Allow us to recount a story for you. The scene is Disney World — Magic Kingdom, more specifically. There’s a family headed to Peter Pan’s Flight. But along the way, a little one gets separated from their parents. What happens next? You can probably guess.
Cast Members
Naturally, the instinct when a child gets separated from their parents is to freak out. Disney World is a big place, and there are a lot of people walking through those gates. But then again, this is Disney World, and there are TONS of specially trained Cast Members ready for this kind of situation. So, if you think you know what happened next, you might be surprised.
Now, back to our story. The little one may have wandered off, but luckily, a Cast Member quickly spotted the child by themselves. The Cast Member stayed with the child, talked to them, and kept them busy while other Cast Members were able to locate the child’s parents. Turns out the child in our story never shed a single tear — the entire problem was resolved before they even realized their parents were gone. And THAT is the magic of Disney Cast Members.
The incredible Joel!
Disney has this process down to a science. In fact, they use a secret code to explain this situation without raising the alarm and alerting the public. A Signal 70 code is issued when a child is missing.
Cinderella Castle
As a regular old park guest, this isn’t some kind of special lingo you need to know about. But if you want to know how Disney keeps such a well-oiled machine — even in situations like this — well, let’s just say we have a few former Cast Members on the team who are familiar with the Signal 70 process.
Slinky Dog Dash
Here’s the secret to one of the most important parts of the process of handling a lost child: the child is never lost. You will NOT hear a Disney World Cast Member use the word “lost” in front of a little one. You may hear some Cast Members mention a missing parent (notice how it’s flipped to the adult, not the child?), but most times, Cast Members try to avoid drawing attention to the fact that there’s even a problem. After all, no one wants to upset a kid in Disney World!
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Luckily, these kinds of incidents don’t happen often. But in the event that a family member is separated, Cast Members know exactly what to do. And if you want a little extra peace of mind, we can help with that, too. Our biggest tip, if you’re traveling with kids, is to show them a Cast Member’s nametag so they know who to look for if they need help.
Cast Member nametag
You can also write your phone number on your child’s MagicBand or buy an Apple AirTag. We have a TON of different ways to use Apple AirTags HERE.
Click here to learn more!
Yes, the thought of your little one getting lost — even for five minutes — is terrifying. But, like we said, Disney has a team of Cast Members who know how to handle these situations safely and efficiently.
Magic Kingdom
Although it’s easier said than done, stay calm and find the nearest Cast Member. They will be able to help! In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.
I Was a Disney World Ride Cast Member. This Was the WORST Part About My Job
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The key is that the cast member *cares* and that Disney backs up the cast member. At that point, the…misplaced kid is their top priority, and the kid will be able to tell. It’s a very Disney thing, and I’m glad the parks still maintain that tradition.