How do they close all the beaches?

[dunangst]

I am reading reports that resort guests who can feed the gators from their rooms (bungalows, balcony rooms) are doing so. Further, that this feeding is making the alligators less fearful of humans, and potentially increasing danger for other guests. This is appalling. Guests should be informed that this idiotic behavior creates danger, and asked to leave if they can't comply. No exceptions.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Well they can't have guards every 10 feet 24/7. And any fence under 8 feet high will still be climbed over by some bird brain. A rope barrier will be crawled under by some unattended kid. And folks will still ignore signs whatever they say...

My guess is that whatever they do it will certainly look pretty bad and lessen the appeal of going to the GF or the Poly.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

Based on what I have read on this Board, we will be told that walking on the sand to get to the water is "walking", not "using the beach". Look. I don't understand the logic of the literalists. For example, apparently, if there is a "No Swimming" sign, some people think that if you walk into the water up to your ankles, that is OK. And if you walk into the water, still standing, up to your calves, that is OK. And if you walk out deeper up to your waist, but do not move your arms and legs in a "swimming motion", that is OK. And if you walk up to where the water is chest high, with still no arm movements or leg kicking, that is OK. And if you walk out all the way to where the water hits your chin, but you do not move your arms or legs, you are clearly not "swimming". To these folks, "swimming" is the sole act of propelling oneself with arms and legs. Nobody in the "wading is not swimming" camp has yet to come up with a universally recognized demarcation as to when walking into a body of water converts from "wading" to "swimming", so don't put it past anyone to assume that "Beach Closed" means anything more than: "No putting up an umbrella and lounging on the sand."

You can see the definition of wading here: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/wading

Note that, in fact, the example sentence explains that swimming & wading are not the same.

Here also is a sign for "Dangerous Currents," with pictorial representations of both swimming & wading: http://image.shutterstock.com/z/sto...-currents-no-swimming-or-wading-149200973.jpg
And another: http://beachdriveblog.com/images/2013/02/no-wading.jpg

A "wading bird," for example, is not called a "swimming bird" because it does not swim. It wades. Furthermore, if I say "wading," you aren't thinking of Michael Phelps. Why is that? If "swimming" & "wading" were synonyms, why would we need the word "wading" at all?

As surprised as you are, I am just as surprised that so many people have not heard of wading & do not know what it means.

 

[JimmyV]

You can see the definition of wading here: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/wading

Note that, in fact, the example sentence explains that swimming & wading are not the same.

Here also is a sign for "Dangerous Currents," with pictorial representations of both swimming & wading: http://image.shutterstock.com/z/sto...-currents-no-swimming-or-wading-149200973.jpg
And another: http://beachdriveblog.com/images/2013/02/no-wading.jpg

A "wading bird," for example, is not called a "swimming bird" because it does not swim. It wades. Furthermore, if I say "wading," you aren't thinking of Michael Phelps. Why is that? If "swimming" & "wading" were synonyms, why would we need the word "wading" at all?

As surprised as you are, I am just as surprised that so many people have not heard of wading & do not know what it means.

So you have just proved my point.

1. to walk in water, when partially immersed:
He wasn't swimming, he was wading.

These people are partially immersed. The aren't swimming. So they must be "wading".

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

So you have just proved my point.



This person is partially immersed. She isn't swimming. So she must be "wading".

As she is not standing up, I would not say she is wading, no. If she were, I would agree with you.

 

[JimmyV]

As she is not standing up, I would not say she is wading, no. If she were, I would agree with you.

See the other pictures as well.

The point is, anyone who sees a "No Swimming" sign and does what the last girl is doing is not being honest with themself if they insist that they are honoring the sign.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

See the other pictures as well.

The child, no. She has clearly been underwater. Wading doesn't involve diving/immersion.

The photo of the man would fit the definition, though I personally would not call it wading if one is so far out in the water. Some might.

 

[Bay_Lake_Tower]

As she is not standing up, I would not say she is wading, no. If she were, I would agree with you.

So what you're saying is according to the now former signs at the Grand Floridian, it was okay with Disney for me to walk into the Seven Seas Lagoon up to my ears as long as I was still standing on the lagoon floor? Because I'm fairly certain that is NOT what they intended guests to do when they put up a "no swimming" sign.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

So what you're saying is according to the now former signs at the Grand Floridian, it was okay with Disney for me to walk into the Seven Seas Lagoon up to my ears as long as I was still standing on the lagoon floor? Because I'm fairly certain that is NOT what they intended guests to do when they put up a "no swimming" sign.

I think we all know that most people consider "wading" to be splashing or playing with your feet in the water, along the shoreline, & this is simply an argument of semantics. No reasonable person would do what you have just described.

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

What's most interesting to me is that if you Google the difference between swimming & wading, most of the results are regarding this incident.

