Would You Stay at Grand Floridian? Beach Avoidable? No Parent Bashing Please!

[mustinjourney]

Thank you thank you everyone! Without being there physically to see how close everything is was driving me crazy! Now that I know for sure we can avoid the beach I feel 100% better.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

I would have no issue staying there. This was a freak accident that unfortunately occurred. I still firmly believe that Disney is a relatively safe place and that after this will increase their efforts to make sure something like this never happens again.

 

[mustinjourney]

Remember when you make your choice that this wasn't an unavoidable tragedy. This wasn't a child who bolted past watchful parents into danger with no warning. If you follow basic safety precautions and stay out of the areas marked "stay out," you will be fine.

We do not have to be hateful or bash, but we should acknowledge that these people willfully and deliberately violated an important safety rule and that was the direct cause of this tragedy. It was not just a freak accident, it was like trying to jump off the People Mover. Someone did something foolish and it ended badly. Hopefully it will give the next person pause before they decide those signs don't really mean it.

take a look at this picture and tell me that an alligator attack is a likely event.

 

[conandrob240]

Remember when you make your choice that this wasn't an unavoidable tragedy. This wasn't a child who bolted past watchful parents into danger with no warning. If you follow basic safety precautions and stay out of the areas marked "stay out," you will be fine.

We do not have to be hateful or bash, but we should acknowledge that these people willfully and deliberately violated an important safety rule and that was the direct cause of this tragedy. It was not just a freak accident, it was like trying to jump off the People Mover. Someone did something foolish and it ended badly. Hopefully it will give the next person pause before they decide those signs don't really mean it.

Yeah, except they did nothing foolish at all. They were walking along the waters edge enjoying a beach set up by Disney for people to enjoy. They were attending a movie placed on the beach by Disney on chairs Disney put there right at the waters edge on the beach. They did what thousands of people do, heck were encouraged to do, every year.

And, this is going to be very, very important- they violated no rule. No one was swimming or even close to swimming. A child was playing in the sand at the waters edge, possibly with the bottoms of his feet touching the water. Not swimming by any stretch of the word

 

[bshrewz90]

Yes I would. We have seen gators all around Disney so that would not stop me. I would perhaps avoid the beach or at least at night when I could not see my surroundings.

I will say that for those who are there now or are going soon, it would be hard. Even more so if you have a child of similar age. I am the type where seeing it all in person like walking by the beach etc. would make me sad and it would be hard to shake the thoughts. I would be thinking of the parents etc. No one wants to be reminded of that type of overwhelming sadness and it would all be fresh so that would be a bit difficult.

ETA: Just wanted to add something since you said "things you could avoid". Remember there are lots of wild life all around Disney since it is the swamp. I will never forget the post here a few years ago when a lady almost lost her son to a snake bit at CBR. Simply went to pick up a dropped toy and was bitten by a cottonmouth (?). It took several round of anti venom for it to work. So just remember to be careful around landscaping as well!

Yes I'm a natural worrier we pretty much don't ever leave the sidewalk and also stay away from greenery, we've always stayed at the port Orleans which I love and I never went near the water I always remember my mom being adamant about being safe from a possible gator attack, possibly why I worry like I do, anyway just glad to hear I can avoid all beaches here, we are also going in December this year staying at AoA also a new resort experience I'm curious to see how everything will be handled from this point

 

[bshrewz90]

Yeah, except they did nothing foolish at all. They were walking along the waters edge enjoying a beach set up by Disney for people to enjoy. They were attending a movie placed on the beach by Disney on chairs Disney put there right at the waters edge on the beach. They did what thousands of people do, heck were encouraged to do, every year.

Okie dokie this isn't what I was wanting to happen, let's keep the actual family out of it I'm just asking because I've never been and didn't know the resort layout with the beach and pool area not wanting to discuss actual incident

 

[bshrewz90]

But this area is avoidable correct? I just don't want to go down in the beach. the Alice in wonderland splash pad and resort is all that interest me

 

[HopperFan]

Thank you thank you everyone! Without being there physically to see how close everything is was driving me crazy! Now that I know for sure we can avoid the beach I feel 100% better.

Several of the resorts have very pretty beaches that I might be enticed to enjoy but GF is not one of them. We rarely ever use the beaches, too many other things to do and pretty places to sit. Here is a different view. The water play area is accessible from the main parts of hotel and no need to walk down to the beach. I wouldn't be surprised if the water play area were totally fenced in by time you go.

The pool and amenities are to the right of this play area so farther away. I added photo of it from monorail. You can approach all via a path from main hotel (that is DVC in background). The main pool in the middle of the hotel courtyard was very busy with young families so you can use that as well.

