Can Disney CM use MagicBand to find "lost parents"?

[CarolynFH]

Just wondering - anyone know whether a CM could scan a child's MB to get contact info for the parents, if the child and parents become separated?

 

[DisneyDiana]

I just read an article in our local newspaper this weekend that said that they can definitely be used to help find lost children/parents.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't know. I know that I cannot and do not rely on my phone working inside of Disney parks, OR of my HEARING my phone inside of Disney parks. So we would rely on the tried and true.

First, make sure the kids in your party know to stay in the same basic area. That you will be the one to search for them; they don't go running off to search for you. They should find a Cast Member (spend some time showing them the nametags, the sorts of outfits, etc...can be a nice thing to do when you enter a new land or ride, to show the outfits) and preferably one behind a cash register (b/c Disney has sold nametags that look just like CM tags in the past). They will summon help.

(you might want to read Gavin deBecker's The Gift of Fear for info on how it's safer if the child chooses the adult to help them, rather than going with an adult that approaches the child...and I would never trust an adult who saw a lost child and did much else than keep an eye on them and summon help)

On your part, go back to the area and you, too, find a CM who will summon help.

It's great if you take a picture of your child/ren every day in the outfits they are wearing. Do it on your phone if it has a camera or on a digital camera. Make sure someone in your party is the calm one (always works best if one is calm...and the big-time upset one is not allowed to be upset at the calm one, as the calm one is the one able to communicate clearly and help the situation) who can remember the picture, find it, and show it to the CMs. If you are using film-only and don't have phones like that, write out the outfits each day to show to the CMs.

They have a tried and true system, and in the past it has not been one that involved figuring out the parent names and phone numbers and calling people. It involves looking and, if enough time has passed, taking them to the lost children area. So parents, know that area! If there are more than 2 adults in your group, maybe send one over there while the other two stay in the area you last saw the child.

And in the meantime, sure, have your phone out in case someone is calling you. But if they don't, don't worry. They have time-tested ways of helping out lost kids (or lost parents, in many cases...kids always know where THEY are, it's the parents who tend to wander off!) that worked long before cellphones and magicbands.

 

[CarolynFH]

Thanks for the advice! We already planned to tell her to stay where she was and let us find her, talk to a CM, etc. but we had not thought about a daily photo! That's a great idea!

 

[dvczerfs]

I don't know. I know that I cannot and do not rely on my phone working inside of Disney parks, OR of my HEARING my phone inside of Disney parks. So we would rely on the tried and true.

First, make sure the kids in your party know to stay in the same basic area. That you will be the one to search for them; they don't go running off to search for you. They should find a Cast Member (spend some time showing them the nametags, the sorts of outfits, etc...can be a nice thing to do when you enter a new land or ride, to show the outfits) and preferably one behind a cash register (b/c Disney has sold nametags that look just like CM tags in the past). They will summon help.

(you might want to read Gavin deBecker's The Gift of Fear for info on how it's safer if the child chooses the adult to help them, rather than going with an adult that approaches the child...and I would never trust an adult who saw a lost child and did much else than keep an eye on them and summon help)

On your part, go back to the area and you, too, find a CM who will summon help.

It's great if you take a picture of your child/ren every day in the outfits they are wearing. Do it on your phone if it has a camera or on a digital camera. Make sure someone in your party is the calm one (always works best if one is calm...and the big-time upset one is not allowed to be upset at the calm one, as the calm one is the one able to communicate clearly and help the situation) who can remember the picture, find it, and show it to the CMs. If you are using film-only and don't have phones like that, write out the outfits each day to show to the CMs.

They have a tried and true system, and in the past it has not been one that involved figuring out the parent names and phone numbers and calling people. It involves looking and, if enough time has passed, taking them to the lost children area. So parents, know that area! If there are more than 2 adults in your group, maybe send one over there while the other two stay in the area you last saw the child.

And in the meantime, sure, have your phone out in case someone is calling you. But if they don't, don't worry. They have time-tested ways of helping out lost kids (or lost parents, in many cases...kids always know where THEY are, it's the parents who tend to wander off!) that worked long before cellphones and magicbands.

 

[Mousemom234]

... and preferably one behind a cash register (b/c Disney has sold nametags that look just like CM tags in the past).

Grand suggestion. And not only has Disney sold look-alikes, I've seen actual CM badges for sale on places like eBay.

