Daughter's stuffed toy "lost" by housekeeping

[nessman]

We stayed at All Star Movies last month for a week. Somewhere towards the end, housekeeping came in to change bed linens and accidentally took our daughter's favorite Build A Bear stuffed toy from her bed. We discovered this an hour before we were to take the bus back to the airport.

So it's been a month since we came home, and a month of back and forth with lost and found by calling them once or twice a week (they know who I am when I say stuffed lamb!), and so far no luck - and it seems like they're making an honest effort to try and locate it. Unsure what goes on behind the scenes between the resort and laundry when it comes to finding stuff they took from guests rooms. I left voice mail with textile services lost and found, but no return call. Disney Claims so far has reimbursed us for $75 to replace it after we made a fuss about being the ones trying to find something THEY lost. We appreciated that, and they will still return it if they find it. We would still like our daughter's lamb back.

I've heard stories of items being returned after they were found in the central textile services laundry plant a month or two later. Is this common with things "lost" by housekeeping that ended up in laundry? Or because it's a stuffed animal going through industrial laundry equipment that chances are it didn't survive (some happy stories were of stuffed animals that did make it through laundry). I was told even if it was damaged they'd still return it to us (Build A Bear has a "hospital" to fix their stuffed toys that were really damaged good).

We'll wait another week or two to see if our daughter's lamb finds it's way back to us. Otherwise, we may go the eBay replacement route if she's fine with that (it was a limited edition lamb at Build A Bear), or just have her go on a $75 shopping spree at Build A Bear.

Of course, our daughter seems to have forgotten about it by now. I've been on a mission to find it, and my wife just doesn't like to think about it.

What really annoys me is that this seems to be a fairly common problem - yet they're not retraining housekeeping to slow down a bit, and make sure they're not taking guests belongings with them when they take care of the rooms. I understand they have to clean so many rooms a day - but with Disney being about magical moments and world-class customer service, one mistake by housekeeping can put a dark cloud over what was otherwise an enjoyable vacation.

 

[smidgy]

ya know, mistakes happen. since they reimbursed you, and you have already stated your concerns, I would just drop it.

It probably just got caught up in the sheets.

we stayed at the hojo annaheim. they have those bed runners, that end up getting kicked off and lying on the floor at the foot of the bed.. ready to trip someone trying to get to the bathroom during the night. so I threw them in the corners of the room.

well, my husband used the same corner to throw his laundry all week. guess what happened when I scooped up his laundry to pack for the trip home? yup. came home with this stupid orange bed runner.

just pointing out that the maid made a simple mistake and you were reimbursed. I would just drop it.

 

[nessman]

just pointing out that the maid made a simple mistake and you were reimbursed. I would just drop it.

I'm not so much concerned with the monetary value of the toy (in fact I said to themI don't need to be reimbursed - just want the thing back!)... it's the sentimental value for both her and the two of us, seeing the disappointment in our daughter's eyes because it was her favorite stuffed toy, the stress of having to tear a room apart and trying not to miss the bus back to the airport, etc... etc...

I wouldn't say it was a simple mistake, but a very careless and easily preventable mistake.

If we can still get it back - great. If not - life goes on.

 

[bumbershoot]

Of course, our daughter seems to have forgotten about it by now.....

What really annoys me is that this seems to be a fairly common problem - yet they're not retraining housekeeping to slow down a bit ...

Go with your daughter.

They cannot have housekeeping slow down. You even said you know they only have so much time. They truly only have so much time. They cannot slow down.

My aunt worked in housekeeping for a period of time at a resort (not disney). We're talking something like 15 minutes per room? A ridiculously short amount of time. I can't clean my bedroom in that amount of time; can't even tidy it. (but I have an organization problem) Let alone do all the heavy lifting, toilet cleaning, coffee replacing, etc etc in that amount of time.

It's up to us to make our our things are safe. DH travels for work. If he has things that are literally irreplaceable in his room (and he often does due to being a product tester), he doesn't let housekeeping in. Period.


Full story, though...I did actually leave a Kindle in our room at POR. I realized it a couple hours later (after those couple hours being filled with a "I'm missing something" feeling). Left Universal, went back to POR, talked to the front desk etc. Thank goodness they had found it; it hadn't made it to the laundry. And it had made its proper way back to the right department, a runner was sent to go get it for me, it was given back to me. Whew. If it had made it into the laundry (due to it's being left on the bed by me and me alone) I doubt I ever would have seen it again.

