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.

[imwithspud]

I agree I wouldn't let this put me off going either. In the same way people having accidents when driving doesn't put me off driving.

[VioletBam]

No swimming means no swimming.

DO NOT ENTER THE WATER

Would have been a more sensible warning.

[NeedACleverNN]

I read that and I felt so sorry for the little boy.

It does say on a sign NO SWIMMING in the water but who really expects gators to be in a lagoon at a hotel?!

I know they are everywhere and you can't stop them from getting everywhere but still something needs to happen. Those poor parents

[Bravada]

If alligators are seen there regularly and Disney has built a hotel right next to the water, I think it is in their duty of care to warn people when they are checking in, and to have signs up. They probably don't want to scare the guests, but they have people coming from all over the world who wouldn't know about this danger and they have a duty to make it really clear to people. Especially if Disney has created a beach and is putting on events and encouraging people to go down there at night which apparently is the most dangerous time!

[petitpois55]

What an absolute tragedy. I cannot imagine what those poor parents are suffering.

[HairyLittlePoet]

That poor child, and that poor family.
If WDW were aware of the potential risk of alligators in the water, (and it seems plain they were aware) then they had a moral obligation to inform their guests of exactly that risk.
"No swimming" signs do not even come close to discharging that responsibility. The family were not swimming. It seems like this could have happened even if they were simply sitting on the sand.
It seems obvious from those who have always known of the alligator risk that this was always a possibility. Disney will have known that. At some point, in a risk assessment meeting, they will have reviewed how to protect guests from alligator attacks by the water. A decision will have been made to continue to have the beach and the water accessible to guests with small children. With "no swimming signs" that give no clue to the actual risk. I think that is indefensible.

Hotels have to consider how to ameliorate risk to their guests. They have to comply with safety regulations. When you book with a hotel, you have a right to assume that any life-threatening dangers will be clearly pointed out to you and wherever possible, made impossible for you or your children to access.

[Itsaplayonwords]

I haven't been to Florida but just looked up the lagoon and it's bigger than I realised.

I take it there's been no further news? I've checked BBC website but can't see anything on there, just wondered if there was anything further on US news channels?

[CheerfulYank]

Play the latest I have seen is that the Sheriff says that at this point they do not expect to recover a live child but that they will not leave until they have "an outcome" for the family.

[redhat]

It does say on a sign NO SWIMMING in the water but who really expects gators to be in a lagoon at a hotel?!

Honestly, this "lagoon" is vast. Its not a big pond in the hotel grounds. It's like saying who would expect anyone to build a beach front hotel in a country where sharks come close to the shore.

Plus, as the photos show, there are signs about alligators all around the Disney resort including on this particular lagoon.

[mummytime]

If you are in Florida - you should listen to the warnings (I've heard lots on my trips). There can be Alligators in any body of water. They are very sneaky and can move surprisingly fast. Disney does relocate them as soon as they can, and if it had been known there was an Alligator in the Lagoon, it would have been sealed off.
But the whole of Florida was a big swamp. People have drained bits. People build houses next to lakes. Alligators are a real danger.

Just as when I was in Up State New York, bears were a real hazard.

Its a real tragedy for the family.

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

I know Florida well and happen to love the place, but as a local friend said "historically it was a bug infested swamp - it still IS a bug infested swamp, except now there are lots of people in it"

The sadness for the family is absolutely right, but I still think it was a tragic accident - and unfortunately, in such an area, accidents will sometimes happen

[Flatbellyfella]

All around Orlando you will find not only alligator's, but poisonous snakes as well ,the water moccasins are a common sight around grasslands that are close to water, down a little further are the Everglades , and they have a huge problem with non native Pythons that people have kept as pets, until they get too big to keep. You really do need to be aware of where you are when you go to foreign places, & the dangers that lurk there.

[NeedACleverNN]

i wonder if before every movie or firework they display outside there is a warning reminding people not to get too close to the water as gators could be about.

If they don't already do that, prehaps they should

[AnecdotalEvidence]

There are signs by the beach saying not to go in the water
No they do not. The ONLY signs on that beach say "No swimming"

Would this really make you think that it would be dangerous to paddle?

[BarbarianMum]

It's a tragedy but I think it is pushing it to call it "a freak accident". Alligator attacks are (relatively) rare but there is no reason that this couldn't happen again.

Neither crocodiles or alligators are "vicious" but, like everything else, they like to eat and we are potential food to them (to the big ones at least).