Never in internet-recorded human history have we needed to debate the difference between the two until it became necessary to try to assign blame for a child's death.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Which makes me wonder--how much wording does signage need to have before people grasp the actual meaning?? We'd need a 50 foot high Billboard to cover all the bases!!!

To ME--'No Swimming" means don't get IN the water!!

We used to stay at the Poly in the early days when swimming--oops--I mean wading--was allowed. They even had fresh white sand dumped in the water near the beach and it was relaxing and comfortable--we got in the water on a daily basis.

But then after a few years they put up the no swimming signs--meaning to me that they didn't want me in the water and we never got in again!!!

 

[Bay_Lake_Tower]

What's most interesting to me is that if you Google the difference between swimming & wading, most of the results are regarding this incident.

Never in internet-recorded human history have we needed to debate the difference between the two until it became necessary to try to assign blame for a child's death.

But see I don't think the family should be blamed, not at all. I also however don't think Disney should be blamed either. And defence of Disney comes off as blame of the family to some.

I have seen so many people criticize Disney for having nightly events outdoors in the vicinity of the beach (as if alligators are just strolling the grounds of the GF), criticize for having a beach area that looks nice, criticize for not listing every activity you cannot do AND why on a sign, criticize for not educating guests on the wildlife in Florida, criticize for apparently not doing anything about alligators, etc. At the end of the day, it was a perfect storm of little innocent occurrences that added up to be a terrible tragedy. I don't think anybody is to blame. I think Disney will be putting more effort into CYA more in the future, but that shouldn't be surprising to anyone.

 

[GPC0321]

So what you're saying is according to the now former signs at the Grand Floridian, it was okay with Disney for me to walk into the Seven Seas Lagoon up to my ears as long as I was still standing on the lagoon floor? Because I'm fairly certain that is NOT what they intended guests to do when they put up a "no swimming" sign.

Thank you!
I'm so baffled by the controversy over the signage. People claiming that as long as you're not literally "swimming" then you're not doing anything wrong and Disney should've been more clear. Come ON! WHY do they think there are "NO Swimming" signs at all?? Are they actually prohibiting the act of swimming or are they trying to discourage people from entering the water? Because if walking up to your ankles is okay, what about your knees? Thighs? Waist? Armpits? I mean, if you haven't been "swimming" then you're still following the rules right?

Again, one has to go back to WHY Disney forbids swimming in Seven Seas Lagoon and other bodies of water on the property. Surely it isn't because they find the ACT OF SWIMMING to be the danger. More likely it is the body of water IN which they do not want you swimming that is the problem.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Thank you!
I'm so baffled by the controversy over the signage. People claiming that as long as you're not literally "swimming" then you're not doing anything wrong and Disney should've been more clear. Come ON! WHY do they think there are "NO Swimming" signs at all?? Are they actually prohibiting the act of swimming or are they trying to discourage people from entering the water? Because if walking up to your ankles is okay, what about your knees? Thighs? Waist? Armpits? I mean, if you haven't been "swimming" then you're still following the rules right?

Again, one has to go back to WHY Disney forbids swimming in Seven Seas Lagoon and other bodies of water on the property. Surely it isn't because they find the ACT OF SWIMMING to be the danger. More likely it is the body of water IN which they do not want you swimming that is the problem.

Best analysis of the situation that I've seen yet!!

 

[sunshine1]

Give Mickey a baseball bat at one end of the beach and Minnie at the other end with a baseball bat.

Guests will soon learn quick if they not allowed on the beach.

 

[sunshine1]

Gators are surprisingly apt at getting places you think they couldn't.

for example.

A barrier like that wouldn't do anything. They usually are scared of people though, although feeding them can change that, to the point they get really upset when folks don't feed them. It's highly likely the gator at the Grand Floridian was fed in the past by guests to the point it had no fear of getting close to a noisy beach.

What an annoying man in the video. Following the gator.

Bet the gator couldnt wait to get away from him which is why he got over the fence. That man would have drove me mad too.

 

[GPC0321]

What an annoying man in the video. Following the gator.

Bet the gator couldnt wait to get away from him which is why he got over the fence. That man would have drove me mad too.

If you read the description, he was actually doing his job. He was diverting the gator from a parking lot so it and/or unsuspecting people wouldn't get hurt. He explains it all and talks about how much he likes and respects gators.

 

[lovethattink]

The OP'S question about how Disney closes the beaches has been answered. I'm closing the thread.

 

[Binxymarie]

What scares me....
Is that even if that little boy hadn't had his feet directly in the water, that gator could of probably snatched him while he was just walking along the beach area.. That's something I NEVER would expected...
I know they have plenty of those animals in Florida... but goodness, I always feel so safe in Disney's magical setting..
I almost think if alligators are coming that close to the shore and guests there shouldn't even be a lounging beach area..

Eh, either way.. this whole situation is just incredibly sad... what a horrible and tragic accident to have happen at the happiest place on earth..