The family was from Nebraska.

 

They have already caught 4 alligators but none was the killer.

 

I have been by this place many times and always wanted to stay there until now.

 

You go beside it when you take the ferry back and forth to Magic Kingdom.

 

They were in no swim area and far from a lifeguard, but you would like to think you can walk the beach at any Disney resort and not worry about the alligators or something like this.

You go beside it when you take the ferry back and forth to Magic Kingdom.

 

They were in no swim area and far from a lifeguard, but you would like to think you can walk the beach at any Disney resort and not worry about the alligators or something like this.

This is where I am at. It is resort. Restricted areas should be completely unaccessible to guests.

This is where I am at. It is resort. Restricted areas should be completely unaccessible to guests.

 

Or guests should abide by the rules and posted signage.

Florida as a whole is pretty stupid when it comes to Aligators. Family is at fault but so is Disney. Why would they allow Gators to be there, in a place where children are? Get them out of there.

Florida as a whole is pretty stupid when it comes to Aligators. Family is at fault but so is Disney. Why would they allow Gators to be there, in a place where children are? Get them out of there.

 

Children are all over the state of Florida. Are they supposed to get rid of all the alligators?

Children are all over the state of Florida. Are they supposed to get rid of all the alligators?

 

Of course not. But disney safely removing them from areas that are easily accessible is not too much to ask is it?

 

This is on the family, but what about this poor child? Don't make it so easy for adults to be stupid. Also, what is to prevent a child from getting into the water if they get away from their parent?

All I know is we've been going to Hilton Head for more than a decade and I've never allowed my children to get anywhere in the remote vicinity of the alligators. We have stood above them on decks or bridges and checked them out, but never near the bank or in the water. There are signs everywhere that say "Do Not Feed the Alligators" or "WARNING: Alligators Present in Lagoon"

 

Those signs are there for a reason.

Of course not. But disney safely removing them from areas that are easily accessible is not too much to ask is it?

 

This is on the family, but what about this poor child? Don't make it so easy for adults to be stupid. Also, what is to prevent a child from getting into the water if they get away from their parent?

 

I just can't buy into the park being at fault just because people CAN get into it (similar to the Cincy Zoo incident). There were signs for a reason, they decided to ignore them, and this tragedy happens. If there were no signs at all, park would definitely be liable. We as a society can't go around ignoring posted rules, and then get mad when something bad happens.

 

Losing the child is a disaster, but it's not the responsibility of an establishment to protect people from their own stupidity, IMO.

I hate to sound rude but if they were in restricted areas it was a terrible mistake. This is so awful I can't even wrap my mind around it. I've been around a lot of alligators at HHI. They aren't particularly sneaky or hidden. It is pretty much well known where they are and there are generally warning signs, fences, etc. Really sad if this family chose to ignore the warnings.

 

We go to Dewees Island in SC every summer. There are multiple fishing docks, but one in particular is known to have alligators lurking at all times. You are supposed to keep an eye out, and if they approach closer than markers that are in a perimeter about 50 yards around the dock, you take your bait out, get off the dock and fish somewhere else. There are signs on both sides of the dock giving these instructions. Sure enough, a mother comes down as I'm leaving with my boys due to an approaching alligator. I tell her, "The alligator is getting too close to the dock." She says that she and her daughter will be fine. They baited a stick and string to try to catch Blue crabs. Her daughter grabs one, starts winding the stick up slowly to keep the crab on the bait, gets it out of the water, and the alligator jumps up and by the GRACE OF GOD, misses this lady's daughter. That is the closest I have ever been to punching a stranger. She literally ignored 3 sets of warnings and almost lost her daughter.

Of course not. But disney safely removing them from areas that are easily accessible is not too much to ask is it?

 

This is on the family, but what about this poor child? Don't make it so easy for adults to be stupid. Also, what is to prevent a child from getting into the water if they get away from their parent?

 

Who's to say they don't remove them, and they find a way back in? They have warning signs posted that say the alligators are there, and that's why it's restricted areas. If you ignore that, it's on you, not Disney.

F!orida is a giant swamp and why the University of Florida is nicknamed the Gators.p. If there are (and there are) signs posted warning about alligators then this is on the parents. I hate to use stupid, id rather use naive or arrogance. Yes a sign is posted warning of alligators but they won't come after a human. Humans as a whole are arrogant when it comes to animals.

 

We went to Disney for a week in the beginning of April. Made the long drive down 75. If you aren't aware of the alligators popularity byh time you get to Orlando then you are blind or slept the whole drive. We stayed at Port Orleans which had a moat around the resort that was about 30-40 feet wide. My 3 year old and 7 year old obviously wanted to get as close as possible. We were very adamant about not venturing near the waters edge as we couldn't see what was lurking beneath the surface. We visited every resort one day just to see how the other halves live. Signs galore about alligators.

 

Horrible tragedy I can't imagine how you react in this situation, but the park can't be blamed.

Edited June 15, 201610 yr by Jackie Ed
Typo

This is just like people who swim out to neck deep water in the ocean, then get upset when a shark bites them. If you know large predatory animals are in the area, you need to stay safe.

Florida as a whole is pretty stupid when it comes to Aligators. Family is at fault but so is Disney. Why would they allow Gators to be there, in a place where children are? Get them out of there.

 

 

first of all prayers to the family.

As for removing the alligators, this is from an MSN article;

 

 

 

It's unknown how many gators are in the lake.

 

It spans roughly 172 acres and connects to other waterways.

 

Wiley said attacks such as this are "very rare," especially with a toddler.

 

There was one fatal, unprovoked alligator attack in Florida last year — the first since 2007, according to FWC.

 

In that case, also in Central Florida, a DeBary man swimming in Blue Spring State Park suffered wounds consistent with an alligator attack.

Of course not. But disney safely removing them from areas that are easily accessible is not too much to ask is it?

 

This is on the family, but what about this poor child? Don't make it so easy for adults to be stupid. Also, what is to prevent a child from getting into the water if they get away from their parent?

 

Disney didn't introduce alligators to the lake. Florida is one big swamp and alligators finding there way into all bodies of water is very common. Assuring that all bodies of water on Disney property are gator free would be a huge task and ultimately there would be no way of knowing if the water is gator free.

Alligators are in their native habitat in this lake. Sharks live in the ocean. Lions are roaming in the wild. Folks have to be aware of these things.

 

You're in Florida...you just don't take chances in any freshwater lake, pond or lagoon.