No one wants to experience frustration and regret on their Disney vacation, but that is exactly what happened to our Twins TravelingMom on her most recent trip. She wished she had known then what she knows now, and, thankfully, her story had a happy ending. Now she wants to share what she learned with you. These are her best tips for retrieving items for Disney lost and found.

Disney Lost and Found

Whether surprising your kids with their first trip or heading back for another stay this year, a Disney vacation never seems to get old. One unexpected event that can make or break your trip is a lost item. My Disney mistakes taught me a lot about the lost and found process. This information could be a turning point in having a successful vacation. Read on for my best tips on interacting with Lost and Found Cast Members at Disney.

Traveling Moms Share their Disney Lost and Found Stories

Just because I am a Traveling Mom doesn’t mean I am immune to having not-so-magical vacation experiences. When I reached out to my fellow Traveling Moms to see what they had to say, I discovered I was not alone! Many of us have had missing item adventures, and we each had differing levels of success finding our items.

It’s All About The Lost Minnie Ears.

“I took my first trip to Disneyland with my girlfriends in January 2015. Eager to see the differences in attractions from east coast to west coast, I boarded Space Mountain and placed my daughter’s sparkly Minnie ears in the pouch for storing during the ride. After an exhilarating plunge into space, we exited the ride and walked out. Then I remembered…THE EARS. I went back down the exit ramp and asked the Cast Member if we could check the ride for my missing ears. Rut-roh! They were gone. Whether they ended up Lost in Space or on someone’s head, I’ll never know. But I do know that I had to buy a new pair, so I could return them to my daughter,” says Sherri Boswell.

Can You Hear Me Now? Lost Cell Phone.

Shannon Entin says, “When riding Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, my husband’s cell phone fell out of his pocket. We doubted it would be recovered (and certainly not in one piece!), but we stopped at Disney Lost and Found to report it. Two days later, Disney called to say they’d found it while walking the roller coaster. It was our last day at Disney, so Lost and Found graciously put the phone in the mail. The phone arrived at our house the day we got home.”

Lost in Space: Fitbit at Disney World.

“I almost lost my Fitbit at Disney World on my favorite ride, Space Mountain. As we were leaving the arrival area post-ride, a Cast Member tapped me on the shoulder and handed me my Fitbit. It had gotten caught on the exterior of the ride. Lucky for me, the staff did a double check and found it,” shares Sarah Pittard.

A Missing Backpack Finds Its Way Home.

My recent experience has a similar feel to the stories our other Traveling Moms have shared. My sweet husband took our twins to Disney Quest, a now-closed interactive video game arcade in Disney Springs, while I was in meetings all day. He set his backpack down at some point in their adventures and forgot about it.

Luckily, we realized it before we departed Orlando, so we were able to talk to our concierge, Disney Lost and Found, and other Cast Members who were all on the lookout for it. Happily, my husband’s backpack was found and returned to us about a week after we came home.

Lost and Found Locations

There are many locations for missing items throughout the parks and resorts of Walt Disney World. This is a comprehensive list of the physical locations:

Magic Kingdom

• Lost and Found at City Hall (located on the left as you enter the park)

Epcot

• Lost and Found at Guest Relations (just to the right of the fountains at the front of the park)

Hollywood Studios

• Lost and Found at Guest Relations (just to the right of the Crossroads of America Statue)

Animal Kingdom

• Lost and Found at Guest Relations (just to the left of the turnstile entrance)

Water Parks

• Lost and Found at Guest Relations (near the entrance to both water parks)

Disney Springs

• Lost and Found at Disney Springs Welcome Center (located in Town Center near D-Luxe Burger)

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

• Lost and Found at the Box Office (near the ESPN Clubhouse Shop)

Disney Lost and Found Happens to Everyone.

I never want anyone to go through the turmoil and frustration my family went through after our experience at Disney Quest. I’ve gathered a few great tips for increasing the odds of finding a missing item (and also hoping that we’ve learned from our mistakes and it won’t happen again).

Best Tips for Lost & Found Success

It’s All in the Details.

• Find the nearest Cast Member and alert them as soon as you’ve discovered a missing personal item. They will put you in touch with the right people by calling them or handling the situation themselves.
• When you speak to Lost and Found, be sure to be as descriptive as possible about your missing item.
• Have your full name, phone number, reservation number/room number, and mailing address at the ready. After giving a detailed description of our missing item, my husband gave Lost & Found every possible way to contact him.
• Don’t be afraid to ask everyone you can think of for help! Walt Disney World wants your vacation to be magical, and everyone you ask will be willing to help.

Disney Springs Lost & Found

• Disney Springs has their own missing item “hub.” Items are held here for 3 days before sending them to Central Lost and Found. If you’ve lost an item in Disney Springs, talk to them first before calling Central.
• This may be similar at Disneyland and Downtown Disney as well, so be sure to ASK! Our biggest mistake was not asking about this small difference.

Use Social Media!

• I put out an APB on our missing items, and I even tweeted the @WDWToday twitter account. They were very encouraging and helped me spread the word by re-tweeting me!

Follow-up!

• Call, call, and call again. Once you’ve reached out to Lost and Found, don’t let your search die! You aren’t hurting anything by checking in once or twice a day to see if your item has turned up.

Be Kind to Disney Cast Members.

• Finally, be kind to the Cast Members trying to help you. Graciousness and a positive attitude go a long way in getting people to want to help you. No one wants to go out of their way for a grouch!

I know that it’s not always possible to get items back on a Disney vacation. I hope these tips will help increase your chances of success. For more great planning tips, check out these popular Disney posts: