Child safety at Disney. Any advice???

[scesnick]

We are driving to Disney world tomorrow and will visit there through the weekend. We have a 2yr old and a 4 yr old daughter and I always worry myself to death about the sick people that are out in the world today. I.e. school shooters, child kidnappers , etc.. Now call me crazy but this really does worry me.

We made necklaces for the girls with phone numbers of the resort we are staying in, our cell phone, my fathers # at home etc.. But, we did not put their names on them. No need really for anyone to know their names as long as they have the phone numbers. My oldest trusts everyone unfortunately, and if someone would call her name she would feel completely comfortable with them so we decided not to add their names.
There is no way on Gods great earth we will let them out of our sight for even a second while at Disney but you never know what could happen.

Does any TBNer have any further advice for me??

yeah, I'm an over protective father but i don't care.

 

[mjarrels]

Keep them close... we were at west coast disney one time and my daughter was about 2 and some how managed to get on the other side of the road just when the evening parade started. Was very hard to get her back thru the parade. Made some disney folks unhappy in the process.

mark

 

[LMTC]

I am one of those who thinks leashes are not altogether inappropriate in such situations. Almost impossible to not turn your head at some point. Depending on the child, and their age, give them a whistle on a lanyard...a real metal whistle like a referee's whistle. We had all our kids wear one from about 4 or so on. If they get lost (we used to hike and spend a lot of time in the great outdoors) they can blow the whistle. If they get scared, or anything else...they can blow the whistle. Attracts a lot of attention.

Hate to say it, but I would have current pics (as in several copies, maybe even a digital file) with me to give out in case they did get lost or separated from you. A pic in the hands of every security person at every entrance might tip the odds.

 

[scesnick]

LMTC,

Great advice. I never even thought of the pictures. I will do that for sure. The whistle would be good when they get a bit older but right now they would just continually blow them for fun and drive the wife nuts !!!
I worry about this so much that I even considered the micro chip a while back. To controversial though and I do have some concerns about it. BUT, if your kid was even missing I bet the chip would be priceless for sure.

I know, I know, I sound like a paranoid dad.

 

[California]

The necklace with details is a good idea. But you might supplement it with the resort phone number written on her forearm where it couldn't be quickly removed. But relax, the chance of a lost kid encountering harm is very remote.

Our 5 year old daughter turned left when we turned right, at Sacramento RailFair. Very scary for us. We immediately spoke to security and another security lady arrived with her a moment later - she had seen the incident but didn't know which adults to return the child to. The kid was simply amused and claimed she could have figured it out herself.

This was about the same year she took off down the canyon dodging piles of bear scat when she heard us say the rest of our party would arrive any minute now. They were very surprised to be greeted by her just as they left camp 20 minutes later. With us hot on her heels.

And she 15 years later phoned us (in California) and said she arrived in Veranasi (central India) long after dark with no money and no lodging arangement and discovered her credit card was stolen on the train. You should have seen her mother's face. Raising kids seems to go on forever - you aren't out of the woods yet!

 

[MrJimi]

One tip, hold hands
Jim

 

[AlanB]

I am with the harness / leash idea.

There is nothing worse then the sick feeling that you have lost your kid in somewhere so busy.

I will happily put up with the people looking at me funny for the security it would give me to be "attached" to my child.

I lost my son in the super Wally World one time and remember the feeling all too well in the pit of my stomach.

While I believe Disney security would be all over it, I was in a large mall one time and watched 2 security officers tell a lady that lost her child, "Oh, I am sure you will find her" and turned to walk off. I was a passerby and about had a kiniption, the lady about passed out, I grabbed the security people and calmly (well, not so calmly) told them to get on that little radio thing and get some help and get the exits closed. Their supervisor had no doubt of my feelings when we got done discussing their actions. (they found the girl in about 5 minutes had wandered into a clothes store)

The picture idea is a great one, and in this day and age of digital camera's should be fairly easy to do.

You hate to even think of this crud, but far better to think of it and hopefully prevent it then to deal with the consequences after the fact.

 

[RonMar]

I have seen them somewhere, not sure where, but it is a child proximity alarm. Child wears a transponder around their wrist, neck or pinned to clothing. Parent wears a transceiver. A radio signal is constantly exchanged between the two. If for some reason the 2 devices are separated by more than a pre-set distance or the signal is lost, the parent device sounds an alarm. Immediate notification if the child passes a pre-set distance without you knowing about it. Electronic leash that never gets tangled with other people in a crowded area.

 

[rdln]

bright unique shirt and hat, dont buy the ones at the first souvenior shop after the entrance!! especially not the hat with mouse ears

rent the strollers and strap them in or for the 2yo get the good quality back pack carrier.

 

[scesnick]

Hey, Thanks for all the great ideas. I think we are going to take the girls 2 seat wagon ( that has straps they can't get out of) The picture idea is also great . I wish i had time to track down the transponders that RonMar suggested. The unique colored shirts are also a very good idea. I'm glad i asked the TBN crew this question !!! Thanks again.