How safe is Disney World

[Staunch_Mickey]

I have a friend planning a trip to Walt Disney World. But my brother-in-law's cousin told me that children have been kidnapped from the Magic Kingdom.

She said that she heard that the children are taken into the bathroom where their hair is cut and dyed in order to change their appearance, and then they are taken out of the park.

Has anyone else heard of this? Is Disney World safe?

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by Scooter
I remember reading somewhere on this discussion board where someone, on a regular basis, drives onto Disney Property and has POOL-Hopped at almost every resort. If I understood it correctly, that person was NOT staying at a Disney Resort but got access to the resort Pools with little or NO problems.

I was a little upset when I read it because I thought (1) I pay BIG bucks to use these pools when I stay at the Resorts and HE gets to use them for FREE and (2) Whats to stop some DEMENTED PSYCHO from coming onto the property and harming or kidnapping someone?

So as long as the "DEMENTED PSYCHO" pays for a room, it's okay for him/her to go out trolling for kids at the pool? Let's not confuse our resentment with locals taking advantage of services with the topic of this discussion

 

[tmm7899]

Vash,
I could have sworn that it was the swan or the dolphin, but I might be mistaken, I was a cast memeber at the time and remember hearing about it in the break room. then there was that incident 2 summers ago when a parent took his kid and a bell hop hostage at the Boardwalk.
Although I feel totally safe at Disney, I got to know quite a few security guards when I worked there and they took there job seriously. There is only so much that you can do though to stop things from happening.

 

[NowInc]

Re: Re: There is good reason to worry about WDW

Originally posted by MrPromey


This is flat out false. Disney has no control over police records. Any incident which is serious enough to require law enforcement or emergency rescue teams/paramedics has a place in public record. Do we hear about every sprained ankle or shoplifter? No because that can be handled by their own first aid or private security but anything serious is out of their hands, totally. So what constitutes a "really big" incident in your mind?

Exactly..Disney can NOT falsify public records or cover up ANYTHING. They may be private property..but they are NOT above the law and are in fact under strict enforcment from outside sources...just because you don't hear about it as "Breaking news" worldwide..doesnt mean it doesnt happen.

 

[VashtheStampede]

Yeah, I remember the hostage thing at broadwalk very well.

I could be wrong, or I'm remembering another very similar crime. You could be right, it was quite a while ago. It might have Swan or Dolphin.

 

[Skipper Timekpr]

No problem James no harm done I just read it wrong I guess. But NowInc a havan ? a HAVAN for criminals? what is with this you're making it sound like the theme parks are the central operating location for the mafia. My experience has been with guests that claim to have had their belonings "stolen" that they have either left them in their hotel room or what happens 99% of the time is it falls out while they are on an attraction. I know at the Jungle Cruise if we were to pawn in all the cameras we get we'd all be rich and many times guests don't check lost and found at the end of the day

 

[Scooter]

Mr Promey... I have no resentment towards anyone. If anything, I ADMIRE the people who reside around Disney World. I hope to be one of them someday....However I DO have a resentment towards people who to break rules and take advantage of others.

The issue here is safety not pool-hopping. I realize that. I was using the pool hopping senerio as an example of how easy it is for non-Disney guests to access Disney Property.

I live Chicago. We have some outstanding Resorts in the area. We rarely ever have an episode where somone who is paying top dollar to stay there causes any problems. It's the local people that come onto the resort property that don't belong there that cause the problems. That's all I was trying to say in my post.

 

[The Mom]

I think we can all agree that there has not been a violent crime problem at WDW! However, anyone who thinks that you can have thousands of people in resorts and parks without ANY crime is living in a fool's paradise! Criminals who prey upon vacationeers are depending upon them letting their guard down because of the setting. I am especially concerned about pickpockets and room thieves, so I'm very careful with my money and possessions. I keep a close eye on my son...even though (according to Disney) he's old enough to be in the parks alone..... it won't be on my watch! However, I don't hover over him, either. I, and my in-laws in Orlando, have been going to the parks and staying at resorts for 20 years without any incidents. I usually go with my children but without my husband. I have no reason to believe I am in more danger now than when I first started going, but realize that I am never 100% safe anywhere, not even at "the happiest place on earth."

I'm much more concerned about my safety while driving....Orlando has an extremely high traffic fatality rate.

 

[The Mom]

And I agree with Scooter about the pool hopping! The pools are there for the resort guests...the higher priced resorts also tend to have fancier pools, which is factored into your room price. I would resent it if I couldn't find a chair or space to swim because the pool was full of "pool hoppers!" It's hard enough just with other resort guests!

