What happens to things that are lost and never found?

[boojovi]

So, my local airport (TIA) just had an auction to get rid of the abandon cars left in the parking garage. This got me to wonder… What dose Disney do with things that are left behind? I am guessing they do have a lost and found for small things but we all know not everything is found (I myself have left my pillows behind) So what happens to the things that are found in the parking lot, hotels, parks and restaurants? Where do they go?:shrug:

 

[loveofamouse]

maybe donations for some things. they may keep certain items like glasses and wallets or other things of small value for a few months(incase someone gets all the way home from vacay and calls for it). Things like pillows and clothing probably get donated after a few weeks.

 

[Rob562]

After the first day, everything from the parks (and I presume the hotels) goes to the central Lost & Found at the TTC. When it gets to the point where they figure it won't be claimed, it goes to Company D where Cast Members can buy stuff. Things that aren't bought are then either donated or thrown out. I don't believe any of those items are offered to the public.

-Rob

 

[RAXIP]

Many unclaimed lost & found items go to Cast Connection, behind Magic Kingdom. There are tons of sun glasses, camcorder batteries, lens caps, hats, bags and other miscellaneous stuff. I got Oliver & Co on DVD for a quarter.

Company D, on the other hand, sells real merchandise, such as Cast Exclusive pins, clothes, and other WDW or WDC branded stuff.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

They're stolen, thus never found. :fork: This happened to a camera of ours once when the DH forgot it in the pouch in front of him on Dinosaur. An hour after the fact we checked with the attraction (big mess, long story), AK's guest relations about a dozen times throughout the day, Central Lost & Found 2 or 3 times daily for the duration of our trip and via phone at least twice a week for a month after our trip. Our camera never materialized. I cried for weeks. I could care less about the camera. The pics of my hubby & sons on their fishing excursion that morning were the treasure. Too bad whoever found my camera didn't get that.

From that experience I do know that after a certain time period things are offered to the CMs then donated.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

Not sure if it's the same now but previously a CM would turn items into lost and found with their own name on it and after a certain period of time if it wasn't claimed the CM could have it.

Mostly the CM's would put their names on bigger ticket items - cameras, cash, bags full of Disney souvenirs.

The custodians could really clean up (pardon the pun) with the amount of stuff they found left around.

 

[ddbowdoin]

cast likely takes stuff home after the time period required to wait... perk of the job, right?

 

[powlessfamily4]

They're stolen, thus never found. :fork: This happened to a camera of ours once when the DH forgot it in the pouch in front of him on Dinosaur. An hour after the fact we checked with the attraction (big mess, long story), AK's guest relations about a dozen times throughout the day, Central Lost & Found 2 or 3 times daily for the duration of our trip and via phone at least twice a week for a month after our trip. Our camera never materialized. I cried for weeks. I could care less about the camera. The pics of my hubby & sons on their fishing excursion that morning were the treasure. Too bad whoever found my camera didn't get that.

From that experience I do know that after a certain time period things are offered to the CMs then donated.

I am so sorry you lost such precious memories. I can't imagine the tons of items they collect each year, but it makes you really appreciate those who take the time to reunite you with your item. I know someone who put their Blackberry on slient and slid it into the leg of their shorts while watching Captain EO. When the show was over they jumped up forgetting what they had done and lost the phone in the crowd. (I know a crowd in Captain EO???) We checked back several times and the phone had been turned in and was recovered. You gotta love those CMS and even the Disney guests who have so much honesty and integrity.

 

[goofntink]

Not sure if it's the same now but previously a CM would turn items into lost and found with their own name on it and after a certain period of time if it wasn't claimed the CM could have it.

Mostly the CM's would put their names on bigger ticket items - cameras, cash, bags full of Disney souvenirs.

The custodians could really clean up (pardon the pun) with the amount of stuff they found left around.

DING DING DING!!! We have a winner!!! That is exactly what we get to do!!! Except for cash,that never gets turned in. Got a really nice Sony DSC camera and a Sony camcorder that way. Put my name on a card and put it with the camera bag,and was given back to me as never claimed.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Many unclaimed lost & found items go to Cast Connection, behind Magic Kingdom. There are tons of sun glasses, camcorder batteries, lens caps, hats, bags and other miscellaneous stuff. I got Oliver & Co on DVD for a quarter.

Company D, on the other hand, sells real merchandise, such as Cast Exclusive pins, clothes, and other WDW or WDC branded stuff.

