When a child is lost in Disney?

[Dismom63]

Well just have to share my story... Back in 99 our family of 4 was at Typhoon Lagoon. DH took both kids on the lazy river rafts and somehow DD (6) at time got ahead and decided to get out of water. Well all exits look alot alike and she thought she knew exactly where I was. Well quickly she realized she didn't so she headed to the snack place to say she was lost. Meanwhile DH & DS are frantically looking in the water (so scary!). But by the few minutes it took to tell a CM they had her and assured DH on radio they had a Kate safe and sound. Scary as hell!! Wouldn't wish it on anyone! So proud of DD that she thought quickly!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

My DS is not a little anymore but this trip I was more concerned than ever about "loosing" him. Most trips its just him DH and me and we all stick tight and he would never wonder off. This year at MK he had his cousins along and they were always ahead of us and darting here and there. They are 11 and wanted to go off on their on. We said NO WAY. They do however know the parks well and can get around pretty good. We gave DS one of our cell phones to carry and told them all IF we got seperated to go to the Walt/Mickey statue at the entrace of the park and call us. Double check in case the phone would not get a signal we would still know where to look for them. We lost sight a few times but never really lost them. Sometimes those tweens can be just as tough to keep up with.


Jordan's mom

 

[zakatak]

We lost our 19 month old dd while we were watching cartoons in the AKL lobby on Valentines Day, 2002. There were two adults and one 14 year old babysitter watching three kids (5, 3 and 19 months). We were all doing a crossword puzzle, compliments of AKL gift shop in honor of Valentine's Day. We kept looking up, me every minute or so. All of them were sitting with some other kids watching Mickey Mouse. The last time I looked, dd was nowhere to be seen. AT ALL. Got up, looked around, yelled at DH, found a CM, told her, etc... within minutes, they were on the radio checking all around the hotel and had the door blocked off. Oye. DH was running around up and down the wings, I was circling the lobby in tears. I was convinced that someone picked her up (19 months old) and walked out the door, onto a bus, and was gone in Orlando. 15 minutes later she was found down one of the wings by a housekeeper. DD was not upset, lol, just being 19 months old. I, on the other hand, was a complete BASKETCASE. I did manage to cry HARDER when I heard they found her! I didn't think that was possible, but it definitely is!

We spent the rest of the day buying the kids whatever they wanted, lol.

We were very careful that trip, one kid per "adult", tags, same shirts, etc... but we were relaxed in the lobby watching cartoons! I never would have expected her to get up and wander off while sitting with her brother and sister (and Mom and Dad) watching her favorite character, Mickey Mouse. But she did.

Scary stuff. Now she is old enough (3 and a half) to talk and explain things too... at 19 months she couldn't even say Mama (but was in Speech! lol).

Karen

 

[Kallison]

I had the same exerience as RAV with guest ignoring clearly a lost child coming out of Beauty and The Beast. This kid was screaming -- Where is my MOMMY, and running up the steps. I was yelling, Hey somebody stop that kid! People literally turned their heads the OTHER WAY. I could not believe it. When I caught up, I told him we would wait here until everyone left the theater and then we would find a castmember since he should never leave with a stranger (meaning me!) His parents came running up, snatched his hand, gave me the dirtiest look and left. I thought my Mommy was gonna pitch a fit, she had to walk over and say -- you could say thanks, everyone else was ignoring your crying child. They almost acted like I was abducting him. I even said, Hey did you lose someone, because initially they went sprinting by. I've had this happen to me before, I'm a big lost child and lost dog finder. I think people are embarrassed when they misplace their kids.

 

[GoofyDisney]

Now that we are taking DD to WDW without a stroller, we discuss every morning, and probably several times a day what to do in case she gets separated from us. We have discussed her knowing what to say, "My name is and I am lost", and finding a person with a white name badge, or a police officer, which since 9/11 are more plentiful than ever.

Also, I am quite sure that so many of you are like this too, but even when we are just walking through the parks (or grocery stores, or airports, etc.), we are on the look out for children who are alone. If my DH sees a child who looks like they are alone, he will tell me and I will approach them. He never approaches them. I cannot even tell you how many children we have handed off to CMs. Older children, who are obviously lost, will hardly ever admit to being separated. So, we will hang out in the area or go and tell a CM to be watchful or approach them.

We just took my mom to WDW for her first time, and I schooled her in the art of helping separated children. You can usually spot one who is alone pretty quickly. Before and after we approach them, we scan the area. You can ALWAYS tell the parents who have lost a child. You can seem them coming a mile away. And we have never been in a situation that lasted very long. If you ever want to witness this situation, just hang out in the Animation Courtyard between Playhouse Disney and Mermaid at MGM, and I can guarantee you that you will see this exact thing happen once or twice a day. It is a highly congested, yet enclosed area.

And even though we have trained our daughter, and my DH and I have a system for making sure one of us has her, we know that accidents can happen, and I would hope that some other person is looking out for lost children like we do and would help her.

