Toddler dies at Disney World Orlando

[JKgo]

Missed that, but Florida and gators go hand in hand. It would surprise me if these people didn't know that.

...Yeah me too, but the proximity to a family-friendly resort could have lulled their alertedness somewhat.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I read the little boy wasn't even hardly tore up, he just had a couple puncture wounds and died from drowning.

Alligators/crocodiles can't bite meat apart like other predators, anything that's too large to swallow in one go is placed in their 'hide' underwater and twisted apart when rotten.

 

[CodeRedR51]

...Yeah me too, but the proximity to a family-friendly resort could have lulled their alertedness somewhat.

True, but looking at that resort on the map and the size of that lagoon, which is directly attached to a larger one and within close proximity of a 3rd, I know I wouldn't be going near them at night.

 

[Pupik]

View attachment 559685

That sign would be unreadable at 9:00pm in Orlando during June, unless it was backlit or a light shining on it.

 

[dxm8975]

The parents and child were walking at the water's edge and obeying the signs that said "no swimming". What exactly are they at fault for?

For letting the kid walk get to the water's edge alone at night, or much less if they knew the lagoon was infested by alligators ?

 

[TenEightyOne]

For letting the kid walk get to the water's edge alone at night, or much less if they knew the lagoon was infested by alligators ?

He wasn't alone, he was with his parents. His father tried to save him. They didn't know the lagoon was occupied (much less infested) by alligators.

 

[Danoff]

It's sadly one of those events where the parents are taught a lesson in the most brutal way possible...

Disney are not going to be liable for this because of the no swimming signs. Pretty much any body of water other than a pool is not advisable to swim in in Alligator infested Florida.

The parents should not have let a kid go into the lagoon especially at 9PM at night! Obviously they were watching him because they were right there when it happened. It's a tragic accident.

For letting the kid walk get to the water's edge alone at night, or much less if they knew the lagoon was infested by alligators ?

This I do not understand. Not everyone who visits florida knows florida all that well. The notion that they should anticipate that their kid would be eaten if he dipped his toes into so shallow water at a resort is insane. I don't think that we need to find blame everywhere, and probably not in this case. But what do you think the chances are that that area stays the way it is? Any chance there won't be a fence or railing put up? Some sort of barricade? Do we really think they'll just put some extra signs up, maybe in lots of languages and call it a day? Or did something get exposed that the resort might be a bit embarrassed that they overlooked.

Feel free to blame the parents in the gorilla incident at the Cincinnati zoo, but leave these parents alone. They've got a tortured lifetime ahead of them.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Not everyone who visits florida knows florida all that well.

If you are a grown adult that was born in this country and you do not know that Florida is Alligator heaven, you had the wrong education.

Edit: added missing info.

 

[Danoff]

If you are a grown adult and you do not know that Florida is Alligator heaven, you had the wrong education.

Let me think for a second about how to be patient with this response...

Firstly, people come from all over the world to visit disneyworld. Apparently these people were from Omaha, but if they'd been from China would you make the same statement? Do you know the various wildlife issues in regions of China? I highly doubt it. If you do, try India, or try Korea. In which countries should you be concerned about Jaguars?

Having never lived in Florida myself (but I have visited), I will say that I'm well aware that it is Alligator heaven, but I wouldn't assume that they're so prevalent that you can't get anywhere near any body of water without risk of being eaten. Apparently I'm not alone in that as the manager of the hotel seemed ot regard them as "pets" that were of no concern.

Last night, I saw a short interview of another father who was staying at one of the Disney resorts in Florida, and the father reported to the Disney resort manager that there were a couple of 5-6 foot gators in the water right near the resorts walk-ways. The father was concerned about his own kids and for the safety of other children who might walk along-side the water on the Resort's paths. The father said that the Disney manager said that the gators were of no concern, they were just the local "native pets", so the father didn't feel that the Disney manager was taking the possible threat seriously.

So apparently you can not only know Florida but know the actual location and work at the resort and still get this one wrong. I also know, for example, that Florida has some crazy huge snakes.

What I don't know is where you're likely to be attacked by one, or when, or whether there are local efforts to remove them from waters along the edge of the resort, or really any of the particulars. Mostly because I don't live in Florida. If there were a risk of being attacked by an enormous python at a resort, I'd basically expect the resort to tell me and to assume that I'm not a frequent visitor.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Firstly, people come from all over the world to visit disneyworld. Apparently these people were from Omaha, but if they'd been from China would you make the same statement?

No, as I did mean "from this country" and forgot to put that in: fixed.

...but I wouldn't assume that they're so prevalent that you can't get anywhere near any body of water without risk of being eaten.

I do. Unless it's the ocean or a swimming pool, I'm not going near it.

See all those lakes and ponds literally everywhere around Orlando? Chances are there are alligators in a vast majority of them and I would treat them as such. But maybe that's just me.

 

[Danoff]

No, as I did mean "from this country" and forgot to put that in: fixed.

So you agree that the resort should probably have mentioned it to, say, foreigners at least. Maybe in the form of signage?

I do. Unless it's the ocean or a swimming pool, I'm not going near it.

Apparently even that isn't entirely safe.

See all those lakes and ponds literally everywhere around Orlando? Chances are there are alligators in a vast majority of them and I would treat them as such. But maybe that's just me.

K, well I don't think everyone in the US is aware that Florida sucks quite that much. I still don't know what to expect about pythons. I hope Disney isn't assuming that I do.

 

[Northstar]

No, as I did mean "from this country" and forgot to put that in: fixed.

During the winter months I see people all the time visiting from the south that are completely unprepared for the weather. This is Minnesota, it's cold, everyone knows it gets cold here, yet, visiting people still think jackets aren't required when it's -10 outside.

