What DOES Disney do with lost kids?

[Disney Princess 6]

Does anyone know the protocol for what happens once a cast member has a lost child? And how tight is security at WDW? Thank you.

 

[phamton]

I can't answer most of those questions as I've never lost a child there but I have found children on all 4 trips to WDW and once at Disneyland and once at Universal Studios in California. Actually, children seem to find me. I am an elementary school teacher and mother of 5. I guess I have one of those "safe, motherly looks." Most times the children have come up to me and told me they were lost but, the last time, I saw a crying child that everyone was walking past (after Spectro magic parade at Magic Kingdom.) and I went up to him. All of the times I have walked the child to the lost child/parent center or found a CM. This last child didn't want me to leave so I also waited with the child instead of leaving them with the CMs. Snow White was trying to comfort him but he wanted me to wait with him. He kept saying he was afraid his mom and dad would get on the plane and go home without him. I assured him that his parents would not leave the park without him. His parents took over 45 minutes to pick him up. It seems that the grandparents thought the parents had him and the parents thought that the grandparents had him. It took them that long to realize he was lost.

The time at Universal studios, I saw a frantic child and was going to find where to take him when his dad found us. I was glad because I didn't know where to take him at Universal (the one in California.)

Bev

 

[Steffi]

phamton: I know how you feel! We actually had a lost kid knock on our room door at POR! It was about 3 PM; we were resting and heard a knock. I thought it was housekeeping at first, but then I heard a tiny voice call out, "Dad!"

I opened the door & there was this cute little boy with a pillow & blanket. He was about 4 years old & frantic. He said he & his dad were walking to the car, and that his dad was right in front of him until he stopped to pick up the blanket that he dropped. Then his dad was gone!

I had my husband call the front desk, while I stood outside with the little boy, yelling his dad's name (in a very ladylike fashion). After a few minutes the dad turned up. (And he was mad at the kid, I might add. )

Disney Princess 6: I don't know the exact protocol for lost kids at WDW, but from the things I've read, I'd say that if a kid has to get lost, then WDW is a pretty safe place to do it! I'm very protective with my daughter, too, so I know how you're feeling. It's scary to take your child into such a crowded place with so many distractions. But, it isn't really any worse than keeping track of them at a crowded mall, and much more fun...I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

[Kaye]

This might help with your fears...

I've not lost one of my kids, but my friend did last December. DH was returning the stroller at AK, my friend was taking the kids to RFC for lunch, and her eldest got lost in the middle. Before my friend got to a CM (about 10 seconds), another CM had already found her DS and had radioed and they were reunited in a matter of minutes. It's very scary, but WDW does seem to have the lost child thing down pat.

 

[SuzieQMomof3]

On our last trip to the World, my sister-in-law saw a mother who had just lost her child after the Winnie the Pooh ride.

Just another reason there should not be a gift shop at the end of an attraction, but that's another debate.

Anyway, the mother was very upset, and crying. My sister-in-law said that the CMs came out of nowhere and really handled the situation. One took a description, one took her camera to get it developed so they would have a picture of him in what he was wearing that day, etc. She didn't stay around to find out what happened, but I just thought it was good the way Disney seemed very competent to handle the situation.

 

[Amy]

2 years ago my DS (who was 11 at the time) got separated from us in AK after the Festival of Lion King show. I immediately found a cast member and told him; he got on his radio and broadcast a description of my DS. He also said they have cast members go to the exits to double-check. Turns out DS had gone toward the lockers at the entrance (he remembered that we said we'd be leaving after the show) and told the cast members at the lockers that he got separated from us. They had him wait at guest services until we got there. They also gave him a certificate for a free Mickey ice cream (at which point my younger DS said that HE was going to get lost so he could have some ice cream, too!).

BTW, even tho my DS was 11, he was still upset at getting "lost". WDW is such a big place with so many people, it's a little unnerving no matter how old you are!

 

[catwho]

We lost our son on TSI. We got off the raft on the island and realized and turned around and he was GONE! The first thing that I did was alert a CM. They stopped the raft. No one could leave the island until he was found. Then all CM's that were not immediately busy started looking for him. It took about 15 minutes to find him. I wasn't really panicked because I knew he had to be on that island, but I was worried that he might be frightened (like having gone into a cave and it be dark) Anyway, he was finally found across the island at Aunt Polly's. The CM who found him told us 3 things that we did right. 1. was that we tied bells to his shoes (he's known to run) so that they could listen for him as well as look for him. 2. we knew exactly what he was wearing and 3. We had our cell phone numbers in his fanny pack.

