Going to WDW in March. I'm so scared my kids will get lost! Help!

[Disney Princess 6]

We're going to WDW in March with our 2 and 4 year olds. Of course, we are careful parents and plan to watch the kids constantly, and we'll have strollers. But I can't sleep at night for fear that one of the kids will get lost somehow. Last time I was there, I encountered a lost little boy inside the castle. He was crying and looking all around and people were walking right by him. I went over and stayed with him while my DH went and found a cast member. Does anyone have suggestions on the best way to keep kids safe at WDW?

 

[christibelle]

Wow, you read my mind! As I was typing my thread on the ID bands you must have typed this thread. I too am becoming nearly obsessed with concern over losing my babies. My kids are very similar in age to yours.

The 2 things I know to do other than nearly strap them to my body and watch them like a hawk are:

-Harnesses: I only use these when the crowd is elbow to elbow and I use it on both my kids, even my almost 4 year old.

-ID bands: Hopefully someone will remember the site where you can get them. I think I will feel a little better if my kids have ID on them and a number where they can reach us (we will keep our cell phone with us and the number printed in their band) as well as the resort where we are staying.

-Become informed about areas and times (like fireworks) where the risk is greater. I have also posted a question about safe places to view the fireworks where the risk is lessoned for losing your kids in the crowd (I believe that post is on the Theme Park board) Hopefully there will be some good suggestions there.

Good Luck, and know that you are not alone in your concern!!

 

[Mainebound]

Please post any info on id bands that you find. I will be there in March as well with my fearless, impulsive, independent 3 y/o and my willful, but not yet walking 1 yo. Glad you raised this issue!

 

[Disney Princess 6]

http://www.id-inside.com/

Thank you so much for telling us the name of them. Mine are already on order and I plan to tell all my friends too.

 

[christibelle]

Here is the thread that mentions ID-inside. It also has a bunch of other sites and ideas as well.

www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=270275&highlight=wrist+band

 

[Disney Princess 6]

I was all set to order the Id-inside things, but I stopped short after considering the fact that my 2 year old might pull hers off all the time. She has little bracelets and she constantly pulls them on and off. I think maybe I need another idea. I can't do a shoelace one because both kids wear only velcro shoes. I went to that site where you can make your own id and I tried to do that, but I couldn't because I couldn't resize any of my digital photos to the tiny 50KB size they require. Now I'm considering making my own ID tags, laminating them and then pinning them on the kids each day. I don't know. Have you decided?

 

[wilderness01]

Will your kids be in strollers? If so then I wouldn't worry too much. We went with our kids when they were 2 and 4 and it was very easy because they always wanted to be in their strollers. Last November we went and our 7 year old lagged behind and walked the wrong way. We noticed immediatley and went and got him. It was very scarey. This past August our 2 older kids stayed right by us and our 2 year old was in the stroller. Good luck and try not to worry.

 

[merryweather's twin]

We got the state IDs fron the DMV and we put velcro sticky tabs on the back of it and on the upper flap of the velcro shoes... (you know the peice of cloth then the 2 velcro straps go over it on the sneeker kind) WE just stuck it on in the morning and velcroed the straps over it! The kids knew to go to a cast member and to yell our name (not Mom but our name) WE also told them what hotel we were at for a while ahead like the Cont. or the monarail hotel... The 2 yo may do better with Icons better than names.
We now have a cell phone and each kid has the phone number sewn into the arm pit with little tags I got at Jo Ann's They were the made by Grandma or Mom ones! I used a permanant marker and sewed them in all their shirts. I know the older ones know it but kids forget if they are scared and if they got hurt. I hope this helps.

 

[christibelle]

Disney Princess 6

I had the same thought that you did. I went ahead and ordered anyway. I decided that if my 1 1/2 year old won't let me use his wrist I will do one of the following; attach it onto his belt loop, on his ankle, on the belt of his fanny pack, in his fanny pack, tie it on his shoes. I thought for 4.95 it was worth getting especially since it velcros. I figure I can attach it just about anywhere.

Short of branding him, I am not sure what else to do.

 

[Momx3]

I am a very overprotective mom I use strollers and have RULES.
My kids,7,5,2 know the rules if they are not in a stroller then they are touching it or me in someway. They are never out of my sight and I have told them about strangers and they are not the kinds that would run off. I guess I'm fortunate in that way.

 

[MELSMICE]

The one & only time I used the "wrist band harness" was when my oldest DD was 2. I would suggest this, along with some form of ID.

My only problem with an ID with the child's name is that if someone is really out to abduct a child they will see their name & use it their own advantage so the child would think they know them & are really not a stranger.

