The death of the child at The Grand Floridian hotel this week was a horrible tragedy. My heart goes out to those parents. I can only imagine their grief is nearly unbearable.

Living in Florida my whole life and having stayed at that resort often, it shocked me to the core to find out that an alligator showed himself at such a busy and noisy place. In this situation, it is only normal to try to place blame, but there really is no one to blame in this tragedy.

I will tell you upfront I am pro Disney. I love going there. The resorts are my go to weekend escape. I have sat at the beach where the child was killed, my kids played in the sand and even dipped their feet in the water when the employees weren’t looking.

The beach is clearly marked no swimming.

The Grand Floridian is located on the Seven Seas Lagoon next to the Polynesian Resort.

The seven seas lagoon is a very busy man-made lagoon. There are little two-man rental boats that all the resorts have constantly zipping around. There is the Disney equivalent to the Coast Guard constantly patrolling. Small ferry ships from the resorts and Disney springs are constantly dropping off guests, not to mention the two giant ferries taking guests from the ticket and transportation center to the main gate. So the place is always hopping. It is surprising to me that an alligator would go where it is so busy and noisy, but we are in Florida, so finding a gator anywhere isn’t that surprising.

One of the comments on the internet to this tragedy that frustrated me the most is that Disney should have done something about gators in the water. Really? That is like saying it was really hot that day, so Disney should have done something about the temperature. This is Florida. If there is a body of water around, there are gators. Retention ponds, lakes, swimming pools, nowhere is safe. The church I attend had a gator in the retention pond at the front of the property for years until it finally got over four feet long, then they took it away. The people of the Church named it Roscoe and would go out and snap pictures when it was sunning itself on the grass. That is Florida.

“The entire property is interconnected via canals so it is difficult to keep them out of the lakes," said Duncan Dickson, a former Disney executive. "Gators are on all of the golf courses. The team attempts to relocate the gators to the uninhabited natural areas as best they can, but the gators don’t understand the boundaries.”

Florida + Body of Water = Gators.

The local wildlife office won't come relocate the gators unless they are over four feet or they are threatening people. (Their mere existence does not constitute a threat.) The below is a segment of the criteria to relocate a gator from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission —

What is a nuisance alligator?

Generally, an alligator may be considered a nuisance if it is at least four feet in length and is believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property.

Why aren’t small alligators removed?

Alligators less than 4 feet in length are not large enough to be dangerous unless handled. They eat fish, frogs and other small animals. Typically, they are not large enough to be a threat even to small pets. The mere presence of a small alligator is not cause for concern. Occasionally, alligators less than 4 feet in length are legitimate problems and must be addressed. If an alligator less than four feet in length is a concern, call the Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).

Sitting at the Grand Floridian watching the boats and monorail go by. The no swimming sign right beside us.

As a past guest, I can promise it is marked not to swim, and if a staff member catches you, they will have you get out immediately. There are signs telling you not to get in the water. We were told, after we were asked to get out of the water, that the water is too contaminated with fuel and particulates from the boats, and it just isn’t a safe place to swim. This is the Wikipedia page for the seven seas lagoon.

Disney responded to the tragedy by taking care of the family, controlling media and getting as many gators as they could find out of the lagoon. The beaches are temporarily closed and gates are being erected to keep people from getting in the water.

Fence being constructed at #GrandFloridian after #alligatorattack @CNN @Attractions @FoxNews @orlandosentinel pic.twitter.com/PU1ELxF7YK
— Tharin White (@TharinWhite) June">https://twitter.com/TharinWhite/status/74388149631... 17, 2016

I think that Disney took appropriate action to a very tragic situation. To blame them and question your vacation plans is nuts. Disney resorts are truly magical places — The Grand Floridian especially. They spoil you at that resort from the moment you get out of your car to the hand drawn thank you card you get in the mail after you get home. Disney does all they can to make your stay amazing.

The loss of this child is a horrible tragedy and no one really can be blamed. If you are coming to Florida on vacation understand that gators and snakes are very real threats. They are everywhere. Thankfully they rarely let humans know they are there, but they are. Be aware and be safe and enjoy the beauty that is Florida.