It's probably on here somewhere but I couldn't find it when I did a search.

I was just going back through some pictures of our trip to DLR last year (as we are now planning a trip to WDW) and remembered how important name tags were for us on our trip.

When we went to DL we bought each of our daughters an official DL nametag and had their names engraved onto them. These things became priceless. Suddenly CM's and characters were calling our daughters by their names and made it almost seem like they were the best of friends. Talk about putting our nervous daughter at ease!! The princesses in particular were fantastic with the name tags and some of them even remembered our eldest daughter from previous days' visits.

These simple pieces of plastic pinned to their shirts sure made a huge difference in the trip and added even more magic to an already magical trip.

Anyhow, I thought I would add this bit of advice as I just remembered it. I know they will be among the first things we buy in WDW.

I think this is a terrific idea. When my daughter hears someone say her name it takes them from stranger, to ..... well, not as strange! Fabulous advice.

I've heard things like this before and maybe I'm just super-overprotective, but I'm not actually all that comfortable with everyone and their brother knowing my kids' first names. They have been taught about strangers and dangerous situations and when someone knows their first name, that doesn't seem as much like a "stranger" than someone who doesn't know their name. Not that I think DLR is crawling with kidnappers and child molesters, but I'd still rather have my kids be aware of potentially unsafe situations. Am I really over-thinking this?

I've heard things like this before and maybe I'm just super-overprotective, but I'm not actually all that comfortable with everyone and their brother knowing my kids' first names. They have been taught about strangers and dangerous situations and when someone knows their first name, that doesn't seem as much like a "stranger" than someone who doesn't know their name. Not that I think DLR is crawling with kidnappers and child molesters, but I'd still rather have my kids be aware of potentially unsafe situations. Am I really over-thinking this?

I don't think you are over-thinking it at all. That has always been my reaction to putting kids names on Mickey ears and all that. I've read threads (I can't remember if it was here on MP or on another site) and most people don't seem to like to do that.

But actually reading this message about the nametags makes me re-think the whole issue. I think it would be pretty safe in the Disney parks. I certainly wouldn't let my kids (don't have any yet, but in the future) wear nametags in the "real world." And if it brings that much happiness I think it would be worthwhile.

It's actually safer than you might think. Or at least safer than things we do everyday. Think about it.

How many times have you been at the local park, in the grocery store, at the deparment store, in the mall, etc. and have called your child's name out loud? What about someplace where you have just met a loved one and the child calls out "Nana" and Nana calls out the childs name for everyone to hear? Have you ever done it DL? We do things in our normal everyday life that are MUCH more "dangerous" than a nametag in Disneyland.

With the CM's and Characters it is basically only done "up close and personal" so to speak. For my daughters it was only done when they got up close enough for the Characters to read their nametags and done only when it was their turn. I found the Characters to be very good at making sure their time with one child was over before jumping in to the next. And again it's not like they are screaming the name out for everyone to hear.

As for the name tags, at DLR they are pale purple with white lettering - makes it difficult to see the name if it is not at the right angle. Plus if they are wearing sweaters or jackets the nametags can get covered up. Many of the Characters if they see them sticking out will adjust it so they can read it.

But truthfully, with the number of pins and badges a child can get at DL it would be tough to figure out what each one is unless you were specifically targetting that kid. And if that is what is happening there are far easier methods to get a child's name <shudders at the thought>.

Here is a picture of my daughters with their name tags on and you can see for yourselves.

http://www.dropshots.com/photos/77977/20051020/195232.jpg

To each their own and it is something each parent has to come to grips with on their own in their own way. For me they were fantastic and something I highly recommend. Plus, if you keep the extra parts for when you get home you can make it into a magnet as an extra keepsake on the fridge!! ;)

I don't think you are over-thinking it at all. That has always been my reaction to putting kids names on Mickey ears and all that. I've read threads (I can't remember if it was here on MP or on another site) and most people don't seem to like to do that.

But actually reading this message about the nametags makes me re-think the whole issue. I think it would be pretty safe in the Disney parks. I certainly wouldn't let my kids (don't have any yet, but in the future) wear nametags in the "real world." And if it brings that much happiness I think it would be worthwhile.I agree. In the "real world" I avoid names on tshirts etc. but at a Disney park, I feel it works to the child's advantage.

It's actually safer than you might think. Or at least safer than things we do everyday. Think about it.

How many times have you been at the local park, in the grocery store, at the deparment store, in the mall, etc. and have called your child's name out loud? What about someplace where you have just met a loved one and the child calls out "Nana" and Nana calls out the childs name for everyone to hear? Have you ever done it DL? We do things in our normal everyday life that are MUCH more "dangerous" than a nametag in Disneyland.)

I don't, actually, do that for precisely that reason. Maybe it comes from my job in working with children who have had traumatic experiences with attempted kidnappings, molestations, etc. but I am extremely careful about my kids' names (and other things as well) and our families are, also.

My concern is not for when they are talking to characters or CMs when I am right there, it is for *if* they should happen to get separated from me (after a parade or fireworks, for example, when crowds are crazy) and someone could notice, but by "knowing" my child's name, they appear safer than they may actually be for my child. Perpetrators aren't stupid--they know what types of children to look for in large crowds when they could get separated from the adults with them and being able to see and know a kids name gets them an "in" they wouldn't have otherwise had.

I didn't mean to make you so defensive, I just am not comfortable with everyone being able to see their name. You, of course, do what is best for your children as long as I can do what is best for mine. I just thought I would point that possibility out for those who hadn't thought of it. Again, I'm a product of my job.

