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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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Original poster
CheerfulYank · 15/06/2016 15:00

Stealth I think they meant no one saw it outside of the family.

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 15/06/2016 15:02

Ok. So whoever reported that was raising an element of doubt about the parents' story?

NickiFury · 15/06/2016 15:02

"was just about to start a thread on this but saw one has started.
Wondering why there is no uproar of the four innocent gators who have been killed like the mother and the gorilla"

Because it would be utterly awful to be making that fuss considering that a two year old is dead.

StealthPolarBear · 15/06/2016 15:03

That's the really terrifying bit isn't it exit )well one of them at least)
It just sounds so unsafe. Presumably there were families all over, doing similar.

WannaBe · 15/06/2016 15:04

"I don't see what difference it makes which gator killed the child at this point." it doesn't. But finding the gator may be the only way to recover the body.

Reports do seem to be quite differing. I do find it unbelievable that there were no eye witnesses at all in a Disney resort at 9:00 at night. But actually the lack of other people down by the water may imply that there was greater understanding from the general public about no swimming or going into the water.

Itsaplayonwords · 15/06/2016 15:04

I can't remember which news article it was but something I read said their were other witnesses and statements had been taken. Something about one of their other children being in a play pen 20 to 30 feet from the waters edge. With any news story that unfolding there's such conflicting information though.

Finding the body would give the parents some sense of closure. I just saw an article posted on Twitter though that said they are hopeful of finding the child and it remains a search and rescue operation rather than recovery.

lem73 · 15/06/2016 15:12

I think because I'm familiar with that part of the world (we have family and friends in several southern states) I am pretty aware how close you are to the wildlife. This incident and people's reactions (ie can't believe it can happen in Disney world) show that tourists need explicit warnings. I mean if you saw a sign saying 'No swimming' you might not think paddling was a problem. Orlando is a very developed city but it's only recently been the case. Disney world was built on a swamp ie the natural habitat of alligators.

Actually I remember visiting Sharm el sheikh years ago and paddling in some beautiful clear water where there was a sign saying 'no swimming'. I thought I was safe because it was ankle deep. A hotel worker came running and telling me to get out. Apparently there were very poisonous fish that looked like stones and that was the reason for the sign. Ds (1) was with me and I felt so guilty for putting him at risk.

Alisvolatpropiis · 15/06/2016 15:15

I am somewhat baffled as to how anyone who has visited Florida would not be aware of alligators being everywhere. A guidebook, any guidebook would mention it.

Anyway, it doesn't really matter. The parents have my full sympathy.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 15/06/2016 15:22

You think a parent would still go paddling with a 2yr old if there were signs warning that there were alligators in the water?

Unfortunately I don't just think it; I've seen it, though admittedly not at Disney - which is why I understand those who've mentioned folk kidding themselves that "it couldn't possibly happen here, not in this happy, child friendly, sanitized sort of place"

Anglers standing in rivers near such signs, folk at barbecues chucking in chicken legs in the hope of seeing a gator, even a young woman clearing a reed clump (and she was a local, for pity's sake, but still lost her arm). We're all human and sometimes we all make mistakes - and sadly, sometimes, it all goes tragically wrong Sad

storminabuttercup · 15/06/2016 15:26

Ive never been to Florida and honestly didn't know of this problem, I totally get what others are saying that you don't expect it in the resort. Naive I know. I would probably find out before we went as I always read loads about where we go on holiday but not everyone does!
It also sounds like even if the poor boy wasn't paddling the gator could have got him even if he was close to the water!

AnecdotalEvidence · 15/06/2016 15:35

The parents were right there. The dad had cuts from trying to save hs child. It was during an organised event on the beach and people go there to watch the fireworks. It is possible for there to have been quite a few people around but not specifically see the incident initially.

That specific alligator needs to be caught due to the risk of the same thing happening again. Gators will return to the same source for food and it is an offence to feed alligators because they then learn to associate people with food and that is when they get very dangerous.

redhat · 15/06/2016 15:38

It wasn't during an organised event at the beach. They screen a movie (although not right at the water's edge) but that had finished earlier in the evening. It is possible that there were no other people close by.

