Looking for a little adult time

anorman · May 22, 2015

What age are children allowed to be without supervision at the RPR pool? My two DDs are 12 and 14 this trip and I was hoping that, for a couple of hours one evening, myself and DH would go over to Margaritaville's Porch of Indecision and hang out with a cocktail while listening to music and people watching. I know they have dive in movies some evenings throughout the week which might work out well for my nefarious planning. pirate:

Robo56 · May 22, 2015

I have been to Universal onsite hotels many times and have enjoyed many of the pools onsite with every trip. Will be heading back tomorrow. I have never looked for signs or asked about age limits at pool but, as a grandparent who takes my grandchildren there every year I would not leave them unsupervised at that age. The pools are safe and there seems to be plenty of staff and people around. I would call the hotel directly to inquire about age dependent limits at the pool. I can honestly say I have never felt unsafe at Universal or Disney at all. Maybe I am just a old lioness watching over her cubs. Better to be safe. Have a great time making memories with your family at the parks.

Bluer101 · May 22, 2015

I would not but the choice is yours. I understand you want adult time but that would be for another trip.

Take the kids along and get them some cold stone creamery ice cream and then go over to Margaritaville and enjoy a 1/2 hour or so all together.

anorman · May 22, 2015

Don't get me wrong.....our Florida trips are about family time and we do not look to separate at all when in the parks. We enjoy each others company BUT they are teenagers and very self-centric as expected at that age. It would be nice to get a break from their continual attempts to get Mom's attention (can't you just hear it "Mom.....Mom......Mom"). I love them dearly but a little breathing room would be so pleasant. It would be nice to spend just one or two hours apart from them in the two weeks we are there. I know there are parents out there who allow their kids at a very young age to explore the theme parks unsupervised....I'm not sure what I would feel about that one. My DDs are expert swimmers which is why I would consider the pool time as a good option.

morgan5 · May 22, 2015

I say, go for it. I'm the parent of a 12 and 14 year old, and I would have no problem doing that. You know your kids, and if they are mature enough. 14 year olds are old enough to babysit, and I even know a few 12 year olds that babysit as well, so I see no problem in leaving them at the pool for a dive-in movie or whatever. Usual rules would apply... always stay together (even to go to the bathroom), and 1 of them have a phone to check in with you every so often.

Have fun!

zbsigpi · May 22, 2015

You know you children better than anyone else. Personally I have a 12 year old (he's 5'8" 165 lbs and does strength and conditioning training, if anyone wants to kidnap him then go right ahead, I just hope they have enough money to keep him fed, LOL) and if he and a friend that we take want to hit the pool even the parks without us for a little then go right ahead. We check in on them via phone and they need to pierodically call us as well. It all comes down to what you are comfortable with.

hpriamson · May 22, 2015

We had no problem leaving our 12 & 14 year olds at the HRH pool last month. They're both good swimmers, and not usually idiots. Only rule was they couldn't leave the pool area until they both came back up to the room together. No issues.

Pappa Bear · May 22, 2015

Based entirely on my experience with my GrandGirls who are 13 (going on 26) and 8, left alone, they might kill each other. If your kids are semi-civil to each other then it might work. You know their maturity level and if you are comfortable with it, go for it.

Bluer101 · May 22, 2015

I'm not questioning family time at all. I'm just saying it's not the resorts responsibility to provide supervision. If you are coming here to ask that question then somewhere in your mind you are unsure. But in the end you know your children and what's best for them.

HM · May 22, 2015

The movies at the pool might be a really good solution. As long as they are rule followers and don't plan on swimming alone, I'd probably have left my kids at that age.
My DD and I watched movies two nights out of our trip in March and I think there were a few kids left in lounge chairs without a parent around (they may have been at the Bula Bar or something).

Dee2013 · May 23, 2015

It's always the what-if. What if something DID happen? Would you be able to be notified ASAP? How would your kids feel?

