Scariest Moment of my life: Losing my kid at Disneyland Resort

[Edelweiss]

I was hoping to come back from Disneyland saying we had the absolute perfect trip. Close to it, but one incident turned a very happy day into the most scary moment of my life. I am trying not to berate myself over it, but I admit I still do. How could this have happened??

We had spent a long day at California adventure on Oct. 9th. We were heading out of the park and decided to quickly dart into Downtown Disney and go to the World of Disney store to buy some Mickey Mouse Ears for our kids. I immediately was taken aback by how many people were in this store. It was a madhouse! And there were so many souvenirs! But we headed straight over to the ears.

My kids all picked out their ears. My husband and three kids all started walking towards the area where one of the kids could have his ears embroidered with his name. My husband asked me a question. I answered it and then quickly noticed that our youngest hadn't walked over to the register with us. My husband said he would go get him. He must of only walked a few feet away. Well after about 30 seconds my husband said he couldn't find him anywhere.

Now this is the part where I beat myself up. All three kids were walking with me. I literally turned my back for less than 30 seconds!

I IMMEDIATELY started running in the general area screaming his name. Nothing. I notified the workers who asked for a description. They radioed each other and then started following me. I could see they would be ZERO help. My husband asked them to make an announcement. THEY REFUSED.

So now I am making my way to the other end of the store in complete panic. So many people and so much stuff! Suddenly I hear the most angelic voice on the planet call my name. I turn and there is this angelic woman holding my child and calling my name. I run to her and grab my son and grab her and start sobbing. She said that she knew he looked lost and she asked his name and he told her. He asked her my name and he told her. She told me that this has happened to her too and she's a mom. She said she just did what any mother would. I have prayed so many times since then for God to pour down His blessings on that angelic woman for her kind act.

I thanked her profusely. I was still shaking though. I asked my three year old where he went. We figured out that he didn't end up following us to the cash register in our group and sort of wandered away. When he got lost he didn't know what to do.. so he ran clear across the store to the doors where we came in. In his little brain, he knew we would have to exit those doors. So I gather he hung out by those doors and that's when that angel woman saw him. Honestly the whole incident was under 5 minutes but it seemed like an ETERNITY!!!!

If I could do this all over again, I would have printed up an ID tag necklace and put it on my 3 year old and taught him to show it to someone if he was lost. Maybe with his name and my name and phone number. But I pray NOTHING like that EVER happens again.

Thanks for listening to my rant. I had to get that out of my system. I know that kids get lost at Disney all the time, but it is the WORST when it is your own child! Please if you are going to Disney soon, come up with a plan if your child gets lost and talk to your little ones about what to do. I admit we didn't do that because it just didn't even cross my mind! But believe me, we had talked about that a LOT now!

 

[Girimama33]

Oh my Gosh! That would be so scary! Thank goodness it didn't last long, but I imagine it felt like forever.
The WOD can be very overwhelming...especially if there are a lot of people in there. It can be difficult to manage for me, and I only have to keep track of one.

 

[trishakay84]

Oh my goodness, I am so sorry that happened! I would be terrified, too! I'm glad everything turned out well!
Last year we booked our trip through a travel company and got free Cars luggage tags, wrote our phone numbers on them, and looped them through our kids belt loops! This year I want to look in to the temporary tattoos or the ID bracelet things, so it's something that won't bug our kids but will be there just in case.

 

[nikkislaght]

So very glad it turned out the way it did for you and your family.. As you said so many children get separated from their folks at Disneyland and yes it is very very scary..

My son's first trip he was 6yrs old.. and the first day we arrived, we were at the gates waiting to go in,, for the whole time we were waiting, we were practicing what to do if mummy got lost...
He was to look for people who worked there.. so we showed him the uniforms.
from Janitor staff through CM's to people working the carts... or a family with kids...
We took a photo of him every morning so that if he got lost, we could show a clear photo of what he was wearing that day..
and we wrote on him with a Sharpie, and he had a wallet with my name and phone number ..
The people right behind me kept rolling their eyes at me... and you could see they were snickering at me for going overboard..... I didnt care a bit..

It struck me that I was correct in doing that, for as we were leaving that night, there was a woman sitting on the ground with 5 cast members surrounding her, one was on a radio, she was screaming and crying and giving a description of her child who had become lost..

My son looked at me and said,, I hope he goes to a CM, thats what I would do, right Mama....
Yes indeed...

So glad your baby is home safe with you...

 

[luulu1999]

WOW how scary, I too am considering the tattoos with our contact information for our next trip because my DS tends to see something and just take off toward it and most the time their dad is in the room and its just me and them two, so glad everything worked out!!!

