Lost Child at Blizzard Beach

[nancycels]

This year we were at Blizz Beach w/our two daughters, both of whom are mentally retarded. The girls were going on one of the rides w/their dad, and all of a sudden, one of them decided to take off on here own(she's usually very good about letting u know where she's going but this time she didn't). It took us what seemed like hours to find her! Turns out she was on the lazy river the whole time! We went to the front desk area to see if they cd alert the life guards to watch our for her and let her know we were looking for her, and or just have her get off at the next stop and we'd meet her there. Blizz B. told us they have no way to get in touch with individual life guards, and they don't make announcements for missing children. When we pointed out this wasn't a child but a mentally retarded adult this cut no ice! Much as I know this situation occurred because my husband wasn't as viginlant as he shd have been, I still cdn't believe they wdn't make an announcement! Seems to me it wd have been in their best interests as well! Has anyone else run into this problem? Fortunately all was well, but suppose it had been another child(handicapped or able bodied) who left the park w/a stranger? Vital time cd have been lost due to their 'policy'. Wd appreciate your feedback. Thanks.

 

[kecall]

I find your story shocking and appalling! I understand why they won't make Lost Child announcements over a public P.A. system; otherwise all you would hear the entire day would be, "Billy, your parents are waiting for you at ___" BUT...I have always been under the impression that they have a "network" where they can radio CM's within each park in order to handle situations like yours. I wonder if the CM's you talked with just weren't being helpful...I can't imagine that they can't put the entire park on notice if there is an emergency..... I'm glad your story had a "happy ending", though....

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't know about the water parks; I could see that the lifeguards could not have all sorts of equipment they need to remove before going in the water. I don't see why a supervisor would not have a networked radio.
I do know that at the other parks, there is at least one CM in each area who has a radio with an earphone, so they can hear the announcements without it being broadcast all over. In the past, we have been near a CM who got a "lost parent" alert. She then alerted the other CMs in the area. They found the child pretty quickly and reuninted parent and child.
They should do the same for a mentally disabled adult as they would do for a child.
Another problem with making a general overhead announcement (besides that would be all you heard all day) is that making an announcement alerts anyone who is looking to do mischief that there is someone out there that is lost and vulnerable.

 

[nancycels]

i wd have thought the guards wd have radios tho..what if they needed help in an emergency? they must have some way to contact help.... just a headsup to keep an eye out wdn't have killed them. I understand that making announcements all day long wd make everyone crazy! but...<g> thanks!

 

[mom2boys]

You must have spoken with an untrained or unwilling staff member. There has to be a way for the lifegaurds/personnel to communicate with one another at Blizzard Beach. Anyone who has waited out a lightening storm at BB has witnessed the mobilization of the entire staff - including looking for lost children (& should be disabled of any age)

 

[laurenk]

I know your panic!! My child is not disabled, but he is only 7. While at AKL in June, we could not find him in the pool. There were 6 of us adults there, mom dad, aunt ,uncle,grandma,grandpa. We ALL lost him. I went running to the lifeguard, while everyone else split up. They told me the same thing,"We cannot make an announcement". I wanted to KILL them. Fortunately, my DS was just getting a towel from the towel holder thingie, and taking the looong way back! Mind you, the origional lifeguard never said anything to the other ones.

Also, at DQ I got seperated from my family for over an hour. They would not page them, and basically told me to keep looking.

 

[endkaos]

I found that only the Magic kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Epcot were prepared to deal with our special needs. We also went to Blizzard beach were very disappointed with the un-disney like service. We left after only two hours. A tip: We carry walkie-talkies with us so we can be in contact when we need to be seperated. Sorry to hear about your experience.

~endkaos

 

[LindaDVC]

This is also a reminder to make a family plan of what to do if lost. Meet at ________ !
I am surprised they could not alert the staff that someone was missing!

I know if our son appeared alone at the major parks a cm would approach him. Several times as we have sat on a bench and Chris played near by the staff would question if he was alone. I appreciate their checking on him! I would expect the same to be true in a water park as well!

Linda
PS just back from a a great trip to HH!

 

[nancycels]

we never expected she'd wander off! of course that's when it happens! u r right, we will definitely have a contingency plan next time, tho this time it wdn't have worked, she didn't know she was missing! lol i'm laughing now, but at the time it was NOT funny! <g> just scary! ah to go to a waterpark alone and not have to worry about kids!!

<g>of course, my husband was the one who wandered off in epcot one year! we know to ck the restaurants for him! that man eats his way thru theme parks! LOL w/him at least a walkie talkie wd have worked, i think we'll try that next time! sorry to hear this happens to everyone else too!