Manager of Walt Disney World

[ahappydisneymommy]

I'm sorry that you lost your wallet. I can understand why you would be upset that no one was helping you. I'm also sorry that some people are so rude when they post on these boards. For the most part I think people are very supportive and wonderful here, but there are always a few. I hope you get to make contact with Disney and get the apology you deserve.

 

[srfrgrl07]

just worry that someone has my drivers lisence and the chance of identity theft.

When this happened to me, someone obtained a driver's license with my info on it but their picture. I would have never known, except I moved and requested a change of address by mail (within the same state.) When I received the new license in the mail, it was obviously not my picture and I contacted the DMV immediately. The state of FL became involved as they had to investigate, and long story short...they changed my driver's license number slightly and flagged the old number so that that person would be caught eventually. When I renewed my license recently, I had to show 2 forms of ID and they were really thorough in verifying my identity. It took a little longer than normal, but I feel better about it. I have fraternal twin sister, and our driver's licenses are the same number with the exception of the final digit...we had a problem when we were in high school with them putting my tickets on her license number and then suspending her license, etc. so it makes me feel better now that they double check everything with me due to the theft issue. There are a few other things that I encountered due to the DL fiasco, but I'll spare you the details.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Scanne - What a bummer to have happen on your vacation. I am very sorry you were treated so lamely by the CMs. I would have been panicky and would have thought they would be more helpful, also.

I am surprised by some of the responses from people. We have all been in situations where you feel like you're floundering and need help!! Disney used to treat guests better and with more care than they showed you. I know how you must have felt. We have had situations at WDW where we could have used some help, but found that they do not like to acknowledge any misfortune happening in that magical place. You can be throwing up and they say "Have a magical day"....It has happened.

Losing a wallet on vacation is no joke. It is horrible & can happen to anyone. (I feel like giving the Napolean Dynamite "Gosh" to those mean posts)

I was in a grocery store, checking out and lost my keys. The employees couldn't have been nicer. Everyone was helping me look - searching through carts, looking under things, asking me questions about where I had them last etc. It is just courtesy! I can't believe that some of the people that responded to your post are so harsh. We are all human and make mistakes!! I don't see any harm at all in writing to Al Weiss. He should be aware of the way you were treated. Hope he cares.

Good luck & I hope your wallet does turn up. We lost something once (not as important) but when we returned home, it showed up in the mail from WDW. There are still some honest people out there.

Lives4Disney

 

[letterdavidman]

I hate to say it but YOU lost YOUR wallet, end of story.

And I'm sure, we're you in the position of having just lost you're wallet while in the parks, you would continue to employ the same fun, charming, laissez-faire attitude on display in your post?

 

[MOMOFMNM]

this happened to you...this happened to my mother on the way to Myrtle Beach while we were en route from TN in my minivan w my aunt and two little kids on a ten hour drive!! I know the panic and sick feeling...fortunately for her we found it in her luggage, she SWORE it was not in there but I insisted we stop and unload the car and baggage to make sure before she called her bank. This would have ruined our trip because she would have been worried and stressed the whole time... I am truely sorry for your loss.

 

[snowy76]

Oh, and my DH had duplicate cards and we called and cancelled them right away. No charges were made.

I lost my wallet once about eight years ago -- I also knew exactly where it was. It had all my CC's, my SSN (yeah, stupid, I know) and my license. It also had my college ID -- I wouldn't have gotten into my own dorm that night except my RA was working the front desk. Yipes!

Six months later, a dorm staff member found the wallet back by the dumpsters... about two blocks from where I'd lost it. Someone took the ten bucks I had and left everything else. Someone just wanted the cash. Stupid though, they COULD have just pretended they found it and turned it into the university police office. I wouldn't have cared about the cash... it was everything else. What a hassle to replace it all just to have it found!

When we travel my DH and I have duplicates of our cards but we each take a different card into the park; that way if one of us loses a card, we still have the duplicate in the safe or at home (I can get a family member to go to my house and get the phone # for me)... but someone still has a credit card so we don't have to worry about being without money!