 

[James123]

Re: Re: There is good reason to worry about WDW

Originally posted by MrPromey


This is flat out false. Disney has no control over police records. Any incident which is serious enough to require law enforcement or emergency rescue teams/paramedics has a place in public record. Do we hear about every sprained ankle or shoplifter? No because that can be handled by their own first aid or private security but anything serious is out of their hands, totally. So what constitutes a "really big" incident in your mind?

I suppose I should have been more specific. In legal terms, WDW has "proprietary jurisdiction" over all petty misdemeanors, most accidents and civil incidents that occur within their property and inholdings. The Florida legislature granted these (and many other) legal rights to the Reedy Creek Improvement District (i.e. WDW government). As you know, they have their own fire department ( a very good one) and their own security force (one of the best). In a "normal" Florida community all law enforcement and emergency services are handled by the state, county or city governments as required. As an example, in most (not all) Florida counties the state highway patrol investigates motor vehicle accidents if more than $500 property damage is involved or personal injury occurs. In late 1995 I had just parked my new 1996 Mercedes-Benz E-Class car in the MK parking lot. Before I even had a chance to turn off the ignition, wham, I my vehicle was hit broad side by a Ford pickup truck. My son's head hit the side glass. My vehicle was damaged to the tune of over $10,000. I asked the Disney security folks to get an ambulance for my son and to call FHP to investigate the accident. They refused both requests saying, "We'll handle it". Without boring you with all the details the bottom line was that my son suffered a concussion and required 2 weeks of hospitalization, the guy in the truck was drunk and was never charged with DUI by the FHP or any other law enforcement agency. Also, the guy in the truck did not have insurance or a driver's license. So I had to turn to my auto insurance company uninsured motorist coverage to pay my damages. They originally refused the claim because there was no police report. Finally, we settled the matter in a civil proceeding. I am bound by the court not to reveal the terms of the judgment except to say that we won. I realize that this is just one anecdotal account. However, I have spoken with others that have had similar experiences. I still visit WDW several times a year and just love the place and I harbor no ill will towards them. I just want people to know that if you suffer personal injury or property damage on WDW property the term "Magic Kingdom" takes on a whole new definition. I stand by my original comments. Even if you disagree, I hope we're still friends MrPromey!

 

[Herbie53]

I'm surprised that kidnapping would come up in anybody's mind prior to the risk of accidental separation. The Disney parks are large and busy, and finding one person in all that mess is like finding a needle in a haystack. My family once spent 3 hours looking for our mother in the Magic Kingdom. We got separated on Main Street, and when we finally found her we were in Adventureland! At times during that 3 hours it seemed like she might as well have been kidnapped (or parentnapped). Nevermind the one in a million chances of kidnapping, just don't lose sight of the people you are with!

 

[NowInc]

Ha..that happens to me all the time....usually I tell my friends that at the end of the closing day to meet me in front of the park...only problem is...its IMPOSSIBLE to find ANYONE in that croud...

 

[Maria]

Originally posted by NowInc
Ha..that happens to me all the time....usually I tell my friends that at the end of the closing day to meet me in front of the park...only problem is...its IMPOSSIBLE to find ANYONE in that croud...

NYE 98 at Epcot.... park at its full capacity at almost midnight... latin mother approaches ME in Japan to help her find her 5 year old daughter... I almost cried with her! We called Security and gave a profile but we couldn´t find her! Finally after eternal minutes, we got a phone call from the CM´s at the gift shop in France... that´s where a CM found her... I was so relieved! It´s the worst feeling knowing that there is so little you can do to find a kid in the crowds, and you can´t avoid to start thinking that something bad could happen... luckily, in most cases, there is a happy ending.

 

[NowInc]

I got lost at Epcot when I was a kid...ironically enough I was having a blast! My parents on the other hand were ed...

 

[Maria]

Originally posted by NowInc
I got lost at Epcot when I was a kid...ironically enough I was having a blast! My parents on the other hand were ed...

That´s very typical......!!

 

[NowInc]

LoL...i must of been like 7 at the time...they found me in China watching the "parade"..to this day every time I pass by there I smile to myself...

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by Scooter
Mr Promey... I have no resentment towards anyone. If anything, I ADMIRE the people who reside around Disney World. I hope to be one of them someday....However I DO have a resentment towards people who to break rules and take advantage of others.

