More Sad News From Orlando......

Gern Blansten

Merkin Baller said:

It's safe to assume these tourists didn't know that gators are everywhere. If they did, they probably wouldn't have been where they were.

I'm not blaming Disney or the parent, this was a horrible accident.

As I said before though, I can't understand how in a society as litigious as our own, that Disney wouldn't be more cautious. People who are familiar with Florida know gators are everywhere (this includes the people who run Disney)

People who are unfamiliar with Florida may not know how common alligators are. Was the father foolish / stupid to ignore the signs that said no swimming? Absolutely he was, but it's also not that crazy to see how someone might think they are safe from man eating predators on a resort that caters to children. ESPECIALLY if they aren't familiar with the local wildlife which these people clearly weren't.

My heart's broken for these parents who have to try to move on with their lives. It won't be any easier for them in this ridiculously judgemental society where everyone's an expert after the fact.

agreed....I'm surprised that Disney wasn't more proactive but I guess a "Beware of Alligator" sign might not bring the good wholesome vision of the perfect family vacation?

A "No swimming" sign certainly isn't going to protect them from liability.

polaris_x

just some context here ... alligators don't usually attack humans ... the fact this kid was small, wading in water around dusk definitely contributed to this tragedy ... but alligators aren't like salt water crocodiles ... they generally eat smaller things ... obviously, they are still a major risk especially with kids and pets ...

HughFreakingDillon

PJ_Soul said:

Jason P said:

So they trapped at least 5 gators before finding the boy ... I think that stands to reason Disney should have been aware of the potential danger. I'm surprised their risk management team let this fester.

The didn't just trap them. They killed them (or at least that's what they said on the morning news today... they called it "euthanized"... I guess they don't know the meaning of that word).

as sad as this situation made me, am I an unfeeling asshole for feeling bad that they killed 5 other gators just to find remains? was that really necessary?

HughFreakingDillon

callen said:

Would you let your toddler go into a natural body of water at night? By themselves? Then add no swimming signs and it's FLORIDA that have Gators. Tourists know there are gators everywhere. The parents fked up. Not Disney.

Natural selection

never in a million years would I assume gators would be at a body of water in the back yard of a disney resort. he wasn't swimming, either. he had his feet in the water. I see "no swimming" signs all over the place for a variety of reasons, doesn't mean it's fucking dangerous to put your feet in.

natural selection? that's cold, man. not to mention it doesn't even make sense. the boy didn't die because of any poor decision making on his part.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

HughFreakingDillon said:

PJ_Soul said:

Jason P said:

So they trapped at least 5 gators before finding the boy ... I think that stands to reason Disney should have been aware of the potential danger. I'm surprised their risk management team let this fester.

The didn't just trap them. They killed them (or at least that's what they said on the morning news today... they called it "euthanized"... I guess they don't know the meaning of that word).

as sad as this situation made me, am I an unfeeling asshole for feeling bad that they killed 5 other gators just to find remains? was that really necessary?

Hugh...

I'm a little confused by this post. Are you saying you think finding the remains was important, or that the gator's lives were more important?

HughFreakingDillon

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

PJ_Soul said:

Jason P said:

So they trapped at least 5 gators before finding the boy ... I think that stands to reason Disney should have been aware of the potential danger. I'm surprised their risk management team let this fester.

The didn't just trap them. They killed them (or at least that's what they said on the morning news today... they called it "euthanized"... I guess they don't know the meaning of that word).

as sad as this situation made me, am I an unfeeling asshole for feeling bad that they killed 5 other gators just to find remains? was that really necessary?

Hugh...

I'm a little confused by this post. Are you saying you think finding the remains was important, or that the gator's lives were more important?

I'm conflicted. Of course finding the boy's remains was important, but it bothers me that we just slaughter other animals for our own needs, whatever those needs may be.

it's sad on both fronts.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

HughFreakingDillon said:

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

PJ_Soul said:

Jason P said:

So they trapped at least 5 gators before finding the boy ... I think that stands to reason Disney should have been aware of the potential danger. I'm surprised their risk management team let this fester.

The didn't just trap them. They killed them (or at least that's what they said on the morning news today... they called it "euthanized"... I guess they don't know the meaning of that word).

as sad as this situation made me, am I an unfeeling asshole for feeling bad that they killed 5 other gators just to find remains? was that really necessary?

