Disney Alligator attacks a toddler! (Orlando, Hobe Sound: neighborhoods, living, to move)

[QuilterChick]

Originally Posted by LuvOrlando

For the ten millionth time, there is no way Disney set up swimming in the lake. They didn't assign a lifeguard because they'd never suggest that people swim in that water. They're not that reckless.

Well then Einstein -- why did they have BEACH SAND there ! and no signs about ALLIGATORS BEING IN THE WATER. It certainly is designed like a beach, and advertised like a beach.


Sorry if you work there, but your defense about the lake/beach is null. The 'beach' is clearly an attractive nuisance.

[LuvOrlando]

Originally Posted by QuilterChick

Well then Einstein -- why did they have BEACH SAND there ! and no signs about ALLIGATORS BEING IN THE WATER. It certainly is designed like a beach, and advertised like a beach.


Sorry if you work there, but your defense about the lake/beach is null. The 'beach' is clearly an attractive nuisance.

It wasn't a defense and I don't work there. It was a correction. Before you went on your diatribe, it had been said MANY times that there wasn't a lifeguard, that Disney World has not set the beach up for swimming.

You...and all the other before you who have also gone off about this lifeguard and how that proves that Disney set it up for swimming...were wrong.

Knowing that it wasn't set up for swimming doesn't make one a genius. You need either know that 1) there are gators around and Disney wouldn't do that or 2) read this thread, where it was pointed out more than once. It doesn't take genius to know. It doesn't even take any kind of intelligence. Just common sense or the ability to read.

What is BEACH SAND and how does it differ from other sands?

[Justabystander]

Originally Posted by AnotherTouchOfWhimsy

Disney bears some responsibility for not posting "caution: alligators" signs, if they are not posted.

At the same time, common sense would tell you to stay out of Florida freshwater, especially at night! I get that they're from Nebraska, but come on. Do people really not know that Florida freshwater is infested with gators?

I am really appalled with the arrogance of the Florida know it alls on this post. I am from suburban Chicago, and based on the picture of the sand beach next to the water and the hotel in the background, there is no way I would remotely think an alligator would come out of the water and snatch my kid. Why would Disney put a hotel full of kids near an alligator infested lake? People from anywhere outside of the alligator belt are naïve when it comes to a population of animals they are not familiar with. The liability lies with Disney not to warn about the habits of these creatures at dusk, NOT the poor Nebraska family on vacation at an upscale hotel. NO to the above quoted post, the expectation of outsiders at an upscale resort is that they really don't expect that body of water to be infested.

[Robino1]

It wasn't 'infested'.

Infested denotes an insane amount. Granted just a few would be scary but to call it an infestation....that is going slightly overboard.

[LuvOrlando]

Originally Posted by Justabystander

I am really appalled with the arrogance of the Florida know it alls on this post. I am from suburban Chicago, and based on the picture of the sand beach next to the water and the hotel in the background, there is no way I would remotely think an alligator would come out of the water and snatch my kid. Why would Disney put a hotel full of kids near an alligator infested lake? People from anywhere outside of the alligator belt are naïve when it comes to a population of animals they are not familiar with. The liability lies with Disney not to warn about the habits of these creatures at dusk, NOT the poor Nebraska family on vacation at an upscale hotel. NO to the above quoted post, the expectation of outsiders at an upscale resort is that they really don't expect that body of water to be infested.

I agree about people being a little ridiculous, expecting vacationers to be thinking "gator."

If you ask people (non-Floridian people, that is), "Why does Florida have a team called 'The Gators'?" they'll tell you, "Because they have gators in Florida."

If you ask people who are vacationing, "Why should you stay out of that water?" they'll say, "Beats me!"

It's not a part of their daily lives, so they just don't think about it when they look at the pretty lake, like Floridians would.

On the flip side, there are little bodies of water everywhere - and I mean everywhere - in Florida. Gators find them. That's a fact of life in Florida. Anywhere you go, there may be one. A few years ago, one of them tried to walk into Wal-Mart. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pIjYEsQpE2U

When we find them, we kill them (and then the animal rights people throw fits about how evil we are, killing the baby-eating alligators), but we cannot blame Disney for the presence of gators. They're everywhere. They couldn't locate themselves away from the gators because such a place does not exist here.

