwithspud whenever a tragic accident like this, people are always quick to point the finger at the parents. I think some people lack empathy as an emotion!

[Mrs9C]

Sorry my* not me!

[ArmfulOfRoses]

Yy, No Swimming to me would mean exactly that!

It would make me think the water was dirty, or deep, had a steep drop off.
It wouldnt make me think fast moving huge deadly creatures so don't even dip a toe in.

Horrific.

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

no one needs to blame the parents, I'm sure they're already doing that themselves...

[LordoftheTits]

We have booked to go to Florida next year, I had no idea alligators were so common there.

We are too, a big family holiday next October. Thankfully we won't be travelling with children so that's one less thing to worry about.

I had absolutely no idea that alligators were so common.

[Laiste]

Horrific. Sickening.

I'm amazed. It makes sense that there are alligators around when you put two and two together re: Disney being huge and built on/around swamp lands but i always pictured the resort as 'closed off' from the outside. Like a theme park would be over here. So unless there was something about it in the reading material or obvious signs or someone told us on arrival then i wouldn't have a clue to worry about alligators either.

[redhat]

There was apparently a boy in the late 80s who was attacked at the Wilderness Lodge hotel (also very close the the Grand Floridian) but his sister managed to drag him away and he survived.

[WannaBe]

TBH I would assume no swimming meant no going into the water. Wouldn't necessarily assume alligators but would assume no swimming meant no paddling either. After all what to an adult is paddling is swimming to a two year old iyswim.

But I don't understand people saying they're reluctant to go to Florida now because of alligators. They have always been there. And only 22 people have been killed by them over the past 50 years. Given the millions and millions of people who visit Florida every year that amount is negligible. I wonder how many people have drowned in swimming pools there in the same period of time? Died in car accidents? Or been gunned down by some nutjob with a gun.

[TwirlyHoos]

My family have had a house near Disney for 10 years which backs on to a small lake. It is in a gated area and you often see alligators in the lake (although all the pools at the backs of the houses are completely enclosed) but we are told that they are always relocated when they reach 5ft in length and no one makes a big deal about them. We have walked around that lake over the last 10 years numerous times with growing nieces and nephews and, more recently, our DS. Whilst we would never paddle in the water, we have got pretty close and never felt there was any danger and we are, as a family, pretty sensible but reading this story makes me realise what a risk (albeit a small one) we have been taking. Even with this experience of Florida, I would never have expected such a thing to happen at a hotel resort. Unless there is more to this story I can't imagine how this poor family could have envisaged such a terrible tragedy unfolding in this way.

[TwirlyHoos]

Agree WanneBe, this is a freak occurrence and shouldn't put anyone off going