Leaving stuff in the parks for others to find

[azcavalier]

Have any of you ever gone to WDW, but knew someone else that was going to be there maybe the week after you left? Have you ever tried to leave something hidden for them to find?

[Melanie]

I probably wouldn't suggest it in the parks, but I have done it at a resort. An out of town friend of ours left the day before we arrived and left goodies for my sons around the grounds of Caribbean Beach.

[Aurora]

It's a cute idea, but there's no telling whether the item will be noticed by a CM and cleared out. I'd be nervous that it wouldn't be there when the person went to look for it. That's beside the fact that left items, depending on what they are and what they look like, might be considered a security risk.

[mariak]

OMG....funny to be reading this. I thought we were the only crazy people who have thought of this. While we were there last weekend for I-15, my daughter was wanting to do exactly that. Her friend was arriving on Monday afternoon...the same day that we left. I think it would be fun to try....Nothing valuable...maybe just a note.

Good Luck! :mickey:

Maria

[WDWdriver]

probably not a good idea. The Custodial CMs are very thorough. And the Security folks don't have much of a sense of humor.

[Gator]

probably not a good idea. The Custodial CMs are very thorough. And the Security folks don't have much of a sense of humor.

Ah, man. Bummer. I have some friends that are there the day after we leave. I was hoping to leave a message on a small note left in some bushes or something. I might try, but I don't want to be hauled off by security either.

[TheVBs]

You could always ask about leaving something at the front desk if you're worried about it getting found and tossed. Not as fun as a scavenger hunt, I know, but still a way to connect with them.

[azcavalier]

Well, some friends of mine left us a small package. They left this past Sunday. We arrive on Saturday. They sent us a text message and photo showing us how to retrieve it.

I'll let you know if it works!

[badkitty]

It was really annoying to be delayed entering DL because an unidentified object was being removed. We later learned it was something someone left for someone else to find. It was found alright and we missed out of a few hours of park time.

[azcavalier]

It was really annoying to be delayed entering DL because an unidentified object was being removed. We later learned it was something someone left for someone else to find. It was found alright and we missed out of a few hours of park time.

Holy cow, what was it? I'm not talking about anything of any size. I'm thinking of something like a Vinylmation with a message scribbled on it. Something that, if found, would just assumed be a souvenir that someone misplaced/lost.

[ransam]

it's so funny you mentioned t his. i have thought about that many times. I thought bout a note underneath a rock, or something similar and last year did something similar.

I went w/ my sister in January and my baby cousin (Baby meaning she's 24 and i'm 49, lol) was going w/ her husband the next week.
I talked to one of the CM's and told them i wanted to do that. Well he gave me his phone number and i gave him pictures of them. and the next week he was working the same time my cousin texted me that they were so exciited because she was headed down main street for the first time. I texted him and he saw her and recognized her. he went running out w/ one of his fellow employees calling them by name, and gushing over them, telling them how happy he was to see them and they had all been waiting, giving them cookies and some other things i had paid for and said they were gifts from Mickey. It worked perfectly.
they were just freaked out that they were recognized.
My cousin called me to tell me the story later and i just burst out laughing. that's when she knew i set it up.

I will admit there were lots of ways this wouldnt' have worked, but it was worth the small amount of money i spent to take the gamble, and it paid off.

[azcavalier]

it's so funny you mentioned t his. i have thought about that many times. I thought bout a note underneath a rock, or something similar and last year did something similar.

I went w/ my sister in January and my baby cousin (Baby meaning she's 24 and i'm 49, lol) was going w/ her husband the next week.
I talked to one of the CM's and told them i wanted to do that. Well he gave me his phone number and i gave him pictures of them. and the next week he was working the same time my cousin texted me that they were so exciited because she was headed down main street for the first time. I texted him and he saw her and recognized her. he went running out w/ one of his fellow employees calling them by name, and gushing over them, telling them how happy he was to see them and they had all been waiting, giving them cookies and some other things i had paid for and said they were gifts from Mickey. It worked perfectly.
they were just freaked out that they were recognized.
My cousin called me to tell me the story later and i just burst out laughing. that's when she knew i set it up.

I will admit there were lots of ways this wouldnt' have worked, but it was worth the small amount of money i spent to take the gamble, and it paid off.

That's a great idea. Good one! And no suspicious packages!