 

[CarolynK]

Disney seems pretty generous in this situation. One trip many years ago, we stayed a night at the Swan and my son left his favorite stuffed Clifford toy behind when we checked out. We figured that he left it on the bed, and housekeeping scooped it up with the rest of the sheets. Despite many phone calls, we never got it back (and no compensation, but didn't ask - it was not "worth" much). We found a duplicate on ebay, and after that trip, the favorite toys remained at home.

If your daughter is not upset, you are very lucky.

 

[DWillowBay]

I'm not so much concerned with the monetary value of the toy (in fact I said to themI don't need to be reimbursed - just want the thing back!)... it's the sentimental value for both her

You already said that your daughter has moved on. There's no sentifmental value. There's nothing left to do here and Disney was gracious.

 

[DebbieB]

We stayed at All Star Movies last month for a week. Somewhere towards the end, housekeeping came in to change bed linens and accidentally took our daughter's favorite Build A Bear stuffed toy from her bed. We discovered this an hour before we were to take the bus back to the airport.

So it's been a month since we came home, and a month of back and forth with lost and found by calling them once or twice a week (they know who I am when I say stuffed lamb!), and so far no luck - and it seems like they're making an honest effort to try and locate it. Unsure what goes on behind the scenes between the resort and laundry when it comes to finding stuff they took from guests rooms. I left voice mail with textile services lost and found, but no return call. Disney Claims so far has reimbursed us for $75 to replace it after we made a fuss about being the ones trying to find something THEY lost. We appreciated that, and they will still return it if they find it. We would still like our daughter's lamb back.

I've heard stories of items being returned after they were found in the central textile services laundry plant a month or two later. Is this common with things "lost" by housekeeping that ended up in laundry? Or because it's a stuffed animal going through industrial laundry equipment that chances are it didn't survive (some happy stories were of stuffed animals that did make it through laundry). I was told even if it was damaged they'd still return it to us (Build A Bear has a "hospital" to fix their stuffed toys that were really damaged good).

We'll wait another week or two to see if our daughter's lamb finds it's way back to us. Otherwise, we may go the eBay replacement route if she's fine with that (it was a limited edition lamb at Build A Bear), or just have her go on a $75 shopping spree at Build A Bear.

Of course, our daughter seems to have forgotten about it by now. I've been on a mission to find it, and my wife just doesn't like to think about it.

What really annoys me is that this seems to be a fairly common problem - yet they're not retraining housekeeping to slow down a bit, and make sure they're not taking guests belongings with them when they take care of the rooms. I understand they have to clean so many rooms a day - but with Disney being about magical moments and world-class customer service, one mistake by housekeeping can put a dark cloud over what was otherwise an enjoyable vacation.

Mistakes happen, you got reimbursed. If the sheets and blanket were bunched up and the lamb was in between, it would be very easy to miss. Next time don't leave things in the bed.

 

[pheonixheart]

4 years ago my family was staying at asmu and my daughter couldn't find her "blankie". We searched the entire room several times before we left. Monitarily no value however she had had this blanket since she was an infant and it meant more to her than just a snuggle blanket. We notified front desk about it when we left and while we were on the flight home got a voice mail they had found it. We received it a few days later. After that she never took it out of the house again and when I travel with my ds6 I make sure when we get up in the am I take his Stitch and put it on a table so it won't get mixed in with blankets.

 

[disnut8]

Next time don't leave things in the bed.

That was my parents' rule when I was growing up. We camped a lot and took stuffed friends to bed with us but when we woke up, the friends also did and had to go "home" which meant to remove them from the bed. We didn't stay in hotels very often but if we did, my sister and I had to make sure nothing was left on the bed because the bed was the housekeeper's and not ours. That was close to 50 years ago.

When I was married and had a child, our family continued the leave nothing on the bed tradition. My son was a bit of a slob but the last thing he did before leaving a hotel room for the day was to make sure nothing was left on the bed. And guess what my grandkids do now? Yep - clean off the bed every day before leaving.