 

[JujiD]

I lost an expensive pocket knife last year, but did not realize it until we got home. I immediatley contacted lost and found, and told them that I lost the knife in one of three places, SE at Epcot, Kilamanjaro Safari ride at AK, or somewhere in the WS, Amazingly, I received a call a day later from the nicest CM, asking for a description of the knife. I gave him a good description, and told me they had it and it was found on one of the safari trucks at AK. He asked for my address, and I received it 2 days later, no charge for shipping or anything. I immediatey e-mailed guest services to praise their lost and found department, but never received a reply. It never ceases to amaze me how great the CMs canbe.

This is off the subject, but how did you get a pocket knife through security? Not condemning you for having one, (my DH always carries one) just thought that would be something security would be checking for?

 

[polarboi]

A few years ago, I was with a friend at DisneyQuest when he suddenly realized he couldn't find his wallet. We panicked, retraced our steps, and searched everywhere... to no avail. We explained the problem to several CMs, each of whom made various suggestions about where we might look. Nothing.

Finally, we encountered one CM who seemed really as upset about the loss as we were. She came with us to search for the missing wallet, and suggested that we check our Virtual Jungle Cruise raft (it apparently has a reputation for eating wallets). I told her another CM had already checked that area, but she went back with us, prevented new guests from riding that particular raft, and then dug around in it for quite some time before triumphantly emerging with my friend's wallet.

We were speechless and oh-so-grateful! She made our trip! Sadly, at that time I wasn't as aware of all things Disney as I am now, so it never occurred to me to write a letter of thanks to Guest Relations. But I've never forgotten how wonderful it was to have someone care so much; she made our entire trip much more magical.

That's a huge part of what makes Disney great, so I can understand scanne's frustration at not being given at least an "I'm so sorry."

I hope your experience was the exception rather than the rule, scanne! And I, too, am sorry for what you had to go through.

-p.b.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This is off the subject, but how did you get a pocket knife through security? Not condemning you for having one, (my DH always carries one) just thought that would be something security would be checking for?

Um, in a pocket, maybe?
Absolutely NO sarcasm intended, just humor!

 

[coinkc]

I lost a $100 bill last month at AK. I know it fell out of my pocket while standing in line at FlameTree as I pulled out my room key to pay for my lunch. When I went back I asked the cashier (it was about 30 minutes later but the same CM) if anybody had picked it up and turned it in. He got really defensive and screamed "I didn't take it!" Now I had never insinuated he did...I just asked if it had been turned in. He got the manager for me who basically laughed at me along with the other people working behind the counter saying that since it was cash it was probably gone. (I knew that...was jsut hoping for the best.)

On another note, I did stop by guest services and the CMs there couldn't have been nicer! They were so sympathetic and tried to convince me that sometimes cash does get turned in. They cheered me up even though it was basically a hopeless cause.

and no, I never got my $$$ back..stupid mistake on my part not to be more careful!

 

[snowy76]

Um, in a pocket, maybe?
Absolutely NO sarcasm intended, just humor!

Seriously though... the knife would be easy to get in... security checks bags, not pockets.

I think it's past my bedtime!

 

[JujiD]

Seriously though... the knife would be easy to get in... security checks bags, not pockets.

I think it's past my bedtime!

I'm surprised this doesn't seem to bother anyone.

 

[shelby2001]

Oh Scanne I am so sorry this happend to you and I understand being with little ones things do get crazy. Glad you were able to cancel the CC and there were no charges. I do have one question for you were you flying? If so and you had no photo ID what did you have to do at the airport for security? Just asking in the event this were to happen to me or anyone else.

 

[scanne]

Yes, I was flying home. I had to file a report with the Orange County Sheriff's Office. They gave me a number that went along with the report, but was informed that it is not a law you need phot ID to get on a plane. The airlines just ask to see it. So when I got to the airport, I was searched more thoroughly than everyone else in my party. But it really wasn't as bad as I was anticipating.

BTW, this concern was also a MAJOR part of my stress b/c I thought I'd have a major ordeal getting on the plane.

 

[babar41]

I am so sorry for your experience. The loss of a wallet is much more than the loss of the $$'s and the hassel of canceling credit cards. When you know someone stole it, it makes you feel violated. I know this may sound silly, but that is how I felt when it happened to me.