[Main Street Jim]

Holy cow, what was it? I'm not talking about anything of any size. I'm thinking of something like a Vinylmation with a message scribbled on it. Something that, if found, would just assumed be a souvenir that someone misplaced/lost.Something like this would be construed by the CM's as "Lost and Found", and turned in at the end of the day. Like Ron said, the Cast Members usually make a pretty good sweep of their areas, and then Security makes their rounds.

We've had to call things in to Security during the day several times, and have had to shut down entire areas for a couple of hours at a time (the back of ToonTown behind Mickey's house and the "teardrop" that was at the back of the TTF train station; Splash/Thunder beyond the railroad station), because guests would "leave things behind".

[11290]

I spotted an unattended backpack by Plaza Rest. a year or so ago after 2nd parade. It cost Disney about 6 hours of overtime for all involved, in addition to having to bring the dog over from TTC to sniff it and then cost me an hour or so of my personal time having to answer a lot of questions from Orange County sheriff the next day as the owners of the item claimed it had stuff in it that was not there when they claimed it.

It had never been opened by Disney cast even after the dogs sniffed it. Was opened by Orange County but they still had to interview everyone involved. A great deal of time and money was involved just because someone didn't collect their stuff when they left, but it all became overhead expenses to Disney (that also factors into ticket prices at some point or another).

Multiply that one incident by the numerous times it happens throughout the year and it becomes a very large expense.

JUST MY $.02, Bottom line, think about that before you do something that might cause this to happen.

[hoop de do]

I always leave a lot of smiles some giggles and a few tears.
You know. There found by almost every single person.
:D:sob: :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[azcavalier]

Something like this would be construed by the CM's as "Lost and Found", and turned in at the end of the day. Like Ron said, the Cast Members usually make a pretty good sweep of their areas, and then Security makes their rounds.

We've had to call things in to Security during the day several times, and have had to shut down entire areas for a couple of hours at a time (the back of ToonTown behind Mickey's house and the "teardrop" that was at the back of the TTF train station; Splash/Thunder beyond the railroad station), because guests would "leave things behind".

And that makes sense.

[Jim&AngieMarriner]

probably not a good idea. The Custodial CMs are very thorough. And the Security folks don't have much of a sense of humor.

Let me second this. Very Very bad idea. As someone with 4 deployments with the US Army under his belt and with hopes of getting an Anti Terrorism job with Disney (yes they have them), packages or other items hidden would get my pulse up very fast.

As a security guy, I would wonder, why is this hidden? Hidden things arnt lost things and you can tell the difference. The best case senerio I would come to is that someone stole it and hid it to pick up later. Worst case, its filled with explosives or other dangerous material.

Is that a bit paranoid..... perhaps. But I have seen to much around the world not to be. And I would rather be safe than sorry. And if I were a security professional at WDW, I would absolutely call something like this in. Discreetly of course.

[Stu29573]

I am on the "not a good idea" team here. Besides, who wants the parks filled with a lot of junk left as messages for other people. Isn't the internet a bad enough example of that? Park Spam...yuck!

[Jim&AngieMarriner]

Holy cow, what was it? I'm not talking about anything of any size. I'm thinking of something like a Vinylmation with a message scribbled on it. Something that, if found, would just assumed be a souvenir that someone misplaced/lost.

Not to freak you out but i could get about 1/4 lb of plastic explosive in a vinalmation figure. Or I could use it as a trigger for a larger explosive when you pick it up. This is why the folks charged with ensuring your vacation is safe take their responsibility very seriously.

There are very bad peopple out there who would love nothing better than to cause a sensational attack at an ICON of Capitalistic America.

I sincerely wish it wasnt so, but we dont live in the world of 40 years ago when this kind of thing would never have even been considered.

[Renfairwedding]

It could get crazy if lots of people left notes and things around the parks and resorts.

But Wow… C-4 Vinalmation Mickey!!! Dose that come in a mystery box?

[Jim&AngieMarriner]

It could get crazy if lots of people left notes and things around the parks and resorts.

But Wow… C-4 Vinalmation Mickey!!! Dose that come in a mystery box?

I think Disney looked at doing this but in the end decided that sales would just bomb.

[Main Street Jim]

I think Disney looked at doing this but in the end decided that sales would just bomb.Waa-waa...waaaaaaaaaa....


LOLOLOL

[Melanie]

Alrighty folks, I think the OP has gotten some idea on how this is viewed from the CM standpoint and also some good ideas from guests, so we're going to wrap up discussion now. :thumbsup: