Neither are really good options if you think about it. It's better to simply be aware and use common sense than overreact or be naive.
we need a "LIKE" button here.
I couldn't agree more. Now I will preface my response with this - NO I do NOT have children by choice however so your mileage may vary.
I personally feel that with the digital age/social media , etc we are just more aware of things as they happen because there is no downtime between events happening and hearing about it. The world has changed - most definitely and there is nothing wrong with being aware , however that in itself has always been good advice.
Fear mongering ( NOT saying this discussion is) is so easy to happen because the more we try to protect ourselves the more easily it is to become truly fearful. Look at the website Webmd for example. If you have a sore throat you might have throat cancer or you might have strep or just a common cold. There is such a thing as too much information and reading into things. There is also a fine line between being informed and being over protective and over worried about every single possibility out there.
I will also mention I too got lost at WDW when I was on a field trip with a girl scout trip. I was only about 8 or 9 years old. Now I was lucky - two wonderful ladies found me and asked me why I was crying and if I was okay - I explained the best I could and they took me in hand to where I thought they ran to ( it was near IASW) - where I actually found my troop leader waiting. I will never forget that kindness. Now this could have ended badly - yes it's true however when I was a scared lonely kid..I didn't remember the things my mom told me to do safety wise. I do think it is important to go over these things often with children so they won't panic , or hopefully won't but until it happens unfortunately we as people - including as children never know how we will react. It's great there are so many looking out for one another and extra safety precautions out there - but this could also be a case of a Disney fan enjoying collecting and selling merchandise. Unless any of us knows their intent personally - it is unfair to pass judgement.
I definitely understand the intention the OP had though I agree more with the fact I feel it is being a bit dramatic. People buy and sell memorabilia all the time. It's frankly no different. If you feel the store is such a danger then feel free to email Ebay - I am sure they have a link to contact them also.
Now if you witnessed someone IN THE PARKS - you felt was impersonating then by all means I could understand this post much more. But as they have a strict rule of adults wearing costumes , I would believe that what you describe would fall under that. Even with events like the 24 hour show my Disney side , I have to be believe someone strolling up in a full ensemble that looked like a CM would be caught before even entering the gates. I mean it's not like they can just walk in like a department store and gain access.
The other thing I want to say is just because a family is there does not make it any more safe than say a single individual - male or female. There are all sorts of "bad" people out there in the world , and just because they do or do not have kids with them is NOT a good qualifying factor. Quite frankly I don't know "you". "You" could be anyone or anything but can I worry about it ? Nope. If I feel uncomfortable - even as an ADULT - I tell someone. There is no shame in that. There was wonderful advice about seeking a ride CM as well as the advice about seeking someone behind a counter.
Only "you" as a parent/guardian/relative - whatever can decide what type of precautions and safety discussion and actions are appropriate for your child and age but it is never too early to start. There is no one size fits all solution.
For adults you hear stories about people impersonating police for example all the time and pulling people over - so safety and common sense never really changes it just evolves as we age. There are avenues where people can get anything they want if the price is right so we have to take it upon ourselves to be smart about it.
Anything CAN happen but it doesn't mean it WILL happen.
Just my 2 cents.
