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Just to clarify, although I dont think Disney needs to be sued over it, it doesn't mean I think the parents are "at fault". Yes they disobeyed the sign. However, this was a totally freak accident. As I said earlier, this could have happened while in a parking lot or on the beach or at a park and it would have nothing to do with understanding the rule about the water. It was just a freak accident.

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@T.H.O.U.: Exactly. Despite my statements previously that *I* wouldn't have been playing in the water, I don't "blame" the parents here at all. Shit happens. To everyone. D fell in my BIL's pool 2 weeks ago with 10 adults standing around him, including my BIL sitting right next to him. We are parents. We are human. We are imperfect. All the rule-following in the world doesn't protect us from accidental tragedies.

@T.H.O.U.: putting your ankles in the water is not swimming and that's what every witness reported, that it was up to his ankles. You can say well to me that's swimming or to me a no swimming sign means don't go near the water. But to a lot of people no swimming means no swimming and not anything else. They let people water ski on the lake, they could have water skied earlier in the day to think splashing is fine. Disney has people from all over the world, if this was some little town I'd think differently but Disney knows what signs like do not swim vs do not enter vs there be gators here means. But saying the family let their kid swim when he was ankle deep is a huge stretch in imagination.

@T.H.O.U.: yes but not everyone is you and is not from where you're from and that's not at all what the sign says, it could have said do not enter but it didn't. If you don't think disney is at fault whatev I just really dont understand all these claims that the family disobeyed some imaginary wording on a sign.

@T.H.O.U.: like I said if you don't think its Disneys fault, whatev.

That being said I think lightening is a universally known phenomenon while gators are not. I also think they would have cancelled movie night if it was thundering and lightening. In a luxury property like Disney where they have a beach set up by the water on a man made lake, watersports allowed and movies shown there at night, i can absolutely see how even if people know Florida and gators that it's a set up that lures a false sense of security. I've seen all these comments that say I wouldn't want to be by fresh water in Florida at night but Disney organized a movie night there. I've been to Podunk beach movie nights and the organizers always make sure people realize sharks feed at night and even ankle deep can be too deep. It honestly seems to be a huge lapse to know of the gators, organize a movie night when gators feed, have international visitors, and not say anything. I've seen more from any beach night event I've been to so I would expect something more from a big vacation place like Disney.

@Shizaz: but there's water skiing, so visitors see guests safely touching the water with Disneys permission. It seems perfectly reasonable for someone to think if it's fine to fall off their water skis into this water, my foot won't fall off if I touch it.

Where I'm from both the river and ocean have specific warnings about either not swimming, not wading, or do not enter depending on the reason/ water level and they each mean what their definition is in English. A lot of the commenters have said the same thing about their areas. These are cultural differences that I'm sure Disney is aware of, I'm sure they understand how a lot of people understand the word swimming. My daughter plays in the baby pool and it would be a huge lie for me to say therefore she knows how to swim.

Mom Shares Photos Of Her Son Playing Exactly Where Boy Was Attacked By Alligator

http://www.scarymommy.com/boy-attacked-by-alligator-disney-resort/

A few helpful questions to ask oneself when reading a news story like this one:

1) Do I have a law degree?
2) Have I passed the bar exam in the relevant state (Florida)?
3) Was I hired by either party (Disney, or the parents) to serve as their attorney OR am I a judge appointed to rule between the parties?

If you answer "no" to any of those three questions, congratulations, you are free to go about your life unburdened of the responsibility to weigh the evidence and figure out whose fault this was. Consider using this free time to do something relaxing, like read a book or go for a walk or play with your kids! Enjoy your day.

@PawPrints: I don't think anyone needs your acceptance or permission to comment on a message board, law degree or not - or did I miss your internet czar degree

And usually discussion about community expectations does have an effect, so it's a worthwhile discussion to have. I was surprised at how many people in the zoo incident could see a gorilla and a huge moat with their own eyes and not see how there was a danger. But seeing the responses to that incident it seems like the zoo did decide to put up more significant fencing that a toddler couldn't duck under.

I've tried to avoid commenting, after all what can I add that hasn't already been said? I'm not interested in commenting on the right/wrong of the parties involved. But let me throw some food for thought out there...

What if that mom is one of US? She could be a member on here and someday will have the ability to read our comments. That family is going through their own personal hell at the moment as they have lost their son. The son they had dreams for is now dead. What I would want to hear from the internet is how compassionate people are mourning my loss with me. How people are praying for my family. How people are concerned for our loss and our ability to move forward.

Us debating the technicality of the what a sign says and how it's interpreted or what the family should have done or what Disney should have done doesn't achieve anything. All I would want is privacy and to turn the clock back and make different decisions. They can't turn the clock back. They will forever live with the loss of a son.