The issue here is safety not pool-hopping. I realize that. I was using the pool hopping senerio as an example of how easy it is for non-Disney guests to access Disney Property.

I live Chicago. We have some outstanding Resorts in the area. We rarely ever have an episode where somone who is paying top dollar to stay there causes any problems. It's the local people that come onto the resort property that don't belong there that cause the problems. That's all I was trying to say in my post.

What I said was "resentment of locals talking advantage of services" which I think you are agreeing with when you say "people who break rules and take advantage of others" and don't get me wrong - if I were paying the price for a room in Disney, I'd be plenty upset if someone next to me in the resort pool were trying to be slick and pass one over, too. Being a "local" myself I have never pool-hoped in Disney or anywhere else but I have gone to the individual resorts for things like lunch and dinner without actually staying there and by what you are saying here, you seem to think that shouldn't be allowed. All of the resorts now have gated entrances and everyone going in has to explain why they are there. What you mean by "cause the problems", I don't really know but as far as the "DEMENTED PSYCHO" you spoke of before goes, you make it sound like all those kind of people must live locally and get their kicks off of going to Disney resorts for free and picking up on kids on the pools. Obviously, this is not a real problem and while it could happen, I have yet to hear of a time when it has. A. As a matter of fact, someone else mentioned the hostage situation that took place at the Boardwalk a few years ago. I'd like to point out that it was a guest that did this. "DEMENTED PSYCHO"s have credit cards, too you know.
My point about all of this is that a person was concerned about going to Disney and weather or not it was safe to take kids there and you as well as a lot of other people are now needlessly filling their head with the notion that the place is ripe with *** offenders and other individuals who are just waiting for you to turn your back on your kid. To put it bluntly, Disney is safer for kids than the schools that most kids go to without their parents on a daily basis. Could something bad happen? Yes, there is always that chance. Should you keep your kids near you? I would say yes to that as well. Ultimately, Disney is not responsible for the safety and and well being of your children - you are.

 

[NowInc]

Even with the gates...it is still all too easy to get into the resorts...

 

[MrPromey]

Originally posted by NowInc
Even with the gates...it is still all too easy to get into the resorts...

There are limits to what they can do and still keep it a relaxing environment. Sure, they could string up barbed wire around the property and maybe put up some watch towers and have dogs roam the premises after hours but then people will complain about the barking ...

The truth is that if someone is really set on doing wrong nobody in a free society will ever be able to stop them. In Disney, even if they invoked the strictest security, a person needs only to reserve a room in a resort to get past all of it. That wasn't the point of this thread, though. The question was "Is Disney World safe?" and looking at it in comparison to the rest of the world at large, I would say "yes" without even thinking twice. While I would not recommend letting young ones travel around unattended anywhere (for safety reasons that go beyond the dealings with strangers) if I were to pick a place to do it, just about the safest place that comes to mind would be Disney World. It is my personal opinion that those parks are too large and that too many things can happen over the course of a day such as them getting lost or hurt (as kids sometimes do) but kidnapping and child molesting would not exactly be at the top of my list of concerns.

A little common sense really goes a long way with all of this. Millions of people go to Disney World each year and never ever have any kind of a problem at all.

 

[NowInc]

Yeah..I agree...WDW is one of the safest places I can think of...its all pure numbers....

 

[JAY-ROD]

Originally posted by MrPromey


There are limits to what they can do and still keep it a relaxing environment. Sure, they could string up barbed wire around the property and maybe put up some watch towers and have dogs roam the premises after hours but then people will complain about the barking ...

The truth is that if someone is really set on doing wrong nobody in a free society will ever be able to stop them. In Disney, even if they invoked the strictest security, a person needs only to reserve a room in a resort to get past all of it. That wasn't the point of this thread, though. The question was "Is Disney World safe?" and looking at it in comparison to the rest of the world at large, I would say "yes" without even thinking twice. While I would not recommend letting young ones travel around unattended anywhere (for safety reasons that go beyond the dealings with strangers) if I were to pick a place to do it, just about the safest place that comes to mind would be Disney World. It is my personal opinion that those parks are too large and that too many things can happen over the course of a day such as them getting lost or hurt (as kids sometimes do) but kidnapping and child molesting would not exactly be at the top of my list of concerns.

A little common sense really goes a long way with all of this. Millions of people go to Disney World each year and never ever have any kind of a problem at all.

I love it when you make a point! U end up writting a book every time you do!:lol: :animwink:

Your still my buddy though!