The nice thing about the wrist harness is that if you have a child that would pull it off their wrist you can attach is to a belt loop or you can pin the ends together so they can't take it off.

My DD's are now 13, 10 & 10 & to this day I make them walk in front of us or hold our hands so I can see them at all times. We use this rule anywhere we go - including our local mall.

Good luck & try not to worry too much.

 

[chrisn]

so it probably is a good idea to have some form of ID just maybe not advertised where anyone can see it. I am also an extremely overprotective mom (we're talking tigress). My kids cannot walk behind either and I always have an eyeball on them especially my 5 yr. old. My DD is 15 but things just sometimes happen no matter how careful you are and that is why I think a plan of action is smart. I did order a bracelet for my son. He also knows my cell phone number and I am going to drill into his head where we are staying and that if he gets lost to find the first CM he sees.

 

[Kallison]

I can understand your concerns, but I think Disney has some super policy for retrieving lost kids. Mine are older now, so I don't have to worry quite as much. I don't think there has ever been a case of a child disappearing from WDW. Now when I'm in New York City in Times Square - that is when the grey hairs pop out even with preteens.

I must admit I've found quite a few kids myself while at WDW and what is it with people just walking by and ignoring an obviously lost kid? I can remember yelling at Beauty and the Beast, STOP that child -- and people just turned their heads like he was invisible!! So remember as Moms, it's all our duties to keep a heads up and help out when we can.

 

[seashoreCM]

Before you book or attend events such as Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, it is important to train your kids not to rip off bracelets or wristbands. Practice at home if needed.

Do not expect a child to constantly grasp your hand or a stroller rail, his hand could get tired and all he does to show that is whine.

It is difficult to stop and pay attention to an apparently lost child because you might be accused as an abductor.

More Disney tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

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1/03 Motel 6 & ASSp & AP#3
11/03 Pop Century planned
*no longer exists

 

[Eponine]

I ordered and received the ID-Inside bracelet last week. I don't think our son will take it off...I showed it to him and made it out to be something very, very special that he was going to get to wear at Disney World. He thought it was just the greatest thing. I put it on him for awhile, and it didn't budge...he would just stop playing and come up to me every few minutes to show it off and tell me that he was going to wear it at Disney World!

I'm not overly worried...he will be in a stroller, except while we're in line or on rides (there will be a few exceptions, like the different play areas and such, where I'll be following him around and watching him like a hawk), but better safe than sorry!

 

[momoftwins]

We went the first time to WDW when the twins were 15 months olds. The second time they were 3 1/2. We bought fanny packs (I think I got them a KMart) that had long straps attached to them. If memory serves me, I think they were either Safety First or Fisher Price. I can't remember.

I let the kids put whatever snacks they wanted (could fit) into the fanny pack. So they thought they were like big kids. They did not try to pull them off either. At the end of the strap is a hole that I (and my husband) could put our wrist though to hold on to the strap.

The kids could toddle around, I would guess about 3 ft from me, yet I could still hold on to them. The latch for the fanny packs were in the back, so they could not pull them off.


Good luc.

 

[Crazy old Maurice]

An idea I had seen on this board a while ago: Walmart has a machine in the front of the store that will create metal tags, sort of like a dog ID tag. I think it was only a few dollars and you could have the machine inscribe information on the tag. We laced it on our daughter's shoe, but I was thinking you could just pin it on their shirt every morning with a safety pin.

HTH

Jen

 

[dianels]

We bought our 3 year old dog tags from the local Army Navy store. On it is her name and our cell phone #. She is very excited about her "special necklace" and it only cost $4.

 

[phins_jazy]

We went on a family trip to the mall of america in minneapolis and I made a tag for my dd out of a shrinky dink. On it was one of her favorite characters (powerpuff girls at the time) our cell phone #, her grandparents cell # (they were with us) and her name. BUT her name was written backwards so that you could only read it when she turned it over. She loved her necklace. It was really easy to make and lasted a long time. She always wears some type of necklace now.

 

[kenpge72]

When I took my then 4 (almost 5) son to Disney last year I didn't have a problem. We(my mom and self) had a child harness, but didn't need to use it , he always kept a hold of one of our hands. I am overprotective so he has been used to this rule since walking.
Now here is where the story changes, my husband is going this year and wants more protection then our simple overprotectiveness, so he is planning on putting child tracking devices on our childern (ex cop what can I say). They are a little costly, but in case of an abduction could be life saving. The link to this product is.....
http://www.wherifywireless.com/prod_watches.htm
I on the otherhand will be using the dog tag idea and keeping a photo of each child on a dig. camera card, new one each day with outfit for referance. And of course my rule of a child must be holding an adult hand or in stroller.