VENT: Cast Member response to child falling/bleeding...

[silence]

OK....I was not in the park today when this happend. My mom took my kids to Disneyland for DS birthday this weekend and they had an incident today.

The accident is in no way Disney's fault. My daughter fell down in front of the main gates just inside the park while my mom was trying to take a picture. She fell on her face and cut her lip open and there was blood everywhere.

My mom immediately ran over to my DD and picked her up, bleeding and crying/screaming and then asked the photopass CM for assistance. The CM directed her to "take her to the first aid station at the end of mainstreet". um hello.

Now, I understand there is a first aid station and CMs probably all aren't trained in first aid or equipped, but she didn't even give my mother directions. Didn't offer any other assistance. So here is my poor mom carrying this screaming bloody 5 y/o up mainstreet and no one is helping her.

I'm not sure what I would expect, but certainly something more than that. A stroller? Someone walking her down there? Thankfully she has been there before so she knew where to go. But what if she hadn't? No CM even came up to her on the long walk she had to make by herself with this screaming bloody child.

My mom ended up taking a taxi (she walked to the park from HoJo) to Kaiser where my DD got 5 stitches. Poor thing. (poor mommy who is 8 hours away and couldn't be there to console her) The first aid RN got them a stroller and walked them all the way to the taxis and told the driver exactly where to take them. Kudos to them for making my mom feel better.

Anyways, just wanted to vent a little. Hearing my daughter scream while I was talking to the Disneyland RN/DR was so horrible. Also - Thank you to the guest who ran after my mom and brought her the camera she left behind in the rush to get DD some help.

 

[joseph821]

OK....I was not in the park today when this happend. My mom took my kids to Disneyland for DS birthday this weekend and they had an incident today.

The accident is in no way Disney's fault. My daughter fell down in front of the main gates just inside the park while my mom was trying to take a picture. She fell on her face and cut her lip open and there was blood everywhere.

My mom immediately ran over to my DD and picked her up, bleeding and crying/screaming and then asked the photopass CM for assistance. The CM directed her to "take her to the first aid station at the end of mainstreet". um hello.

Now, I understand there is a first aid station and CMs probably all aren't trained in first aid or equipped, but she didn't even give my mother directions. Didn't offer any other assistance. So here is my poor mom carrying this screaming bloody 5 y/o up mainstreet and no one is helping her.

I'm not sure what I would expect, but certainly something more than that. A stroller? Someone walking her down there? Thankfully she has been there before so she knew where to go. But what if she hadn't? No CM even came up to her on the long walk she had to make by herself with this screaming bloody child.

My mom ended up taking a taxi (she walked to the park from HoJo) to Kaiser where my DD got 5 stitches. Poor thing. (poor mommy who is 8 hours away and couldn't be there to console her) The first aid RN got them a stroller and walked them all the way to the taxis and told the driver exactly where to take them. Kudos to them for making my mom feel better.

Anyways, just wanted to vent a little. Hearing my daughter scream while I was talking to the Disneyland RN/DR was so horrible. Also - Thank you to the guest who ran after my mom and brought her the camera she left behind in the rush to get DD some help.

I hope your daughter is OK......

 

[silence]

I hope your daughter is OK......

Thank you. She is fine. She fell asleep from exhaustion (all that crying) a few hours ago at the hotel. I won't get to see her and hug her until tomorrow. She was begging to go back to the park, but she couldn't keep her eyes open.

She has 5 stitches on her upper lip and it's cut on the inside of her mouth as well. She can only eat soft foods for a few days.

 

[Queenbillabong]

I'm sorry to hear that and I hope your daughter is okay and your mother is too (that's a traumatic way to spend the day!). It's good to hear the First Aid RN was so helpful!

That has to be one of the hardest things to deal with - your child in pain and knowing there is no way you can get to them and have to let someone else take care.......

 

[joseph821]

Thank you. She is fine. She fell asleep from exhaustion (all that crying) a few hours ago at the hotel. I won't get to see her and hug her until tomorrow. She was begging to go back to the park, but she couldn't keep her eyes open.

She has 5 stitches on her upper lip and it's cut on the inside of her mouth as well. She can only eat soft foods for a few days.

