I lost my DD!!!!! (*long)!!!!

[phoebusII]

What a great thread. I have always prided myself on being a vigilent parent and keeping a close eye on my kids. But, wouldn't you know it, my DD got lost last time at Disney too. We were at the Fantasmic show and DH decided to go to the bathroom before we took our seats so DD, DS and I waited for him. While waiting, I noticed DS didn't smell so good and needed a diaper change, so rather than taking the kids into the bathroom and leaving DH wondering where we all went I decided to just change him on a bench. DD was right next to me and suddenly she was gone! I started screaming her name. But no one paid any attention, even the CM standing right there. About 2 minutes later DH shows up with her. She had seen him come out of the restroom and ran to him. He decided he wanted a soda and took her to a soda cart which was just a few yards away, but my line of sight was blocked by another cart. So I had no idea where she was. She has been told over and over since then never to run away from mommy even if just to run to daddy, but she still does it. He has been told over and over to bring her right back to me if she runs to him so I know where she is, but seems to think its no big deal. I'm still mad at him as I write this.
I think the ID is a good idea, but DD usually wears clothes with no pockets and I don't think she will wear something uncomfortable in her shoe. How about hang it around her neck or some kid of bracelet. Any ideas?

 

[jmpap]

I am so glad that everything turned out okay. I know what you mean. My DH and I are the ones who never let our children out of our sight and our daughter wandered away from us on our last vacation in the Wisconsin Dells. We found her but that was the longest 3 minutes of my life. We are leaving for Disney in 5 days and I am trying to prepare my girls for what to do if they get lost. Can anyone tell me what the CM dress like at the parks? What colors, do they wear jackets? Any info that I can give them ahead of time would be very much appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[RHarnish]

Originally posted by jmpap

Can anyone tell me what the CM dress like at the parks? What colors, do they wear jackets? Any info that I can give them ahead of time would be very much appreciated. Thanks!!

Happy to help. The costumes of the cm's vary according to were they are working. However, they ALL wear a white name tag in an oval shape on their shirt/blouse. The name tag is easy to spot. My suggestion is to perhaps stop at City Hall and use a CM to point this out to your child. (They have been very gracious about our doing this with our daughter--they don't want your child lost any more than you do!) In the past, the CM has often chimed in with our instructions to DD and told her it is really ok for her to ask anyone with the white tag for help at any time...that this would be one time when it was OK to talk to a stranger if Mom and Dad weren't around, but to make sure the that person had a white tag on "just like mine". It seemed to put my DD at ease. If you have forgotten the ID that has been discussed in this thread, you can ask for a "kid tag" which you can fill out and pin to their shirt. (Have a few safety pins with you, just in case...)

Have a safe and wonderful trip!
Berta

 

[jmpap]

RHarnish - Thanks so much for the info!! I am getting the tags for the kids and I will definitely talk to a CM when we first get there. This will be especially helpful for my 4 yr old daughter because she is pretty shy and doesn't actively talk to strangers but she needs to know what to do in case of an emergency. Thanks again for the help!

 

[Amy]

Glad to hear your story had a happy ending! I know how you feel - last year we were at WDW with our 2 ds's, 9 and 11. We just exited Festival of Lion King at AK, crossed a little bridge and ds11 stopped to take a picture. DH, I and ds9 went to the end of the bridge (maybe 15 feet away) to take a pix from another angle. Next thing I knew, DS11 was nowhere to be seen! DH set out to look for him, and I headed for the nearest CM (a cookie stand I believe) to report DS missing. Now, he's 11 and able to think for himself, but I was still terrified of what could have happened. Turns out, he knew we were planning to leave the park after the Lion King show, so he just headed to the exit while looking for us (unfortunately, DH headed back toward the Lion King show, in the opposite direction). The CM I talked to asked for a full description (be sure to notice what your kids are wearing each day!!) and then got on his walkie talkie. He told me they "close off" the park exits when there's a missing child; don't know if that's true or not, but maybe they at least check people out as they're leaving. Anyway, by this time DS11 realized he couldn't find us, so he talked to the CM where they rent the lockers, who directed him to customer service or whatever right inside the gates and we were reunited there (after we waited for DH to come back so HE didn't end up lost also!).

An aside - they gave DS11 a coupon for a free Mickey ice cream. So of course, DS9 says "I'm going to get lost so I can get free ice cream, too!" Kids!

 

[MaggieMouse]

I'm travelling alone with my two kids (8, 21 months) when we go this year and this was a very helpful thread. I'm definitely getting one of the "leashes" for my DD since I know she's not going to sit in the stroller the whole time. And it wouldn't be fair for her to, there's so much to do! My 8 year old is pretty good but sometimes he's in his own little world. The laminated tags are a good idea for him. I've been several times with just him and I've told him about cast members and such. We always review what to do before we leave the hotel for the day. He's pretty vocal and friendly so I think he would be matter of fact about the whole thing. But I of course would be a basket case!

Thanks again for the tip.

 

[nicknamy1996]

Thank you for all the great tips, this year our kids were 9 month and 2 1/2. We did not think to carry photos or give them identification of any kind. The baby was always in a stroller or being held. We had a leash for the 2 yo but didn't bring it to the park the first day, bad move. He always wanted to walk. From the second day on we used the leash and it worked out great. He would always be holding our hands but it was nice to have the leash when I needed two hands to pay for something or take a picture. We received only good comments on it. And many iquireies(?) on if we bought it in the parks and where they could get one. I love the "...better than on a milk carton" line but never would have needed it.

Next year, and from now on the children will be "Tagged" and I will have a recent photo of both of them. I think each morning I will wright on the back of the photo what they are wearing because in a panic I would probably not be able to answer that even if I made a mental note of it that morning.