 

[Dentam]

As others have said, you can easily avoid the beach. This is an amazing resort and I would hate to see you miss out on it.

 

[Happy_Haunt999]

Okay so my husband and I are planning our daughters birthday for next year, Grand Floridian was our choice because of the Alice & Wonderland themes (shes a huge fan!) With recent events I am now hesitant, I know tragedies happen and this was most likely a freak accident, we have another daughter who will be 2 when we go next year so of course its really hitting home. How close is the beach/lagoon area to the pools? Is the beach lagoon area something that we can avoid all together or is it something you have to walk by? Please no parent bashing or hateful comments, I am just a concerned mom who has never stayed in this resort knows nothing of the layout and wants to make a good decision for my family =) Thanks! Also any other resort that has Alice in Wonderland Motifs is appreciated! You just can't beat that awesome looking splash pad tho!

Yes, I would stay there no questions asked.
Here: I have marked on a map of the resort what you are looking for so you can tell the distance better. Just keep in mind that the splash pad/pool look close but you don't have to go to the beach/near the lagoon.

 

[bshrewz90]

Yes, I would stay there no questions asked.
Here: I have marked on a map of the resort what you are looking for so you can tell the distance better. Just keep in mind that the splash pad/pool look close but you don't have to go to the beach/near the lagoon.

Wow this is awesome thank you so much

 

[Happy_Haunt999]

Wow this is awesome thank you so much

You're welcome! Enjoy your trip!

 

[mustinjourney]

But this area is avoidable correct? I just don't want to go down in the beach. the Alice in wonderland splash pad and resort is all that interest me

The beach is very easy to avoid.

 

[HopperFan]

A few more views of the themed pool area and how you would go back to the main part of the hotel.

 

[MolonLabe]

Perspective please. This is the first time in 45 years something like this has happened at WDW.

If you are a good parent and not letting your child play in the water (especially after dark) you have NOTHING to worry about.

1 time in 45 years. Once. IF there is blame for this, it falls squarely on the parents. Not on Disney World.

 

[Oswin]

Yes, I would stay there. It is the only resort that offers Alice in Wonderland things, and the resort is amazing. The CMs are wonderful, and your daughter will love the Alice splash area. You could walk from your room right to having breakfast with Alice at 1900 Park Faire! There's an Alice tea in the daytime on property! You can easily avoid the beach from the Alice splash area and the pools. I have a feeling that beach access will be severely restricted or taken away altogether after this so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[wilkeliza]

Perspective please. This is the first time in 45 years something like this has happened at WDW.

If you are a good parent and not letting your child play in the water (especially after dark) you have NOTHING to worry about.

1 time in 45 years. Once. IF there is blame for this, it falls squarely on the parents. Not on Disney World.

Please don't say if you are a good parent it won't happen to you. We don't know that these parents weren't the best in the world. The law enforcement involved in the investigation said the family was not doing anything that hadn't been done before. It is a tragic incident that could have happened to any one.

 

[cmdg]

Please don't say if you are a good parent it won't happen to you. We don't know that these parents weren't the best in the world. The law enforcement involved in the investigation said the family was not doing anything that hadn't been done before. It is a tragic incident that could have happened to any one.

Yes, exactly. There is a difference between blaming and trying to make ourselves feel better that this tragedy could not/would not/will not happen to us. I put this on another thread but it is worth posting again. This was written by Melissa Fenton and is a good reminder to have compassion.


Parents, I beg of you, stop blaming and shaming other parents.

35 years ago, a mom shopping in a Sears department store went to go look at lamps, and left her six year old with another group of boys, who were all trying out the new Atari game at a kiosk. That boy’s name was Adam Walsh.

30 years ago, an 18 month old toddler playing in her aunt’s backyard fell into a well. Rescuers worked nonstop for 58 hours, finally freeing “Baby Jessica” from the well.

In both cases a tragedy happened, an unforeseen tragic accident took place which left Adam dead, and a toddler fighting for her life deep underground. But they also has something else in common; they had an entire country of moms and dads supporting the grieving parents.

Let me repeat that, EVERYONE SUPPORTED THE RESCUE EFFORTS WITHOUT BLAME. NO BLAME. None. ZERO.

No questions asked, not one single “Where were the parents?” comment. Just a country of other moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas watching in horror as a set of parents, one of their own, went through the unthinkable. Adam was our son. Jessica was our baby daughter.

THOSE PARENTS WERE US.

Flash forward to 2016, the year of THE PERFECT PARENT.

Yesterday, a two year old boy, splashing in the magical lakefront waters of a Disney Resort, succumbed to the wilds of mother nature. An aggressive alligator scooped him out of the water, right under the watch of his father, who attempted to fight with the alligator to free his baby son. Pure horror. Sheer Terror. Parents who actually had to watch their baby be taken from them, as if they were in some African nature documentary.

