Ok so I might be sounding really paranoid but we are going the DL for the first time in 2005 and we will have a nearly 5 year old very head strong girl and a nearly 8 year old boy, both blonde, hair blue eyed very cute.
WHat I am worried about is what if they get separated from us, we hear lots of stories over here about children going missing and never being found (this seems to be a bit of a thing in our town, somebody knows somebody who lost the kids in LA and never found them) As I said we have never been to DL before, we have never been to the US before and I'm worring that we won't know the area or surroundings. Whats the best advice for us to give to our kids if they do get separated from us. I have read lots here about how great the CM's are if your child is lost and they held in everyway they can.
Although we come from a fairly large town is Australia, it's pretty small compared to LA, am I worrying myself for no reason?

Not that i've been to DL before (going in November - yippee!) I think that there are definitely things you can do to minimise the risk. Wrist bands with your mobile number on are a good idea. Also, establish a meeting point - the 8 yr old should be old enough to understand and remember something obvious. Teach them to always head for a CM if they get lost, or failing that, another mother with kids - must be a safer bet than any other stranger I think.

...this from the girl who disappeared up the street on my trike so often, my mother was on first name terms with the local police officers! Ahh the good ol' safe days...

Take a minute to read this article (http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/akrock7.htm). I interviewed a wonderful Cast Member who worked in the lost children "department" at Disneyland and she had lots of wonderful tips plus explained exactly what happens when a child is "lost."

I think you're wise to be cautious but I think that you shouldn't get too paranoid. There are lots of urban legends out there about kids being kidnapped from Disneyland. I don't know anything specific about what happened in your town but the stories about kids being kidnapped at Disneyland are untrue legends.

Adrienne

Thanks for that link Adrienne, I have printed it out so I can go over it with the kids. My son is very good at staying with us, but my concern is my daughter who is 4 going on 14.
I am hoping by the time we go we will have drummed into her that she needs to stay with us. We have been having shopping trips lately that are "practice for DL days" walking with the arm band, that she really doesn't like and I have told her at DL even big girls can have a pram as I figure that this would make it easier to keep track of her. My son on the other hand was quick to say that he would get in the pram if she didn't, he doesn't mind what anyone thinks.
We have chose the beginning of March because it looked to be a bit on the quite side and although we know that some things will be closed for refurb we would rather have short lines and lighter crowds whilst we are learning our way around. :)

Whenever we go (with children ranging in age from 2-9) I place label INSIDE their shirts (outside poses a whole new danger) I generaly have something to the effect of:

My name is Devon I am 4 years old
My mommy is Jennifer and my Daddy is Tom
please call them I lost them
Mom cell phone (999)123-4567
Dad cell phone (999)123-4567

If these are inside the shirts a kindly cast member can help your child find you should you get seperated.

When you get to DL point out a CM and the special name tag they wear tell your child if they get seperated to go to someone with a name tag.

I have also used the "leash" as my husband calls it. But it attaches with a harness around my childs torso and has a "leash" that I wear on my wrist...difficult to get seperated and easy to remove when needed.

Hope this helps...
Disneyland is really pretty safe...anything you would do in a crowded place at home will work at DL. and as was mentioned before there are several urban ledgends about children and DL but they are just legends...compleatly untrue.

I heard that once a missing kid is reported at the park the whole security team is informed and on the lookout. After so much time has passed and the kid doesn't show up the security has the park in a lockdown mode and no one can enter or leave the park until the kid is found. I can't remember what the time length is until lockdown, but I thought it sounded really cool when I heard this peice of information.

I second the recommendation of a leash. I tended to wander as a hatchling, and had to be leashed in crowds until I was six. :fez: It has the added benefit of avoiding unintentional wandering, like rude teenagers or adults) barging between you and your children.