Usually, people see them and run. Baby ones, they say, "Oh, how cute". Big ones get reported and dealt with.

It's not a common problem. I have literally never seen one outside Disney World and zoos. I don't walk past/close to water without keeping my eyes open and I don't swim anywhere except for pools, just to be on the safe side. An ounce of prevention and all that.

[FLHfan]

Originally Posted by LuvOrlando

I agree about people being a little ridiculous, expecting vacationers to be thinking "gator."

If you ask people (non-Floridian people, that is), "Why does Florida have a team called 'The Gators'?" they'll tell you, "Because they have gators in Florida."

If you ask people who are vacationing, "Why should you stay out of that water?" they'll say, "Beats me!"

It's not a part of their daily lives, so they just don't think about it when they look at the pretty lake, like Floridians would.

On the flip side, there are little bodies of water everywhere - and I mean everywhere - in Florida. Gators find them. That's a fact of life in Florida. Anywhere you go, there may be one. A few years ago, one of them tried to walk into Wal-Mart.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pIjYEsQpE2U

When we find them, we kill them (and then the animal rights people throw fits about how evil we are, killing the baby-eating alligators), but we cannot blame Disney for the presence of gators. They're everywhere. They couldn't locate themselves away from the gators because such a place does not exist here.

Usually, people see them and run. Baby ones, they say, "Oh, how cute". Big ones get reported and dealt with.

It's not a common problem. I have literally never seen one outside Disney World and zoos. I don't walk past/close to water without keeping my eyes open and I don't swim anywhere except for pools, just to be on the safe side. An ounce of prevention and all that.

I see them all the time. In backyard retention ponds, sunning on the banks along ElJobean and in canals in my area. If you are looking for them you can see one or more every day.

[LuvOrlando]

Originally Posted by FLHfan

I see them all the time. In backyard retention ponds, sunning on the banks along ElJobean and in canals in my area. If you are looking for them you can see one or more every day.

If I were looking for one, I could find one in the wild or in a zoo, I'm sure. I don't look for them. I've never seen one in the wild.

They aren't hanging out in every backyard. You can go to the grocery store and there won't be one in the parking lot.

While I'm NOT saying that you're a liar, lots of people go about their lives and rarely (if ever) encounter a gator.

People should not be under the impression that they don't exist, but they also shouldn't be under the impression that they're everywhere. They're not.

Stay away from the water and you will probably never see one.

[Arcenal813]

Originally Posted by LuvOrlando

If I were looking for one, I could find one in the wild or in a zoo, I'm sure. I don't look for them. I've never seen one in the wild.

They aren't hanging out in every backyard. You can go to the grocery store and there won't be one in the parking lot.

While I'm NOT saying that you're a liar, lots of people go about their lives and rarely (if ever) encounter a gator.

People should not be under the impression that they don't exist, but they also shouldn't be under the impression that they're everywhere. They're not.

Stay away from the water and you will probably never see one.

Your last sentence is very true. However, CFL is full of small streams, ponds, lakes... I see them all the time, but then I live right off of a large lake, and my work has me routinely visiting remote areas or state parks, where they ARE all over. They don't bother me, but I am EXTRA CAUTIOUS when walking my dog, or when going for a walk with my kids down to the park. Hold hands at all times when close enough to the water, and be very vigilant.

[randomparent]

Originally Posted by QuilterChick

In an early thread someone said there was a lifeguard at the beach; thanks for pointing out that it was only at the pool.

Nope. There are no life guards on any of the Disney beaches. Only the pools.

[LuvOrlando]

I think this is being turned into a larger DANGER, DANGER thing than it is. Most Floridians live their lives without constant alligator sightings and attacks.

Disney World should put up signs about gators near water for tourists who wouldn't think about it, but it isn't like we are all running away a from alligators every day...or week, month or year. Most of us have never had to run from a gator.

The Disney World incident is horrifically tragic. Those poor parents (who did NOTHING wrong) may never recover. I hope they do. I hope they don't blame themselves. I hope they come to some peace at some point.

It's terrible. But it's not an everyday thing.

People should use sense, but not freak out in an "OMG! GATORS EVERYWHERE!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" way.