16 year teens to park alone?

Disney Khaleesi · Jan 16, 2017

I took a trip to Disney World at age 14 with my school's choir-so no parental supervision at all. We were allowed free range of whatever park we went to so long as we traveled with at least one other person. It was a district-wide trip so the only chaperones we had were the Choir/Band/Orchestra teachers who were all responsible for their own group of students. Obviously I have a bit of a different perspective but Disney is easy enough to navigate and I'd imagine at 17 your DD's friend with Type 1 would be capable of managing it without constant parental supervision.

Lynzer4 · Jan 16, 2017

At 17 I went to Europe (it wasn't an school trip but organized via the school) and we toured the multiple cities we were in alone (in groups). We just had to make sure there was at least 2 people. We had those bus tour passes where you could hop on and off to see the sites.

So by all means... let them wonder around by themselves. Today everyone has cellphones and you could probably feel like you are there with them if you follow them on snap chat. LOL

They are a year or two away from going to college and living by themselves so traveling around WDW won't be an issue. I would imagine that 16 year olds that live in (around) Orlando drive to Disney and go to the parks often!

Pea-n-Me · Jan 16, 2017

PrincessWithABlaster said:
I think it would be fine but I would suggest one thing. Sure a 16 year old knows how to manage her diabetes. Most adults do too, but sometimes even they misjudge things and end up in insulin shock. And Disney would be a prime place to misjudge things. You aren't eating normally. You may have an incentive to push it (yeah, I'm feeling off but we've been waiting for 25 mins, I don't want to get out of line for a snack now). i would think it would be smart for the OPs DD to know the signs of insulin shock and know what to do to help her friend just in case. Alittle extra caution and I think they'd be fine.

Yes, plus she may be hot, sweaty, and using up more energy than usual. Definitely something to take into consideration.

WhispyPixie · Jan 16, 2017

From a parent that has 4 grown kids...yes

AngiTN · Jan 16, 2017

I'd go with it's perfectly fine. We went to Disney when in High School, no parent in the state, much less in the parks.
Yes, we had chaperones but we weren't with them at any point during the times in the parks. We were 100% on our own.

Annadesu · Jan 16, 2017

I'm sure at that age, the teen knows how to take care of her medical issues herself. When I was 14, my mom would dump us at the theme park all day. She made it perfectly clear that if we did anything stupid while alone, we would pay dearly, so we never did anything bad. lol

memakwed · Jan 16, 2017

I would say ask the parent of the friend if that's acceptable to their parenting style. While she is allowing her child to go with you on the trip she may have expectations of where her child is in relation to you as in at the resort while you're on the resort premises or in the same theme park. I think they are old enough to manage just fine but instead of our opinions you should probably get hers.

BRC6C · Jan 16, 2017

I'll echo everyone else saying it's fine! Also to add that first aid is great. DH forgot to bring his glucose checker to the park one day and stopped by first aid and they had one he could use no problem.

PSUGuy · Jan 16, 2017

After several WDW trips our 13 yr old son knew the transportation system at least as well as we did so we cut him loose. We'd tour as a family until noon and after that he and his older sisters were on their own, if that's what they wanted. We'd have a rendezvous time and place for later. This started before all of us had cell phones.

Bill From PA

eagleoneoh · Jan 16, 2017

I did it when when i was 14 but had stick meet up times a few times a day with my parents

amberpi · Jan 16, 2017

I was in college about 3 hours away from my parents about that age...the late 90s were scary too, do you remember the clothes?

The kids will have a blast! You will too.

MouseTeens · Jan 16, 2017

mom42860 said:
Just posted this in the Teens Forum for their perspective and I know this is a loaded question but I have been searching the forums for advice and not having many results. I am wondering about letting 2 teens (16 actually closer to 17) go to the parks alone. We are staying at CSR and I will be attending some convention events during the day. I was thinking they can get up a little later and take the bus to Epcot 1 day and Hollywood Studios another. I would have them come back to the resort to swim in the afternoon and we would head out together late afternoon. We also have 2 days where we would explore together before heading home. One of the teens is a Type 1 Diabetic with a pump so I want to be realistic when approaching her mom with this idea.

