Finding something doesn't make it yours to keep

[LoriSan]

My son left his very unique Philadelphia Phillies/Mickey Mouse hat on Star. Tours on Tuesday. DH went back for it in less than 10 minutes and it was gone. We checked with the CMs at the attraction a few times that night, and the front gate lost and found, and at the main Lost and Found the next day, and again a few days later. Someone helped themselves to what was obviously a child's hat.

[Donald]

Unfortunately, the same thing happened to us.
Sorry for your son...

[kakn7294]

I'm sorry that he didn't get it back. It's a shame when people won't turn in lost items. However not everyone is so dishonest and I have had the experience of having a missing camera (FIL's wife), a missing wallet (student on band trip), missing mouse ears (DD's on SW airlines), and a missing hat (FIL's) all returned in trips over the years. Just remember, karma will get your thief eventually...

[BowTie7]

Really bad luck. Many times cast members notice anything left behind and retrieve it before anyone else gets on the ride. I've been thankful more than once when a cast member is calling after you with a forgotten umbrella.

[WiltonJohn]

Sorry that happened to you.

You know, a lot of complaints here on Intercot lately have focused on "poor cast members". I wonder if any attitude change there might be is at least partially attributible to the idea that maybe the nature of the GUESTS at Walt Disney World have changed, and not for the better.

And then cast members are dealing with more and more and more absurdly demanding people, and with more and more self-centered people who could care less about the experience of others there. SO the "burn out" factor is increasing.

On our last visit in October we had a number of "jerk" encounter type things happen related to other guests. WAY more than in the past.

best,

...................john

[Arielfan98]

A similar story happened to us. My sister had expensive designer brand eyeglasses that she decided she wanted to leave in our rental van. Our van at home can lock while the doors slide to close, but we did not realize our rental van could not. So, someone stole her eyeglasses right out of the van.

On the bright side, my dad somehow forgot his cellphone on the monorail once. As soon as he realized it was gone, lost and found had closed so he went the next day and it was there. Luckily some kind people found it before someone greedily took it. There are some decent people out there.

Sorry about your son's hat. I'm not trying to blame you at all, but maybe from now on make sure he has all his belongings with him before leaving (assuming he's not old enough). My parents always made me do a checklist before leaving a place just to be sure I had everything. Hope this helps! Sorry about the hat!

[Scar]

Sorry, that stinks.

But what's odd is, I keep leaving my Mets cap behind on purpose but people keep returning it to me.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I'm sorry!

We always return items, since someone is missing them. Last trip it was an iPod, and as we walked into GR in MK, a boy yelled out "Mom, they have my iPod"; they had arrived to report it lost.

It was great to be able to return it in person.

[VAdizneefan]

I'd still make sure central Lost and Found is aware that the item is missing. It could still show up some time later. I had a friend lose a Kindle while there in August and she got it back several weeks later.

[TheVBs]

Sorry about your son's hat. Like others have suggested, I would definitely keep checking with Lost and Found. Just because you didn't get it back on the trip, doesn't mean it's a given that someone kept it.

We found a camera under the flap on a stroller at AK once. We turned it in right at the stroller rental desk. The thought of losing our camera with all our memories was like a punch in the gut. I think most people are honest and would turn it in.

On the flip side, we lost a phone on POTC and the CMs found it immediately and got it right out to us!

[WDWgoofy]

I agree with OP, but the society we live in today lives according to the rule, finders keepers, losers weepers.

I've unfortunately left behind things in rides that were never found and in these cases I realized the loss within a couple of minutes

[MrPeetrie]

First, sorry about the loss of your hat. That stinks. But I will say that we've found the frequenters of Walt Disney World do a better job of returning lost items than when we're outside the bubble. We have both found misplaced items we've turned in to Cast Members, as well as have lost items returned to us so I think the Disney guests are as a whole a pretty decent group of people.

A few years back, I was in line at an ice cream cart. The line was about 15 minutes long as it was a hot day. I was next in line and the guest in front of me was making several purchases. He gathered his items and walked away. As I was "finally" about to order, I noticed a wallet on the cart. It had to be his; his hands were full. I grabbed the wallet, jumped out of line and chased him down and gave it to him to many thanks.

Upon my return to the line, the other guests allowed me to resume my order instead of going to the back. As I was ordering, I heard a guest say, "See that. I tell you people here are different. I see that sort of thing all the time."