Looking back I have that panicky memory of "what if something really bad had happened to him" because he is so fearless (he is thrilled that he is tall enough at 4.5 yo that he can ride RnR this year) But I also remember that there was a CM who stayed with me and my mom the entire time while we all looked. It was very reassuring to know that they really cared about finding my son.

That is the only time we have lost a child at WDW. Even with 2 kids who have a tendency to wander off on their own. The bells we discovered on our second trip. Our dd was 3 at the time and insisted on walking. She would just stop to look at something or turn a corner and disappear. My dh told me no way was he going to let her wear the shoes with the bells on them. He wasn't going to listen to those bells all day long. That night after spending an entire day trying to keep up with her or have her keep up with us, he said, "Tomorrow she wears the bells" The only thing we have found is that sometimes the bells cut through shoe laces, so either bring extra pairs with you (we couldnt' find shoe laces anywhere in the parks!) or attach them to a shoe eyelet with a ziptie.

 

[mommystieg]

One of the tips I read suggested taking a Polaroid picture of your kids each day before going to the parks and carrying it with you. That way, if you ever got separated you had a recent picture and you know what your kid is wearing.

 

[DisneyPhD]

I think a digital picture would work to. (this is very reasuring for me, I have a mobil 22 month old and we will be there soon. I like the bell idea.)

I thought that all lost children become part of It's a Small World. Sorry if some people don't find that funny.

 

[Jen D]

This was at Disneyland:

I was there for a day trip, just me and my toddler, and she lay down in her stroller for a VERY long nap (we h

ad no nearby hotel to return to.) So, after spending an hour visiting every shop on Main Street, I finally staked out a shady bench with the stoller, off in a nook near the Baby Center and First Aid and near a CM entrance and people watched.

Anyway, in the space of about six minutes this happened: I saw a cast member headed toward First Aid with a little girl in hand, about five, who looked lost (but wasn't crying or anything.) They disappeared inside First Aid. Less than five minutes later a huge family-- parents and about five kids-- all looking frantic and frazzled-- dashed by me into the First Aid. They all physically resembled the girl, I could see they were related. Within a few more minutes the entire reunited family emerged, happy, relieved, and went back to their vacation.

I think what happens is the CM immediately reports the child on a walkie talkie to a central location, and then takes the kid to a designated location. When a parent contacts any CM about a lost child, the CM will radio immediately and be able to tell if the child has been reported found. I'd wager most reunions go as quickly as the one I witnessed.

I thought that all lost children become part of It's a Small World.

LOL!

 

[Reminisce71]

Originally posted by DisneyPhD
I thought that all lost children become part of It's a Small World. Sorry if some people don't find that funny.

Hmm....I thought that they gave them to Peter Pan??

 

[catwho]

Originally posted by DisneyPhD
I think a digital picture would work to. (this is very reasuring for me, I have a mobil 22 month old and we will be there soon. I like the bell idea.)

If you have multiple children that need bells you can always go to a craft store and get different sizes and shapes (so they have diffrent sounds) We did that year before last when we had 2 with bells on.

I thought that all lost children become part of It's a Small World. Sorry if some people don't find that funny.

Bwahahahahahahaha!!!! I find it hilarious. Of course I have always wanted to dress up like an Eskimo and stand there and wave and see if anyone notices that I'm not a doll.

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

Right before our last trip to WDW our park district had a family fun fair. Our local police dept had a booth set up to make photo ID cards. The card had their picture on it, fingerprints and home and medical info and was laminated. I made sure it was in my backpack each day at WDW along with a paper noting what my kids were wearing. I could only imagine trying to frantically describe to a CM what my kid looks like.

I saw in a previous post that people were buying the glow necklaces and using them at night at the parks to spot their children. I picked up some at our local dollar store last week and plan on taking them to WDW in May.

 

[cgajdzisz]

I saw in a previous post that people were buying the glow necklaces and using them at night at the parks to spot their children.