 

[aprilchem]

We solve that problem by not allowing our kids to bring irreplaceable comfort objects on vacation - they stay safely at home. Since your child doesn't seem to be bothered by this now it seems like you should call it a learning experience and let it go.

And I think it was generous of Disney to give you $75, since it was not their fault that the item got lost. It shouldn't have been left in the bed when housekeeping was going to come.

 

[Mousemommy1]

This is why we make sure to take all blankie's and stuffed animals off of the bed and put them into a suitcase prior to leaving the parks for the day. Completely solves the problem.

Sorry your daughter lost her toy.

 

[Katelly]

Whenever we stay at a hotel I tell my dh and dd to never leave anything in the bed or they can consider it gone. They continue to do it so I'm not going to feel sorry for them when they eventually lose something.

However, we did once lose something in our room at the BC. My dd was a baby and we brought her favorite Beatrix Potter plate and spoon with us for her meals. It got mixed in with the plates on our room service tray and was taken by housekeeping, which was my mistake for leaving it on the tray. A month later I received the items in the mail! So, there is hope, OP.

 

[drew64]

I'm not so much concerned with the monetary value of the toy (in fact I said to themI don't need to be reimbursed - just want the thing back!)... it's the sentimental value for both her and the two of us, seeing the disappointment in our daughter's eyes because it was her favorite stuffed toy, the stress of having to tear a room apart and trying not to miss the bus back to the airport, etc... etc...

I wouldn't say it was a simple mistake, but a very careless and easily preventable mistake.

If we can still get it back - great. If not - life goes on.

Looks like she moved on already.

Definitely easily preventable by not leaving objects on bed and making sure anything important is tucked in a drawer, etc.

 

[madalex]

What really annoys me is that this seems to be a fairly common problem - yet they're not retraining housekeeping to slow down a bit, and make sure they're not taking guests belongings with them when they take care of the rooms.

What's your basis for asserting that this is a common problem? I've been to Disney with my kids 20+ times and never had anything like this happen. Many of my friends have gone to Disney for multiple trips and I've never heard of anything like this happening. I've also been on these Boards for many years and don't ever recall reading a thread about this issue. Mistakes happen, but "common problem"? I don't think so,

I understand they have to clean so many rooms a day - but with Disney being about magical moments and world-class customer service, one mistake by housekeeping can put a dark cloud over what was otherwise an enjoyable vacation.

Kids lose their blankies and prized stuffed animals all the times. It's not really that big a deal. (In fact, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that the stuffed toy was lost somewhere else other than being accidentally taken by housekeeping, which would explain why it hasn't be found in the lost and found.) For you to let it put a "dark cloud" over the vacation and to still be pursuing this a month after it happened (and after you have been reimbursed and your daughter has moved on) suggests a bit of an overreaction.

 

[nimbuscat]

I'm sorry your daughter lost her lamb--I have a 2-yr-old DD, and I can only imagine what would happen if her favorite lovies were lost for good.

I know it doesn't bring back what is lost, but the best advice I have ever received for traveling is to never, ever leave stuffed animals (or anything, really) on the bed. Those linens get scooped up so quickly that it is far too easy for something of yours to be accidentally sent to laundry with the bed sheets. We make it a point to never leave stuffed animals, clothing, pacifiers (when she was younger), or special pillows on the bed in hotels for that very reason.

 

[nessman]

Wow... some of you guys are heartless! C'mon... blaming the victim?

No - it never left the room - the only thing the kids needed in the parks or while we were out eating was their MagicBands* and that was it. I carried everything we needed in the parks in a backpack... and definitely no room for the lamb in there!

I just don't see how it would be the guest's fault that housekeeping would accidentally take something during a linen change-out. It's not like there's warning signs in every room saying things left in the bed will be taken. You'd think they'd take a moment to make sure things like teddy bears and blankies don't get taken up with the linens - so that's why I'm saying this is more carelessness on the part of housekeeping. I mean there's a large percentage of kids staying at the resorts, so these things are bound to happen... yet they don't take an extra minute to take each linen off one at a time to make sure it doesn't happen. Ya see what I'm saying?

And yes, it does happen. Do some research, ask some friends. When I posted my dilemma from the airport on Facebook, several people told me the same thing happened to them, and they got their kids stuffed toys back.