If you have a digital camera, take a photo of the kids each morning... you can just take a look at the picture if you can't quite remember what they are wearing. Every year at the fair there is a booth set up to take photos/fingerprints of children - parents attach a sample of hair or fingernail clippings as a DNA sample and fill in the blanks with their child's information. They told me that I should make copies of it so that not only do we keep one at home, we have one in the car and take one on vacations. Of course, I don't ever want to think about having to use it... but it was good advice.

If you have a digital camera, take a photo of the kids each morning... you can just take a look at the picture if you can't quite remember what they are wearing. Every year at the fair there is a booth set up to take photos/fingerprints of children - parents attach a sample of hair or fingernail clippings as a DNA sample and fill in the blanks with their child's information. They told me that I should make copies of it so that not only do we keep one at home, we have one in the car and take one on vacations. Of course, I don't ever want to think about having to use it... but it was good advice.

I lover the take a photo each day idea, I will be doing that because I can never remember what my kids have on.
Thanks for more great ideas

My 3 1/2 year old is a wanderer. But, she has never walked away from us at DL. We switch her between her stroller and walking and she stays right by someones side, in crowds we just grab her hand and hold tight. If it is really crowded, my husband picks her up.

The disneyland snatching is an urban legend, you can research crime in the anaheim area going back several years and there has never been a true "stranger" successful kidnapping from the resort.

Anywhere you go with your kids could be dangerous, but you really are likely pretty safe in the US. Also, Anaheim isn't really LA, so you'll be surprised that surrounding Disneyland is a "smallish"city and suburbs not a sprawling metropolis.

The photo a day is a great idea. and if your kids really will take off, I would recommend a leash, my daughter knows, she walks off for even just a moment and its back to the car and home.

I just thought of something else that might help... something that helps me find my stroller easily! Get her a balloon as soon as you arrive on your first day (it will last all week and then some, believe me!) If she wanders off, you'll be sure to spot her right away.

I just thought of something else that might help... something that helps me find my stroller easily! Get her a balloon as soon as you arrive on your first day (it will last all week and then some, believe me!) If she wanders off, you'll be sure to spot her right away.

But aren't there a lot of other people with balloons too...?

I love the idea about the wristband with contact info and the daily picture is a supurb idea as well!

One thing to remember... if you are from outside North America, your cell phone may not work in the US. Yes, there are some that do, but not all. Check with your carrier before leaving. So, the idea with attaching your mobile number to a wristband/clothes may not work. However, you can always put the number of your hotel,etc on there. (Or friends #, if you are visiting friends here in the states.) Just a thought.

Once my child ran away from us on Toms Swayers Island. She was mising for a good 20 min. It was very scary, but she had ran past people and other people would not let us pass to catch up to her. It was evty scary, but we wereon the island, so I knew she could not go very far. We eventually found her. I thik she was playing/hiding in te caves. We haven't been back to the island since then...LOL...(We didn't report her missing. If it had been longer we probably would have. Now, that I think about it we should have. Maybe she would have been found quicker. She was about 3 or 4 at the time.)

Now we have the walk abouts/talk abouts. They work really well. She is also 13 so I don't worry as much. :)

what are walk about/ talk abouts?

I love the idea about the wristband with contact info and the daily picture is a supurb idea as well!

One thing to remember... if you are from outside North America, your cell phone may not work in the US. Yes, there are some that do, but not all. Check with your carrier before leaving. So, the idea with attaching your mobile number to a wristband/clothes may not work. However, you can always put the number of your hotel,etc on there. (Or friends #, if you are visiting friends here in the states.) Just a thought.
As part of our travel package we get a cell phone for each 2 adults travelling, to use whilst we are in the states. We have 4 adults so we will get 2 phones. So we will have phone that we can be contacted on and contact each other.

As part of our travel package we get a cell phone for each 2 adults travelling, to use whilst we are in the states. We have 4 adults so we will get 2 phones. So we will have phone that we can be contacted on and contact each other.

Now THAT is taking care of details!! :)