Hugh...

I'm a little confused by this post. Are you saying you think finding the remains was important, or that the gator's lives were more important?

I'm conflicted. Of course finding the boy's remains was important, but it bothers me that we just slaughter other animals for our own needs, whatever those needs may be.

it's sad on both fronts.

I understand this slaughter more than I'd ever understand killing gators for purses or shoes.

This is one situation that no matter how distasteful, it needs to be done.

And the more I think about it, the more I feel this family was killed into a false sense of security. You are right... the sign reading 'no swimming' did not suggest 'no dipping your toes'. I understand it's Florida, but a family from Nebraska can hardly anticipate a gator leaping from submersion and snatching their toddler.

A nightmare.

MayDay10

HughFreakingDillon said:

Thirty Bills Unpaid said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

PJ_Soul said:

Jason P said:

So they trapped at least 5 gators before finding the boy ... I think that stands to reason Disney should have been aware of the potential danger. I'm surprised their risk management team let this fester.

The didn't just trap them. They killed them (or at least that's what they said on the morning news today... they called it "euthanized"... I guess they don't know the meaning of that word).

as sad as this situation made me, am I an unfeeling asshole for feeling bad that they killed 5 other gators just to find remains? was that really necessary?

Hugh...

I'm a little confused by this post. Are you saying you think finding the remains was important, or that the gator's lives were more important?

I'm conflicted. Of course finding the boy's remains was important, but it bothers me that we just slaughter other animals for our own needs, whatever those needs may be.

it's sad on both fronts.

For one, the Alligator who may have eaten a child would need to be found, because if that happened, it may happen again. Plus, for the family.

Second, there are reports that people have been feeding Alligators. This incident was likely a product of that.

Its like on the news when you see a Bear raiding a campsite or town. Its all cute and funny, then sucks when you find out that authorities put the bear down. Bears get accustomed to go somewhere/comfortable where people live and experience obtaining (delicious) food there... they will return. Same thing here.

PJ_Soul

lukin2006 said:

Of course they killed 5 gators or whatever the numbers ... That's what humans do better than all other species on earth. And yes this is a nightmare for that family, of epic proportions obviously. But I've been to Florida I've seen gators on every visit. These parents should have known not to enter a lagoon at dusk in Florida...a tiny Google research would have helped. My parents (the least protective parents of all time) would take our family to north west Ontario camping and we weren't allowed to go the bathroom alone for fear of bears and both parents knew what to do if bears were around. Yes better signage would have helped, a little common sense helps as well.

Not everyone knows about the gator issue. Many people don't know a lot about a lot. I don't think it's fair to blame the parents. I don't think it was willful ignorance. Most people in the world actually DON'T know about alligators, what their usual habitat is, or what their feeding schedule is. That isn't common knowledge for most people who don't live anywhere near alligators, and Disneyworld hardly seems like a place where people would be assuming that there is extreme danger when it comes to wildlife. That kind of caution is generally reserved for the jungle and shit like that for average, urbanized Americans. It's not like there are travel warnings highlighted when people book tix to Florida.
Yes, if there is a pond loaded with alligators at a resort, there should be "danger: alligators" signs all over the place, with pictures of alligators attacking people, not just "no swimming" signs.

polaris_x

PJ_Soul said:

lukin2006 said:

Of course they killed 5 gators or whatever the numbers ... That's what humans do better than all other species on earth. And yes this is a nightmare for that family, of epic proportions obviously. But I've been to Florida I've seen gators on every visit. These parents should have known not to enter a lagoon at dusk in Florida...a tiny Google research would have helped. My parents (the least protective parents of all time) would take our family to north west Ontario camping and we weren't allowed to go the bathroom alone for fear of bears and both parents knew what to do if bears were around. Yes better signage would have helped, a little common sense helps as well.

