Saw something on ebay that disturbs me

[nannyz]

I was looking around on ebay and discovered that there are many authentic Disney CM name tags for sale.
This bothers me because we tell our kids to find someone wearing a CM name tag if they get lost or need help. After seeing these tags for sale, I will not be telling my grandkids to do that. I will tell them to go into a shop and talk to the person behind the counter.
There were also some authentic CM clothes for sale.
Very creepy to me.

 

[At Least Many]

I agree, that is disturbing. Thank for sharing this.

 

[figment_jii]

I will tell them to go into a shop and talk to the person behind the counter.

I think you could also tell them to go to CM at the ride entrance. Those locations are staffed by CMs and I would think if anyone was trying to be a fake "CM", they would be quickly spotted by real CMs and reported to security.

 

[bumbershoot]

They used to *sell* nametags that looked almost exactly like proper CM tags.


The better thing to do is to tell kids to find a CM with a nametag behind a register. And of course point out the costumes CMs wear!

Also great to read for grownups is Gavin DeBecker's The Gift of Fear. Sounds scary, but it's good, solid, factual info. Listen to instincts (kids do that better than adults...ever known a kid that just didn't like someone? it's good to listen to them, they usually have some reason.), follow those instincts.

A cast member with a nametag behind a register (the ones at the ride entrances aren't likely to be able to contact anyone, by the way...), a mother with children, another woman (MOST men are as safe as the days are long, but statistically women are safer than men), someone they instinctively feel they can trust (NOT someone that approaches them, because THAT person could be a creeper...the child wants to choose the person, not vice versa).

But don't leave the area!

 

[Cheshirecatty]

I was looking around on ebay and discovered that there are many authentic Disney CM name tags for sale.
This bothers me because we tell our kids to find someone wearing a CM name tag if they get lost or need help. After seeing these tags for sale, I will not be telling my grandkids to do that. I will tell them to go into a shop and talk to the person behind the counter.
There were also some authentic CM clothes for sale.
Very creepy to me.

I agree with telling them to go to a CM behind a counter, or like figment suggested, at the attraction entrance---both great advice!

 

[scrapshappen]

I know I have seen lost kids at DL before and I didn't dare go up to them because I didn't want to freak them out more. But I did alert the closest cast member I could find to help them.

My kids are getting older now but I've always told them to look for someone who looks like a grandma or a mom with children your age if they needed help like PP said. We also always set a spot to meet back up if we get separated so they know right where to go.

 

[whoever]

That is overreaction. I own a Jungle cruise CM shirt. I've worn it a handful of times, and never in park. Nobody is going to impersonate a CM with the hope of something nefarious. It just isn't going to happen. Not sure about the concern.

 

[At Least Many]

I think if she were to have said, "Now I can't tell my kids to go to ANY cm, EVER!!", that would be an overreaction.

It's just info, ymmv.

 

[Disney Dider]

We always say to our kiddo to find a mom with her kids and she will get help.

 

[cathyb93]

We always say to our kiddo to find a mom with her kids and she will get help.

When I got lost in Disneyland as a kid, it was a mum who helped keep me calm and took me to the cast members! So this is a good idea

 

[VandVsmama]

That is overreaction. I own a Jungle cruise CM shirt. I've worn it a handful of times, and never in park. Nobody is going to impersonate a CM with the hope of something nefarious. It just isn't going to happen. Not sure about the concern.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, I don't think it's an overreaction. I appreciate the OP posting about this because it's a good reminder that there are nefarious individuals who go to the happiest place on earth. There was another thread here recently in which a poster described how her elementary school-aged son was approached by a man while the family was walking to the DCA entrance and the man asked him to do things that are very inappropriate. In that particular situation, the boy had been walking a bit slower than the other family members.

In the other happiest place on earth (WDW), a WDW employee was raped recently at the Art of Animation Resort.

 

[nannyz]

A lot has changed in the 30+ years I have been going to Disneyland.
I see and hear things I never thought I would.
I wish I could tell my little granddaughter that she is perfectly safe in DLR and no one will hurt her, but sadly I cannot.

Better to overreact than to be naïve.

 

[rydersmommy]

Better to be aware of potential problems than to be sorry. I like the idea of telling kids to go to a CM behind a register.

 

[MychaelP]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. Cast Members usually are wearing a costume of some type and that is what the kids would be looking for rather than a name tag. From a distance when I look for someone when I have a question there I look for the costume because the name tag would be difficult to see from a distance.
And if asking a question, I would assume the odds would be very high if someone were up to no good. I get questions asked a lot, including yesterday from a little girl about how rough Star Tours would be. I didn't have a name tag on. Can't be scared of everyone in the park except those behind cash registers... that would get weird fast!
my opinion

 

[cagirl4life]

Don't worry too much about this. I have a friend who was a CM at wdw and while at dlr one of her friends decided to where his cm name tag at the park. Quickly he was told to take off the name tag or he would be asked to leave. There is little chances someone would enter the park as a guest wearing a cm name tag and not be told to take it off.

 

[kangamama]

I totally get why someone might see these for sale and worry that someone is going to use them for nefarious purposes, but aren't these collectible, like any other piece of disneyana?

 

[Sosai X]

I totally get why someone might see these for sale and worry that someone is going to use them for nefarious purposes, but aren't these collectible, like any other piece of disneyana?

I've been buying, selling, and trading Disney nametags for more than 10 years now, on ebay, Disneyana shows, etc. I have over 600 different nametags in my personal collection, going back more than 55 years of Disney history. I have them all on a website which people from Disney look at on nearly a daily basis. I have met the staff from the Disney Archives several times in person, and many times by email and discussed my collection. They know me by name now, and they have never said they have any objection to what I do.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I've been buying, selling, and trading Disney nametags for more than 10 years now, on ebay, Disneyana shows, etc. I have over 600 different nametags in my personal collection, going back more than 55 years of Disney history. I have them all on a website which people from Disney look at on nearly a daily basis. I have met the staff from the Disney Archives several times in person, and many times by email and discussed my collection. They know me by name now, and they have never said they have any objection to what I do.

Very cool! I'd love to see!

BTW, I love your Oscar the Grouch. I'm slightly grouchy, too, so I totally identify.

 

[bbeagle]

In the other happiest place on earth (WDW), a WDW employee was raped recently at the Art of Animation Resort.

No employee was raped at the Art of Animation Resort. It was an alleged ATTEMPTED rape. A cleaning lady entered a room to clean it by herself and a man was in there, held a knife to her, and she fled.

This is a COMPLETELY different situation than, say, someone being accosted on Tom Sawyer's Island. Yes, it's horrible and bad. But that's life, and there is NOTHING an employer can do about this. There will be situations in ANY job that someone is alone unless we're monitored 24/7 on video in every nook and crevice.

 

[kangamama]

I've been buying, selling, and trading Disney nametags for more than 10 years now, on ebay, Disneyana shows, etc. I have over 600 different nametags in my personal collection, going back more than 55 years of Disney history. I have them all on a website which people from Disney look at on nearly a daily basis. I have met the staff from the Disney Archives several times in person, and many times by email and discussed my collection. They know me by name now, and they have never said they have any objection to what I do.

that't exactly what I'm taking about. Sounds like a really cool collection you have!