Disney World changes rides, parades following alligator death

Theme park attractions altered after death of 2-year-old boy

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Descriptive signs and increased barriers are not the only things changing at the Walt Disney World resort after a 2-year-old boy was killed by an alligator on park property.

Attractions and parades around the resort's four theme parks have been altered in the wake of the incident that left Lane Graves dead.

Recommended Videos



The most visible changes can be seen at the Magic Kingdom and Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Visitors on the Magic Kingdom's popular Jungle Cruise ride have noticed that boat captains no longer reference crocodiles on the shore of the attraction's river.

In the past, while passing the animals during the ride, captains would say tongue-in-cheek lines such as, "Do you know what the difference between the crocodiles and alligators are. The crocodiles are made of plastic and the alligators are made with fiberglass."

People onboard in the days after the incident at the Grand Floridian say Jungle Cruise captains no longer made jokes about the crocodiles or alligators.

Guides on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride at Disney's Animal Kingdom have also changed the spiel during their tour through the park's wildlife.

According to Mouseplanet, guides no longer attempt to scare visitors by claiming a rickety bridge may dump them into a crocodile pen.

Not all alligator references have been removed from the parks.

The fake and real gators inside Epcot's Living with the Land attraction are still in place.

However, park officials removed the Tic Toc float portraying the Peter Pan reptile from the Magic Kingdom's Festival of Fantasy parade.