 

[TowerBellhop]

During the couple years I spent as a CM, I was approached by quite a few kids who had lost their parents. Just for purposes of discussion, I'll take you through what I did. I take pride in the work I did while I was there, and feel that I always made the best decision for the circumstance Anyway, just my hope that other CM's are doing the same

When approached by a child with a lost parent, one of the most important things to do was to get down on their "level" and speak softly to them, not letting them think anything was wrong. Talk to them about what they'd been doing that day, and see what area(s) they've been in recently. Try to find out what the parent was wearing - even a color is helpful. Typically, I'd walk around the immediate ride area, in this case Tower, for between 5 and 10 minutes. If no parent surfaced in that timeframe, I'd hop on the phone and have a Supervisor meet me at my location. Then either I or the Supe would take the child to "Lost Parents" at the front of the park (up near Guest Relations and First Aid, FYI). This is where all parents are supposed to be directed when they have become lost

Anyway, that was my typical procedure. Those of you experiencing something *drastically* different might help others by letting Guest Relations know the names and locations of any CM's who were absolutely uncaring or of no help whatsoever in regard to your being Lost

There is no reason for any child (or Parent) to be sent into a panic because they think they'll never see their loved one again. I would hope that no CM would cause this to happen. And now, it sounds like I'm about to get all preachy, so I'll stop

Thanks for listening,
Jay

 

[FunkyRooster]

When I was a cm, I had an incident with a lost child. I worked in the Emporium and that store is always crazy. Luckily, the little girl came to me and we walked around the area first, I had another cm help look and got security to help out also. Luckily, mom was still in the store and found the little girl. If you tell the child to find a cast member or security, they will help. And it is true about that saying, it is the grown ups that get lost, not the children.

 

[ayimapt]

I bought these for my children on our last trip, because of a tip posted on the disboards.....


http://id-inside.com/

 

[NMAmy]

Dawgfan--

I had to laugh at you going to the car! I did the same thing when I was 5 years old and got lost at a fair. I was with my grandparents and cousins. I wasn't upset and walked past all the security guards on my way to the parking lot. No one bothered to stop me because I was not upset in the least. I knew that they couldn't leave without the car--so I should just wait there.

My grandparents, needless to say, were out of their minds! My grandfather got some kind of hunch and came out to the car and found me.

My grandmother never forgave me and as a result, would never take me back to the fair again--even as an adult! She actually told me, "You have your own car. Go with someone else! You're too hard to keep track of!"

Now if I could only find my own car so easily in a huge parking lot!

 

[~Czarina~]

Oh yes! I can tell you Disney has wonderful lost people policies. We were in the BIG store at Disney Marketplace and my father got lost. Really, my father got lost. I knew where I was and I knew where the rest of my party was and how to get there. I went to the lost child center to get some help looking for my father as it was very crowded and I figured they could help and they held me hostage. I was 14 and NOT lost and I was told to watch the movie until one of my parents claimed me. I ended up being stuck there for thirty minutes until my very lost and confused father walked by.

 

[djm99]

I'm not sure if this was already discussed but last spring someone posted this site: http://id-inside.com/. It was wonderful you can buy a waterproof ID bracelet for only $6.95 + .50 s/h. They delivered super fast, but it came in a plain white envelope so it was almost trash. You can put your cell #, and any other info you feel is important. This site takes Paypal and I'll be using the ID's again this summer.

Its just a ease to know that if someone does find my daughter they can contact me on my cell.

Hope this helps.

 

[Figaro]

Because I'm in a wheelchair (and closer to eye level with most of the kids), my spouse and I tend to "collect"(smile) lost kids when we are at the parks. I think it is probably because it is easier for little ones to approach me in the wheelchair.

When this has happened I always immediately reassure the little one that their parents will be found quickly and take the child to the first CM that we see. And every single time the CM's have been just great...reassured the kids and handled things just beautifully.

There is an excellent book by Gavin de Becker called: "The Gift of Fear," which is wonderful at explaining how predators do things and what it is important to teach our children so that they know how to handle things when they get separated from us parents.

One of the things that he says is that predators will approach children and it is best to teach our children to do the approaching themselves and that it is safest to teach children to approach women with children, or older women. That this is pretty simple to teach kids who are younger, as they can get confused about who is a police officer or CM or other person in authority, but can usually figure out who is a "mommy" or "grandma."(smile)

 

[GoofyDisney]

OHMYGOSH!!!!!!!!!!!! FIGARO!!!!!!!!!! I think I am the only other person who has read this (and his other) book. Actuallly, I give it as a gift to all new parents. Let me just say that it is usually the least liked gift, and I am hardly ever invited back for other social events. Worth it though! I think it is the BEST book any parent can read. EVER.

Remember the little girl who was kidnapped and she escaped and ran to the road where a trucker pulled over and she said, "Hi, my name is { } and I have been kidnapped." Her mother had taught her some of the basic lessons Gavin talks about.

Actually, I read the book over 4 years ago, and my friends are still sick of me talking about it when this topic comes up. So, they will all be amazed to hear that someone mentioned it before I did. heheheheh

 

[Figaro]

LOL, GoofyDisney! I hadn't thought to give it to friends with young children as a gift, but that is a wonderful idea. His ideas are just so practical and he gives people a good idea of how a predator's mind works and what we as parents (and grandparents) can do to help teach our children to handle the inevitable times when they are not with us.