Need Advice to Prep Kids on Not Getting Lost at DW

[KellyNY]

Back in times when my DD did not have a phone we used to have check points in case we got separated, check points changed as we were walking, for example fountain at Epcot, then as we went to world showcase, it was infront of Mexica and so on.

 

[Drusilla]

Our last trip our kids were 3 and 6. We put the 3 year old on a kid leash which worked great! DH was in charge of her and I was in charge of dd6.

When we went to the bathroom the first time I took dd3 in the stall with me and dd6 went in a stall next to me. DD6 finished before I did and went out of the stall to wash her hands. I just about freaked! So I told her to start singing Twinkle Twinkle until I came out. If I could hear her I knew she was still there and not stolen. A mom in another stall said what a good idea that was. However, after that I took each dd into the bathroom separately while the other waited outside with dad - that worked alot better for my piece of mind!

 

[Eljay]

As others have mentioned, It's very important for the child to remember to stop and stay right where they are, as soon as they realize they are separated from you.

If they go running around looking for you, most likely, it will take much longer to reunite. If they stop and wait, you can re-trace your steps and find them quickly.

I've seen kids with a cellphone number written on the back of their shirt, near the neck. You can't miss it.

We did the dogtags from Walmart. We had no info on the tag, except for the 3 cell numbers, belonging to the 3 adults in our group.

 

[Mrs. Bradbury]

When I had little ones, I would take their picture with my cell phone every morning once they were dressed in case I needed to show a CM what they looked like.

I also took a wide roll of masking tape - wonderful for so many things if you're traveling with children - and wrote the child's name, our name, our resort, and cell phone numbers and stuck it to the inside of the shirt near the hem if the child was old enough to think to show someone, and on the outside running down the side of the shirt if they were too young to speak to a CM.

Have a great trip!

 

[Rainkiss]

I love the dog tag idea! No kids, myself, yet, but I have friends I can pass this on to!

 

[downsouth]

We had dog tags on DD last trip but we got some new cell phone numbers so I had to reorder a new dog tag last night. You can get them for around $2.99 engraved off ebay. I think I payed around $4.50 shipped to me.

 

[pixiefairy]

We bought id bands for our kids - waterproof, tough, velcro bands in bright colors with a "pocket" on the inside with our info in it. I put them on the younger kid's ankles, and our 7 year old (at the time) wore his on his wrist. Our eldest was 13 and had a cell phone. The baby was only 13 months, and in the stroller or in our arms the whole time, so we didn't use the id band for him. I also showed them the CM name tags and to go up to someone with that name tag if they were separated from us somehow. My one son was 3 at the time, and he is my wanderer. He wandered off during dinner at Crystal Palace.....so it can happen at any time!

 

[jking6]

I have not had my children get lost but the last time i was there I found 2 lost children about 7 or 8 on different days. One of the boys was looking for fish when he got off the boat and lost is parents. I could not leave him there and no one was around. I told him to follow me to MK entrance for help. He was very scared but I reassured him I would not touch him just to follow me to where we could get help. What gets me is my husband waited by the lake while we went to the entrance and no one came back looking for him? It had to be 10 min. when I went to my husband and still no parent. I left him with security and assured him he was safe. He was with security for 40 min!!!! Those parents did not have there priority right. I justed prayed at night that he did not get lost again on the trip.

 

[Eljay]

We had dog tags on DD last trip but we got some new cell phone numbers so I had to reorder a new dog tag last night. You can get them for around $2.99 engraved off ebay. I think I payed around $4.50 shipped to me.

If you are in a rush, Walmart has a dog tag machine.
There are also a few machines around WDW.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We always have our boys assigned to us when we go into crowds. If it looks like we might get separated, I'll tell my husband, "You've got that one, I've got this one." We hang onto our assigned boy so if we get separated we know each one is with a parent. Our boys are 14 and 11 and we still do this in big crowds!

 

[winnapooh]

We took our nephew on our last trip. I would agree with showing the kids who the cast members are, but remember that the cast member uniforms change with where they are. With our nephew, we showed him a cast member nametag, and told him that if he got lost to go to someone wearing a costume/uniform AND a nametag that looked like that.

 

[Stitchnut]

I bought those name ID tags from a machine in Walmart. I heard this advice on the boards. My kids loved wearing them. They even had a Tink tag. On the back, I just put "Mom's cell phone # --- --- ----" If they got separated from us they had to show a cast member their tag and then someone could call to find me.

Yes, I've done this too and it gives my daughter a feeling of control. They sell the tags from a machine in DTD as well, but a lot more expensive. As soon as we get to one of the parks, we go over to a CM and have our daughter show them her tag for practice so she knows it's ok to talk to a CM. This has now become something of a tradition. The CM's are great about it and have even given her stickers or high five's.

 

[ses1230]

I have gone to the pet store to make a tag, but DD likes to wear crocs so I had no laces to tie it into.

The last couple time we have gone, I order silicone bracelets from shanrene.com and have them engraved with our cell phone numbers. DD wears it on her ankle - that way she forgets about it and doesn't play with it or take it on and off. They are 2.99 a piece, I think.

I also tell her to look for a mommy with a stroller or a CM if she ever gets separated from us.

 

[Silverbelle990]

Ok, the worst scare i had a Disney!! We were over by splash mountian and my son was too small to ride so we watched half our group gon down the hill. I thought my husband had my son and obviously he thought i had him (he likes to walk) and we went toward the exit of splash, as we are heading down the hill but Brer Rabbits house my husband asks where Brian is. I said youhave him and his eyes bulged and I knew he didn't. So i turn and run back up that his to the bridge and see my son in the middle telling a cast member he lost us. Of course i cried and grabbed him and I didn't yell at him because it was our faults. I told him how proud i was that he found a cast member to help him and that he was very brave. I still tear up over it. Now 2 years later when i say make sure you stay with us anywhere he says "remember when you lost me at Disney world?"