Safety at Lake Disney

[pussinboots]

All I'm saying is accidents do happen. There's only a tiny portion of the lake that could do with some protection, near HNY. Not because of the water but the large drop.

 As for saying its the parents responsibility, that's a little harsh. No child in the world behaves as they should 100% of the time, regardless of how well they've been brought up.

If it was up to everyone to look after their own safety, why is there railings on the bridge at the lake ? Why is there a barrier along the walk from HNY to Sante Fe  ? It's general safety requirements. ( must actually have a good look at the lake when I go )

I agree. The "well, parents should be responsible" argument tends to shut people up, but implies some sort of superhuman parents.

And how do we know it's never been a problem before? If I fell into the lake, and believe me I could, I would be too embarrassed to cause a ruckus. I'd just climb back out and keep on walking.

There is a very nice fence design around the lake (the one with the golden globes with Mickey Mouse silhouettes on them). I think it would be nice if they just extended those a little. Certainly at Hotel New York and the parts that are simply taped off at the moment.

[pussinboots]

All I'm saying is accidents do happen. There's only a tiny portion of the lake that could do with some protection, near HNY. Not because of the water but the large drop.

 As for saying its the parents responsibility, that's a little harsh. No child in the world behaves as they should 100% of the time, regardless of how well they've been brought up.

If it was up to everyone to look after their own safety, why is there railings on the bridge at the lake ? Why is there a barrier along the walk from HNY to Sante Fe  ? It's general safety requirements. ( must actually have a good look at the lake when I go )

I agree. The "well, parents should be responsible" argument tends to shut people up, but implies some sort of superhuman parents.

And how do we know it's never been a problem before? If I fell into the lake, and believe me I could, I would be too embarrassed to cause a ruckus. I'd just climb back out and keep on walking.

There is a very nice fence design around the lake (the one with the golden globes with Mickey Mouse silhouettes on them). I think it would be nice if they just extended those a little. Certainly at Hotel New York and the parts that are simply taped off at the moment.

[RnRCj]

As for saying its the parents responsibility, that's a little harsh. No child in the world behaves as they should 100% of the time, regardless of how well they've been brought up.

No, of course children don't always behave. But if a child is at risk of falling in lake, then I think a parent would have to be stupid not to be supervising them. :roll:

And how do we know it's never been a problem before? If I fell into the lake, and believe me I could, I would be too embarrassed to cause a ruckus. I'd just climb back out and keep on walking.

Well that wouldn't really be a problem then if you just fell in and climbed out with no fuss whatsoever. I expect that maybe something like that has happened before even. :wink:  But as far as we know, nobody has actually been involved in a proper accident at the lake, getting injured and such.

[pussinboots]

No, of course children don't always behave. But if a child is at risk of falling in lake, then I think a parent would have to be stupid not to be supervising them. :roll:
[...]
Well that wouldn't really be a problem then if you just fell in and climbed out with no fuss whatsoever. I expect that maybe something like that has happened before even. :wink:  But as far as we know, nobody has actually been involved in a proper accident at the lake, getting injured and such.

Yes, I too suspect it may have happened a few times, haha.

But really, while I'm in no way saying Disneyland Paris should take on the often bizarre safety regulations of sue-happy California (I'm sure you've all read about how you can no longer leave a guest reaction at Disneyland, and some of you will have read about the umpteen times a single attraction there can get remodeled because of some silly new law called the Slippery Banana Act of 2005 or similar)... It does often linger at the other end of the spectrum. At a Disney theme park, even in Paris, people expect to feel ridiculously safe and pampered. This should involve railings, in my opinion.

By the way, if anyone should wish to refresh their memory...
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=lake+di ... land+paris

[lil-shawn]

Okay when they put these railing around the lake maybe it woul´d be nice, but I am of the opinion that it would look nicer withot the rail...

i think when they put a rail, maybe u can´t sit on the water anymore or i´m wrong?

But when all people fell more safty, i think they have to do it, we need no bad press  

[madame_leota]

No, of course children don't always behave. But if a child is at risk of falling in lake, then I think a parent would have to be stupid not to be supervising them.

its not a case of stupidity, its the fact that it takes as little as 2 seconds if the child manages to get free of your grip and they are gone. it cant always be the parents fault.

I always worry with my son when we go past the lake, i keep him on reins or in a pushchair but some children dont have reins/pushchair. I would be very uncomfortable with him walking without a rein near the lake even if i was holding his hand.

I know this is worst case senario but think...

a hyper 3 year old whos just been told its time to go back to the hotel, he/she wants to stay in the park and is fighting all the way back to get their parent to turn around and take them back, they get free, spot the water, the reflections of the lights in the water ect and run for it. its cold and icy, the floor is slippy mum/dad goes after toddler but slips over and then within the space of about 5 seconds its to late.

If there had been a nice ornate fence around the lake by the dangerous parts when it opened and it was just part of it would you still see it as an eyesore? Fences and/or railings work as long as they are suited to the area... the fences around big thunder mountain, the area by POTC thats fenced off, loads of different places over there have fences and theres nothing wrong with them.

[Wendy]

This is an interesting topic as this very trip, we did see a small child run for the drop just outside HNY with a frantic parent dashing after them (they had been getting an ice-cream when the child slipped free.  My own 2 year old was pretty good but I did let him play outside the Sequoia with his brother (lets face it children need to run sometimes!)  We told him not to go near the water but little ones are easily distracted and seeing the balloon go up caused him to make head in the direction of the lake but his brother was right with him and held his hand when he got within about 2 meters of the water's edge.

I don't know if there is a solution to this dilemma but I do think that the lake is not particularly safe and it would give parents far more peice of mind if it had some kind of fence around it so that they could let the children play and not have to hold on to them 'just in case'!  IMO It's an unnecessary stress for parents at the moment.

[disney_donutter]

I Agree with Pete's Dragon here, Definately. luckily enough my nephew is pretty good for staying close to us when we are in disney, But I think a fence going around the lake is a good idea! Definately.  Just because it's only knee high, doesn't mean you can't drown in it.  

Thankfully nothing has happened up until now, but what is to say nothing like that goes on in the future and I doubt very much whether anything would be done about it until something did happen.

I think to blame the parents is just wrong, if you are there with a couple of children for example and they both run in different directions then it is hardly your fault is it?!  As much as you say "Oh well it must be the fault of the parents for not watching their children." it's not always that easy and I expect most of you who are saying that Don't have children. I can understand where you are coming from though Because I get frustrated when people don't watch their children, but because my nephew lives at home with us then I now know, it's not that simple!

If Disney put better precautions there in place in the first place, then parents wouldnt have to worry.

[Pete's Dragon]

What gets me is that some of the Lake is protected with railings, yet the one bit at HNY with the dangerous drop isn't. Gonna have a good look when I go in september, as it's been 2 years since I was there.