Experienced Disney goers will tell you that, although taking your kids to the happiest place on earth is undoubtedly a great time, it’s also a stressful one. You have to pack enough snacks, deal with the inevitable tantrums, and wait in line with less-than-patient little ones. With all that you have to do, the last thing you want to worry about is losing track of your kid in such a large park. To help you take some of that tension out of the trip, let’s review some strategies that will help you prevent your child from getting lost at Disney World.
Wear Matching Clothes
You’ve likely seen families wear matching outfits before, and it’s not just for festivities’ sake. It’s to make spotting one another easy! If someone goes missing, wearing the same-colored clothing or graphic T-shirt helps you spot each other in a crowd, and if someone goes missing, cast members know what to look for. Plus, if you’re worried about being fashionable, there are plenty of accessories that go well with graphic tees, and Mickey ears are definitely one of them!
Take a Photo Before You Arrive
Before you enter the park, take a quick photo of your kid(s) and make sure their entire body is in view, from head to toe. This gives you an excuse to capture a fun memory, and if they do get lost, you can show a cast member exactly what they look like and what they’re wearing. Just remember that if they have to change clothes for some reason, you’ll need to take another picture.
Make Identification Easy
When looking for a lost child, cast members won’t look inside their bag, T-shirt, or shoes, so it’s best to make identification as easy as possible. Bracelets, name stickers, customized tattoos, and ID lanyards are just a few options, all of which make identification simple. If you have magic bands, you can write their name and your number on the band as well.
Have a Meet-Up Spot
There are a lot of iconic buildings, statues, and rides at Disney World that are easy to find. Before you go out on your adventure, make sure to pick out a meeting spot to convene at if someone gets lost. For example, if you’re at Epcot, you can see Spaceship Earth from almost anywhere in the park, which makes it the perfect meet-up spot.
Talk to Your Kids About Safety
The best way to prevent your child from getting lost at Disney World is to have the safety talk before you enter the park. Let them know that if they ever get lost, it’s important to stay calm, and if they don’t feel comfortable finding their meet-up spot, they should stay in place. It’s also important to tell them that it’s OK to ask certain adults for help, such as a security guard or cast member. Although they’re little and inexperienced, they’re able to make much better and safer decisions with the help of a trusted adult.
Great tips! I like that the magic bands can also store information in there so if you are separated, they can scan the child’s band.
We have been many times. My kids are older but when they were small I’d always make sure they knew my phone number just in case. Luckily they never got lost!
Taking a photo of the child is a great idea. I once lost my child in the toy store.
These are some really good tips. I’d be afraid of this too, especially with super little ones.
I like the idea of taking a pic of them so it’s current in exactly what he/she is wearing that day. I get nervous bringing my kids to any crowded place especially theme parks.
Such an important thing to keep in mind! It is good to have several measures in place in case your child gets lost.
Great tips. It’s always important to keep yours kids informed on what to do and where to go when lost.
These are all really great and very helpful tips! I’m gonna take note of this! Thanks for sharing this with us
These are things that nobody wants to happen, but we should always be prepared!
Great suggestions! I hope no one has to go through from their kids getting lost in Disney land👍🏻
This is such important information. My nephew wandered away from us at Disneyworld many years ago. I have to say that the staff were absolutely amazing. They let us know that no child at any time has ever successfully been kidnapped from Disney. The security is fab and there truly are cameras all over the place.
These are very sensible tips. I always take photos on any trips we go on for this very reason
Nice tips. One of my biggest fears is losing one of my kids in the theme park. I hope it doesn’t happen to anybody but it’s good to be always prepared.
“Such a timely article! Taking kids to Disney World is every parent’s dream, but the fear of them getting lost is always lingering. 🎡👨👩👧👦 Your tips are practical and easy to implement. Every parent heading to a theme park should definitely give this a read. Safety first! 🌟👶🔒”