Playgrounds that eat children

[RobMax]

Before we make our next trip I have a question to pose to many of you with small children.

Last year I walked my 3 year old to the honey I skrunk the kids playground. His excitement caused him to fly to the ant hill and disappear. I tried to follow mind you, but an ant hill is no place for a 6'2" - 250lb man.

So I returned to the exit and waited for 30-35 minutes (a bit worried ). Finally, I saw him an grabbed him. The bad thing is darn near the same thing happened in the AK boneyard despite knowing it probably would!!!

Do any of you have a strategy for keeping up with your kids in these places. This year we will have two mobile terrors 2 & 4 and we may need the CIA to keep up with them in the playgrounds!

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[khawk]

It must have been pretty scary not being able to see your 3 yr. old. I took my kids to burger king and let them play in the play area when they were little and my youngest wouldnt come down when I told her too, so I went up after her. Im not 6'2. Im 5'3 but I went after her and got her and she never did it again. Is there a significant other that is smaller then you that could follow them more easily into small places? I never let my kids get away with much and they are pretty good now a days. they are now 9 and 11 and they listen pretty well. Of course they are old enough now that if they disobey me I can alway threaten to embarress them in front of their friends. I told my 11 yr. old that if I ever found out that she was misbehaving at the school dances that next time I would chaperone and do the moon walk in front of all her friends. LOL. that got her.
Kim

 

[zaxmom]

Ours are 2 and 4 and we each claim one and follow them wherever they shall go. Those things are terrible to keep up with small ones. I have to wear one of those awful fanny packs so I don't have a bag to wear down the tunnels. Maybe one of you can stay by the exit and the smaller of the two of you can try to keep up. I just might have to put my 2 year old on a leash. I lose him under the racks at Wal-Mart. These playgrounds are a very nice opportunity for them to get out and run and not have to ride in a stroller or wait in line, but man, they are hard for keeping up with kids.

 

[welovemickey]

I never let my kids in those play areas. I have anxiety attacks. We always leave time to go back to our camper and let them play at the playgrounds there - we can always see them.

 

[RobMax]

Maybe I can get a global positioning system!

 

[disneyjunkie]

DS was 9 on our first trip, but he still wanted to try out the playgrounds.


Before he went into HISTK playground I asked a CM if there was more than one exit. Since there was only, one I let DS go in and play while I got a snack next door. I then sat by the exit until he was done.

At AK I sat in front of the big fan while he played.

If it's possible I'd have one adult stay the exit to be sure no one get away.

 

[CarolynK]

I was told by a CM working inside HISTK that a child isn't allowed to leave without an adult. There is always a CM at the exit.
My kids (7 and 5) know enough to stay together, but if they were younger I think either my husband or I would be positioned at the (only) exit while the other would try to keep an eye on their whereabouts. It is a fairly safe place to let them wander.

 

[kelljacques@aol.com]

I hate those playgrounds!! I am always afraid my son will get hurt! It is a zoo in there!

 

[carene]

I too agree that those playgrounds can be a "zoo" and there is always going to be safety issues to think about.

The fact that there is only one exit is a good thing though, meaning that as long as there is a parent, etc waiting by the exit, you kinda know your kids can't get away.

As for the safety on the actual slides, etc, well that's something kinda harder to deal with!

Carene

 

[eeyore0062]

My DD also loves those playgrounds. Luckily when we were in MGM, the HISTK one was closed for refurbishment (thank goodness for small favors!)... now we just avoid that area, and she doesn't think about it.

She loves the Boneyard... and if my parents are with us, I get them to take her.... I hate the place... it is so hot!

Thankfully, she can now ride most of the attractions, so the playgrounds don't hold as much interest for her, and the other kids are now "too little".

 

[Master Grayson]

My kids love the HSTK playground but as far as the ones at your local BK or MD's I refuse to let them step foot in them! There have been two cases where children have died as a result of playing in the BALL PITS. One was I belive in AR where a rattle snake got in the pit and a litte girl was bit and later that night died and there was also a boy who died after being stuck by a hyperdermic(sp?) needle and died of an overdose,I think that was in the south somewhere. Don't mean to freak anyone out but these places are rarely cleaned so please use caution!