Not everyone knows about the gator issue. Many people don't know a lot about a lot. I don't think it's fair to blame the parents. I don't think it was willful ignorance. Most people in the world actually DON'T know about alligators, what their usual habitat is, or what their feeding schedule is. That isn't common knowledge for most people who don't live anywhere near alligators, and Disneyworld hardly seems like a place where people would be assuming that there is extreme danger when it comes to wildlife. That kind of caution is generally reserved for the jungle and shit like that for average, urbanized Americans. It's not like there are travel warnings highlighted when people book tix to Florida.
Yes, if there is a pond loaded with alligators at a resort, there should be "danger: alligators" signs all over the place, with pictures of alligators attacking people, not just "no swimming" signs.

thing is ... you will find gators all over the south ... in lots of bodies of water and there typically aren't signs ...

did the gator drown the boy and then leave it? anyone know?

PJ_Soul

polaris_x said:

PJ_Soul said:

lukin2006 said:

Of course they killed 5 gators or whatever the numbers ... That's what humans do better than all other species on earth. And yes this is a nightmare for that family, of epic proportions obviously. But I've been to Florida I've seen gators on every visit. These parents should have known not to enter a lagoon at dusk in Florida...a tiny Google research would have helped. My parents (the least protective parents of all time) would take our family to north west Ontario camping and we weren't allowed to go the bathroom alone for fear of bears and both parents knew what to do if bears were around. Yes better signage would have helped, a little common sense helps as well.

Not everyone knows about the gator issue. Many people don't know a lot about a lot. I don't think it's fair to blame the parents. I don't think it was willful ignorance. Most people in the world actually DON'T know about alligators, what their usual habitat is, or what their feeding schedule is. That isn't common knowledge for most people who don't live anywhere near alligators, and Disneyworld hardly seems like a place where people would be assuming that there is extreme danger when it comes to wildlife. That kind of caution is generally reserved for the jungle and shit like that for average, urbanized Americans. It's not like there are travel warnings highlighted when people book tix to Florida.
Yes, if there is a pond loaded with alligators at a resort, there should be "danger: alligators" signs all over the place, with pictures of alligators attacking people, not just "no swimming" signs.

thing is ... you will find gators all over the south ... in lots of bodies of water and there typically aren't signs ...

did the gator drown the boy and then leave it? anyone know?

But we're talking about a Disney resort. That's totally different.

jeffbr

polaris_x said:

PJ_Soul said:

lukin2006 said:

Of course they killed 5 gators or whatever the numbers ... That's what humans do better than all other species on earth. And yes this is a nightmare for that family, of epic proportions obviously. But I've been to Florida I've seen gators on every visit. These parents should have known not to enter a lagoon at dusk in Florida...a tiny Google research would have helped. My parents (the least protective parents of all time) would take our family to north west Ontario camping and we weren't allowed to go the bathroom alone for fear of bears and both parents knew what to do if bears were around. Yes better signage would have helped, a little common sense helps as well.

Not everyone knows about the gator issue. Many people don't know a lot about a lot. I don't think it's fair to blame the parents. I don't think it was willful ignorance. Most people in the world actually DON'T know about alligators, what their usual habitat is, or what their feeding schedule is. That isn't common knowledge for most people who don't live anywhere near alligators, and Disneyworld hardly seems like a place where people would be assuming that there is extreme danger when it comes to wildlife. That kind of caution is generally reserved for the jungle and shit like that for average, urbanized Americans. It's not like there are travel warnings highlighted when people book tix to Florida.
Yes, if there is a pond loaded with alligators at a resort, there should be "danger: alligators" signs all over the place, with pictures of alligators attacking people, not just "no swimming" signs.

thing is ... you will find gators all over the south ... in lots of bodies of water and there typically aren't signs ...

did the gator drown the boy and then leave it? anyone know?

Sounds like that's what happened. They said the boy only had a few puncture marks, which probably didn't kill him. Otherwise, he was intact.

polaris_x

jeffbr said:

polaris_x said:

PJ_Soul said:

lukin2006 said:

Of course they killed 5 gators or whatever the numbers ... That's what humans do better than all other species on earth. And yes this is a nightmare for that family, of epic proportions obviously. But I've been to Florida I've seen gators on every visit. These parents should have known not to enter a lagoon at dusk in Florida...a tiny Google research would have helped. My parents (the least protective parents of all time) would take our family to north west Ontario camping and we weren't allowed to go the bathroom alone for fear of bears and both parents knew what to do if bears were around. Yes better signage would have helped, a little common sense helps as well.

