Slightly OT, Venting.... Stressful experience in Disneyland park!

[aussietravellers]

We have had a day away from the parks as we had probably the most terrifying experience of our lives last night. We had been to the parks all day and had left to go back to the hotel and have an early dinner in the village with plans to return for the Fantillusion parade, which we did at about 6.20pm. We were just inside near the Christmas tree when I looked around and DS was not there So called around and started to walk back around the tree (the roads were all roped off for the parade), so I went and asked the staff if they had seen him and they said no (there were hundreds of children, so I can understand that). Panic started to come over me as he was nowhere, he had just vanished!

I became frantic, one staff member just said keep looking and if you cant find him in a while go to guest services "IN A WHILE, THE PARK WAS CLOSING SOON" So I ran into shops and around and was really getting quite frantic as it was now about 20 minutes since we had seen him. I was on my way to guest services and a lovely cast member asked if I was ok and I said no that my son was missing and had been for a little while and I couldn't find him anywhere. She then took me to the baby centre where I had to fill in a missing child report. They took my mobile and asked our hotel and when we were leaving so they could contact me . I said CONTACT ME, IM NOT LEAVING THIS PARK WITHOUT MY SON, IF HE IS NOT FOUND TONIGHT I WILL NOT BE LEAVING HERE (the poor guy there, I must have sounded like a mad woman , but I had images of those children who vanish, never to be seen again). I was completely frantic . They told me to go back to where we had last seen him and call every 10 minutes to see if they had an update. I said but the park closes soon. Anyway I went back and we just wandered into shops, near the exit, it was just absolutely horrendous. I called about 10 mins later and I was honestly about to be sick, I was not coping at all and they said no, still no word. We just felt helpless, we kept seeing boys and thinking that was him but no it wasn't. So people were leaving the park in droves, so we ran there to wait by the gate to make sure he didn't go out the gate. At about 7.20 I got the call from the Baby Centre to tell me that a staff member had him and was taking him there, so I ran, so fast (bawling with relief) to get him.

I have never been so relieved in my life and he was so scared. I hugged the cast member who had found him and I was crying and after I had given him a hug, she came and hugged me again. He said when he couldn't find us, he went into a shop but didn't speak to anyone there because he didn't think they spoke "Australian" . I said "we speak English in Australia and they would have understood you, eventually if you had just stayed there" he apparantly then left the shop and went down the side and was crying and after a while someone came over to him.

Anyway we missed the parade and we were going to go back to do it tonight and DS didn't want to but as we have another of nights left, we will try again on the next couple of nights, we have seen Candelabration which was just beautiful. I love all of the lights, it really just makes things really magical and we arrived back at the hotel to see Goofy in his santa suit, so had a photo and a play with him.

But we have recovered from our very stressful evening. Luckily we are at Disneyland where it is a kind of place and can quickly cheer us up with its magical surroundings

Anyway off to enjoy the rest of our Disney trip. With no more drama hopefully (can laugh now that's its over).

 

[cookie334]

OMG that must've been sooooo scary. I can't believe they just had you wandering round looking for him though and thought you would go back to your hotel without him

Glad you found him though and hope you manage to enjoy the rest of your holiday.

LOL about the Australian thing bless him, kids eh?

 

[jillrobinson]

OMG, how awful for all of you, I'm so glad you were reunited reasonably quickly although, to you and your DS it must have seemed like an eternity - it's every parent's worse nightmare.
I've always told mine to go into a shop or to someone they are 100% sure is a CM, working on an attraction, selling balloons etc., now they both have their own mobiles, which makes things easier, but before that I've always written my mobile number on a piece of paper that they knew was tucked in a pocket and they could give to them.
I hope your son isn't too traumatised by the experience, it's so easy to get split up especially when you're all wandering around looking at decorations, lights, characters, hats off to the person that went to check on him.
Fantillusion is a spectacular parade it will be worth the wait.
Hope the rest of your hol is full of magic and totally stress free.

