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The family is from Nebraska, not another planet. If they weren't aware that the entire damn state of FL used to be a swamp, or that alligators are in virtually every lake, pond, creek, or canal there, then how about this: Don't let your toddler wander around unattended.That was the common denominator in both the gorilla and gator incidents.
I agree. I worked with tourists a lot when I was in college and I can tell you that most of them just don't think. They aren't focused on their surroundings - which is why they are an easy target for pickpockets. I live in L.A. and tourists like to hike around the Hollywood sign - they let their kids wander away, wear sandals and completely ignore the "Warning - Rattlesnakes" signs.
my initial thought was that this was an unfortunate and blameless tragedy but I've been reading many accounts that there have been frequent near misses and at least one attack in the past and that Disney was well aware of the danger to the guests but apparently don't want to mention alligators in their warnings...gee, wonder why. Hope they get their comeuppance in due time...
One employee at the Disney property who did not want to be identified said in an email "there is such a problem on property with guests feeding the alligators thinking it's cool." Visitors at Buena Vista Palace regularly feed two of them from the balconies, he said.
^^This. People feed bears, rattlesnakes, want to pet the moose... A couple of years ago some folks climbed a fence around a fast moving stream and ignored the "Slick Rocks - No Wading" sign and were promptly washed over the waterfall downstream and killed.
If only so many resources and attention went to kids killed by humans...
If this kid was killed by a stray bullet in Chicago, it would have been a one morning, one sentence subject line on CNN or something, if ever in the news at all.
I think folks going after the parents are being unfair. They're on vacation in Disneyworld, there's a lifeguard not telling anyone to stay out of the water, and the only sign that's posted informs you there's no swimming.
There's going to be a presumption of safety since there are no indicators signaling otherwise.
And that's going to be the argument used in court if it even gets that far.
I do not blame the parents, and I do not blame Disney. The wildlife people said there are about 1.3 million gators in Florida's waters, and that lake is 17 sq miles of connecting lakes. Every single body of water has them. You can't barricade them. People visit Florida and we have animals. the other day a small cougar type flew by a lady on the nature walk? And all is in the news, how many threads right here talk about it? It is tragic. Horrible! But some one just did not know nor think ahead. And something horrible happened. I think they assumed Disney had some protection from the natural environment. In the site there is no swimming displayed on the amenities. Only pools. Would you wonder why, when you see the sand? I research a lot, recently visited cocoa beach, never been. I googled the streets view. Shark bites/ man of war , jelly fish and sea lice . We have high bacteria counts, red tide/ high surf/ undertow. It is Florida .
It looks like Disney needs to change that beach. You can't set up an entire beach scene and then be surprised when someone puts their toes in the water.
We are big rule followerss, and I wouldn't have thought "no swimming" meant no putting feet at the edge. Especially in a perfectfully manicured beach setting. And being from an area without alligators, I wouldn't have realized the risk
So sad.
For the person asking about the difference in this and the boy who got into the monkey enclosure. It appears this parent was right with his son on beach when the alligator snatched him. The other mom didn't even realize her son was gone until other people noted he was in the enclosure. Both sad situations, but luckily for the zoo mom, her son lived.
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