A tragic and unforeseeable accident. An accident.

I weep for this mother and father. I am sick with anguish for the pain, agony, misery, and regret pulsating through their viens this very second. And I bet you are too.

But not everyone is.

You see, we now live in a time where accidents are not allowed happen. You heard me. Accidents, of any form, in any way, and at any time, well, they just don’t happen anymore.

Why? Because BLAME and SHAME.

Because we have become a nation of BLAMERS and SHAMERS.

And how are accidents allowed to happen if we can’t blame someone? Surly, they can’t, right? I mean, random acts of nature, unpreventable tragedies, and fateful life changing events that take place in a matter of nanoseconds cannot possibly take place if everyone is being a responsible parent, right? NOPE.

They can’t, because this country and its population of perfect pitchfork carrying mothers and fathers sitting behind keyboards needs to accuse. They NEED TO BLAME, to disparage, to criticize in every damn way and at every damn corner, the parenting of another.

And when do they really get to lick their blaming chops? When a tragic accident happens. That’s when the pouncing is at its freshest, when raw emotion and ignorance collide, and they dig their word claws in, and take hold of whatever grace these grieving mothers and fathers have left in their souls.

And then they tear it out.

Listen to me very clearly perfect parents, VERY CLEARLY.

I’VE HAD ENOUGH.

I’ve had enough of scrolling through comment threads and seeing over and over again questions like “Where were the parents?” and thoughts like, “This is what happens when you don’t watch your kids.”

I have simply HAD ENOUGH.

I have one question for the blaming and shaming moms and dads. You know the ones who immediately blame the parents, the ones who go on the internet and type comments like, “This is nothing but neglect by the parents,” and “They should have known better. Who was watching that little boy?” and my favorite, “I would never let that happen to my kid.”

Here is my question,

Have you ever been to a child’s funeral before?

I have.

The funeral of a child is an event in life that you never, ever want to experience.

Now let me ask you another question.

In the coming week these parents will fly back to their home in Nebraska without one of their children. They will leave a vacation resort, packing up his Buzz Lightyear pajamas and his favorite blanket, and they will make an excruciatingly difficult journey home. A journey that they never in a million years thought they would be making.

They will meet with a funeral director, pick out a tiny casket, a tiny burial suit, and surrounded by family, they will bury their baby boy.

And they will suffer every single day for the rest of their life.

At the funeral for this two year boy who died in front of his parents, can you do me a favor? Can you walk up to the mother and say the words that you just typed out last week? Can you? Can you greet her, hug her, shake the father’s hand and then say, “ Who was watching that little boy? You should have known better. I would never let that happen to MY child.”

Can you do that for me? I mean, you felt those words so deeply in your heart and soul that you typed them for a million people to read. Certainly you can say it straight to the faces of the people you meant it for, right?

Here, let me help you.

Put away your pitchfork for a moment and try this.

To the mother and father who went for a walk on vacation for the last time with their little boy yesterday, I am deeply sorry that you had to experience the worst kind of tragedy possible, an accident. I grieve with you. Your baby was my baby. Your son was my son. I have nothing but love for you, love to help you get though the pain yesterday, today, and for what is gonna seem like a thousand tomorrows. I wrap my thoughts and prayers around your aching heart and soul. May the God of this universe in some miraculous way bring peace to you and your family.

That is what you say. THAT. And just THAT.

Stop the blaming.

Stop the shaming.

In their darkest hours, can we please just LOVE other parents. Please?

 

[lustergirl]

OP: I understand your concern. My grandson will be two next year and we are taking him to Disney next spring.

I would still stay at the GF though.

 

[mousefan73]

Okay so my husband and I are planning our daughters birthday for next year, Grand Floridian was our choice because of the Alice & Wonderland themes (shes a huge fan!) With recent events I am now hesitant, I know tragedies happen and this was most likely a freak accident, we have another daughter who will be 2 when we go next year so of course its really hitting home. How close is the beach/lagoon area to the pools? Is the beach lagoon area something that we can avoid all together or is it something you have to walk by? Please no parent bashing or hateful comments, I am just a concerned mom who has never stayed in this resort knows nothing of the layout and wants to make a good decision for my family =) Thanks! Also any other resort that has Alice in Wonderland Motifs is appreciated! You just can't beat that awesome looking splash pad tho!

You're over worrying. I would only consider switching if my dates were like now ir next week. Mainly due to things going on there now, press, police etc.

How do you plan to get to Disney? Using your analogy you shouldn't fly or drive as people have died doing that. This was a freak thing. And if it makes you feel better they have removed many the past few days