The little one will be fine...I hope she gets back to Disneyland soon!!

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm sorry your baby fell.


I've seen things like this discussed, and what it seemed to come down to is...there are CMs that can contact other CMs, and CMs that can't. There are CMs that can leave their position, and CMs that can't. I imagine that a photopass CM might not have a radio, and they can't leave their position.

Therefore, the best thing for them to do is to direct the guest clearly, and I think maybe I'm alone in this, but I thought those were good directions. Simple and clear...getting too detailed while a child is bleeding and crying might not be heard, and might also not be understood by a grandparent who is scared for their grandchild.

I remember reading something about a baby whose hand got stuck in a hunnypot at the photo spot in Critter Country, and although the CM nearby did not come to help, other CMs did keep arriving, but the guest didn't feel that was appropriate, they wanted Security. But then they ended up freeing the baby's hand and they left...they never saw Security so they assumed they never came, but there was no way to know...those who responded who know how the park works were quite sure that the CMs that kept appearing were appearing b/c the word had gotten out, and that they had called.

So it's possible the photopass CM was just a jerk, or it's possible he could not do anything, or it's possible he did do something and got other CMs to make sure your mom found her way, but your mom just didn't notice or need them, since she knew her way already.

 

[Stacerita]

I was thinking along the same lines as Bumbershoot that maybe the CM couldn't leave. I would hope that if the person who they give directions to did not know where the place was, they would ask. You mother knew so she headed straight there.

I'm glad the CM at first aid was very helpful though.

And if I saw someone with a screaming child, I'm not sure if I was a CM that I would step in. I saw many screaming children yesterday. They just weren't happy. If I saw blood and screaming that would be different.

Sorry your DD was hurt. Hopefully she will feel better soon.

 

[gtrain219]

I'm so sorry to hear about your daughter but I am glad she is doing alright. I have been in this situation myself, just want to let you know it they are not all bad. We were in the opera house a few years ago and my DD tripped over my foot hit a metal pole and got a cut very close to her eye that required 4 stiches. Within minutes a nurse was there (we didn't ask, a CM just got one) got her taken care of but did send us to the hospital for the stiches. They gave her a pin and one to give to a friend and gave us a pass to get on anyride we wanted to when we came back. My wife and I were very impressed with the help they gave us. I am sorry your daughter did not.

 

[WannaBeAPrincess]

Poor baby, glad she will be okay. And poor mommy, I know it is rough not being able to get to your child when they are hurting.

Sorry about the situation with the CM. I really don't know what to make of it, but I'm glad it turned out alright in the end.

 

[silence]

Just wanted to add, that the first aid RN was not at all happy with how the photopass CM handled the situation. While walking them out of the park, he had my mom and son point her out to him. He said he would be bringing it to the lead's attn. as they have policies or something they are supposed to follow and they weren't in this situation.

I dunno, I just hear about things that happen in stores and how quickly CMs respond, but in our case, it just seemed like nothing was done. Another kind guest handed my mom some baby wipes because they had nothing to put on the wound.

My mom was so freaked that she said if the CM had offered to call an ambulance she would have said yes. But all she said was to take her to first aid.

 

[glendalais]

I'm sorry that happened to you .

The RN was right, the situation should have been handled so much differntly than it was. Of all the ways to respond to that situation, asking an elderly woman to drag a bleeding, screaming child up Main Street was certainly not one of them.

Here's hoping she's feeling better.

 

[Sherwin]

Did she split her lip on concrete or was there an object she fell on?

 

[bennyb98]

I've seen things like this discussed, and what it seemed to come down to is...there are CMs that can contact other CMs, and CMs that can't. There are CMs that can leave their position, and CMs that can't. I imagine that a photopass CM might not have a radio, and they can't leave their position.

That is correct (at least at WDW, but I imagine that also the same at DL). First Aid can come only when an ambulance is requested as well.

 

[Disney Dreams]

I am very happy to hear your daughter is okay.

As for the PhotoPass Photographer, I am not sure what the appropriate action would have been. This individual has a camera, a probably very heavy tripod, and most likely no radio. At the Opera House they are at a contained location, possible even with a phone. As Bumbershoot said, the directions given were pretty right on. I guess he could have directed your mom to go into a nearby shop, but that would slow the process of getting your daughter help, no?