I like HM's idea. Tell them it is a test drive to see how they handle things. Have them do the movie (give each a little $$ for a snack) and you guys are at the Bula bar. Or do the same thing at the Hard Rock.

Or hire a 'sitter' through a service. That person would be a go to adult (easiest job THEY ever had!) then you could have an entire evening without worry! Your mind will always be on them if they are on their own.

CyndiLooWho · May 23, 2015

I probably wouldn't leave them at the pool, but I would have no problems renting them a movie in-room, getting them a pizza, and heading out. I would assume that at least one of them has a cell phone and a level head on his/her shoulders. They can call if there are issues. My pool issues revolve around water safety and not having someone would be watching out for them. Yeah, I send them to summer camp alone, but I know that they have lifeguards specifically watching all the kids in the water. You can't assume that at a hotel pool. And 12/14 is still in the "watch me! I'm gonna do something insanely stupid!" phase. Just my luck, one of them would cannonball onto a 3yo kid or run and slip and split his head open, yanno?

As long as you are ok leaving them while you are at home (that's about the age our boys were when we started leaving them and driving 20 miles to the nearest "big" city for dinner alone), I would think they would be fine. Our guys are 16 and 14, and we are leaving them at WBC for at least one evening while we go to CityWalk for an adult-only dinner at Emeril's or maybe Tchoup Chop at RPR. They know the rules, they have phones, they will be fine.

Yes, this is a family vacation, but Mom and Dad deserve a little pampering, too.

SmallWorld71 · May 23, 2015

I know the signs at the Disney pools state that anyone under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. When mine were 14, 11 and 7, the boys watched their sister at the Hard Rock Pool while DH and I did laundry and nobody batted an eye at them. Age wise, I think you're fine; only you know your kids well enough to know if they can handle it.

Hunterr · May 24, 2015

Depends on the kids. They won't be babysat, but there's a life guard on duty. And I'd imagine at that age, they are fine enough to be left a lone for a little while in a safe resort.
If they get tired, they could also head back to their room.

Bluer101 · May 24, 2015

Hunterr said:
Depends on the kids. They won't be babysat, but there's a life guard on duty. And I'd imagine at that age, they are fine enough to be left a lone for a little while in a safe resort.
If they get tired, they could also head back to their room.

Not to burst anyone's bubble, but no public area is safe. While you are on vacation there, the crooks have plenty of work.

Hunterr · May 25, 2015

You're safer at a theme park reaper than somewhere off property.

cjbcam · May 25, 2015

I would be for this. My two oldest DD (12&10) are excellent swimmers, they compete in swimming and always take first or second and I would not be comfortable leaving them at a pool.
I used to lifeguard and have seen too many things happen so fast. But then again my oldest is only 12.

Bluer101 · May 25, 2015

Hunterr said:
You're safer at a theme park reaper than somewhere off property.

Are you sure of that? Like I said while you are on vacation the crooks have more work than they can handle.

From someone that is there a lot I will just say this, we have seen our fair share of missing/stolen items especially at the pools from guests thinking noting can happen since we are on vacation.

Hunterr · May 26, 2015

oh, i'm referring to worrying about kids being left alone at the pool, not robbing your...towel?
And your room can be robbed when you're at the park too. So i dunno if that has anything to do with the parents running off to grab a drink for a bit.

In any case, if you know your kids well enough to be mature to handle themselves for an hour or 2, fine. If not, wait til they a little older.
By then, they'll wanna get their own alone time anyway from the parents to explore.

anorman · May 26, 2015

We were also considering letting them go into IoA for a while on their own. We would have cell phones. Also, the Porch of Indecision is right next to the exit from IoA. They could drop by for a nice cold beverage (non adult) of their own before we all headed back to the hotel. I have no doubt they could handle themselves for a couple of hours without us. They get along great and love resort/theme park time. We'll see what they want to do and go from there. I think with their level of maturity and having us at the touch of a few buttons, it will be great.....probably for all of us!

Looking for a little adult time

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