Alligator Drags 2 Year old into water at Grand Floridian resort.

[anihilnation]

I think alligators often just kill their prey and then store it somewhere under water, I know crocodiles do so.
Really sad what happened. A reminder also of how wild Florida is.

 

[Disneyhead]

??? Not even pieces in stomach contents? (sorry everyone, but that is where we are at here)

Remember the Kitner boy?

 

[Teebin]

Remember the Kitner boy?

Not sure who that is, so no. Another tragedy some time ago?

 

[Nick]

I don't want to be to gruesome but they are probably looking for remains in each alligator they catch. The child was most likely not swallowed whole. Alligators have a very specific method of how they kill and how they eat. If you want details look it up or PM me, but I don't want to go into it any more than that in the open forums.

Absolutely heartbreaking.

No need to get into more of a discussion. It's just terrible that this happened, could've happened pretty much anywhere in Florida, much like every event this past week. Orlando is just getting hit hard.

 

[Brian G.]

Not sure who that is, so no. Another tragedy some time ago?

*Jaws Reference

 

[Teebin]

*Jaws Reference

Aaaah! I am a total failure on pop culture.

 

[Teebin]

#DisneyGatorAttack is trending on twitter for entire United States. That isn't the best publicity after the nightclub attack.

 

[SkiBum]

We just returned from WDW and UNI last Friday. Last week, I was at the Polynesian just walking around and saw a lady letting her two to three year old play in the lake (probably in waist deep water for the little guy). I remember thinking that a) he was doing it right by the sign that states "No Swimming" and b) I hope that an alligator isn't close by. Thus, it was weird to see the news today. I am not exaggerating or anything on this story. My sister, who lives in Naples, warned me years ago that, if there a body of water that there is probably an alligator or two hanging out in it. Plus, I remember Teebin discussing in another thread two weeks ago how people are in close proximity to poisonous animals (snakes, spiders, etc.) all the time in FL without every paying attention to it.

 

[Teebin]

I'm gonna think a "Beware of Alligators" warning will be added to the sign when the beaches open back up.

Might I add, "Beware of Alligators and Water Snakes". That will keep most toes out of the lagoons. Of course, jetski rentals will plummet, but hey.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I think the risk of gators has been downplayed (which was obviously a mistake) while at the same time the lake was allowed to be more and more "natural" - the grass growing in, the water getting murkier, more wildlife living inside of it.

Yes, it's attached to Bay Lake but it -was- entirely manmade.

I think if an effort was made to keep it more artificial through beach work and landscaping and water treatment it would keep more critters out and possibly even allow them to just remove them - it's not like there's gators that get to live for very long in Epcot's lagoon or anything. It's not pristine water either, but a gator spotted in there is a gator removed.

And people talk (elsewhere, not necessarily here) of how CMs know not to go in the water.. that's moreso because you'll need a tetanus shot and less about gators.

 

[Galaxy Defender]

I think seems like most people, including Disney staff, had gotten complacent about the risks of being in/near Bay Lake. It will be shown more caution from here on out.

 

[Bulldog45]

First off, what a terrible tragedy for any family to have to go through. My thoughts and prayers are with them. I live in Southeast Florida, about 2 hours from Orlando. I grew up in a house on a small manmade lake and alligators constantly wound up in our backyard by means of sewer and drainage systems. Just because it's manmade doesn't mean an alligator won't find their way into it. Remember, Florida used to be primarily wet lands; they were here first. Whenever you are near a fresh body of water (lake, canal, pond) you should always keep that in the back of your mind. You never know what's lurking below the surface.

 

[GAcoaster]

While I feel awful for the family, it was 9:30 at night and they let their kid go out into the water where it was 1 foot deep despite all the signs on the beach saying "KEEP OUT".

Today was a horrible day for Orlando (again) and all day long the OCPD chopper kept circling very low over Seven Seas Lagoon searching. Each pass around just emphasized they found nothing yet. So far 5 gators have been caught and euthanized in the search.

 

[Mad Dog]

CNN just reported that the toddler's body has been discovered.

 

[Teebin]

Is that the boat area north of Bay Lake that they are showing on CNN right now?

 

[MrRoamer]

Glad to hear they found his body... at least the family may have some form of closure on this terrible event.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Glad to hear they found his body... at least the family may have some form of closure on this terrible event.

And Disney can stop stressing over when/why/how it was going to appear.

 

[Teebin]

Is that the boat area north of Bay Lake that they are showing on CNN right now?

Camera panned up and yes it is.

 

[MrRoamer]

And Disney can stop stressing over when/why/how it was going to appear.

Yeah those other questions were definitely something that I was worrying about too.

 

[Mad Dog]

Official said they found the body, intact, just 10 to 15 yards from the incident in about 6' of water.