General Discussion

TeddyR

(2,493 posts)

95. Yeah

Thu Jun 16, 2016, 02:52 PM

Jun 2016

Not defending (or attacking) Disney. Just noting that in our multiple trips to Disney we knew that alligators were in the water in the area but alligator attack was the last thing on our minds. And having lived in Atlanta, we knew that south Georgia and all of Florida have LOTS of alligators, and just about any significant body of water will have some. But all the gators we ever saw at Disney were really small, like smaller than 2 feet.

It isn't just gators though - a lot of people don't realize that Disney also has tons of snakes (really). I've got some pictures on my phone from our last trip of our daughter rescuing a small ring neck snake from a walkway at Epcot. The entire park is basically built on a swamp. The monorail ride from the Ticket and Transportation Center over to Epcot crosses over acres and acres of undeveloped swamp.

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Disney resort custodian says he warned managers they should have fences [View all] pnwmom Jun 2016 OP

if this is true Disney well have to pay big JI7 Jun 2016 #1

Nothing they could/will pay will replace the poor child. winstars Jun 2016 #2

of course not JI7 Jun 2016 #3

No, but they will have long term therapy expenses jberryhill Jun 2016 #4

I would hate to be the therapist for that family steve2470 Jun 2016 #5

Well, that's why they are professionals jberryhill Jun 2016 #6

I would damn sure stay away from any religious or spiritual kind of "explanations"....because.... steve2470 Jun 2016 #8

Therapists are about listening. cwydro Jun 2016 #10

They are about both steve2470 Jun 2016 #12

Ok. cwydro Jun 2016 #17

Me too. People wouldn't believe what we listen to every day. nolabear Jun 2016 #34

There is not. My parents had a sudden loss of a baby pnwmom Jun 2016 #50

From a legal perspective, I'm sure they could win a lawsuit Travis_0004 Jun 2016 #11

nvm self delete nt steve2470 Jun 2016 #13

No way Disney lets this get into a courtroom. HooptieWagon Jun 2016 #56

I have to give the Orlando Sentinel credit for doing these reports steve2470 Jun 2016 #7

Disney does use its influence when it can to prevent negative publicity about Orlando. ohnoyoudidnt Jun 2016 #54

excellent point, yes nt steve2470 Jun 2016 #55

If the resort knew there were gators in the lagoon, guests should be warned. mountain grammy Jun 2016 #9

"...resident pet..." Iggo Jun 2016 #29

Sue the snot out of Disney. If an alligator was able to snatch a child off of the shore... Raster Jun 2016 #14

Heard on our local Chicago WGN that there have been 5 gators removed so far. MerryBlooms Jun 2016 #15

It killed me to hear that that hotel manager referred to an alligator pnwmom Jun 2016 #16

Gators are ambush predators quaker bill Jun 2016 #18

So I'm guessing you'd have advised the resort they should at least pnwmom Jun 2016 #19

Alternately "manage" the gators quaker bill Jun 2016 #21

Disney has a full time team which deals with gator sightings and other wildlife incidents. Adrahil Jun 2016 #23

good. quaker bill Jun 2016 #25

So they knew of the risk but didn't inform the guests with signs at the water. pnwmom Jun 2016 #26

I won't say they shouldn't post signs, but... Adrahil Jun 2016 #27

It sounds like negligence to me, when they are not only not posting pnwmom Jun 2016 #30

"serious risk"? Adrahil Jun 2016 #39

I didn't say that it was common. I said that the risk was serious -- i.e., there pnwmom Jun 2016 #41

Okay. It's what I'd refer to as a Adrahil Jun 2016 #45

The gator population is not what it was 45 years ago jberryhill Jun 2016 #35

it is negligence if what is posted in the article in the OP is true JI7 Jun 2016 #67

Thank you for this post. yardwork Jun 2016 #20

Avoid them all, probably not quaker bill Jun 2016 #24

"Three of the four answers are not good for a person." jberryhill Jun 2016 #36

I'm thinking the mating with humans is not good for either man or beast steve2470 Jun 2016 #61

only one has the gator leaving quaker bill Jun 2016 #83

But he said he loved me! jberryhill Jun 2016 #91

From what i have seen, they play rough. quaker bill Jun 2016 #96

C'mon.... we cannot live a risk-free life. Adrahil Jun 2016 #22

So, if this $76 billion dollar corporation did a risk/loss calculation pnwmom Jun 2016 #28

