Parents Leave Kids With Mary Poppins and Wander Off at Disney Park

In a strange turn of events at the Disney Parks, some parents have been known to leave their kid with a Mary Poppins Cast Member and wander off.

While Guests have been known to behave in all sorts of strange ways at the Parks — Walt Disney World, Disneyland, you name it — it appears sometimes they take the fantasy a little too far. Cast Members will occasionally speak out about some of the most bizarre things they have seen while on shift, but abandoning children with a character performer is a new one for us.

Related: Disney Recasts ‘Aging’ Princesses as Mary Poppins and the Fairy Godmother

Yes, a Disney Cast Member spoke to Bloomberg and detailed how absurdly parents have behaved in the past, treating the Cast Member like their kid‘s nanny.

“On more than one occasion, I’ve seen parents just leave their children with Mary Poppins and wander off,” says a former Character. Adults often embrace their inner children at the parks rather than watch their own. “It’s like, ‘Here, stay with her, she’ll take care of you—she’s a governess!’  Inevitably, Miss Poppins has to stay Chim-Chim-cheery despite missing breaks to take her disoriented wards to the Lost Child Center.”

Related: Disney Cast Member Issues Another ‘Be Kind’ PSA to Guests

Typically when a child is lost, Cast Members will stay with the child and let their leader or security Cast Member know. They would also remain at the location where they found the kid in the hope that a parent is close by. If a parent can’t be found, kids under 12 are taken to Baby Care and kids over 12 are taken to Guest Relations. In most cases, parents are nearby and are quickly found because they’re also looking for their children.

But we never thought we’d see the day when parents actually left their children with a complete stranger just to go live a fantasy. It’s important to remember Mary Poppins is simply not there to be your child’s nanny.

Cast Members already have a ton of responsibilities while onsite. Despite their hectic day-to-days, no matter how they might feel — tired, stressed out, or completely annoyed by a “Treasured Guest’s” aggravating antics — they keep their pleasing demeanor intact and keep the magic alive for Guests all around.

Alongside making sure to not mistake the Mary Poppins Cast Member for a real-live nanny, here are some more “don’t”s that we at Disney Fanatic compiled to make it easy for all visitors:

Read More: Here Are Things You Should NEVER Say to Disney Cast Members

Cast Members are an integral part of the Disney Park experience, and making sure we remember to treat them as such is key to having a magical time at Walt Disney World the next time you’re there.