Just thought I would share our experience...got back from Disney Vacation a week ago with our 4 boys (ages 10 months, 4 yr old, 5 yr old, & 11 yr old)... I got a speeding ticket in South Carolina on the way down (we drove 18 hours straight from PA, will NEVER do again, kids were good, but we were beat!) .... then lost our son at Magic Kingdom the next day (for about 30 minutes) ! Now I am a very prepared Mom, I had detailed laminated name tags on my kids, even with their picture, and I knew exactly what happens, (that they send the lost children to "Baby care") and that I should immediately contact a worker at Disney, anyone with a white name tag. I did not panic. The worker assured me they haven't lost a child in 30 years. I was VERY thankful at this point I did the name tags, and I also had "leashes" for my 4 and 5 year olds. But the 4 year old would not wear his, he moaned and I just let him "hold it" to have Peace. But he didn't think that was necessary (until he got LOST!) We were getting ready to eat when the 5 year old was fussing and the 4 yr old just slipped into a nearby gift shop (only takes a second!). He was found immediately but when me & husband split up to look and tell workers, my husband had our Tracfone cell phone which he never uses and didn't know he HAD TO TURN it ON in order to recieve a call !!! Of all times to learn this lesson!!! SO this caused a big delay in them finding us to say he was found. Also we learned those nice walkie Talkie things with sub codes do NOT always work- because I kept telling him "TURN ON THE CELL PHONE!" & he never heard that, I heard alot of strangers talking on the same code as us. IT WAS VERY BUSY THAT DAY! Luckily he did hear me when I got word he was found. (They ended up calling Grandparents who lived 1000 miles away since they were the second #'s on his name tag), so we had to call them back to assure them we were reunited.
Eventually the word got back to the worker I first told (also thru walkie talkies) who was still walking along side me looking for him. He told me this was his 2nd lost child that day (it was about 2 in afternoon. The last one didn't even speak ENglish. I accually made it to Baby care before my son did. The Worker who was walking him to baby Care said he was HYSTERICAL,
he made alot of commotion when he realized he couldn't find MOm & Dad...and this was good. After we were reunited (in front of Baby care)...he "worshiped" his leash and realized this was his "lifeline"....and now that this happend, I am kinda glad it did...cause we had 2 more theme parks to go to yet and he was VERY complient after that. But I would advise every parent to make some sort of name tag....if anything else, they will know immediately it is YOUR child and you will get word sooner, even if it's just a minute quicker, each minute feels like a lifetime when your child is lost!
Eventually the word got back to the worker I first told (also thru walkie talkies) who was still walking along side me looking for him. He told me this was his 2nd lost child that day (it was about 2 in afternoon. The last one didn't even speak ENglish. I accually made it to Baby care before my son did. The Worker who was walking him to baby Care said he was HYSTERICAL,
he made alot of commotion when he realized he couldn't find MOm & Dad...and this was good. After we were reunited (in front of Baby care)...he "worshiped" his leash and realized this was his "lifeline"....and now that this happend, I am kinda glad it did...cause we had 2 more theme parks to go to yet and he was VERY complient after that. But I would advise every parent to make some sort of name tag....if anything else, they will know immediately it is YOUR child and you will get word sooner, even if it's just a minute quicker, each minute feels like a lifetime when your child is lost!