Love that idea!

 

[crisi]

There are lots of kids wearing those glow things - don't expect yours to stand out in a dark crowd.

Which is the thing with bells as well. If several kids are wearing bells, you might chase the wrong kid around Tom Sawyer's island. Might be better to give an older child a whistle they can blow if they get lost.

(But I might still "bell" an active toddler or preschooler).

 

[buzz2400]

Sounds to me like it is a good idea to tell everyone in your party, if you get separated from your group to head straight to a CM.

 

[MI mom of 3]

Our daughter got separated from us at Blizzard Beach a few years ago, she was 11. We were in the lazy river and she got ahead of me. I wasn't too worried, she knew where our lounge chairs were so I figured I would find her there when I got there.

Got to the chairs, no DD. Turns out that she asked one of the lifeguards at the river for directions and the CM would not let her leave by herself.

We were told to give her description to the CM at the shack where you get towels and lockers, can't think of the name. And check back every half hour. If she wasn't found in 1 hour they would page her name. The problem was everytime we, Hubby, brother, and sister-in-law, checked in there was a different CM working and they would have to go over all of the info again.
(I stayed at the chairs with sons in case she came back)

Turned out that the lifeguard who originally reported her got her name wrong.

The whole thing was a disaster. It took over 2 hours to get her back. I have never been so scared in my life.

I was told by the General Manager, when I complained the next day, that the reason they didn't look for her that hard was that she was older. My response was then the CM should have just given her the directions and let her go then.

I was very disappointed in how this was handled.

Michele

 

[Jacksmom99]

My DS was 3 1/2 last August when we were at WDW. I took one of the free American Express lanyards and filled out a card with DS's name, DH and my names, our hotel and our cell phone number. The first day we were at the park I introduced him to a CM and showed him her name tag. I told him that if he couldn't find mommy or daddy to look for a person with a name tag on or a mommy with kids. He never got lost in the parks, but one morning (early 7:00ish) we were headed for the elevator at BCV. He loved to run ahead and push the button. Well this time he pushed the button and actually got on the elevator before we came around the corner. I immediately pushed the button, but the other elevator opened. In a panic, DH, MIL, DD and I got on the elevator and went to the lobby, figuring we'd find him there. NOPE! We got the the lobby and he'd pushed the button to go back up!! We could hear him singing at first, then crying as the elevators passed each other. I got back in the elevator with DD (3 mo, in a stroller) and went back up to our floor figuring he only knew 2 buttons to push 1 & 5. When the doors opened I could hear him crying and jumped out to grab him. He was around the corner holding the card on his lanyard, looking for someone to show it to. Well.....I picked him up, but in my "mother of the year" panic, had left DD in the stroller on the elevator!!! Yes, the doors closed and I lost yet another one of my children. I pushed the button, but the wrong elevator opened, so I rode to the lobby in a panic yelling to DH and MIL that I 'd found DS but lost the baby!!! MIL jumped in the elevator and finally got the right one to open and found DD.....Then we all headed for our character breakfast at MK. The grownups were all very frazzled, but DS and DD didn't seem fazed. I still shudder thinking about it.....

 

[Disney Princess 6]

That is terrifying - and I am going to remember it when we are down there and everywhere else too. I would have been a total basketcase in that situation. Unfortunately, I am not good in panic situations - also unfortunately, I've found myself in quite a few of them. Anyway, I'm glad you are all okay and that you found each other again.

 

[katerkat]

I've dealt with lost kids, not parents. My last day at BB, I found eight (yes, 8!!) lost kids. It happens a lot on the creek -- you're floating along and suddenly realize Mom and Dad are gone! When I see a panicky kid, I pull them out of the water and sit them in the lifeguard area. Then I call a coordinator and tell them what the kid is wearing, etc. That alert goes to the towel rental place, which is our designated "Lost Parent" site. Then I generally keep the kid with me for about 10 minutes, waiting to see if Mom and Dad are still on the creek looking. Then the coordinator comes and takes said kid to the towel rental and feeds the kid ice cream until Mom and Dad show up.

Bottom line -- teach your kids what the CMs look like!! Tell them to go to a CM if they ever feel even slightly lost. (I'd say five of the eight I rescued that day were reunited on the creek without any mishaps.)