Arcades safe?

[keylime27]

I know this probably differs family to family, but we are trying to decide if we will feel comfortable letting our DS8 go to the arcade by himself. We are staying at POFQ. I'm guessing it will also depend on how far from our room the arcade is. We are visting WDW in July and plan on coming back to our room during the hottest part of the day for DS2 (and DH and I, lol) to take a nap. DS8 might be too excited to rest everyday, so he asked about the arcade. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[lsenquiz]

I think you are correct it would differ from family to family. I would never be able to do that but some(my DH) think I am an over protective mother.

 

[mydisneykids]

I agree it differs from family to family and some of the threads on these boards I have heard people going crazy over letting kids go into the bathrooms by themselves or saying 16 is too young to walk a park with their friend.

I am protective but not as protective as some of the people I have read, yet I have to say I would not be able to do it. If they were with a bit older brother or sister I would be more likely. Although, the thought of them being totaly alone and walking by other hotel room doors where anyone could grab them and pull them in and nobody would know would have me in too much of a panic. I let my kids go off with a friend in the parks at 13, but a resort with room doors and alone is another story.

We have been in that position as well and brought a small dvd player with headphones for my son. They have played their ds if they couldn't sleep or read a book as well. Everyone just had to follow the rules that it was quiet time to nap for who needed that day.

 

[madzy]

Personally, I think 8 is still a bit young to be alone in an arcade. If he was a bit older or maybe with another child then maybe but to be on the safe side I think I would go with him or not allow him to go at all.

 

[Lynne M]

I wouldn't consider myself overprotective at all, and I'd have to say no. The thing is, he has to be mature enough to handle any situations that might come up.

Would you be comfortable leaving him at your local mall for an hour or two? Would he know what to do if there was a fire? What if someone came up to him and said that you'd sent them to get him? Or said that you were hurt and he'd take him to you? Would he go with them, or would he be mature enough to say no and go to a cast member?

Disney resorts have very good security and I feel quite safe there, but they're not crime-free zones.

 

[Mom2Elliot]

I let my eight year old go to the arcade, but with her almost 13 year year old brother. They had a set time to be back and they had to stay together.

 

[allyphoe]

My will-be-8yo IMHO is not old enough to hang out in the arcade on her own while I'm in the room. I would let her hang out in the arcade with me in the building.

The last time we stayed on-property, she was just-turned-6, and she was allowed to negotiate the Pop food court on her own (so she could refill her mug / get silverware and napkins / dump trash out of my sight, while I stayed at the table), wait at a table out of my sight while I got food (resort and parks), and "lead the way" back to the hotel room using any route she saw fit (which often meant she'd take the elevator up to the 4th floor, run down to the stairs at the end, and meet me at the door on the 2nd floor). So I don't think I'm particularly overprotective.

 

[Mom2aJessieGirl]

I know this probably differs family to family, but we are trying to decide if we will feel comfortable letting our DS8 go to the arcade by himself. We are staying at POFQ. I'm guessing it will also depend on how far from our room the arcade is. We are visting WDW in July and plan on coming back to our room during the hottest part of the day for DS2 (and DH and I, lol) to take a nap. DS8 might be too excited to rest everyday, so he asked about the arcade. Any advice would be appreciated.

I would say that 8 is too young to be alone in the arcade. With an older sib, or with a friend...I may consider it.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

{Flame Proof Suit On}

1) Let the kid go.
2) Disney is safe.
3) Beside, the kid will feel more grown up by himself/herself.
4) Do you guard your child every minute at home at 8yo?
. . . do they go out in the neighborhood by themselves
. . . do they go to school by themselves
. . . you cannot guard an 8yo all the time, even at home
. . . why should Disney be different
5) People don't realize how really old 8yo's are these days.
6) Besides, the arcades are not huge areas populated by deviants.

 

[carrie1626]

My honest 2 cents- not even in WDW would I let an 8 yr old by themselves, anywhere, for any length of time. ( and I mean here "not more than seconds away")

I would be comfortable hanging out by the pool close to the arcade door with child in the arcade so I could pop-in. The resorts I've been to- they're both usually very close to each other.

 

[Sammie]

Will something happen, more than likely not.

Could something happen, yes.

http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO50981/

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,146699,00.html

http://www.wesh.com/news/22113893/detail.html

I would not do it, especially alone. I agree with Lynne, unless you are comfortable putting your child out at a local mall or even a mall not local, then no.

 

[dzorn]

No I would not send my 8 year old alone to the arcade or anywhere at Disney actually.

Denise in MI

 

[ImTheMama]

Just keep in mind that if you let them do it at Disney then they will want to do it at home as well....are you prepared to hear "But mom you let me hang out at the arcade at Disne!!!!! Why can't I go here with my friends?!?!?!". Just a thought.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

POFQ is really small. I would let him do it. If it makes you feel better, you can buy one of those throw away cell phones to let him hold on to.

 

[ancestry]

I don't allow my 8 year olds go off alone anywhere at Disney. They just aren't old enough yet in my opinion. I wouldn't consider it until around the age of 12.

 

[WantToGoNow]

I would let my ds go to the arcade alone with his cell phone in his pocket. He is 9 now but he has been playing outside and touring the neighborhood with his friends since he was 7 or so. My dd7, no I wouldn't let her. She's more likely to "wander" than ds is so she would probably end up somewhere other than the arcade.

 

[minniebeth]

My personal opinion is that I would not let my 8yo go to the arcade by himself in this situation. Yes, we have stayed at POFQ.

 

[Lumiere Lover]

Although I love Disney, I would never let an 8 year old alone in an arcade. POFQ is a small resort, but the Arcade is in the main building. You won't be able to see your child from any angle, unless you are in the arcade.

I'm sorry, but I think 8 years old is too young, even at Disney.

 

[disfreak2]

I have an 11 year old son and even at this age would not let him go anywhere alone even at Disney. I do feel safe there but anything could happen. My son is becoming more responsible and making better decisions all the time but he is not there yet. My husband says I am not overprotective. I agree that it would vary greatly from family to family.

 

[fairymommy]

I can only speak for myself, but my job as a mom is to protect my children. There are tons of perverts and molesters out there. I don't want my child to have to live with being violated for the rest of their life. So I don't mind being called overprotective. I wouldn't even let my 11 yr old son go anywhere by himself at disney. If we want to nap and they don't they will just stay in the room and watch tv.