 

[DisneytheKid]

How scary! Glad to hear he was found safe and sound!

 

[CaliDisneyMama]

Oh my goodness. I could feel your panic while I read that. And I'm all choked up now. That is one of the worst feelings in the world! I'm so glad it turned out so well; thank goodness for your Disney angel for helping your little one find you!

For our trip in March, I got DS a little beaded bracelet with number beads with my cell phone number on them, and he wore it around his ankle. My phone number changed recently though (a full year and a half after we moved out of state; it was time lol), and I wasn't sure I was going to get another bracelet with the new number for our trip in December, but I think you just helped me decide that I definitely will.

 

[thatgrljme]

I am so sorry to hear that this happened, but so happy to hear everything turned out well. I am taking my 2 yr old son next year, and this is my biggest fear.

@nikkislaght I will be that mama too, making sure he knows!

 

[bumbershoot]

Stop berating yourself.

And don't berate the CMs either. Once you let them know, they were already helping. Disney has their way of doing things, and no it doesn't involve a code Adam where the doors are closed. If you are at target once you leave the store there are no related employees. When you leave world of Disney there ARE, and they are in contact with each other.

What actually happened was far less safe. A random woman found your child and moved positions with him? Is she trying to be charged with kidnapping? I learned early that if you see a lost child you stay nearby, you do not touch the child or move the child, and you get someone in your party to alert employees. I have seen countless people doing this. At seaworld this summer there was a crowd of concerned adults all watching a little dude who didn't get realize he was lost. We all just kept an eye on him while looking for a frantic adult AND looking for an employee. The parent showed up first. Since it was a man who was the first one watching it was especially important that he not touch the child. Anyway I don't know how that woman became an adult without knowing those lessons.

So Disney has their own system. Trust that. Don't trust people who move your child. And now that reality hit you it's time to plan. At Disney a lost child needs to stay in place (that's anywhere actually...no moving around! Parents move, not the child). They need to look for a cast member and preferably one behind a cash register. Why? Because Disney sells or sold name tags that look(ed) just like cm badges. Could be anyone. Look for those at cash registers. Get the attention of that person.

For you, at Disney take a picture of each child each morning in that day's clothes. That's an immediate way to describe the child without having to rely on memory of what wee Johnny was wearing that day. Show the cm and trust them. They have a strong protocol for lost kids, er, parents.

I'd give you the whole spiel but I'll give you the book to read instead. Time to read de Becker's The Gift of Fear. Very good book for parents. We got to read it when DS started aikido and its really good. Real life ways to help keep yourself and family safer.

I hope you let the CMs know he was found? Eh even if you didn't they were probably watching and knew quickly anyway.

 

[bumbershoot]

And no you do not want it to be announced that there is a three year there that is on his own. Just think about that one. That's NOT what you want broadcast in a public place. If the wrong person is there they were just told exactly who to look for.

It's why Disney has their protocols. Panicked people make horrid decisions and want the exact opposite things to happen than should happen. And that panic is common and normal and I've been there too. It's why I'm glad for a company that will not announce there's a lost child even if their parent wants it. They stay calm when we cannot be. Thank goodness.

Good job making sure your son knew your name by the way! Terrifying how many kids I've known who think parents are all named mom and dad.



Man, even when you proofread those weird autocorrects get in there....

 

[tdhickey]

I have actually helped escort a CM to a lost child, you can tell pretty quickly and when we asked if they were lost they said yes. The CM's are by far the best at handling the situation. My wife stayed with the child, I found the CM and within about 2 min we found a family with matching shirts that was obviously looking for the child. So we brought them back to the CM and child.

Scary stuff, can happen so easily in crowds and no matter how careful you are it can happen to ANYONE. Disney is really good at this though, their "lost parent" program is fantastic. The CM was phenomenal with the lost kid.

 

[becd]

You poor thing! But I am so glad that he was found safely and I agree that she was an angel to help you like that.

I had a similar experience at the Lego Store in DTD WDW- that place is a complete nightmare with no doors at all and about twenty exits that lead out into the chaos of DTD. Plus it is more crowded than I ever would have thought possible.One of my DS6 twins got away from me and I could not find him anywhere, even after doing several laps. The problem with him has always been that he does not think he is "lost" when he is so if someone is looking for a lost child they would never think it was him. Luckily I eventually found him under one of the lego tables playing with another boy, but for about 5 minutes my heart was in my throat. Apparently I watch way to much Law and Order SVU for my own sanity

 

[dbramer]

I was hoping to come back from Disneyland saying we had the absolute perfect trip. Close to it, but one incident turned a very happy day into the most scary moment of my life. I am trying not to berate myself over it, but I admit I still do. How could this have happened??