Well I suppose lesson learned the hard way. I'll keep trying... we're at the 30-day lost toys are tossed mark now... and linens take a week or two to make it through the system - so there's still some time.

* - MagicBands... very cool idea BTW... they worked great for us each and every time.

 

[wallskm]

I am always so worried about our kids losing their loveys on one of our trips. We have had some close calls just out and about at home (like, lost overnight but found the next day) and they were very stressful. Sorry your daughter lost her toy- even if she's over it I understand that they are sentimental items and more important than their monetary value. My son lost his lovey for a few weeks and he was over it (4 years old at the time) but I was sad because I wanted to put it in our memory box when he was done with it. We ended up finding it, and now it's his best friend again. Hopefully he won't lose it again before I can get it in that memory box!

 

[bookgirl]

They didn't lose it, YOU lost it.

Edited because as tired as I am of trolls it's just not worth it.

 

[disnut8]

Wow... some of you guys are heartless! C'mon... blaming the victim?

No - it never left the room - the only thing the kids needed in the parks or while we were out eating was their MagicBands* and that was it. I carried everything we needed in the parks in a backpack... and definitely no room for the lamb in there!

I just don't see how it would be the guest's fault that housekeeping would accidentally take something during a linen change-out. It's not like there's warning signs in every room saying things left in the bed will be taken. You'd think they'd take a moment to make sure things like teddy bears and blankies don't get taken up with the linens - so that's why I'm saying this is more carelessness on the part of housekeeping. I mean there's a large percentage of kids staying at the resorts, so these things are bound to happen... yet they don't take an extra minute to take each linen off one at a time to make sure it doesn't happen. Ya see what I'm saying?

And yes, it does happen. Do some research, ask some friends. When I posted my dilemma from the airport on Facebook, several people told me the same thing happened to them, and they got their kids stuffed toys back.

Well I suppose lesson learned the hard way. I'll keep trying... we're at the 30-day lost toys are tossed mark now... and linens take a week or two to make it through the system - so there's still some time.

* - MagicBands... very cool idea BTW... they worked great for us each and every time.

Um, I don't think anyone is being heartless here but attempting to explain what happens when a housekeeper is doing the change out.

But please put yourself in that housekeeper's situation. You have fifteen minutes to change the room and you have absolutely no idea who slept in that bed the night before. You have no idea what happened in that bed the night before. Even if you could quickly see a child slept in that bed the night before, you have no idea of that child's nocturnal habits. You cannot make assumptions on anything. So the best thing to do is roll up the entire bed and carry it out to your cart and down to where it gets off to the laundry. And should you feel something in that bedding? Would you want to spread it all out and go hunting for the object since you have no idea of the person who slept in it the night before?

I understand you were upset your daughter lost her lamb and that's being a concerned parent. But you are putting blame on someone who had nothing to do with the situation except to change sheets in a quick manner so the next guest could enjoy their stay. I also don't see where anyone except you has been harmed by the incident and that harm is an emotional one.

 

[DebbieB]

Wow... some of you guys are heartless! C'mon... blaming the victim?

No - it never left the room - the only thing the kids needed in the parks or while we were out eating was their MagicBands* and that was it. I carried everything we needed in the parks in a backpack... and definitely no room for the lamb in there!

I just don't see how it would be the guest's fault that housekeeping would accidentally take something during a linen change-out. It's not like there's warning signs in every room saying things left in the bed will be taken. You'd think they'd take a moment to make sure things like teddy bears and blankies don't get taken up with the linens - so that's why I'm saying this is more carelessness on the part of housekeeping. I mean there's a large percentage of kids staying at the resorts, so these things are bound to happen... yet they don't take an extra minute to take each linen off one at a time to make sure it doesn't happen. Ya see what I'm saying?

And yes, it does happen. Do some research, ask some friends. When I posted my dilemma from the airport on Facebook, several people told me the same thing happened to them, and they got their kids stuffed toys back.

Well I suppose lesson learned the hard way. I'll keep trying... we're at the 30-day lost toys are tossed mark now... and linens take a week or two to make it through the system - so there's still some time.

* - MagicBands... very cool idea BTW... they worked great for us each and every time.

It was an accident, there's no need for "fault". You got compensation, so Disney assumed responsibility.