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Thread: Gator drags child into water near Disney's Grand Floridian

  1. #26
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  3. #27
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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  4. #28
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    I'm glad they found his body. Its just such a horrible situation for them. I'm a little disgusted by one local news station I was watching earlier and some of the articles and comments as well. Yes the sign says no swimming but they fail to mention that this little boy was not swimming in the water. Someone questioned why a child this age was up so late...its like are you kidding me? I really feel bad for this family. It sounds like the dad tried his best to get his son away from the alligator too and that mom may have tried to help as well. These poor parents probably feel such guilt over it all along with the sadness and on top of it have all those people judging them as they are..... SMH heartbreaking

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  5. #29

    Such a horrible thing for any family. I'm glad they did find him though.


  6. #30

    What a nightmare for this family. My heart breaks for them.
    We've taken a couple of tours over the years, I remember one where the guide told us there were barricades in the waterways to keep gators out, but every once in a while one would sneak in. I believed him at the time. It's alarming that so many gators were removed from the lake. If they can Imagineer the floating mountains of Pandora, then it's time to Imagineer some safety features into the waterways. Yes it's Florida, there will always be gators, but it should never have come to this.


  7. #31
    CL--DLR Trip Planning and DVC Toocherie's Avatar
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    Even if the child had just been playing in the sand close to the waters' edge the gator could have grabbed the child and pulled him into the water


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  8. #32

    Unfortunately this is true. Based on the article sited above and this one that CNN posted

    http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/15/us/all...isney-florida/

    There has been at least one instance of a child who was on shore and was actually pulled into the water by a large gator in FL. This was like others have said "a perfect storm." It was after dusk (feeding time), during mating season (May/June) and he was a young child in the water splashing about. The gator probably didn't even know what it grabbed just thinking it was some type of food. Which why when the body was found it was intact bc the gator likely realized after the attacked that little Lane was not food and let go. While a perfect storm is not very comforting to the family, I hope they do find some comfort in the support and prayers of strangers who truly feel heart broken over there loss of Lane.


  9. #33
    Quote Originally Posted by Disneyphile View Post
    Well, hopefully they can put up some kind of barrier/fencing around all the guest-accessible waterways to keep people out of the water and gators from climbing onto the beaches. Granted, it will take away from the ambiance, but it's what needed to keep people safe. Maybe clear acrylic so the view is unobstructed at least.
    They can climb fences or dig under.

  10. #34

    I am just really sad for this family.


  11. #35
    Quote Originally Posted by TulaBelle View Post
    What a nightmare for this family. My heart breaks for them.
    We've taken a couple of tours over the years, I remember one where the guide told us there were barricades in the waterways to keep gators out, but every once in a while one would sneak in. I believed him at the time. It's alarming that so many gators were removed from the lake. If they can Imagineer the floating mountains of Pandora, then it's time to Imagineer some safety features into the waterways. Yes it's Florida, there will always be gators, but it should never have come to this.
    I do not think it is a matter of imagineering new barriers or fences. It really is a matter of education as you can not "bullet proof" and area the size of WDW. I am from Mississippi and very aware of alligators and snakes as they are a part of our life here. I have never let me kids get near the water of bay lake , seven seas, or any of the canals near resorts. The family that suffered this tragedy is from Nebraska and probably had no idea an alligator can surprise attack in less than a foot of water. While the beaches at Grand Floridian and Polynesian will likely receive storm walls so the beach is higher than the water and better signage there is still a lot of area in which guest need to know that gators and snakes can strike. I guess when you get your magic bands in the mail they should include literature on wildlife dangers and maybe include in that TV infomercial "must do's" about each park.

  12. #36

    I am glad they found the body and it was intact. If not this would have been much worse on the parents I believe. Here is a link to an article in our local paper about where the child was standing. I believe even if he was standing further back on the beach it still could have happened. Praying for the child and family!

    http://buzz.blog.ajc.com/2016/06/16/...ator-attacked/

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  13. #37
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    Agree with the others saying if that little boy had been even further back that it still could have sadly happened. I am just in such shock of the parent shaming going on all over. I know another board someone posted what many considered an insensitive picture and shaming those that had done this same thing or didn't even thing of there being alligators in that water at all. This has been the only place I have seen none of this go on. I think that parent or not you have to feel for this family and what they are going through right now. While I do believe there are times that parents can be at fault for things...this is so not one of those times and those blaming them should be ashamed of themselves.

    A crowded day at Disneyland beats a busy day of housework!!

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  14. #38

    Agreed. We've turned into a society that needs to place blame. Parents, Disney, they need to find someone to be at fault. I read an article discussing that 30+ years ago with cases like Adam Walsh and baby Jessica, society rallied around those parents in times of tragedy. Now we shame and blame parents for every accident. Sad really. I hope Lane's parents cannot only surround themselves with people that are there to support them, but find strength to not blame themselves or each other.


  15. #39

    I agree and also wonder if they will ever be able to go back to WDW after such a thing happened to them. There is no way the incident won't scar them all for life. Just hope they can work through it.


