ORLANDO, Fla. — Two months before an alligator killed a toddler at Walt Disney World, firefighters were warned to stop feeding the reptiles at one of the resort’s fire stations.
The admonitions were in emails from employees at Reedy Creek Emergency Services. Reedy Creek is the Disney-controlled taxing district that provides government services to the theme parks and surrounding areas.
The emails were obtained through a public-records request made after an alligator snatched 2-year-old Lane Graves from the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon on June 14 and drowned him while he was on vacation with family from Nebraska. The attack took place at Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
After that, many tourists came forward with their own stories of alligator sightings at Disney. One employee at the resort said at the time there was a problem with guests feeding the animals.
According to the emails, firefighters were feeding at least one of two alligators hanging around Fire Station 3 less than a half-mile from Seven Seas Lagoon and less than a mile from Grand Floridian. One gator was a baby. The second was between 4 and 5 feet long.
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