We had spent a long day at California adventure on Oct. 9th. We were heading out of the park and decided to quickly dart into Downtown Disney and go to the World of Disney store to buy some Mickey Mouse Ears for our kids. I immediately was taken aback by how many people were in this store. It was a madhouse! And there were so many souvenirs! But we headed straight over to the ears.

My kids all picked out their ears. My husband and three kids all started walking towards the area where one of the kids could have his ears embroidered with his name. My husband asked me a question. I answered it and then quickly noticed that our youngest hadn't walked over to the register with us. My husband said he would go get him. He must of only walked a few feet away. Well after about 30 seconds my husband said he couldn't find him anywhere.

Now this is the part where I beat myself up. All three kids were walking with me. I literally turned my back for less than 30 seconds!

I IMMEDIATELY started running in the general area screaming his name. Nothing. I notified the workers who asked for a description. They radioed each other and then started following me. I could see they would be ZERO help. My husband asked them to make an announcement. THEY REFUSED.

So now I am making my way to the other end of the store in complete panic. So many people and so much stuff! Suddenly I hear the most angelic voice on the planet call my name. I turn and there is this angelic woman holding my child and calling my name. I run to her and grab my son and grab her and start sobbing. She said that she knew he looked lost and she asked his name and he told her. He asked her my name and he told her. She told me that this has happened to her too and she's a mom. She said she just did what any mother would. I have prayed so many times since then for God to pour down His blessings on that angelic woman for her kind act.

I thanked her profusely. I was still shaking though. I asked my three year old where he went. We figured out that he didn't end up following us to the cash register in our group and sort of wandered away. When he got lost he didn't know what to do.. so he ran clear across the store to the doors where we came in. In his little brain, he knew we would have to exit those doors. So I gather he hung out by those doors and that's when that angel woman saw him. Honestly the whole incident was under 5 minutes but it seemed like an ETERNITY!!!!

If I could do this all over again, I would have printed up an ID tag necklace and put it on my 3 year old and taught him to show it to someone if he was lost. Maybe with his name and my name and phone number. But I pray NOTHING like that EVER happens again.

Thanks for listening to my rant. I had to get that out of my system. I know that kids get lost at Disney all the time, but it is the WORST when it is your own child! Please if you are going to Disney soon, come up with a plan if your child gets lost and talk to your little ones about what to do. I admit we didn't do that because it just didn't even cross my mind! But believe me, we had talked about that a LOT now!

This happened to me with my then three year old son. We weren't at Disney, we were at an outlet mall (strip mall-style). My wife and I went in to the Sunglass Hut/Totes store and thought my son had gone in in front of us. He apparently kept walking. We noticed in about two or three minutes that he wasn't with us and my heart stuck in my throat. I ran back outside and into traffic to look up and down the sidewalk calling his name. As in your case, a kind stranger was walking back towards the store holding his hand. She immediately saw the desperation on my face and waved as I ran up to them. There are no adequate words to express how I feel about that special woman who found my son and watched over him until I could find him.

I am glad that there are people like this in the world and they are truly angels on earth. I am also glad that your son was returned to you safe and sound. Guess what....he was never out of my sight again and at nine he still hold my hand when we are in a parking lot or entering a building.

 

[Malcon10t]

I IMMEDIATELY started running in the general area screaming his name. Nothing. I notified the workers who asked for a description. They radioed each other and then started following me. I could see they would be ZERO help. My husband asked them to make an announcement. THEY REFUSED.

They aren't going to make an announcement. But, you do need to give them the description as quickly as possible, as they are radioing the people at the doors so they know what to watch for.

Disney has an EXCELLENT lost child policy. I've seen it in action. I've seen a lost child during Christmas fireworks on Christmas Eve. The park is packed. And yet they can keep the child calm, entertained, and are able to get information needed to find the parents. On that Christmas Eve, in under 30 mins waiting for fireworks, I witnessed 3 lost children. I've also witnessed it numerous times around the park. One thing I have taken away... When you teach your child your phone number, PLEASE teach them the area code. I've watched a CM working with a young child who knew his mom's number, but only the last 7 digits, and didn't know where he lived.

That said, it can be a very scary experience. I have never lost a child at Disneyland, but have in a mall, and I know it can feel horrible. I am so glad you had a positive outcome.