Clearly, it is a scary situation and one that no one ever hopes to have to experience (and again, thank goodness your daughter is ok), but having had my picture taken by many PP people and having talked with them about how solo they truly are out there, I don't know what exactly the PP guy could have done to better assist your daughter.

If you wanted, why not call Disneyland informing them of what happened, telling them how happy you were with the nurse who assisted you, and asking what DL tells CMs such as the PP guy to do in such a situation?

I love that your daughter was asking to go back to the park! "What stitches, Mom? I want Mickey!" Kids... Just sweet.

...First Aid can come only when an ambulance is requested as well.

I have seen First Aid nurses come to various places at DLR without an ambulance.

- Dreams

 

[Albort]

Well, certain situation i guess. Ofc, there isnt nothing a CM can do really. Even if a CM do call for help, it probably be faster and quicker for the guest to simply just head to first aid.

If you really do help, dont be afraid to ask. If your walking really fast, a cm would just assume you are heading to first aid. Keep in mind, CMs walking around aren't just walking around randomly, they got places to go and do. I would probably think its just a random nose bleed and the mother is just carrying her around while the daughter is freaking out from the blood.

I think asking is the most important. I mean, i would definitely walk your mother down to first aid if she asked me to take her. Ive taken guest out of the park because they cant find their way out of the park since they asked me to while i was walking to my car off the clock.

Sorry, i don't mean to be so defensive.

 

[silence]

Albort, no need to apologize, keep in mind, I'm a mother venting. Part of my issues are because I wasn't there with them to help.

However, my mom did say something back to the CM like "that is all you can offer me?". Keep in mind, she is a grandma stressed out over the situation herself.

Head/face injuries bleed a lot. My daughter had blood everywhere. (soaked through her shirt and skort and even got on her underwear). Many other guests were making comments and gasping as my mother walked holding my daughter up mainstreet. I think if I were at the park, I would find that quite startling as well. It would seem to me that Disney wouldn't want that type of scene in the park ??

Anyways, thanks for letting me vent. They come home today where mommy can lavish DD with lots of hugs and kisses.

 

[fairykin]

HHmmmm... I would have hoped that a Disneyland CM would have stepped in and offered more aid than direction.

I Love Disneyland.

With that knowledge established.. come on! I've seen those photo CM's and they carry a walkie talkie phone thing... they could have called for help.

Bad form to not have helped a Grandmother and little girl who required stitches.

We often go on multigenerational trips and I would expect that if an emergency happened such as this, there would be a CM who would call for help.

This is sad to hear.
And no amount of money spent on advertising will ever erase this experience from Your Mother's memory, and she was the one spending the money to take her granddaughter to Disneyland. I feel so bad for her.
I hope your babygirl heals quickly. And *hugs* for you.

 

[pixiewings71]

Oh no, poor baby girl (and poor Grandma and Momma!) I'm glad she's OK!

 

[BettyBoopAngel]

HHmmmm... I would have hoped that a Disneyland CM would have stepped in and offered more aid than direction.I Love Disneyland.

With that knowledge established.. come on! I've seen those photo CM's and they carry a walkie talkie phone thing... they could have called for help.

Bad form to not have helped a Grandmother and little girl who required stitches.

We often go on multigenerational trips and I would expect that if an emergency happened such as this, there would be a CM who would call for help.

This is sad to hear.
And no amount of money spent on advertising will ever erase this experience from Your Mother's memory, and she was the one spending the money to take her granddaughter to Disneyland. I feel so bad for her.
I hope your babygirl heals quickly. And *hugs* for you.

Random CMs can't really do much. Especially if there's blood. I doubt they have rubber gloves or anything like that.

 

[pixiewings71]

Random CMs can't really do much. Especially if there's blood. I doubt they have rubber gloves or anything like that.

Remember when we didn't care if we had rubber gloves when someone (let alone a child) was bleeding? I know, it's for "our own protection" but still......if I had seen that I know I would have been trying to help, gloves or no gloves.