To anyone travelling in affected areas, stay away from the edge of waterways/ponds/rivers and canals, especially at night and especially with small children and dogs (their smaller size makes them perfect prey ). Do not assume you will be able to spot alligators if they are present, or jump back in time. You won't. They are very fast.

Can't speculate about blame but there should be clear information (as above) made available to all visitors.

[JeanGenie23]

Have they found anything yet or is the toddler still missing?

How would you begin to cope with this as a parent. Poor poor family

[hownottofuckup]

Personally I think WDW should be held responsible.
My heart goes out to the poor family and everyone involved.

[WhatWouldFlopDo]

This is awful, the poor family. I don't think think I'm thick but I would never have imagined that something as big as alligators would be wandering around so close to where lots of people are. Blows my mind a bit really.

[futureolympianinmyhouse]

I saw a alligator in this lake from the monorail when I was there at Easter. No one in my party believed me, saying there wouldn't be any that close to a Disney hotel.
They say every lake in Florida has at least 1 alligator in.

[lifesalongsong]

This is a very sad situation, the confusion about what happened suggets that there were no witnesses which suggets that the family must have been in a fairly seculded area.

I haven't been to Disneyworld, is that likely? I'm thinking that maybe they accidentally wondered into an area that wasn't generally open to the public.

I have no idea if this kind of thing can happen but from what I've heard the fireworks and after dark things are big entertainment spectacles so would have had lots of people around.

Not blaming the family at all but trying to make sense of how things might have happened and wondering if there were enough safety barriers

[AnchorDownDeepBreath]

Nothing yet. There are 50 law enforcement officials sweeping the area but to be honest, hopes of finding anything are pretty slim this long after the attack.

There's a lot of different versions of what happened. The Sheriff seems certain that the boy was wading alone in water about a foot deep, and the alligator wasn't spotted before it attacked. The dad tried to get his son but failed and alerted nearby people who got a lifeguard. The mother is also thought to have tried to help.

It looks like the signs will be changed to make it very clear that no one should enter the water at all. There's talk of getting hotels to include this info in the rooms but as it doesn't seem that the family were staying at the resort, that might not have mattered.

It's devastating for the them, but as there are no reports of recent sightings or any type of attack previously, I don't think WDW have been negligent.

US law is a lot more complicated then UK unless you trained there, but the American Red Cross suggests it's not legal to enter water with no swimming signs. "If an area of water has not been designated as a safe swimming zone, or has signs advising not to swim, always assume that the area is too dangerous for swimming. Entering water in these circumstances could be trespassing. (I've removed some info here about sharks). Alligetors, snapping turtles and snakes inhibit certain freshwater areas. Alligators are very dangerous, especially to small children, and can be found in freshwater in Florida, Louisiana, Georgia and Texas. Do not go into water that is not marked as safe in these areas. Do not enter water known to be inhibited by alligators. Stay away from the shore in these areas. If you encounter a snake, leave them alone and swim away slowly."

If the above is true, there's probably no legal liability. It seems WDW are doing their best, they are looking after the family and helping to try and find the boy.

Horrid situation all round and much scarier than anything we would encounter in the UK.

[CheerfulYank]

I don't think there are safety barriers really at all lifes. It's not like a zoo so technically the alligators aren't supposed to be there... apparently they remove them if they get too big?

[NickiFury]

The only thing I will say is that while there are signs up in tourist places and next to large bodies of water, all they say is "beware of alligators". As a tourist I honestly didn't realise that the massively large ones could be living and hunting in such built up areas. We actually stayed on a nature reserve when we were there backing onto a huge lake, yet still we went down there most mornings hoping to spot them because we just didn't know the scale of it. Knowing what I know now of course I would never do this again. I think more signage indicating the sheer size and danger of these animals would be useful because tourists maybe just don't get it.

Cheerfulyank at NO point did you make this about you and I am not sure why anyone on here would say that you did!

[Thefitfatty]

"No swimming" means don't get in the water, it isn't safe. When we were at WDW I wouldn't let my 12 month old into the lagoon, not even to paddle, I assumed the water was dirty but I also figured it's Florida, and who knows what you might find.
If WDW was on the ocean and the boy was taken by a shark, would you blame WDW? If he was bitten by a snake on the resort?

It's a massive lagoon, and WDW constantly monitors them, but there's only so much you can do when these animals are everywhere.

However, given WDW's usual response to these things, I have no doubt they will accept full blame and increase their safety measures above and beyond what would be expected.

[noblegiraffe]

I would assume no swimming meant no swimming - e.g. Dangerous currents or diseased water, not animals that can attack even in the shallows. The signs need to be more informative.