Gator at Disney

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I agree with Sapper's sentiment, just want to mention this happened at 9 PM, and the lifeguards were likely stationed at the adjacent swimming pools.  There's a kiddie pool right next to the lake.

 
I agree with Sapper's sentiment, just want to mention this happened at 9 PM, and the lifeguards were likely stationed at the adjacent swimming pools.  There's a kiddie pool right next to the lake.
and on that note< who keeps their 2 YO up at 9 pm? Mine is asleep 730-8

:dunno:

 
8 pm Central time is 9 PM Eastern.

I could see this kid being out that late. Besides, it was a family vacation.

 
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8 pm Central time is 9 PM Eastern.

I could see this kid being out that late.
this is a valid point. you guys all have broken clocks, the further west you travel. I keep forgetting this

 
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people too cheap to pay for a sitter service while they go out and party...9 pm Fl time is 8pm central time...so it isn't that late 

 
Plus it's still pretty bright this time of year at 9 PM in Florida.  Kid probably couldn't have slept even if his parents tried to put him down.  Most likely, they were winding down after a day in the parks, dad was probably sitting there letting the kid get the last of his energy out before heading to the room.

 
9:00PM is dark and if tyou're on the East coast then 9:00PM is 9:00PM.  Not that it matters but when w took the kids to Disney and they were 3 and 5yo our daily routine for the week was wake up and get out the door by ~8:30AM and head to one of the theme parks.  Stay until ~5:00PM and then head back to the hotel.  We stayed at the Club Lake Villas.  Eat dinner at one of the quick family oriented and not-too-expensive places ~6:00.  go back to the room, unwind get the kids ready for bed.  Kids in bed by 8-8:30 and then lights out.  I used to grab the newspaper and sit outside with a beer until maybe 9:30 while wife stayed with the kids in the room.  Start it again at ~8 the next morning.  Not crazy but I can't say I'd have my kid at teh beach and in the water (even wading) at 9:00+PM.

 
My 16 month old typically stays up until 8:30-9pm.  On a holiday (where we would presumably be sleeping in) I could totally see being up a little later then that.  Add in the time change and I don't think it's unreasonable at all for a 2 year old to be up at that hour. 

 
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This is one of the benefits that I could never afford to stay at an "on Disney Resort" I guess..

Gators are extremely fast and could even snatch someone off the beach even if they were not in the water.  But its our job as parents to keep the kids alive until 16 or whenever they start leaving the house on their own.. My wife is overly cautious as hell and if there was a sign that said no swimming she would have made sure there was none of our kids in the water.  Cant say that I would have lost too much thought myself to be honest.  My wife was almost in panic attack mode in Yellowstone, not for just bears but on most all the hikes there were random boiling water coming out in little pools everywhere. Close to the road they have them marked as "stay out" but out an about they are everywhere (Indians used to cook their fish in them)

 
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Actually, MA, you're not correct.  Florida is quite a bit further west than Massachussets.  9 PM in Florida has a different amount of light than 9 PM in Boston.  That said, I'm not saying it's full blown daylight, I'm saying it's still quite bright.  There is enough light left to play on the beach at the end of a long day, and even if it isn't really bright, there are lights and making a judgement about parenting and letting a kid be up at that time is based on your perception, not what all parents do.  You and your family may be in bed early, but not everybody is, my family certainly did not get to bed early in April when we were in Florida on vacation.  My wife and I left the kids with my parents one night and went out for the evening and got back at midnight to the sight of my dad, mom, and all three kiddos watching a movie in the living room at midnight.  It happens, kids stay up late on vacations.  Hell, in the past month, I've let my kids swing outside at dusk in their PJs, why?  Because it was nice weather and why not.  Am I such a bad parent that I deserve to let a bear come pick them off?

 
9pm isn't that late.  On non-school nights, my kids will stay up till around that time.  They'll stay up later if they're on vacation.  Last time we were in Disney, we were out till the park closed.

It's a terrible tragedy.  My co-worker told me he saw an alligator not 10 feet from one of the picnic tables at Fort Wilderness.  At the same time, his 5 year old daughter was running toward it not realizing it was there.  He ran after her and luckily managed to scoop her up before she got too close.

 
I find it interesting people reactions to this story versus the Gorilla story from a few weeks ago..

 
the moral of the story is people should take their kids to The Grand Canyon, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, etc and not these miserable theme parks!  There is way more to do there than one would think..

 
don't get me wrong. I don't think that the parent is wrong, in either case. I do think that it is a horrible incident. my point about the time, was based soley on my experiences with my own kids. but between the time differences, as well as the overall excitement of the vacation, I could def see how/why the child could still be up

 

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