 

[Cyrano]

I think every parent could relive your nightmare. So glad that DS was found, although a very stressful time for you while he was AWOL

 

[scampbunny]

awwww bless u.... i had tears reading that - can def understand the mad panic - but it was my dh i had lost.... (he had the room key)

seriously - how very scary for u, and ur ds, bless him not sure about speaking australian...... am so glad sum1 got him and brought him safe to u...

on the up side, yes, candleabration makes everything magical doesnt it??? i do hope the rest of ur trip is less stressful & look forward to hearing about the good bits

 

[Rachie B]

OMG my heart was beating so fast then ,what on earth must you have felt !!!

how old is your son ?

 

[mummyal]

OMG that must've been so scary!! So glad that you found him. Hope the rest of the holiday goes smoothly

 

[joolz1910]

You have just described one of my worst nightmares. Thank God you found him safe and well.

 

[poppyolivia]

OMG I feel sick! Thats so sad and yes you did make me cry!

Glad you got him back safe!

 

[hildasmuriel]

I'm another one who cried reading this. So scary for you - so glad it ended okay.

 

[J Marley]

oh poor you and ds I can understand that moment as your heart nearly stops as I lost my son in a busy arena one time.

Since then I make both my boys carry a slip of paper in their pocket with RING MY MUM I'M LOST and then the mobile number on it.They then can take this to someone who works there.

Hope the rest of your holiday goes without any more hitches

 

[Feenies]

Oh my God sitting here with huge tears in my eyes and my DH is wondering what' s wrong! That is any parents worst nightmare, had been thinking about putting the piece of paper in the kids jackets when we go in Jan will DEFINITELY do it now!
Hope you manage to enjoy the rest of your stay xx

 

[Li-sa]

Omg how scary
Thank goodness he was found safe and well.
Hope you can enjoy the rest of your holiday.

 

[BRobson]

How awful - we lost our DS by Haunted Mansion a few years ago. He was only 3 and in the queue for HM with his dad and our friends and he just disappeared They searched the queue and couldnt find him - I was waiting outside the ride for them when they came running out looking for him. We ran about for what seemed an age and we spotted him coming out the HM exit

How did he get from the queue line to the exit - we will never know

I held onto him very tight from that moment

 

[Cyrano]

I held onto him very tight from that moment

We will always hold on to our children tight. Even when they are adults

 

[aussietravellers]

Thank you all for your replies

Yes it was really so scary and it was a very long hour. My brothers GF was with me and we were just frantic. My DS now has a mobile phone with him (I had taken an old one with me to get a UK prepaid sim for our week there so I didn't have to pay the huge roaming charges from Australia, as we were there before Disneyland and there is still credit left on it). So I have my number and the whole families numbers programmed into it, so if he gets lost again (which I am sure he wont). then I can call him or he can call me.

Thanks again for all of your kind words.

 

[hollymattbenmilo]

Oh my god, I have goose bumps all over me and tears in my eyes... what a horrid experience. oh my goodness. so glad he is safe.. he must have been so scared try and enjoy the rest of your trip and move on from it. poor you

 

[cap'njack.]

OMG! I have no idea how I would have coped had we have lost Kacee

So glad that everything was ok in the end and that someone did the decent thing. A lot of people would just walk past a crying child, thank god there is some good still out there in the world.

Last year on holiday we stopped of for a night in Belgium, and it just so happened that there was an article in the Newspaper that day stating that Belgium has the highest number of Paedophiles (no idea if this is true or not) I remember not sleeping at all as I was so worried that if I fell asleep someone would snatch Kacee!!

 

[britchic4]

How horrible for you all. Must have been the longest hour of your life.
At least you have done us all a favour because I definitely don't prepare enough for that kind of eventuality and now I certainly will.

 

[mummyal]

At least you have done us all a favour because I definitely don't prepare enough for that kind of eventuality and now I certainly will.

I agree. I usually never let my two go out of sight but when it's so crowded, you just never know and it can happen so quick. So this morning, I have just printed off an "In case I get lost" slip of paper with their names, our names & mobile numbers, going to use sticky-back plastic (we don't have a laminator) and will tell them to leave these in their coat pockets.


Did you manage to persuade DS to go see the parade?