 

[carene]

There have been two cases where children have died as a result of playing in the BALL PITS. One was I belive in AR where a rattle snake got in the pit and a litte girl was bit and later that night died and there was also a boy who died after being stuck by a hyperdermic(sp?) needle and died of an overdose,I think that was in the south somewhere. Don't mean to freak anyone out but these places are rarely cleaned so please use caution!

OH MY GOODNESS
HOW AWFUL!

 

[Dancind]

If you ever go to Islands of Adventure, handcuff yourself to your kids if they want to play in the Jurassic area playground. It's right under the Flying Pterodons. If you don't, you may never see them again. It took two of us 45 minutes to find one kid in there. Diana

 

[erikthewise]

Originally posted by CarolynK
I was told by a CM working inside HISTK that a child isn't allowed to leave without an adult. There is always a CM at the exit.

Then let us hope they never let a child IN without a parent as well! Or said child would find it difficult to escape...

I sympathize completely, recalling my concerns at local playgrounds when our children were younger. FWIW I was able to get through just about everything at HISTK except the rope maze last year -- I'm average-size middle-age male in good condition but not very flexible.

Let's try to keep things in perspective. HISTK is surely one of the safest playgrounds of its type, and even those at Burger King etc are generally safer than traditional outdoor playgrounds where there are multiple opportunities for nasty falls. And those in turn are much safer than riding bikes, climbing trees, inline skates, swimming, etc.

It makes sense to keep a close eye on those under 4, but most kids 4 and older will be just fine. HISTK is loads of fun for kids and I hate see them miss out on it!

 

[Synonymous]

Since she turned 4, we let DD run where she wants in these playgrounds. One of us sits by the exit so she can't escape, while the other goes off to do something else in the park (she spends a LONG time in these.) She's big enough to handle some slides without us hovering over her anymore.

We also let her run and play at McDonald's and Burger King playgrounds. No rattlesnakes or hypodermic needles yet. (Those have got to be urban legends.)

 

[RobMax]

We are not so afraid of our older son getting hurt in those playgrounds (he is one tough kid, he's only 3 and can keep up with most 6 year olds!) But I am afraid of someone else walking out with him! It would be nice if WDW put in a system like they use at Chuckie Cheese Pizza. They stamp all family members with the same ultra violet number so a child cannot leave without an adult with the same number. If they could stamp the adult and child when they enter the playground, that would make it a little easier, although one of us would still try to follow and have the other at the exit!

 

[PattnFmly]

When we went in October, my DH followed our two boys (then 3 & 21 months) and I stayed near the exit to watch for them. Both kids had a blast at both AK & MGM and I have some great video of the three of them coming down some of the slides and climbing the rope nets! My 3yo still talks about the "bug playground with the water sprayer" and can't wait to go again!

 

[Master Grayson]

Synonymous,
Wish it was an urban legend but my Uncle owns his own insurance company and was at a national meeting of some sort and these cases were brought up in a discussion. He e-mailed me right after the meeting ended, I'll try to see if I still have it. To say the least it was truly sad. If I remember correctly the little girl was bitten by the snake and died later in a Hospital and the boy was stuck in his rear and died at home after suffering for awhile. Aparently he complained about something pinching him and his parents couldn't find anything but when they returned home he became violently ill and died. When an autopsy was done the doctor found a small puncture wound on his rear and later the test results comfirmed what had happened.

 

[Gillian]

http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blneedle.htm

 

[Master Grayson]

Well there's PIE IN MY FACE!!! I just e-mailed the link to my uncle,I hope he doesn't call me laughing! Can I be that gullable? Boy do I feel like a SMUCK!!


P.S. Gillian, you could have e-mailed me this link and saved me the embarrasment!! LOL!