The boy's father entered the water and tried in vain to grab him from the alligator's jaws, police said.
Fifty police and wildlife experts were searching for the boy, officials said.
"We are searching for a little boy to hopefully bring the family some comfort," said police spokesman Jeff Williamson.
Four
alligators have so far been taken from the lake and killed for
examination, but no evidence of the boy has been found, police said.
The family with three children from the state of Nebraska were
relaxing near the shore of the lagoon when the incident happened at
21:16 local time (01:16 GMT).
There
is a "no swimming" sign on the man-made lagoon, but although the boy
was on the edge of the water there was no indication he was swimming, Mr
Williamson said.
His father sustained minor lacerations to his arm in the attempt to retrieve his child, he added.
The Grand Floridian is a luxury resort owned by Disney and is located near Disney's Magic Kingdom Park.
A Disney spokeswoman said the company was "devastated" by the incident.
Alligators
live across Florida and are a "fundamental part" of its wetlands,
swamps, rivers and lakes, state wildlife officials say.
Twenty-two people have been killed by alligators in Florida since 1948, they say.
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