9 months and counting.

 

[Swan]

After reading this post I went over all the info with y 7&9 y/o. They answered all the questions right, but then my dd asked if it was okay to leave the park with a CM. In told her no, that she is not to leave the park with anyone other than us. In her mind she thought it was okay since they would be taking her back to our resort. I explained that there was a place for lost kids in the parks where the CMs took the kids so that the parents could find them. I have always talked to my kids about strangers and how to act,so it kind of suprised me that she thought it was okay to leave with a CM.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

nicknammy

Another idea rather than writting on the photo what they are wearing would be to take a polorid picture of them each morning after they are dressed for the park. That way everyone would know exactly what they are looking for. Sorry if this has been mentioned as this thread is quite long.


jordan's mom

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

Yes I know it can happen to anyone.
Yes I know it will probably happen to me.

BUT, the original poster claims that they had lost sight of their 5-year-old for 3 minutes (assuming that 3 minutes is accurate). That seems like a long time to not see your child, especially when they are supposed to be with you in a stroller.

Anyway, I am glad for all the information and great advice in this thread. I am printing the entire thread and I hope to put the advice to practical use on our next trip.

Also, I have no idea about the truth or falsity surrounding the urban legend about children's clothes and hair being altered by their abductors. However, WDW is a big attraction to pedophiles for obvious reasons.

 

[RHarnish]

Swan, thanks for sharing your dd's comment. I would have never thought to mention that my dd shouldn't leave the parks with anyone but us...we forget too easily how the young mind works sometimes...

Great insight!

Have a wonderful trip!
Berta

 

[trayletha]

Those were the scariest posts I've ever read. Thank you. We are taking our DD for our first trip in October. She will be almost 4, and has NO fear. (At day care she jumped off the top of the slide; to see what would happen!!!! luckily she was OK)

I talked with my husband and before we leave we are all going to get passport photos made, JC Penny/CVS and WalMart all do them cheap. Then I'm going to make up cards with her picture and ours - our names, cell phone numbers, the airline info, resort info and grandma's number and address at home and then have them laminated. I figure I can punch a holes in them (more then one in case one gets lost, plus we can each carry one so all the info matches)and hang one around her neck with some beads or something (she loves wearing necklaces). I'm posting all this I case anyone else wants to do the same. Plus I think I'll print the cards on lime green paper.

 

[issa]

wow..i wrote this now over a year ago!!...we just returned from our second trip and used the same methods and had a wonderful vacation for 2 wonderful weeks. I went to reread my orginal post (I am sooo humilated by the bad typos and grammer..it was hard to write) and yes..I did write 3 mins...I really cant besure of the time span..it was an enterity and a blink of an eye.

to put it in more "accurate" timing....we were by end of the bridge by the hub( teacups way) ....we walk down the side walk to the next walkway ( tommorrow land) now mind you...this is not on the bridge to tommorow land nor before the bridge...this is the sidewalk where you can see the sign but still in the hub....soo I would guess about 10 to 15 steps???? looking back I cant see how that was three mintes but it probrably felt that way and for my mis calulation in time I apologize. I asked Loki his remembrance and he says 1 minute is still over shooting it LOL so it was probrably that slow motion parent panic watch I was going by. again...when I wrote the orginal post it was still very raw and terrifing.

 

[tharr]

After reading these scary stories, I just made shrinky-dink necklaces with my children's name, resort, our cell phone #, and resort phone #. They can even be worn in the water! I hope I won't be needing them!

 

[mykidsmom]

shrinky dinks - what a great idea!!

 

[Baloo]

Wow I just read this thread...I can't believe it's a year old ! How was the wedding Issa?

I lost Erich one time,when he was around 3, in the Living Seas and nearly had heart failure.His Dad thought he was with me I thought he was with his Dad.His Dad went to tell a CM while I looked for him.I found him watching the cartoon they have there...whew!

I had the card made up and with him with all the info.He also knew to find a CM if he couldn't find us.Now that he's 8 and my step son is 9 I don't worry as much but they both know if we get seperated find a CM.

I think it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that your children are instructed on what to do if the get lost while at WDW.Even teens should have a place to meet if y'all get seperated.

Thanks all for your stories and tips...keep them coming!

 

[issa]

They wedding was WONDERFUL and are still in happy bliss and I still belive i am the luckiest woman Time does fly.

 

[RHarnish]

Bumping this thread because its so important!

Used the ID idea for DD last month. She was really happy to have her very own "Safety Card" as we called it. I made it up at home with her name, our name, hotel & dates, our cell phone number and medical info, had it laminated at work and put it in the front pocket of her waist pack. She was wonderful about wearing it and even reminded us about it one morning! There is another thread on this forum that includes a link to an ID designed to be worn as a wrist band. This option also looks very viable. Better to be prepared than wigging out!

Berta

 

[catwho]

Wow Issa your post has me in tears!!! I remember loosing my oldest dd in a Walmart once. She was gone for 45 minutes and it was the most horrific time in my life! We put bells on our younger kids shoes so that we can always hear where they were. We "lost" our son once in a store. We couldn't see him, but we could hear him!

So glad that your story had a happy ending. BTW, because you contacted a CM immediately and gave them a description, they look for children of that description leaving the parks when they hear it over the walkie talkie things.

 

[sillyminny]

I lost my dad in a mall a few weeks ago and that was awful (he is forgetful right now). I can't imagine losing a child.

I did loss one of my children years ago at a country fair. We were in the arena and he wandered out into the dark outside while we were watching a show. It happened in 20 secs. I found him very soon after but my heart stopped and everything went into slow motion. He stilll remembers the day he was lost a the pumpkin fair 7 years later.