I think losing at child at a Disney park is always one of my top worries when going. We have a system where if the kids are not in the stroller, they need to be holding someone’s hand or holding onto the stroller.
When they are little, I laminate several pieces of paper with our names, phone number, hotel we are staying at, etc. and attach it to a key ring or a book ring and attach it to their shoes (laces or velcro – just feed the ring through), the zipper of their coats, or the belt loops on their pants. (See above picture) I also have written our phone number on their arms and then used some Liquid Bandage to keep it from washing off.
We also drilled into our kids, that if they ever get seperated, to go to the nearest ride, store, or restaurant, find a Cast Member that works there, tell them you’re lost, and they will help you. We then point out cast members working, as we go through the parks, at can help them if lost. Also point out the security guards.
Here is what the Disney website says about Lost Children:
A child who becomes separated from his or her parents while in the park will be escorted by a Cast Member to the Baby Care Center. Once there, the child will be looked after until the parent comes to claim the child.
Please report any lost children to a Cast Member, and Disney Resort security personnel will assist you.
After our many, many trips to Disney, we hadn’t lost a child… Well, until our last trip to Disneyland that is! It was mid-afternoon and I headed back to the hotel with the little ones for a nap (they were already asleep in the stroller). The older 2 wanted to ride Kali River Rapids before going back to the hotel, so my husband went with them, while I went back to the hotel across the street. After I get settled into the hotel, I get a call from my husband that he lost our daughter. Apparently, after the ride, the parade was ending. They warched the end, because they couldn’t get out of the park anyway, but as the crowds were dispersing, she got seperated. My husband went to the closest Security Guard and told them she was lost. I was frantic, as I was not there and stuck at the hotel with sleeping babies. Not long after I got off the phone with my husband, I get a call from a California number that I didn’t know. Usually, I do not answer numbers that I don’t know. Luckily, I noticed it was a California number and knew it was about my daughter. It was a Disney security guard and he had our daughter. He told me where they were and called my husband to let him know and pick her up. He had her 5 minutes later. The whole thing was probably only 15-20 minutes total, but it felt much longer!! Turns out, she listened to us! She was 9 at the time, knew our phone numbers, went right to the restaurant near Soarin’ over California, found a security guard, had him call my phone number and a few minutes later, my husband had her again. So YAY! Kids do listen! So that is our story (and hopefull ONLY!) of losing one of our kids at Disney.