 

[dvczerfs]

Thanks for the advice! We already planned to tell her to stay where she was and let us find her, talk to a CM, etc. but we had not thought about a daily photo! That's a great idea!

how long they have been missing. where last seen. name.age.what did they have on..........9 times out of 10 before you spit it out.........

over the radio........ beep,beep,beep.....we found billy, 9 years old..blue shorts etc.......

it happens very fast.

don't try to look for them yourself!!!!!! there radios and thousands of cms can find little billy faster then you can. dd had a lady say her 4 year old was missing for 10 minutes!!!!! little girl was found. she wasn't looking for mom or dad.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

They can't help a lost Mom with a dead cell phone. I just sat for almost two hours until everyone realized I was with none of them. No one heard the cell phone on the one call I was able to make. Finally they recalled, if anyone was separated, go to the last place hey were together. The bands did not have GPS to tell me where anyone was,so I sat.
.....radio....squeelsh...anyone find a chubby blonde gramma? Wearing Minnie ears, Tinkerbell shirt and pink croc's?........radio....I think I saw one down on Main Street at the Bakery.......roger that....

 

[dvczerfs]

They can't help a lost Mom with a dead cell phone. I just sat for almost two hours until everyone realized I was with none of them. No one heard the cell phone on the one call I was able to make. Finally they recalled, if anyone was separated, go to the last place hey were together. The bands did not have GPS to tell me where anyone was,so I sat.
.....radio....squeelsh...anyone find a chubby blonde gramma? Wearing Minnie ears, Tinkerbell shirt and pink croc's?........radio....I think I saw one down on Main Street at the Bakery.......roger that....

its nice to be loved.

the little girl was doing her own thang!! 4 years old!!!! I guess she figured mom and dad will meet up with her later when it was time to eat.

I always told briana when she was little, don't worry, if someone takes you they will bring you back! she didn't shut up for two seconds.

 

[canadawithboys]

Thanks! I was wondering this too!

 

[Pluto32]

Just wondering - anyone know whether a CM could scan a child's MB to get contact info for the parents, if the child and parents become separated?

My son was playing the sorcerers card game and sent me to get the daily allotment of cards. When I scanned in the CM told me he had just finished playing at the Train Station and was heading to the cinema so I could meet up with him there. Those bands contain a lot of information.

 

[DopeyDame]

(you might want to read Gavin deBecker's The Gift of Fear for info on how it's safer if the child chooses the adult to help them, rather than going with an adult that approaches the child...and I would never trust an adult who saw a lost child and did much else than keep an eye on them and summon help)
.

I understand why it's better to approach someone and ask for help rather than waiting for someone to help you, and have directed my son to do that.

But I'd hardly say that I'd never trust an adult who tried to help a lost child. In fact, twice I've done just that. Once at an airport and once at Walt Disney World. Both times I approached the kid, asked if they were lost and needed help. Both times they told me yes, they did need help. I walked with them to an employee and stayed there for a few minutes until I knew that the employee had the situation under control.

Obviously if the kid seemed freaked out or something, I'd just find an employee and point them in the right direction and back off.

My thought is that I know that I won't hurt the kid, and may be able to help. So why wouldn't I help?

 

[dvczerfs]

My son was playing the sorcerers card game and sent me to get the daily allotment of cards. When I scanned in the CM told me he had just finished playing at the Train Station and was heading to the cinema so I could meet up with him there. Those bands contain a lot of information.

im guessing the game is linked to your ticket or resort resi. like your name,address, fast pass, photo pass.they can tell how far you are in the process and what the next step would be.

I understand why it's better to approach someone and ask for help rather than waiting for someone to help you, and have directed my son to do that.

But I'd hardly say that I'd never trust an adult who tried to help a lost child. In fact, twice I've done just that. Once at an airport and once at Walt Disney World. Both times I approached the kid, asked if they were lost and needed help. Both times they told me yes, they did need help. I walked with them to an employee and stayed there for a few minutes until I knew that the employee had the situation under control.

Obviously if the kid seemed freaked out or something, I'd just find an employee and point them in the right direction and back off.

My thought is that I know that I won't hurt the kid, and may be able to help. So why wouldn't I help?

Im the same way. I couldn't just walk by and let the little kid alone. luckily there are a lot of cms and help is close.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

its nice to be loved.

the little girl was doing her own thang!! 4 years old!!!! I guess she figured mom and dad will meet up with her later when it was time to eat.

I always told briana when she was little, don't worry, if someone takes you they will bring you back! she didn't shut up for two seconds.

I use to tell the kids that too, Lol, my kids were never lost......it was us that got turned around. They knew exactly where they were.

Yup, loved a lot, when they wanted cash they realized i was not there with the popcorn. I was thinking they went back to the hotel and wondered if the park would close around me and I still would be sitting there.