For their family, I cry. I can't imagine going home from "the happiest place..." with my child in a body bag. I pray for peace for this family. They aren't getting the privacy they deserve or requested, their lives have been splashed on the internet and every major news source.

None of us are perfect, let's stop the judgment and the finger pointing. It creates a divide that isn't necessary. Let's agree that everyone of us (and that MOM too) just wants to make the best decisions possible and love our kids.

@bjl1215: I think to some degree that is my point. The water was as safe as it could be from natural freak accidents. This was just a freak accident. You aren't safe on the beach either. Gators love to sun bathe and I'm sure he would love to climb up there too. Its just a part of nature and something really really bad that happened. That water is also probably full of water moccasins (poisonous snakes) and can bite in water or on land.

@PawPrints: Ha! Funny.

@T.H.O.U.: we switched campgrounds earlier this year bc the only campsites available were right by a freshwater lake that prob had gators. And there was no way I was taking a 4 and 2 year old out to pee at night or even hang around at night, I told my husband it'd be like carrying bait with us. And I get that freak accidents occur and everyone takes risks but some of these things can and should have been anticipated by the resort. It's illegal to feed alligators in Florida and disney recently built bungalows right on the water, which have had numerous complaints of people feeding alligators from them. http://www.thewrap.com/gator-attack-disney-knew-of-problems-staffer-asked-for-fence-at-lagoon-exclusive/ It seems to make sense that more gators would come to shore to find food then and is probably why it's illegal to feed alligators in Florida.

@bluestriped bee: why not? There are thousands of miles of coastline in Florida that people use, and all of them could have wildlife on them. Just yesterday we were swimming in the intercoastal and joking about sharks. A nearby state park rents kayaks and there are alligators in the area where people kayak. In 2015 a man died from an alligator maul in a Florida state park and people were swimming there the next week..no policy change. This would be the equivalent of disallowing hiking in a national park because there's grizzlies in the park. I guess people don't think of Disney as being a "natural" place per se, but it is a huge resort.

To go along with those who have expressed sadness and anger that we (collectively as a country and some here on this site) can't seem to talk about a horrible tragedy without assigning blame, here's a great read: http://www.scarymommy.com/perfect-parents-put-down-pitchforks/?utm_source=FB

Seriously, just thank your lucky stars or whatever you believe in that your children are alive and you aren't experiencing this horror as a parent. Lift them up.

@Mrs. Sketchbook: Exactly, you would be shutting down every aspect of FL if we should shut down every chance of wildlife getting us. And you're right, my brother frequently catches sharks in the intercostal.

I do think it goes to the bigger issue of people not understanding nature and freak accidents. Nature does still exist and there are things that happen where you can't place blame.

@Mrs. Sketchbook: the bison story is a good point in how much people don't know about nature, apparently even science writers. That bison was most likely abandoned prior to being put in the car. It's normal behavior for there to be abandoned bisons every year, moms die and sometimes reject their young either because the mom or baby is sick. What's not normal is for it to be rejected after it bonds with mom (not that it's a good idea to put a bison in your car but it was doomed long before that)
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/06/07/i-saw-the-baby-bison-that-tourists-tried-to-rescue-heres-what-you-dont-know-about-the-story/
Sorry that's been bothering me about this story for awhile.
But we also don't stick lightening rods on a beach, stick beach chairs nearby and then hold a movie night on the beach to celebrate thunder and then say they should have known about the lightening rod. I mean sharks don't usually attack but if you throw a lot of chum into the water then start holding night activities on the beach, you're upping the probability significantly of someone getting bit. Yosemite had the same problems with bears being fed and they cracked down on it and have bear boxes for everyones stuff now, it's helped a lot.

@T.H.O.U.: Oh, okay. Thanks. Though, I'm pretty sure I would not even think about doing any water sports if I knew there were alligators in the lake. Sharks are different because they are in the ocean and most resorts don't own the beach. Places like Australia where shark attacks do happen frequently is the exemption. Everyone knows (no signs needed) that sharks frequent that area.

The thought of Alligators is a big fat nope to me. Yes, I will go jet skiing into the ocean and am aware of the aquatic animals (like Sharks which is rare when I visit the NJ shore). But I'm going to a public beach (not attached to a resort). That is common sense.

Alligators in a lake a Disney? Where they promote jet skiing? It wouldn't have crossed my mine when I went to Disney World a few years ago. Yes, I know alligators do exist in Florida (up until this point, thought they were mainly in southern Florida where the everglades are) and now I'm aware that alligators can be anywhere. (I do think going to Disney does give me a false sense of security that everything is safe.) It does make me wonder if Disney's safari boat ride within the park has protocols in place to remove alligators. I know there are fake alligator and other animals.

@Mrs. Sketchbook:

@Maysprout: yeah the bison was doomed, but it probably would have died of exposure or been eaten instead of becoming a target for cars and a hassle/PR nightmare for the parks system.