Lost children

[DisneyFr33k]

We've always taught DD (now 11) to "hug something that doesn't move" - the urban variation of "hug a tree". The basis is that as soon as she realizes she has become separated from us, she needs to stop moving and we will backtrack and find her.

Our DS (10) is a scout and he was told the same thing. Last trip we were at DHS and were going through the building where you draw Disney characters. Apparently our son didn't see us go in and was still outside the gift store. By the time we frantically backtracked, we found him standing still next to a tree in front of the gift store. Had he gone looking for us, we would have missed each other. So the "hug a tree" really works!

[wire0monkey]

We have metal dogs with the kids' names and a cell phone number on them. The kids can wear them on a lanyard or pinned to their shirt.

You can also just write a cell phone number on their arm with a Sharpie.

Disney actually has a system for lost children, they just don't advertise it.

We got to use it at Typhoon Lagoon on the last trip.

DS1 wandered off in the park. After about 20 minutes of looking, I grabbed a cast member and they took me to the CM in charge of lost children. She wrote our information down in a book and advised all managers and lifeguards that he was lost. She told me that all of the managers would do a sweep for him in their designated areas and the lifeguards would look in all of their areas, too. The notice included telling CMs at the exit that we had a lost kid and giving them his description. She told me that when they found him, they would bring him to the lost children area and keep him there. She told me to go look for him and check back in around 20 minutes.

I found him about 15 minutes later. (Then I marched him over to Lost Children to tell the CM we had him. I also had him apologize to the CM for making her do extra work because he wandered off.)

[jillluvsdisney]

Disney is good at finding lost parents also. My Dad and I lost each other at Typhoon Lagoon. I had the locker key with room keys, cars keys, money and his glasses. After looking for 20 minutes, I went to the front of the park. I stopped the first security person I knew and she asked me if I was Jill. They were looking for me. )

[Disney Doll]

We do the engraved dog tag. We lace it up in our son's shoe laces (can't fall off unless entire shoe lace is removed).