 

[Edelweiss]

I appreciate the comments... and now after reading I have to agree.. okay announcing it over the intercom would not be the smartest thing. Thanks for changing my perspective on that. I hadn't thought about it that way!

I will say I was very impressed with the Cast Members inside Disneyland. A Cast Member told me that she has often had to escort children to the Lost kids area in Disneyland. And the employees at this Downtown Disney store DID try to help. It was frustrating because they just seemed a bit lackadaisical about the whole issue. I am sure this may happen regularly to them. And most children are found quickly, such as mine.

ID tags are going to be a must from now on! Not just at Disneyland, but whenever we go to a crowded place again. And I will also hold his hand in a public place until he's about 30....okay maybe not that long.. that'd be sort of strange...

I will say one other thing. Yes, my situation could have turned out scary. But thanks to the kindness of a stranger, this kind woman will forever have a place in my heart for helping my son. And it's nice to see that in this world where we are constantly inundated with bad news stories, it's good to finally have a good news story.

 

[Mrs. Toaster]

So sorry this happened to you! We lost our now 11 year old when he was 3 at a large city aquarium. It really scares the life out of you!

Here is one idea we used when our kids were younger at Disney. Go to a pet store like Petco that has a machine where you can make pet tags. We made one with one of our cell numbers on it and looped it through his shoelaces. If velcro shoes, you could also use a string or zip tie to loop onto him/her somewhere else.

 

[Malcon10t]

I will say I was very impressed with the Cast Members inside Disneyland. A Cast Member told me that she has often had to escort children to the Lost kids area in Disneyland. And the employees at this Downtown Disney store DID try to help. It was frustrating because they just seemed a bit lackadaisical about the whole issue. I am sure this may happen regularly to them. And most children are found quickly, such as mine.

Generally, the first thing they will do is get a description of the child to CMs manning the doors. Then, a CM is given a responsibility of trying to stay with the parents. If a child is found, and found by a CM, the CM will stay with the child until they are taken to "Lost Parents." The CMs will move the child to an easy to access area, that is near where the child was lost. They stay in the vicinity for 20 mins to try and let the child be found. They ask the child questions such as parent's names, colors of their clothing, last ride they rode, things that might help them figure out which way the child was coming from when lost. After 20 mins, they then walk them to Lost Parents, to wait. In there, they have videos, games, blankets, pillows, etc... It can be scary for all involved, but Disney tries to take the sting out of it.

 

[jitterbug]

My heart is racing just reading about your experience. Thankfully, you were reunited quickly, although I'm sure at the time, it wasn't quick enough. And thanks all, for the reminder that we have to teach our kids what to do for these "what if" situations. And having those ID tags on them will help too.

We had our own 'lost parents' experience at DL. We had just gotten off Buzz and were deciding what to do next. We looked down and didn't see DD3. My. Heart. Stopped. Yes, that panic sets in pretty quickly. Then as if right on cue, my DD comes running up to us, pushing a stroller, saying, "I got the stroller!!" At 3, it was hard for her to understand that Yes, we appreciated her thoughtfulness, but No, we don't want her doing stuff without Mommy and Daddy. BTW, it wasn't our stroller that she grabbed, so if your stroller was moved on 1/30/2011 early evening outside of Buzz, sorry, that was us.

 

[MadMim]

That is absolutely the worst feeling in the world. But its also something that most parents experience sooner or later. Im so happy everything turned out well.

I have to agree with Bumbershoot. As I was reading, I was more concerned about the woman who picked your child up. Im a mom too, and when I see a lost child I come down to their level & talk to them, but never touch them. Ive had a few moms come back and grab their kids up suspiciously, and I cant say that I wouldnt do the same. Theres some stranger speaking to your lost child, thats scary! Im really glad that this lady did have good intentions, as Im sure most Disney goers do. I bet the goodnight hugs were extra tight that night!

 

[jasy]

I'm glad your child was found safely.

I lost my 3 year old this past Feb in Carsland,we found him 45 minutes later in Bugsland with security. In my experience the staff were nothing less than professional and helpful. I was instructed not to leave the area in case he came back instead my dad went to search for him. In the end security had found him we just didn't know it. Because my son is tall for his age (and at that point was unreliable when you asked him how old he was) they thought he was another missing child and not mine, my dad found him with security and they radioed back to where I was that he'd be found. In all honesty I wasn't worried, I knew he'd be found and he couldn't have gone too far. When I realized he was missing I immediately went to the nearest cast member and told them him age, described what he was wearing and shared a picture. We are going back next month and we've had lots of talks about what we do if we're angry and how we don't run away we talk about it, and how to find a safe stranger when we're lost.