I can tell you that in our MouseTeens.com community there are plenty of kids who not only manage the parks alone, they handle planning entire trips alone. Huge numbers of teens travel to WDW on school trips, cheer trips, dance trips, and many do it without their parents joining them.

No one knows your kids better than you but based on the information you shared, you should have minimal concern about cutting them loose!

DisneyOma · Jan 16, 2017

mom42860 said:
Just posted this in the Teens Forum for their perspective and I know this is a loaded question but I have been searching the forums for advice and not having many results. I am wondering about letting 2 teens (16 actually closer to 17) go to the parks alone. We are staying at CSR and I will be attending some convention events during the day. I was thinking they can get up a little later and take the bus to Epcot 1 day and Hollywood Studios another. I would have them come back to the resort to swim in the afternoon and we would head out together late afternoon. We also have 2 days where we would explore together before heading home. One of the teens is a Type 1 Diabetic with a pump so I want to be realistic when approaching her mom with this idea.

Whether they are at the parks or in the room, you're going to be at a convention, so what difference does it make where they are? At least at the parks there is first aid if needed, plenty of people to go to for help if the diabetes becomes an issue, etc. At the resort they have to call for assistance - there's no first aid.

perditax · Jan 16, 2017

I'm of the generation that was turned loose in Epcot at age 12 or 13--on a school trip.

mom42860 · Jan 16, 2017

Thank you, thank you for all the great replies! The 2 of them have been friends dealing with the Type 1 since kindergarten, they have done daily checks, walks, sporting events and Diabetes camp together which is why I chose her to come with us, I wanted to show them that people deal with all kinds of medical issues (we are attending a hearing loss conference through Cochlear). From talk to the mom, the fact that that first aid had a glucose monitor, to the horror of 90's style your replies are wonderful

Betty Rohrer · Jan 16, 2017

mom42860 said:
Just posted this in the Teens Forum for their perspective and I know this is a loaded question but I have been searching the forums for advice and not having many results. I am wondering about letting 2 teens (16 actually closer to 17) go to the parks alone. We are staying at CSR and I will be attending some convention events during the day. I was thinking they can get up a little later and take the bus to Epcot 1 day and Hollywood Studios another. I would have them come back to the resort to swim in the afternoon and we would head out together late afternoon. We also have 2 days where we would explore together before heading home. One of the teens is a Type 1 Diabetic with a pump so I want to be realistic when approaching her mom with this idea.

just thinking our loud but for the Type 1 what is the difference at resort by selves or at a park at their ages they could go to pool by selves which I would be just as worried about. just make sure other teen knows what to do if other has a problem

mjkacmom · Jan 17, 2017

My 13 and daughter 15 year old walked around NYC with friends a few months ago. My oldest took a 5 hour bus ride to and from Boston when she was 16. School trips let students wander around WDW without chaperones. Any typical kids 12 or older should've be cheaper capable of this.

kohlby · Jan 18, 2017

I would allow it - but I'd also make sure to ask the other parent not in front of the teens. That way, if the other parent doesn't like the idea, one person doesn't have to be the bad guy.

As for when I went, I was 14 and my friend was 13. She probably looked 16 and I likely looked 8 though. We stayed at a campground with the boy scouts and left on our own and came back. We didn't have cell phones. We just had the rule that we had to be back by a certain time, stay together, and let our parents know which park we were going to be in. (Though, the options were just MK and EP most of the time. There was a soft opening of MGM though while we were there).

Disney uses 14 as the minimum age. So, they are set as long as the parents are on board!

AshleeH · Jan 19, 2017

My philosophy - if a child is old enough to drive, they are old enough to have freedom on vacation. They are only a little over a year away from being out of the house and then they can go anywhere they want to without checking or telling anyone. My son is nearing the age where we are going to start giving him freedom on our Disney trips, with the stipulation that he makes sure his phone is on at all times.

16 year teens to park alone?

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