AnecdotalEvidence · 15/06/2016 15:40

I am somewhat baffled as to how anyone who has visited Florida would not be aware of alligators being everywhere. A guidebook, any guidebook would mention it.
I've been a few times and although I was very aware of gators, I didn't think they would have any in that lake. There are watersports in that lake and it is man made. I thought they would have removed them (naive? stupid? I don't know)
I'm not really one for reading guidebooks but I did read one before one visit. I can't recall it being mentioned.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 15/06/2016 15:41

I totally get what others are saying that you don't expect it in the resort

Many don't expect to see them on golf courses either, but Floridians often tell of visitors who've run howling from the green because a gator strolled across en route to another bit of water, casting a thoughtful eye in their direction

The vast majority would rather stay away from us of course, but as so often it's all about mindset ...

AnecdotalEvidence · 15/06/2016 16:04

Movies start at 8.30pm.
Fireworks start at 10pm.
The emergency call was made at around 9.15pm.
There would definitely have been people around.

MaryPoppinsPenguins · 15/06/2016 16:10

Surely someone was nearby? It's very rare at Disney to be anywhere that isn't crowded!

Is the film not shown by the pool? Maybe people were there?

nuttymango · 15/06/2016 16:16

Alligators are in every bit of fresh water in Florida bar swimming pools and even then they get in some times. Every time I've been to Florida (5) I have seen them everywhere; you can't avoid them. There are signs everywhere warning about snakes and alligators.

It's incredibly sad and I feel for the parents and the little boy but you need to make sure you are aware of the risks when you are travelling somewhere. I have never been to Nebraska but I know there are bears there, I've never been to Svalbard or Churchill but I know that I'd need to watch for polar bears.

I hope that they are able to have a funeral for the little boy. Poor boy and his siblings and parents :(

Alisvolatpropiis · 15/06/2016 16:17

Anecdote

I don't meant that it would have specifically mentioned Disney resorts just that alligators can be in any body of fresh water.

I'd assume the staff do a morning check before allowing people on the water to do any water sports and this alligator made its way there during the course of the afternoon/evening.

It is a horrible tragedy.

Bambambini · 15/06/2016 16:25

Making it like a beach with sunbeds, no proper signage to the danger and no fences would lull many people into underestinating the danger i'd imagine.

AnecdotalEvidence · 15/06/2016 16:33

I don't meant that it would have specifically mentioned Disney resorts just that alligators can be in any body of fresh water.
I didn't see that in any of the information that I read.
I would expect to see specific warning signs if there were alligators in the water.
People used to be allowed to swim in that lake in the early 90s

Owlkiss · 15/06/2016 16:43

With regard to the (lack of) eyewitnesses, I think it's most likely due to the fact that it happened really suddenly, and really fast. If anyone has ever seen an alligator or crocodile erupt out of the water, it's so, so quick - if you didn't happen to be looking right at it at that moment, you'd likely completely miss it. Quite possibly the parents didn't realise what had happened immediately, even if they were right by the boy.

I imagine most other people nearby were looking at the movie/fireworks or whatever rather than watching someone else's toddler, so it's natural they wouldn't really have seen anything.

lem73 · 15/06/2016 16:45

I've been to Florida a few times and I can't recall seeing any signs. I do wonder now how they can be sure that any beach on a lake is safe for swimming.

nuttymango · 15/06/2016 16:50

Lem none of them are safe if you want to be really sure of not coming across a hungry gator.

In recent years the gator population has increased dramatically. I have swum in rivers in Florida but I wouldn't dream of doing that now, it's just too risky.

SugarBlossom92 · 15/06/2016 16:52

I think Disney are absolutely iresponsible people pay alot of money for a holiday there and they expect to be safe and at least be adequately notified of the dangers, so what if there's signs saying not to go in the water, the alligator can easily attack on land. The amount of money Disney have surely they could put some measures in place to prevent dangerous alligators from entering and if they can't then they should have the water fenced off and maybe even have some armed lifeguards.

CiderwithBuda · 15/06/2016 17:02

I've been to Florida a few times but in all honesty wouldn't have been aware of the risks of alligators in a man made lagoon in somewhere you think of as being so sanitised and relatively safe. If I saw a no swimming sign I would assume it maybe due to the water not been treated or no lifeguards.

It seems that even Disney were caught out - they assumed they were safe by removing any alligators over a certain size and by putting up no swimming signs.

We go again next month. I'm sure the signs will be clearer and maybe there will be other safety precautions.

Too late for the little boy and his family though. It's really horrific. Just doesn't bear thinking about. You would just keep rewinding it all in your head constantly.