I'm a systems engineer.... Adrahil Jun 2016 #32

You're not answering my question. If they deliberately chose not to warn about the alligators pnwmom Jun 2016 #33

I'd need to know more. Adrahil Jun 2016 #37

They had tables and chairs right at the edge of the lagoon, which invited pnwmom Jun 2016 #47

The Orlando paper said a man reported a gator an hour before the attack adigal Jun 2016 #97

You are completely missing the point of who picks up the tab jberryhill Jun 2016 #43

17 million +/- visit Disney World annually. Nobody's been eaten before Arazi Jun 2016 #52

This facility is 28 years old and has not had that many visitors jberryhill Jun 2016 #63

No idea how many guests Grand Floridian has had over the last 18 years TeddyR Jun 2016 #71

I've read that other non-Disney resorts do have signs warning of alligator danger. n/t pnwmom Jun 2016 #86

Have you been to Disney World? There's lagoons, canals, ponds Arazi Jun 2016 #73

Yes I've been there jberryhill Jun 2016 #76

They attack when they're hungry and something the right size gets their attention. pnwmom Jun 2016 #87

28 years old radical noodle Jun 2016 #78

Argh. That's what thumb typing does jberryhill Jun 2016 #79

I want you to be my lawyer next time I run into an alligator. pnwmom Jun 2016 #85

They shouldn't be able to make the decision to withhold this information pnwmom Jun 2016 #84

your argument seems to be... Adrahil Jun 2016 #53

Then you didn't read what I wrote, quite obviously jberryhill Jun 2016 #60

If there is a question, it can be the court. Adrahil Jun 2016 #62

This message was self-deleted by its author jberryhill Jun 2016 #64

Of course it can never be completely safe. Mariana Jun 2016 #51

comparing visitors to the theme park is a false comparison jberryhill Jun 2016 #70

As I mentioned above this isn't correct TeddyR Jun 2016 #72

There are 847 rooms and 147 villas at this facility jberryhill Jun 2016 #74

That sort of answers my question TeddyR Jun 2016 #75

I know it hasn't been there for "45 years" jberryhill Jun 2016 #77

The Polynesian is lucky it didn't have its own event in April. pnwmom Jun 2016 #88

We've stayed at the Poynesian TeddyR Jun 2016 #93

When a resort manager describes an alligator as a "resident pet," pnwmom Jun 2016 #94

Yeah TeddyR Jun 2016 #95

All gators are troublesome rusty fender Jun 2016 #66

This is what I don't understand dflprincess Jun 2016 #48

When Ford did that sort of risk assessment with the Pinto, they ended up in big trouble. nt tblue37 Jun 2016 #81

I'm pretty shocked at the carelessness. nt BootinUp Jun 2016 #31

I'd be shocked if it was actual carelessness and not deliberate, knowing policy Fumesucker Jun 2016 #38

You and I rarely agree, lol. BootinUp Jun 2016 #40

I bet we never find out -- because Disney will quickly settle this. n/t pnwmom Jun 2016 #42

I'll bet the signs change. jberryhill Jun 2016 #44

It takes two to settle Fumesucker Jun 2016 #46

That was the analogy I thought of too. This kind of decision happens. n/t pnwmom Jun 2016 #49

The whole state of Florida has alligators Travis_0004 Jun 2016 #57

And Disney has visitors from all over the world, many of whom know nothing of alligators Fumesucker Jun 2016 #58

+1000000000 nt steve2470 Jun 2016 #68

from my law school days, I remember the duty of businesses to customers steve2470 Jun 2016 #59

And since this is the first fatality of that nature.... Adrahil Jun 2016 #90

well, we disagree I guess steve2470 Jun 2016 #92

It's about what Disney presents itself as . people from around the world pick Disney JI7 Jun 2016 #65

Interesting.I also compared this to Ford's Pinto risk assessment choice. nt tblue37 Jun 2016 #82

But what would guests have been scared off from doing? TeddyR Jun 2016 #69

Staying... Fumesucker Jun 2016 #80

Actually, I think guests pretty accurately assess the relative risks of, say, getting Nay Jun 2016 #89