It made me feel good. I agree with the woman behind me: Disney people are generally a little nicer than average.

Just my opinion.

It still stinks about the hat, though!

[SBETigg]

We've lost things at WDW and some stayed lost, but some we got back, reclaimed from the Lost and Found. We lost a ball cap and a camera (left in a cab). We lost and got back a cell phone (left on Space Mountain, reclaimed at Lost and Found), and some souvenir coasters that I accidentally left behind at the Yachtsman Steakhouse. I told the concierge desk on the day we were leaving, and a server found them and mailed them to us at home. There are all kinds of people in the world. I like to think that most of us are good at heart.

[Mitzie]

Sorry about your loss. We left my DS lanyard and pins at the restaurant in Italy and even checking with lost and found never got it back. It is hard when raising kids. You teach them one way and when it doesn't come back to them that same way it is hard for them to understand. We have raised out kids by my grandmothers motto; You don't know whose it is, but you know it's not yours" Treat others as you would want to be treated..if you lost something you would want it back...

[Aurora]

Over the years, we've "lost" many things at WDW; unfortunately, most weren't lost, they were taken out of our strollers that we left parked while we were going on an attraction. They were left there unintentionally, absent-mindedly. The worst were an SLR camera and my mom's zip-up sweatshirt she had gotten from Paris (not expensive, but meaningful to her). In both cases, someone just decided to help themselves.

We're from Chicago (city proper), so we usually guard our belongings because we recognize that if you don't, you "lose" them. Sometimes you just forget to take them with you, though.

Ironically, the best luck we've had with losing things and getting them back was in New York. Camcorder camera left in the Toys 'R' Us store in Times Square and a cell phone lost in the American Museum of Natural History. Both were turned into lost and found.

Good people are good people and dishonest people are dishonest. They don't suddenly change when they're at WDW.

[SurferStitch]

And then cast members are dealing with more and more and more absurdly demanding people, and with more and more self-centered people who could care less about the experience of others there. SO the "burn out" factor is increasing.

I saw this in full action at MK last week.

As DH and I left Hall of Presidents, we stopped in the gift shop. A man was there with is 10ish son and DW. He was loudly complaining to a CM at the register how his son couldn't see the MSEP.

Apparently, they were trying to nab a spot at one of the pedestrian crossover over areas that they tape off. He was told he had to move until the parade started and the rope was put up. When the CM put the rope up, he was mad that people walked to that area faster than they did, and then his son was stuck behind people for the parade. This was the early parade (there was also a 10pm parade that night).

The CM at the register asked what he wanted her to do, and he wanted to lodge a formal complaint. She was on the phone with someone to get some sort of resolution for the guy.

We couldn't believe the audacity of this guy. He was rediculous, and teaching his son that acting like a total jerk gets you unrealistic results. We didn't stick around, but I hope the guy was told to go packing.

The CM seemed to keep her cool pretty well.

[Ian]

I've lost lots of items in WDW and I'm sad to say I've never gotten one of them back.

Although all of mine have been valuable items, like sunglasses and cell phones. I'd think a kids hat would have been returned.

[Gator]

Here's an educated guess. Everything that you lose at MK has a greater chance of not being returned than at the other parks? Why? Because Johny Q Public spends more time at MK, whereas the honest family traveler spends more time at the other parks. Just a theory, but I bet I'm right.

[JMTStone]

It totally stinks that you had your hat stolen. I've "sharpie" labeled a lot of our items before traveling because when at Disney, I'm focused on the magic instead of my camera. I know, that won't stop some people but it will also help me identify to the Lost and Found folks.

I have an iPhone (sorry John - I don't have the "my favorite Disney site is INTERCOT" as my signature) but I do have a special Mickey Red otter box.

As I am very diligent about silencing my phone, I pocketed it at Philharmagic. Well, it must have fell out. Someone must have returned it to Lost and Found. I got it back. I was able to identify by the box color AND my name sharpie-tag. The CM also said my lock screen pic of Rafiki was outstanding!

[Disney4us2]

So sorry about the lost cap. Just not right...

My DD lost a stuffed toy at California Adventure and we never got it back. I ended up replacing it. It was a small Rudolph and "Santa" found the exact same one on Ebay.

This past Saturday we were at Hollywood Studios. My DD left her water bottle behind. We were at Epcot when she wanted it. We were parked at the Studios parking lot so went back to see if it was there... Lucky for DD they had the water bottle at the podium.