I remember my first trip to Cast Connection and seeing the collection of lost items available to buy..I was pretty surprised.

 

[britdaw]

I can understand things like clothing and stuff being left behind, but cars?! I guess if someone died on the property, and had no family or friends with them, the car could be left... Weird, though.

 

[IWorkWTeeth]

We've lost 3 cell phones and a digital camera and someone has always turned them in for us. Maybe Disney is really magical............

 

[juniorthomas]

From what I heard, they were collected and then offered to Disney CMs in a warehouse kind of sale.

 

[mightynine]

Not a cast member, but I have visited Cast Connection and stood outside Company D (since they are super strict about who gets in there).

I can safely say cast members rack up on cheap strollers. One even still had the Southwest luggage tag with contact info on it. We were all very tempted to call the number.

 

[juniorthomas]

Not a cast member, but I have visited Cast Connection and stood outside Company D (since they are super strict about who gets in there).

I can safely say cast members rack up on cheap strollers. One even still had the Southwest luggage tag with contact info on it. We were all very tempted to call the number.

I felt bad at first but then I realized - who leaves a stroller somewhere? Presumably their kid didn't just up and grow out of it or anything. Thats a fairly large item to "misplace".

 

[ddbowdoin]

I am so sorry you lost such precious memories. I can't imagine the tons of items they collect each year, but it makes you really appreciate those who take the time to reunite you with your item. I know someone who put their Blackberry on slient and slid it into the leg of their shorts while watching Captain EO. When the show was over they jumped up forgetting what they had done and lost the phone in the crowd. (I know a crowd in Captain EO???) We checked back several times and the phone had been turned in and was recovered. You gotta love those CMS and even the Disney guests who have so much honesty and integrity.

DING DING DING!!! We have a winner!!! That is exactly what we get to do!!! Except for cash,that never gets turned in. Got a really nice Sony DSC camera and a Sony camcorder that way. Put my name on a card and put it with the camera bag,and was given back to me as never claimed.

thats because phones are tough to steal... especially if the carrier doesnt use sim cards.

 

[NewfieFan]

I felt bad at first but then I realized - who leaves a stroller somewhere? Presumably their kid didn't just up and grow out of it or anything. Thats a fairly large item to "misplace".

It may have been left on purpose!?! I know people who have left their strollers behind on vacation. Even if you buy a semi-expensive one it's still probably less than renting one for a week and more convenient (depending on how you look at it). People use them at Disney and then ditch them!

My son lost a really cool hat back in 2008 did any CM buy it? :ROFLOL:

We also lost a plastic fairy wand at MNSSHP last year!

And I left a hat in the Rose & Crown but was able to get in back from the lost & found located at the TTC. I was hoping they would have kept it at the restaurant for a day but they shipped it over to the TTC right away. It was a little out of the way but I really liked the hat!

 

[raven]

cast likely takes stuff home after the time period required to wait... perk of the job, right?

Sadly, yes. Custodians find the most things and some management in those departments never inform them of what to do with found items; therefore, it seems alright for them to take. And now with announcement of dropping security at the cast member entrances it's only going to get worse.

 

[tink65]

I lost a brand new pair of Ray Ban sunglasses about 4 years ago. I noticed they were missing within 5 minutes (took them off & put them in my pocket just long enough to take a photo) but unfortunately they never turned up.... I'm thinking someone saw them fall out of my pocket, snatched them up and kept them! Oh well, if that's the case they must have needed them more than me! My conscience wouldn't allow me to do that!

 

[loveofamouse]

i don't keep things I found unless it's cash and I didn't see who it came from Money has no name lol


When we took our kids on their first disney trip, after 5 days at WDW and a day at SW, my memory card mysteriously went missing out of my camera. the camera I had at the time would not take pics without a card. It also was the type that, inorder to take the card out, the batteries are completely exposed and fall out. Yet, some how, I snapped a pic of us at the park, put it in my bag, got home, pulled it out of the bag and no card. The battery/card door was locked shut. I don't even take it out to upload. I'm convinced it was stolen. I kept calling SW to see if it turned up. It was an 8G, I believe, card.


I would love to go shopping at that lost and found could find all kindsa things


Ive heard of people buying pricey strollers really cheap on CL and ditching 'em on location. They say it's cheaper. I say it's cheaper to get a nice stroller used for cheap and KEEP IT! lol