Everest Experience to share as warning

[robinb]

What do you call it when a 9 year old girl is physically taken by an adult male to another location without the knowledge or consent of her family? Oh yeah, child abduction, that's it. How are we treating this like an unfortunate incident? Maybe the CM didn't have ill intentions, but if you move this incident out of WDW I bet the police would be involved. Shocking and scary, both the incident and the reaction.

O-M-G. Get a grip! Your post brings paranoia to a whole new level .

 

[maxiesmom]

What do you call it when a 9 year old girl is physically taken by an adult male to another location without the knowledge or consent of her family? Oh yeah, child abduction, that's it. How are we treating this like an unfortunate incident? Maybe the CM didn't have ill intentions, but if you move this incident out of WDW I bet the police would be involved. Shocking and scary, both the incident and the reaction.

Over-react much?

As children as young as 7 are allowed to tour the parks without an adult, there is no way for that CM to know she had more family along with her, other than the brother. Who she did not want to ride with in the front row. Should the CM have forced her to ride? Remember, he had no way of knowing mom was only a few steps away.

I do think this is a good reminder for parents to be aware of what can happen, should they choose to even sit in different sections of the same ride. Once you decide to split up, you are split up, and have no way of controlling what might happen to your other children. If you don't think they are ready to handle any curve ball that might come their way, then don't let them go off on their own. And if they do decide to ride by themselves, they need to do things that so that the youngest among them is comfortable.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I agree, i would have lost my mind on the CM if this had happened to my child. Whether the kid was whining or not, it's no excuse to escort her out -- without even saying a word to her!?!? I have a 9 year old (DS) - he would have been so confused and probably terrified that this stranger was pulling him out of the ride. I have my kids so hyper-vigilant about stranger-danger and potential kidnappers that maybe he would have kicked the CM in the nuts (was it a guy? not sure) and started screaming his head off that he was being kidnapped.

That is sad that you have your children afraid of everyone! I hope you told them to fear the people you know MORE - since they are more likely to molest, kidnap and kill your kids.

 

[Wadekind]

This, to me it sounded like a well-intentioned cast member gently physically guided a child to a waiting area. Not that a cast member molested a child.

Has stranger danger really become so insane that someone would throw a right cross if I took the hand of a lost child to deliver them to a cast member?

She was 9 and not lost. A simple "you can exit through here" would have been enough. I am sure it is not park policy to grab/hold/take someones arm and escort them to the chicken exit

 

[Wadekind]

What do you call it when a 9 year old girl is physically taken by an adult male to another location without the knowledge or consent of her family? Oh yeah, child abduction, that's it. How are we treating this like an unfortunate incident? Maybe the CM didn't have ill intentions, but if you move this incident out of WDW I bet the police would be involved. Shocking and scary, both the incident and the reaction.

The concerning part for me is the child was not led to the exit area of the ride so she could meet up with her brother.

 

[SaraJayne]

This, to me it sounded like a well-intentioned cast member gently physically guided a child to a waiting area. Not that a cast member molested a child.

Has stranger danger really become so insane that someone would throw a right cross if I took the hand of a lost child to deliver them to a cast member?

Yes.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This, to me it sounded like a well-intentioned cast member gently physically guided a child to a waiting area. Not that a cast member molested a child.

Has stranger danger really become so insane that someone would throw a right cross if I took the hand of a lost child to deliver them to a cast member?

Yes.

Bzzhp! Sorry, wrong answer. Minus 200 points. A child is over nine times more likely to be harmed - attacked, abducted, etc. - by someone they know than by a stranger.
---
To the poster who was concerned about where the child was placed: Cast Members have assigned duties and really can't stray much. If, as a number of posters think, this CM only heard, "I don't want to ride...", it's possible that he removed the child from the line in the most efficient, not necessarily the most approved, manner possible that allowed him to get the girl safely located and himself back to work.

 

[stindall]

If anything, this thread is a PSA for having cell phones for everyone and/or a back-up plan in case you get separated.

I had a PAYG phone (Virgin Mobile Party Animal!) around age 12 but I also had a part time job so my minutes/money were/was more valuable to me then! (and I hardly ever had minutes) I can't remember what age my brother got his phone (it was pretty young, 8 or 9?) but it only had 3 buttons and he couldn't dial anything else but my parents or me. While I love my iphone and all the fancy things it can do, the most valuable function is most basic one, calling out. I carry it literally everywhere just in case something happens. (which has worked to my advantage because twice I've locked myself out while taking the dogs out and another time the lock in our bathroom broke so I was stuck in there!)

 

[Mariep26]

Nice to see some of the passive aggressive apologists on here calling you a liar and criticizing your choice not to make a scene on your vacation. Most people with any intelligence will understand your warning and appreciate your post.

Give me a break. Based on the first post alone, it was hard to glean exactly what the warning was or what actually occurred. There still seems to have been some kind of miscommunication in this incident. I don't think it would be necessary to make a scene but I would have asked to speak to someone to see if I could understand what occurred and why the CM behaved as he did.

 

[disnut8]

Has stranger danger really become so insane that someone would throw a right cross if I took the hand of a lost child to deliver them to a cast member?

Probably. I was just re-reading a trip report I did from 2002 where we "found" not one but two lost kids (separate incidences). In each case, our group more than likely touched the boys and guided them to a bench while one person went to find a Cast Member. And one of those people in the group was my husband. So, I guess that's child abuse? He touched a young boy in an attempt to help that boy calm down until the parents could be located. Really? Hummmm. My husband, who literally has helped turtles cross roads in now a child abuser because he touched a little boy's arm. Wow. Paranoia, will destroy ya.

And BTW, in both instances, the boys were reunited with their parents in less than two minutes. And in both instances, we were profusely thanked by the parents. We were not considered perverts.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

What do you call it when a 9 year old girl is physically taken by an adult male to another location without the knowledge or consent of her family? Oh yeah, child abduction, that's it. How are we treating this like an unfortunate incident? Maybe the CM didn't have ill intentions, but if you move this incident out of WDW I bet the police would be involved. Shocking and scary, both the incident and the reaction.

HO come on..you can't be serious?.........there is a *NON* incident and the reaction is right on...........if this CM did touch the ladys child, it was to help the child.even the op siad so.......not a problem!

AKK

 

[Wadekind]

Give me a break. Based on the first post alone, it was hard to glean exactly what the warning was or what actually occurred. There still seems to have been some kind of miscommunication in this incident. I don't think it would be necessary to make a scene but I would have asked to speak to someone to see if I could understand what occurred and why the CM behaved as he did.

Give me a break for what?

The OP's first post was clear for those who aren't looking to jump on someone who dares to have a criticism. Rather than reading what was written and asking for clarification like an intelligent person would do, posters attacked. OP was called a liar and criticized for posting on a forum and not complaining to Disney.

I found the information from the very first post useful. The CM led the girl to an area that was not the same area where everyone exits the ride. I also do not agree with a CM taking a 9yo by the arm. If the kid won't comply with directions you call security.

Those on here comparing what happened to the OP's girl with finding a lost child are deliberately trying to deflect the issue. The girl wasn't lost, she is 9, she was with her brother and the CM physically moved/guided her to an area away from her brother that was not the exit of the ride.

 

[Cyrano]

Closed.