Hold on tight to your kids!

[hulagirl87]

I just got back yesterday and encountered 4 instances at Magic Kingdom with kids that had been separated from their parents. First by Dumbo, a dad looking frantic, my friend and I noticed him and asked if he was ok. He showed us a picture on his phone of his son and that he had been in the Storybook Circus store, but now they couldn't find him. My friend and I helped look, I went up by Little Mermaid and she went down by Barnstormer and that area. Another family joined the search. Finally the boy was found and we stayed and chatted with the husband and wife for a bit. It was scary! The dad was upset that a cast member he had talked to didn't seem very concerned that his son was missing. Later we were in line for Jungle Cruise and it was a weird Home Alone moment. A family had gotten all the way to the front of the line and then realized they didn't have one of their kids with you and the mom tore out of line screaming. Found him close by. Then by Aladdin I saw a little girl tell a cast member she was lost, the CM took her hand and hopefully reunited her with her parents. And then, still in Adventureland, a mom in a scooter, shouting her child's name, my friend went up to help her as she heard her screaming. A few cast members came to help, on their phones, and then about 5 minutes later, a CM came over holding the girl's hand and she was reunited with her mom. It was a tense day! The crowds are crazy and I can see how some can become separated from their groups, but I've never encountered something like that in all my trips. It made me scared for them in that moment. As a mom I felt that panic and I'm so glad that everything turned out ok!

 

[Marthasor]

We encountered a lost child on the pathway from Haunted Mansion into Frontierland. It is SO crowded there and a little boy was walking and realized he was no longer with his parents. Another woman and I noticed he was so upset and got him over to a CM who proceeded to get help to find his parents. Poor little guy was so scared .

 

[soniam]

When our son was little, we always held his hand in crowds and put him between us in line. We didn't let him out of our sight when he was really young. We only have 1 though, so it's a lot easier to deal with. Plus, he has been traveling internationally by plane since he was 3. We versed him very well early on about what to do if we were separated. He also had our names/numbers in his pocket and in a thing that attached to his shoe laces. Once he got a cell phone, we made sure that our numbers were in his phone and that his was always charged. He was older by then. We let him come and go freely now at the parks. He's 16 now and knows the resorts well.

 

[Delirium]

Heads buried in phones.

 

[mjkacmom]

We lost our 6 year old after turtle talk, and my dad on a scooter soon after, both were found. We have 5 kids close in age, we’ve lost a few, but always when there were other people with us. I always felt it was easiest when I just had them all myself, no misunderstandings about who was watching who.

 

[Anna131517]

Heads buried in phones.

Yes, I think Genie+ may be contributing to this. I never used my phone in the parks during previous trips except to take photos of the kids. I have no idea how I’m going to keep track of them and deal with scheduling rides during this upcoming trip. This is one of the reasons the old FP system was better for parents!

 

[Orion Nebula]

My wife and I were waiting in line for SSE one time and saw a toddler just roll by unattended in a stroller. No parents seen anywhere, we had to jump out of the line and stop the kid and notify a CM. I am guessing they turned their backs or something, but why the parents hadn't noticed was crazy.

 

[revdon64]

My 9y/o son has a tendency to get distracted and wander off. We were there a couple weeks ago (Florida spring break week!), and I watched him like a hawk and reminded him several times a day about the crowds and not getting separated from us. Fortunately, nothing happened, but it certainly was tense at times.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I think the argument blaming wandering kids on cell phones is rather lacking in perspective. Having been there decades ago with little ones (and without phones), parents have to watch them very closely with so many magical distractions around the parks for the kids to go out on their own. It's a very busy place designed to attract the attention of kids - parents have always had to be completely aware of their children, and sometimes we don't do a good enough job.

 

[Kennywood]

 

[Meglen]

this is why I used the fun child backpacks with the "tails" my son loved to wander off but this gave him freedom to move around and me peace of mind. (come at me if you will) but he loved his monkey backpack and would hand me the tail to hold onto and we would put his stuff in it.

 

[kanerf]

This is feature that should be added to Magic Bands. It is called Geo Fencing. If your kid (based on their Magic Band) gets a certain distance (should be user configurable) from your band, you get an alert on your devices and perhaps the band it self starts to flash red (we know they can do this).

 

[Princesca]

this is why I used the fun child backpacks with the "tails" my son loved to wander off but this gave him freedom to move around and me peace of mind. (come at me if you will) but he loved his monkey backpack and would hand me the tail to hold onto and we would put his stuff in it.

I don't care about public opinion. We're getting one of these for our son who will be 2.5 when we go and is basically studying to be Disney's live-action Tarzan pick. He's also a quarantine/pandemic kid so he has zero stranger danger and hasn't been out in public nearly enough for my comfort, to know how he'll respond. We're going to try to take him somewhere amusement park-ish before we go as a trial run, but I think one of these backpacks will come in handy.

 

[The Jackal]

Heads buried in phones.

You have to because of genie if you want to get on a ride. Fast pass+ you knew you had 3 rides planned.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Okay quick close your eyes and describe the clothes your child is wearing!
That just might be the first question security will ask to start search and possibly verify you are their parent…
Take a picture of clothes your child has on that day if you will be in crowded unfamiliar area .

 

[Kestryl]

View attachment 659218

I did this with people I thought were my parents more times than I can count in the 90s, before any of us were carrying cell phones.

 

[DduzDis]

When mine were a little younger, if I could not hold their hand (checking FP+ or changing from regular glasses to sunglasses, for example) I made sure they held my pocket and I didn't walk so fast they couldn't hold on.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I don't care about public opinion. We're getting one of these for our son who will be 2.5 when we go and is basically studying to be Disney's live-action Tarzan pick. He's also a quarantine/pandemic kid so he has zero stranger danger and hasn't been out in public nearly enough for my comfort, to know how he'll respond. We're going to try to take him somewhere amusement park-ish before we go as a trial run, but I think one of these backpacks will come in handy.

not arguing about using one just be careful that tail does not trip other park visitors. have had happen at my small park where child was allowed as far as possible when child cut in front of me where my cane caused leash to pull back causing child to fall backwards

 

[Princesca]

not arguing about using one just be careful that tail does not trip other park visitors. have had happen at my small park where child was allowed as far as possible when child cut in front of me where my cane caused leash to pull back causing child to fall backwards

Definitely, as with all things (scooters, strollers, selfie-sticks, etc) they have a use but are extremely annoying when people aren't considerate in their use. You don't want to remove a hazard in one place and create one in another.

 

[tjmw2727]

Disney is great at finding "lost parents"!

Teach your kids to stay put if separated and how to recognize a CM and ask for help. Take a quick photo on your phone before heading out in the am. Many times, this happens when each parent thinks the other has x child and wires get crossed, make sure to communicate who is going with whom if/when separating etc.

I used a "Disney theme dog tag" on my kid's shoes with my cell number until they were old enough to remember it. They are small but CM's will notice them and be able to get the info without touching the child. I still buy them but now I use them on my luggage