Let’s just say it: One of your biggest fears on your DVC vacation is your little one running off and getting lost. The Walt Disney World Company knows the heart stopping feeling Marlin had when he was trying to find Nemo, and that’s why Disney has put in a process to make sure that you and your family will not have to swim with sea turtles and speak whale with Dory to find your little one.
Fact: Disney also will not close a park if there is a Nemo that is still on the loose!
One average 11 kids get lost a day at Disney and are usually returned to their guardians within 30 minutes. Even if it has never happened to you, taking a few minutes with your family to nail down a plan before you hit the parks is a great way to be proactive.
Prevention
Point out Disney Cast members
Pointing out Disney Cast Members to your little ones, will help them know who to go to if they lost. This is one of the reasons why the Disney cast member tags are the same throughout the park. You can even make a game with it as you are walking down Main Street USA. Who can spot five cast members first! Tell your Nemo if they swim away from you, they should find a cast member as soon as possible.
Take a picture of your child in the AM
When you alert the cast member of the Nemo you are looking for, one of the first questions they will ask is, “what do they look like/ what are they wearing?” Taking a picture first thing in the AM will make it easier to have a picture of what they look like that day and in the same clothes. Not to mention, you won’t have to scroll through your phone to find a good picture, because it will be one of your most recent pictures. This also makes it easier for the cast members to describe the little Nemo who swam off to other cast members.
Matching Shirts
Wearing matching t-shirts is not only a memory maker, but also an easy identifier, and will help others help you find your Nemo. Also, if your whole family is in a sea of one color, this might prevent your little one from swimming with the wrong family. My parents would make us , dress us up in matching outfits for our Disney Vacations, and LOOKING BACK, it was a super fun memory.
Temporary Tattoos
This tip went viral on Tik Tok a year ago and it’s easy to see why. Ordering customized temporary tattoos with your child’s name and your phone number on it, can be a life saver for you and cast members looking for your child. It also will give your child more confidence to go up to a cast member and show them their tattoo, knowing that if they call that number you will most likely pick it up before it even rings! safteytat.com and Etsy, have these customized tattoos for purchase, and they even have cute Disney characters, so your child will want to wear it!
MemoryBands +
The new MemoryBands+ do have a GPS in them, once you and your family enter the park it tracks where you and your family are throughout the park day. This makes it super easy for a Finding Nemo reunion.
How to Find a lost Nemo
Alert a Cast Member
Remember, Disney experiences this on average 11 times a day, they have a protocol. Did you know that there are cast members who’s job is help find lost Nemos? Once you alert a cast member of the situation they will put out a “lost parent” alert, because there are no lost children at Disney, just lost parents. Cast Members will take children to a Baby Care Center (there’s one in every park) and Lost Parents can pick up their kids there!
Have Someone in Your Party Stay in Place
Nemos are most likely to swim up to the place where they were last seen, so having one party stay put keeps them from swimming all over the park.
Don’t Play the Blame Game
When you are finally reunited with your little Nemo, do not play the blame game. You were scared, they were scared, just hug your little one and make a plan so that it won’t happen again. Remember, this does happen to at least ten families a day, and it does not mean you are a bad parent at all…it means your kids got a little distracted by Disney Magic. As DVC members, we know that can happen to the best of us!
