Disney Installing Gator Signs, Barriers Following Attack on Boy

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Abner, Jun 18, 2016.

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  1. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    Geez,

    Disney Installing Gator Signs, Barriers Following Attack on Boy - ABC News

    "Previous signage warned not to swim in the water, but did not mention gators."

    I thought I read somewhere that another incident involving a little boy had occurred prior to this little boy being eaten up by a crock. Shouldn't they have posted the signs back when the first incident/s happened? It would have cut down on ticket sales I guess. I just can't believe some of this stuff. If someone is not from Florida, they would not know just how much wildlife including gators are around. They might have heard about, but have never seen it for themselves.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 18, 2016
  2. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    I've been on the beach area where this happened- it's not at all gatorish-looking. The thing about Disney, is that they are so obsessively and over-the-top intuitive, that I'm shocked they didn't have gator barriers in place already. We are going back in August, I'm curious if we'll see a lot of new signs.
     
  3. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    That sounds like a nice trip, let's us know how it goes. Yeah, I have never been to Florida myself. I would like to go because I have read about places where there are giant pythons and other such animals wandering around. Back in college, I raised a Columbian Red Tail Boa. When I bought it, it was a tiny little thing, and he became very tame and beatutiful. I used to like to let him loose on the front lawn of my parents house so he could fully stretch out his 12 foot body. That was a site to see. There was a war veteran that loved across the street, and he would say "Don't let thing get anywhere near me or I'll shoot it!". He was just kidding. :smile: I really liked that guy. My snake ended up getting burned alive in a house fire, but that is a story I won't be telling.

    But I digress, I am going to have go out to Florida and check this stuff out for myself. :smile:

    P.S. I am quite the law breaker though. I sometimes purchase dime/quarter sized red eared turtles in China Town. :smile:
     
  4. rebel100

    rebel100 New Member

    I've walked this beach maybe 10 times a month for the past 2-3 years (annual pass holders, lifelong Orlando resident). The previous event was relatively minor injuries to a grown adult, they never had another kid gobbled up and these are alligators....only crocodile is on Peter Pan's Flight....but he does ear Capt. Cook's hand and a clock.

    Gators are literally everywhere in Florida, they almost never attack humans. You will learn soon that the biggest problem Disney has is folks feeding these wild animals and then becoming accustomed to thinking of food when they see people.

    I also suspect the people had stopped to view fireworks, they are lovely across the lake....that likely led to the moments inattention that allowed the kid to be taken.

    The Dad jumped in and fought the gator....made me think of all the times I've walked that route with a pistol and/knife....there are plenty of reasons to go armed other than night club attacks. I'm not faulting the Dad, just wish he had a tool when his kid needed it the most.
     
  5. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Did Disney check to make sure that all the horses are out of the barn, now that they're closing the door?
     
  6. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

  7. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    With millions of gators in Florida--some of whom actually attend class--one would expect a lagoon to be dangerous, especially at night. Except.....

    Disney is a company that sells fantasy danger. That's precisely what a roller-coaster ride is all about. It feels dangerous, even though it's really, really safe. Well, this was an artificial lagoon. Floridians, for the most part, know the dangers. But someone from another place might not, expecting that Disney, in providing an artificial lagoon--was providing a safe one. In fact, the signs present could be obeyed to the letter and STILL an alligator attack could ensue.

    Disney's going to write a big check long before any of this gets to trial. Shhh, look away.....
     
  8. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    I've never seen a gator in real life unless you count being at a zoo. I am shocked that this man-made lake has gators BUT my good friend who lives in FL tells me that "every" water in FL has a gator- and even if it doesn't, you should treat it like it does. She's had them in her yard! I've been to FL many times, but I expected WDW would have underwater walls or something- I'm not kidding. I would have never expected anything in that lake. They parasail in there too. (Edit: and jet ski) We almost did it on our last trip! Yikes!
     
  9. rebel100

    rebel100 New Member

    Fatal human/gator encounters are incredibly rare.....without googling tell me of another time you've ever even heard of one.
     
  10. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member


    "made me think of all the times I've walked that route with a pistol and/knife.."

    Yeah, that makes me wonder about stuff too. Animals like gators and crocs do things like a "death roll", where they kind of twist around wildly. An animal like a gator or a croc has very, very tough skin. So, if you had you gun handy, would you have time to shoot the gator in just the right spot to kill it in time before it killed your little boy? Maybe, maybe not.

    I am all in favor of weapons meant for self defense. I guess you could say I am quite adept at using and handling all sorts of perfectly legal self defense weapons. But I also know that these weapons are not always available on hand when needed. So if I am in a situation where I do not have one of my handy dandy legal weapons, I must resort to other tactics like maybe using my hands and feet. If a fella decides to shoot me in the head, well then, that's that, end of story. I accept that. Now, if a fella has a revolver at his disposal, another fella might have a bigger revolver or machine gun at hand, and well, things can get ugly.

    What's the answer you ask? I don't know.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 20, 2016
  11. perrymk

    perrymk Member

    I don't think I've posted this photo on this forum before. If I have, I apologize for the repeat. I was hiking along the Florida National Scenic Trail probably not more than 50 miles form Disney a few months ago and almost tripped over this guy while rounding a bend around some bushes. I believe this was in the Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area but it might have been a different WMA. He is actually on the trail. The un-nerving part was having to wade through waist deep water for the next 50 yards as the trail was flooded. He is around 10 feet long and bigger around than I am. I saw several rather large (10+ feet) gators on that hike. I snapped the photo as I scurried away. I never actually stopped.

    [​IMG]
     
  12. airtorn

    airtorn Moderator

    I watch a lot of cheesy movies on SyFy so I've seen quite a few human/gator encounters.
     
  13. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 23, 2016

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