Now compare that to this case, Florida has alligators, that's not being argued and for all we know the parents knew as well. Thing is though, knowing Florida has gators and knowing where they are and how to spot them are completely different things.

See all those lakes and ponds literally everywhere around Orlando? Chances are there are alligators in a vast majority of them and I would treat them as such. But maybe that's just me.

I'll be honest here. I've seen quite a few shows on what creatures are found in the swamps down south, there are lots of them. There was one place none of those shows were set though, that being the "Happiest Place on Earth". An alligator is the last thing I'd expect to see there outside of an exhibit as resorts like that are supposed to be minimal risk type deals.

 

[CodeRedR51]

So you agree that the resort should probably have mentioned it to, say, foreigners at least. Maybe in the form of signage?

And just how many languages should the sign contain?

Apparently even that isn't entirely safe.

Well I can obviously see what's in a swimming pool.

I still don't know what to expect about pythons.

We're not talking about a child being eaten by a python anyway. Let's just make signs for all the dangerous animals while we're at it.

An alligator is the last thing I'd expect to see there outside of an exhibit as resorts like that are supposed to be minimal risk type deals.

It's Florida. Expect them anywhere.

 

[Northstar]

It's Florida. Expect them anywhere.

So vagueness and ignoring the rest of my post is your answer? That explains a few things.

Let's see if I can put this some other way. When at a restaurant, do you assume the food will give you food poisoning or do you let your guard down and hope the restaurant has taken the proper precautions?

 

[prousonhairy]

I keep seeing this on the news and hearing people saying about the different languages on the sign. I have an idea, how about a sign with a picture of a big damn alligator? How complicated is that?

 

[CodeRedR51]

So vagueness and ignoring the rest of my post is your answer? That explains a few things.

Let's see if I can put this some other way. When at a restaurant, do you assume the food will give you food poisoning or do you let your guard down and hope the restaurant has taken the proper precautions?

You can still get good poisoning at even the best restaurants. Rare, but it can happen.

 

[Northstar]

I keep seeing this on the news and hearing people saying about the different languages on the sign. I have an idea, how about a sign with a picture of a big damn alligator? How complicated is that?

They have signs like this at parks in Florida, Disney should buy a few.

You can still get good poisoning at even the best restaurants. Rare, but it can happen.

I give up, let me know when you want to actually respond to my question.

 

[CodeRedR51]

I give up, let me know when you want to actually respond to my question.

All I'm saying is if you travel to Florida there's a good chance a gater could be anywhere. Doesn't matter where you are, animals travel. I guess that's too hard for some people to grasp.

 

[Shaun]

All I'm saying is if you travel to Florida there's a good chance a gater could be anywhere. Doesn't matter where you are, animals travel. I guess that's too hard for some people to grasp.

I'm sure most here understand that the problem being not everyone does in particular those not from the US.

Without looking it up would you know in what parts of Australia to avoid going anywhere near a saltwater river? That's not having a go at you just to point out that not all would know.

 

[McLaren]

I'm sure most here understand that the problem being not everyone does in particular those not from the US.

Without looking it up would you know in what parts of Australia to avoid going anywhere near a saltwater river? That's not having a go at you just to point out that not all would know.

Anywhere. I seen your animals.

Agree with you though in seriousness.

 

[Northstar]

All I'm saying is if you travel to Florida there's a good chance a gater could be anywhere. Doesn't matter where you are, animals travel. I guess that's too hard for some people to grasp.

All I'm saying is there are places where you naturally let your guard down, whether it's food poisoning at a resteraunt or potential dangers at amusement parks.

I also think you have been watching too many SyFy movies or those shows I mentioned earlier..

 

[prousonhairy]

If you start looking up numbers, the amount of alligator attacks in Florida is extemely low. These numbers are from 2012, so they may have changed slightly.

Number of alligators in Florida:
1.3 million

Number of alligator attacks in Florida annually: 12

Number of shark attacks in Florida annually: 6

Number of fatalities from alligator attacks in Florida since 1948: 17(at least 18 now)

I was just curious what some numbers were, I actually thought they'd be a lot higher.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Who said anything about attacks? I'm just saying they could be anywhere, including Disney World. Hell, they removed FIVE of them from that same pond, so we're not talking about a lone rogue gater here.

 

[Northstar]

Who said anything about attacks? I'm just saying they could be anywhere, including Disney World. .

We're going in more circles than a racecar driver here.

Nobody is saying they can't be anywhere, just that you wouldn't expect them to be at certain locations like an enclosed theme park.

Adding some more examples; Bleachers collapsing at a sporting event, an amusement park ride ripping your arm off, the railing breaking on a footbridge, the bus you are riding on catching fire...

There's tons more, but you may or may not get the point, those are things that can and do happen, but people probably don't even consider them while doing those activities.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Nobody is saying they can't be anywhere, just that you wouldn't expect them to be at certain locations like an enclosed theme park.

Well sometimes it takes an incident to make people aware, and here we are.

 

[Northstar]

Well sometimes it takes an incident to make people aware, and here we are.

All those things I posted have happened multiple times, yet I can honestly say I pay no mind to them when doing those activities.

Anyways, I'm finished, you clearly have no intention on actually responding to any points, which may be why you are met with the types of replies you get in this section.

 

[CodeRedR51]

you clearly have no intention on actually responding to any points

And you clearly have no intention of listening to mine, so have a nice night.

 

[Obelisk]

This is not how I wanted this thread to turn out...

 

[Johnnypenso]

This is not how I wanted this thread to turn out...

You've got to know that in a thread like this it's going to turn into a Disney vs. the Parents type of deal.

 

[Omnis]

As a Floridian, I would rather get bitten by an alligator than someone on bath salts or flakka.