A few years ago I was taking care of my beloved Uncle who had Alzheimers, had a foreign exchange student from Spain spending the summer, as well as the normal everyday stresses of life of raising 2 DD and blending 2 DSD and 2DSS. I had just gone to the bank and took out $300 to go grocery shopping. Decided to take DD's and the exchange student out to lunch before going shopping and we went to my favorite restaurant. Had a nice lunch, pulled out my wallet while sitting in the booth for the tip and bill. Then headed for the house (5 miles away) to drop off the kids before the big grocery store plunge. About a mile from the house I realized my wallet was missing. I called the restaurant as soon as I got home, told them exactly where we had been sitting (I must not have gotten the wallet completely in my purse before getting out of the booth), of course the wallet was gone.

Since there was no one sitting around us when we were there, and no one in that area when I returned to the restaurant within 15 minutes of having lost the wallet, chances are fairly good that it was one of the bus boys who found it, (table had been cleared) but of course no way of finding out who. I spoke with the owner and asked that he speak to his staff, if who ever took it would just return the papers I would not press charges or attempt to find out who had it. I also asked that he inform everyone that the credit cards were being cancelled by my husband while I was there. It was my stupidity to have lost the wallet and I was willing to pay the price of my stupidity, but in that wallet were important papers I needed for the care of my Uncle. Nothing was ever returned, but I always found it odd that no attempt was ever made to use the credit card (probably help convince me that it was indeed one of the staff of the restaurant).

Long post to say, I know how you felt. I am sorry you had to have this happen, especially at the "happiest place on earth".

 

[NY Disney fan]

Scanne,

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Losing a wallet IS traumatic. I'll never forget when I put my bag down for a second and someone cruelly walked away with it.

I hope you are able to contact someone at Disney to get it off your chest.

 

[Mymatisse]

And I'm sure, we're you in the position of having just lost you're wallet while in the parks, you would continue to employ the same fun, charming, laissez-faire attitude on display in your post?

The fact remains that while it is upsetting when it happens the OP did lose their own wallet. Why should the CM's appologize when someone loses their OWN wallet? They don't need to. If you know where you left your wallet, go look for the dang thing. I would have ran back there so fast it wouldn't have been funny.. and this is from someone who has misplaced wallets, cc's, purses, SEVERAL times!

There are losts and founds, and guest relations put in place because people lose things, including wallets in the parks every single day. You can't expect every cast member to show concern or go off on a manhunt looking for your wallet no matter how important it is to you, cause ya know what, they would have to look for about a hundred other people's wallet's and purses too.

I agree with the "you lost it" comment... you gotta go find it. This includes, calling around to lost and found and guest relations and all those wonderful little mechanisms Disney has put in place to address situations like yours.

 

[Slapster]

I lost a $100 bill last month at AK.

I found a $50 bill on the ground at the Swan in front of the elevator. When I turned it in at the concierge desk they were stunned at first and the thanked me for my honesty. I asked them what the procedure was for that sort of thing and they kind of looked at each other and said it had never happened before. I can't believe that no one has ever dropped money before in the lobby of the Swan, I can only guess that no one has actually turned it in.

What I can't imagine is how could someone spend found money like that with a clear conscience? It could be some kid's Christmas money.

I'm not posting this for any kind of kudos, I just want to demonstrate that if you lose money, you should always check to see if someone turned it in. It's possible! (If not probable...)

 

[Jenn]

This is a great lesson in "Do unto other as you would do unto yourself". If you find something - please turn it in to lost and found.

On past trips, we have lost a Daisy plush at Epcot and a camera bag containing BOTH our camcorder and camera at MGM. Both times they were turned in to lost and found. Thank you to the honest people who did that!!

On our last trip we found a digital camera by Test Track, and I immediatly walked over to lost and found (knew right where it was from the Daisy plush incident) and turned it in.

 

[dejavu]

Last year I left my wedding ring- a 1 ct marquise solitare- in public restroom on the second floor of the contemporary- Stupid, I know but since it has a wide band it bothers my hand in the heat & humidity- I did notice I wasn't wearing it but assumed I left it in my jewelry pouch back in the safe in the room- When I checked 2 hours later I panicked- I went down to the check-in desk for the California Grill in tears and some wonderful person had turned it in, so there are honest people. Also my DH once found a wallet in Frontier land and he turned it in- I am really sorry for your lost wallet and even sorrier that some people have to make you feel bad about it- most people make mistakes. I hope it all works out for you.