  16. #40
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    My prayers to the family, but I was sitting here thinking that even though I have been visiting WDW since 1977 I would not have even thought of a gator at the Floridian. I mean, I know I look for gators when we're visiting Wilderness and areas around the canals but you just don't think about that kind of thing at Floridian or Polynesian or others. I feel so brokenhearted for the poor parents especially from a state like Nebraska where there are no gators, and to have this shaming going on just astounds me.

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  17. #41
    Quote Originally Posted by nickjandrews View Post
    I agree and also wonder if they will ever be able to go back to WDW after such a thing happened to them. There is no way the incident won't scar them all for life. Just hope they can work through it.
    I don't think I would be able to go back if this happened to one of my children - and I always want to go back.
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  18. #42
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    Our thoughts and prayers go out to this family.


  19. #43
    Registered User codewoman's Avatar
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    I think the shaming stems from a need to think "this couldn't happen to me, because ..." I admit to a brief amount of internal shaming. But, as always, the more I know, the more sympathetic I am. Education.

    And my heart is broken for them and their loved ones. It's too horrific to imagine.


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  20. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by codewoman View Post
    I think the shaming stems from a need to think "this couldn't happen to me, because ..." I admit to a brief amount of internal shaming. But, as always, the more I know, the more sympathetic I am. Education.

    And my heart is broken for them and their loved ones. It's too horrific to imagine.


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    Agree that it could be from that and from some they probably aren't parents at all that say such things too so they have no clue. With that I have never been to WDW. I have no clue how I would be about that water myself. I couldn't say I would think of alligators or not being that I would be in the WDW resort on a vacation. Yet at the same time I am one that is careful about things. Obviously it says no swimming so that wouldn't be happening but I can't say if I would let my child wade in it or not. With the sand I can see kids wanting to build sandcastles. Which in turn they would be running to the edge of that water to use it. What are you suppose to do say no we can't do that? Especially if you see all these other people are having fun and there is no CM telling you to not do these things. Nothing stating you can't. I think letting people know they are around and its a risk should have been posted (which it looks like it will be now). That way with the posting up the people there can decide if they would want to take that risk or not in the end. This family wasn't given that chance to decide that.
    A crowded day at Disneyland beats a busy day of housework!!

    According to my princess, its not Star Wars land its "You stole my goats away from me!!......in progress land"

  21. #45

    Methinks we've seen the last of the small Sea Raycer type boats on Disney waterways.

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  22. #46
    Registered User ericles's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by nickjandrews View Post
    I agree and also wonder if they will ever be able to go back to WDW after such a thing happened to them...
    I'm fairly sure it's the last thing they are contemplating at this time.

  23. #47
    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    Methinks we've seen the last of the small Sea Raycer type boats on Disney waterways.
    Yep they will go the way of sitting in the drivers car of the monorail.

    Quote Originally Posted by nickjandrews View Post
    I agree and also wonder if they will ever be able to go back to WDW after such a thing happened to them. There is no way the incident won't scar them all for life. Just hope they can work through it.
    WDW is my happy place, like I am sure it is to many here. But there is no way I could ever go back if something like this would have happened to one of my kids. It would be too painful! Now maybe over time they could go to Disneyland. Maybe still a stretch but just a thought But sure it's not on their radar at all right now or for a good long while.
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  24. #48

    I'm not sure. The boats have always been there & so have the alligators. I believe like others have stated it was just a perfect storm (mating season = more aggressive behavior), dusk = feeding time, splashing like an a typical food source). I'm not sure if all these were not present that it ever would have occurred. Some people are stating the POLY bungalows and the changes at WL are also altering the ecosystem pushing them around the lagoon more. I have also read that people staying in the bungalows are feeding them which of course brings more into the area and causes more aggressive behavior. I think rather than eliminate the recreation opportunities they should come with better warnings, limited activities during mating season and perhaps even removal of the animals at a smaller size rather than the size that Disney uses now.

    I will wait and see what changes are made bc I am sure there will be some but no matter what Disney does, what we do as patrons, it will never be able to change what happened and those parents will forever grieve for their precious child. That loss should be the real focus. Bc honestly I have played on those beaches around the lagoon as an adult and child, I have a small 3 yr old rambunctious toddler who I am sure would have doing the same thing. It could have been us or you or one of our board friends...you never know. I just hope everyone stops criticizing the parents and Disney. Tragedies are just that...it was an accident. Still praying for that little boy and his family - they need are love and support more than anything.


  25. #49
    Quote Originally Posted by deedee73 View Post
    I'm not sure. The boats have always been there & so have the alligators.
    Yeah, but people never thought about them before. It's the same thing with the monorails. One accident didn't make the likelihood of an accident any greater. But the perception was there, so Disney's response was to eliminate any riders in the front cabin. I can see them doing the same thing with the Raycers.
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  26. #50
    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    Yeah, but people never thought about them before. It's the same thing with the monorails. One accident didn't make the likelihood of an accident any greater. But the perception was there, so Disney's response was to eliminate any riders in the front cabin. I can see them doing the same thing with the Raycers.
    If I remember correctly, the Raycers are available to rent only during the day, when alligators are usually sleeping. I think the odds of an alligator attacking someone on a Sea Raycer is highly unlikely (assuming that person in the Raycer follows the rules and doesn't do something stupid).
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