Lost kids in WDW

Violiav

Violiav

Active Member
Original Poster
It's not something I'm super concerned about since we're going to be doing a buddy system for the kids, but how does Disney typically deal with lost children/parents?
Last year at Moody Gardens we had a pretty awful time trying to find the oldest who didn't stay in the spot that we'd told him to. We asked the employees for help, but they were unable to provide any. No walkie system or anything. So we had to split up and power walk through both buildings hoping to catch him. It was -super- annoying.
 
Victor Kelly

Victor Kelly

Well-Known Member
Disney is good at it. Very very good. All you have to do is report the missing child. When the child is found they are taken to a specific spot to await the parents. Security also can be deployed to the turn styles at the exit.

They have their own version of code Adam.
 
brokedad

brokedad

Active Member
I was always wondering the same thing, is it possible for certain cm's to scan the Magic band and get parents info off it?
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Children are never lost in WDW. Parents on the other hand get lost all the time and Disney is very good about reuniting lost parents with their children.;) (this is what a CM will tell a lost child to help calm them down)

This is the procedure at Disneyland and from what I understand Disney World uses a similar procedure.

http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/akrock7.htm

The first thing you want to do when you arrive at WDW is to point out that all cast members wear a name badge. It works even better if you walk up to one and introduce your child to them. Let your child know that if you become separated any CM can and will help them.
 
Violiav

Violiav

Active Member
Original Poster
see, it makes sense that they should be able to do that because they're already tracking guests' movements, right?
 
Killnme

Killnme

Well-Known Member
I had a buddy work for for Disney back in the 90s. We were there on his off day. We were walking past a ice cream cart in Fantasy Land when a parent said to a CM they couldn't find their child. My friend jumped in and told the CM to use the house phone and call it in. Wonder if there are still using house phones these days?
 
skimbob

skimbob

Well-Known Member
I am glad to see they have a plan in place at the parks because sometimes you can lose people you were walking with. It is wise to tell kids to look for a CM with a white badge. I was recently mistaken for a CM at DL by a women who had a question. Once she realized I was not a CM she apologized and said you just looked like a CM. I was able to answer her question so it all worked out great. I however do not wish to help lost children because I would start crying with them and it wouldn't get us anywhere.:)
 
rt06

rt06

Well-Known Member
I always designate a landmark as a meeting point if anyone were to get separated. CMs can only do so much.
 
Tom

Tom

Beta Return
Matt_Black said:
Still, one would imagine it would give you an idea of where they have been, which would be a good place to start.
Click to expand...

Yes, but I imagine Disney doesn't want to get into the babysitting business. Just like with any system implemented in good faith, it will become abused. Once word spreads that Disney can just click the mouse a few times and find the kid you decided not to watch, it will become an unofficial perk and ruin yet another good thing for everyone else.

The best bet is to maintain current practices of sending lost kids to Guest Relations so their parents can find them there....and for parents to take precautions (writing their cell number on the kids legs with marker, teaching them where to go if lost, etc).
 
Violiav

Violiav

Active Member
Original Poster
Lol. Well the youngest two are 11, and they'll all have their own phones so hopefully there will be no need for the ol' sharpie on leg trick.
 
deanaandrich

deanaandrich

Well-Known Member
I was at Typhoon Lagoon last year when a young boy got lost in the wave pool. He didn't speak English and was yelling for his mom. Several guests came to his aid and took him to the nearest CM. Within minutes there was a Spanush speaking CM talking to the boy. They eventually found his family talking and having a good time. They didn't even know he was gone.
 
LAM378

LAM378

Well-Known Member
Tom said:
Yes, but I imagine Disney doesn't want to get into the babysitting business. Just like with any system implemented in good faith, it will become abused. Once word spreads that Disney can just click the mouse a few times and find the kid you decided not to watch, it will become an unofficial perk and ruin yet another good thing for everyone else.
Click to expand...

Very good point. I keep thinking there's no reason why Disney can't reunite lost children with their parents using Magicbands. Even now, before the heavy stuff gets rolled out, I assume it could go like this: kid is lost, CM scans his/her band, finds the phone number linked to their reservation/ticket (presumably a cell phone that the parent is carrying), calls the parent, parent comes to the child, problem solved. I mean, barring cell phone problems, why not?

I don't see how this isn't possible, so I thought Disney just didn't want the liability, didn't want to admit this can be done and risk lawsuits if it ever failed (which it invariably would, sometimes).

I never thought about the possibility of abuse, but you're probably right on the mark. Disney would have to create a new department full of CMs who just returned kids to their lazy parents all day long.
 
Matt_Black

Matt_Black

Well-Known Member
LAM378 said:
Very good point. I keep thinking there's no reason why Disney can't reunite lost children with their parents using Magicbands. Even now, before the heavy stuff gets rolled out, I assume it could go like this: kid is lost, CM scans his/her band, finds the phone number linked to their reservation/ticket (presumably a cell phone that the parent is carrying), calls the parent, parent comes to the child, problem solved. I mean, barring cell phone problems, why not?

I don't see how this isn't possible, so I thought Disney just didn't want the liability, didn't want to admit this can be done and risk lawsuits if it ever failed (which it invariably would, sometimes).

I never thought about the possibility of abuse, but you're probably right on the mark. Disney would have to create a new department full of CMs who just returned kids to their lazy parents all day long.
Click to expand...

Also, considering how things like smartphones and iPhones can and have been hacked, there's a potential danger to that method too.
 
FettFan

FettFan

Well-Known Member
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:D
 

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