I think they are a cute idea, but I realized something on my last trip. We were giving our kids the what to do if we get separated talk, and when I told the girls to look for someone with a name tag I realized that doesn't mean they'll be asking a CM for help. I had to show them what a real name tag looks like and explain what CM's might be wearing. So personally, I could do without everyone walking around with nametags on.

I don't, actually, do that for precisely that reason. Maybe it comes from my job in working with children who have had traumatic experiences with attempted kidnappings, molestations, etc. but I am extremely careful about my kids' names (and other things as well) and our families are, also.

My concern is not for when they are talking to characters or CMs when I am right there, it is for *if* they should happen to get separated from me (after a parade or fireworks, for example, when crowds are crazy) and someone could notice, but by "knowing" my child's name, they appear safer than they may actually be for my child. Perpetrators aren't stupid--they know what types of children to look for in large crowds when they could get separated from the adults with them and being able to see and know a kids name gets them an "in" they wouldn't have otherwise had.

I didn't mean to make you so defensive, I just am not comfortable with everyone being able to see their name. You, of course, do what is best for your children as long as I can do what is best for mine. I just thought I would point that possibility out for those who hadn't thought of it. Again, I'm a product of my job.My kids are teens now, but I have/had the same fear. I actually had a son get in a car with someone because they knew his name (he was 10, we had done the stranger routine hundreds of times and it still happened.) Now, nothing sinister happened luckily. The person brought him home. But after I calmed down (I was at school looking for him, he was out front when someone called his name, told him they could give him a ride home, and he got in the car...) I showed him just how bad it could have been. I love Disneyland. I think it is safe overall. But, I would be stupid if I didn't think there were pedophiles there. A nametag just gives them a little heads up. "Hey John, your mom is looking all over for you, she went back to the hotel to see if you were there, she said if I found you to bring you back..." And out of the park they go....

I think they are a cute idea, but I realized something on my last trip. We were giving our kids the what to do if we get separated talk, and when I told the girls to look for someone with a name tag I realized that doesn't mean they'll be asking a CM for help. I had to show them what a real name tag looks like and explain what CM's might be wearing. So personally, I could do without everyone walking around with nametags on.

I completely agree. It used to be that only CMs wore name tags, and it was easy for kids to spot someone working at the park. When my kids were little, they knew that if they got separated from us, all they had to do was find someone with a name tag and tell them they were lost. And this worked successfully on several occasions (once, the Future President of Disneyland did it on purpose at about age five).

Now, though? Unless kids are very aware of what a real name tag looks like, they'd be telling every other person on Main St. they were lost. I've modified the instructions to my kids and told them to go into a shop or to an attraction and tell the CM who is working there that they are lost. But it's really not such an issue now that my kids are older.

When we went to DL we bought each of our daughters an official DL nametag and had their names engraved onto them. These things became priceless.

Do you happen to remember what store?

There's a stand just inside the East tunnel that sells them. That's where I got mine.

You can get the Guest of Honor badges in several locations, at World of Disney, they have the 50th, a Stitch, and a princess..I haven't seen the original "red" ones since the celebration started but that doesn't mean they aren't available, just that I personally haven't noticed. In Disneyland you can buy them at the kiosk next to the Bank on Main street and over near the Matterhorn (but they can't do the engraving? which made no sense to me) and I saw them at another store but memory is CRS as to where. Over at DCA there's a booth over by the Dino with the big funky sunglasses that sells and engraves them as well.

and over near the Matterhorn (but they can't do the engraving? which made no sense to me)

That must be new because the last time I got nametags, that's where we got them and had them engraved.

Adrienne

maybe the day we were there the machine was broken? I just know when I looked at them the CM said we can sell it to you but you'll need to take it here or here to have it engraved.

A nametag just gives them a little heads up. "Hey John, your mom is looking all over for you, she went back to the hotel to see if you were there, she said if I found you to bring you back..." And out of the park they go....
We have a code word. Only dh, ds, and I know it. We do Renaissance Faire, and ds (7 yo) doesn't run free, but is allowed to go to nearby shows and his friend's camps (after asking). Everyone out there knows him (we've done faire longer than he's been around), and really, anyone out there could take advantage of him like this BUT-- we have a code word. He knows that if I EVER send someone to get him, they will tell him the code word. He knows that if they don't say it, or he has to ask for it, then he doesn't go.

We have red tags with white engraving, my sister picked them up at WDW for us on her honeymoon. I forgot to get one for dd on our last trip to DL! I think they're fun, it cracked me up because the CMs used my name more often than ds'!

We have a code word. Only dh, ds, and I know it. We do Renaissance Faire, and ds (7 yo) doesn't run free, but is allowed to go to nearby shows and his friend's camps (after asking). Everyone out there knows him (we've done faire longer than he's been around), and really, anyone out there could take advantage of him like this BUT-- we have a code word. He knows that if I EVER send someone to get him, they will tell him the code word. He knows that if they don't say it, or he has to ask for it, then he doesn't go.We did that too. And we reinforced it over and over, and my son still got into a car with a strange woman because she knew his name. (He was 8 or 9 at the time.) I am probably just overly cautious since it did happen to mine, and he was the one I would have never thought would have gone with someone.

We did that too. And we reinforced it over and over, and my son still got into a car with a strange woman because she knew his name.
Wow! That's really scary... Maybe I'll have to test this at Faire this year. There are enough people up and down the road that I trust absolutely, maybe I'll send one of them, without the code word, and see what happens.

It really all boils down to this: know your kids. Know how intelligent they are; know how much common sense they have; know how mature and responsible they are.

We found them right as you enter Frontierland at the Pioneer Mercantile - the same window kiosk that embosses leather key tags & bracelets.