Not everyone knows about the gator issue. Many people don't know a lot about a lot. I don't think it's fair to blame the parents. I don't think it was willful ignorance. Most people in the world actually DON'T know about alligators, what their usual habitat is, or what their feeding schedule is. That isn't common knowledge for most people who don't live anywhere near alligators, and Disneyworld hardly seems like a place where people would be assuming that there is extreme danger when it comes to wildlife. That kind of caution is generally reserved for the jungle and shit like that for average, urbanized Americans. It's not like there are travel warnings highlighted when people book tix to Florida.
Yes, if there is a pond loaded with alligators at a resort, there should be "danger: alligators" signs all over the place, with pictures of alligators attacking people, not just "no swimming" signs.

thing is ... you will find gators all over the south ... in lots of bodies of water and there typically aren't signs ...

did the gator drown the boy and then leave it? anyone know?

Sounds like that's what happened. They said the boy only had a few puncture marks, which probably didn't kill him. Otherwise, he was intact.

strange ... i wonder if the boy was too close to something and the gator thought it was a threat!?

Degeneratefk

It is not uncommon for gators to drown a meal and stash it somewhere underwater for a while before they eat it.

polaris_x

PJ_Soul said:

polaris_x said:

PJ_Soul said:

lukin2006 said:

Of course they killed 5 gators or whatever the numbers ... That's what humans do better than all other species on earth. And yes this is a nightmare for that family, of epic proportions obviously. But I've been to Florida I've seen gators on every visit. These parents should have known not to enter a lagoon at dusk in Florida...a tiny Google research would have helped. My parents (the least protective parents of all time) would take our family to north west Ontario camping and we weren't allowed to go the bathroom alone for fear of bears and both parents knew what to do if bears were around. Yes better signage would have helped, a little common sense helps as well.

Not everyone knows about the gator issue. Many people don't know a lot about a lot. I don't think it's fair to blame the parents. I don't think it was willful ignorance. Most people in the world actually DON'T know about alligators, what their usual habitat is, or what their feeding schedule is. That isn't common knowledge for most people who don't live anywhere near alligators, and Disneyworld hardly seems like a place where people would be assuming that there is extreme danger when it comes to wildlife. That kind of caution is generally reserved for the jungle and shit like that for average, urbanized Americans. It's not like there are travel warnings highlighted when people book tix to Florida.
Yes, if there is a pond loaded with alligators at a resort, there should be "danger: alligators" signs all over the place, with pictures of alligators attacking people, not just "no swimming" signs.

thing is ... you will find gators all over the south ... in lots of bodies of water and there typically aren't signs ...

did the gator drown the boy and then leave it? anyone know?

But we're talking about a Disney resort. That's totally different.

i totally believe there should have been more signs ... i'm just trying to add some context to the discussion about the amount of gators in the south along with their typical behaviours ... this was a tragedy that could have been prevented with some signage and information however, it was also a freak occurrence as well ...

chadwick

you don't go into lakes, ponds, canals, rivers or creeks when in florida, at least i wouldn't. if you are standing at a body of water in florida your chances of seeing a gator in that water is pretty good i'd imagine. gators get around real good down there. what keeps gators out of a resort lake? a fence? maybe for awhile. this fence had better be around the entire property & in the ground.

i am amazed that i read on here it was just after 9pm when this happened. god damn man. there are no swimming pools nearby? which by the way pools attract gators. you can't win with these bastards unless you pay attention to your surroundings. when i drove trucks i used to watch gators in this pond behind a truck stop. there was no fencing, nothing. anyone could be attacked without hesitation... wrong place at the wrong time

PJ_Soul

I've actually been to Florida, and the only alligators I saw were in the Orlando alligator farm.

polaris_x

PJ_Soul said:

I've actually been to Florida, and the only alligators I saw were in the Orlando alligator farm.

they don't usually have them at strip clubs

HughFreakingDillon

polaris_x said:

PJ_Soul said:

I've actually been to Florida, and the only alligators I saw were in the Orlando alligator farm.

they don't usually have them at strip clubs

sure they do. they're called red snappers.

Thirty Bills Unpaid

Wow.

This thread has been kicked up a couple notches.