Having your kiddo wait while you ride ..

[mchelle77]

My daughter and I will be going to the parks for only two days (post-cruise) while my husband is off doing other things (hanging at the pool being one!) I've decided on one MK day and a day split between AK/EP.

While at AK, she wanted to do Dinosaur and Primeval Whirl. These are the only two rides we were planning on before heading over to Epcot for the rest of the day. I'd LOVE to do Everest, but she tried it last trip and hated it. She just turned 10 last week.

I'm already missing out on my favorite ride (R&RC - just no time to fit DHS in, especially since she's not into thrill rides) and so I started wondering if (and I don't know if I would even DO this yet, it just popped into my head) she and I could walk into the single rider line for Everest, but then she could wait on the other side where you exit the ride while I go on, and be there when I get back to the platform. Would the CM allow her to wait for me or would they tell her to wait at the exit/gift shop? I would give her my phone (in case she had to call Dad or something, and she could play a game or something while she waited) I feel a little guilty even considering this, but then how different is it from having her go to the kids club on the cruise while we go to dinner for 60-90 minutes? It would literally be 3 minutes and I feel good knowing there are Disney CMs there.

If I get over my guilt over it and decide that we're both OK with it, would the CMs even let us do this?

 

[WDW88]

We ended up leaving our mature ten year old DD with our three year old while my DH, DS(8 years), and myself rode Expedition Everest (and a ride over at US) this past January. I don't think there is anyone "policing" this. They need to be 7 to ride alone, so I'm not sure why they couldn't wait alone at ten years old. If your daughter is comfortable, then I don't see a problem with just letting her wait in the gift shop. I'm pretty certain they will not let her wait on the ride ramp area and will make her go back to the gift shop area. I might tell her to stick near the cash wrap area by a CM just in case she needed some assistance.

 

[2forMe]

I do not see a problem having her wait. I am not sure she would be able to wait on the platform though. She is certainly old enough to wait in the gift shop.

 

[esbee27]

She'll be just fine in my opinion. Frankly, I think it is good for kids to learn a little confidence and independence and that being by yourself is not something to be afraid of. And Disney is pretty much the safest environment to have a little lesson like that.

Another idea if you are very worried would be to have Her go into the single rider line with you and then bail right before getting on (I'm sure there is a "chicken exit"). That would reduce the time you two will be physically separated, especially if the single rider line ends up taking longer than you think.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

DD(12) and I have both waited for each other at various rides since she was about 10. Most memorably, she bet me that I was too chicken to ride Hulk at Universal. Just make sure she has a comfortable place to wait, and you can stay in touch via phone the whole time other than when you are actually on the ride.

 

[lizard1]

I don't see a problem as long as you are comfortable with her waiting and she is mature enough to do so. Last year when we went, I let my 7 year old take the chicken exit at TOT by herself. I gave her instructions and asked if she was okay to do so and she was just fine. She also waited at the exit for us on EE too. These weren't pre-planned, but she chickened out at the end of the line both times (despite having ridden both rides earlier in the trip).

 

[LoverDisney]

This summer my son age 12 at the time waited near the gift shop while my daughter and I rode Mt. Everest. He did the same while we rode Tower of Terror. He is not into thrill rides. He was fine.

 

[staceyeileen]

Hmm, maybe I'm a little naive because I only have a 5yo but people really don't leave 10yos alone?

 

[andreajanowiak]

I remember taking the chicken exit on RnR and other various rides that I had no interest in riding at that age and being fine. As long as she feels comfortable, I say go for it.

 

[bumbershoot]

then she could wait on the other side where you exit the ride while I go on, and be there when I get back to the platform.

She can't do *that* specifically.

But she can tell them she's exiting, then just wait for you at some point along the exit point. Or pick out a specific spot for her to wait. Or let her shop.

 

[FLSarah]

I let my (then) 10 year old wait for me outside Expedition Everest because he didn't want to ride it again. To the right of the gift shop there are a couple stone stairs and a stone wall if I'm remembering correctly. He stood there and watched to see if he could find me when I went down the big drop.

 

[letsgoreds]

My only concern would be if there was a ride stoppage. Just prepare her for that. I like the idea of her having a phone, and maybe she could check in with dad on the phone while you are riding? The chicken exit is a good approach.

I have experienced that with roller coasters (DS6 was riding alone...and it started pouring), and with a waterpark single tube ride. Random mom sent child down first, and then they had to stop riders for 10 minutes. She was 7 and very scared. I stayed with her until her mom was able to get down.

 

[mousefan73]

IMO, your daughter is old enought if she is ok with it. I have down this too with my 9 DS.

I tell him to wait for me in the ride shop at the end of the ride.. RnR has a great shop and he was checking out drum sticks...

Important is to know your kids.. Will she wanter off and get lost, or does she not have a sense of time and will panic.. Make sure she has a watch and let her know it could be longer than planned... I had DS wait once while I was with his sister on splash. I had forgotteon the ride itself was 12 or 13 mintures!!! but he was ok.

I like the shops as its enclosed and if need be, Alot of CMS to help if something goes wrong..
I figure if my kid walks to school, they can wait a few minutes in a shop for me.

 

[chrissyb2411]

I have an almost 10 year old (next month). He's a nervous Nellie and would never agree to being left alone in a crowded place. However, I wouldn't think twice about it if he was comfortable. On our trip last week he wandered off a bit on his own, never far and never long but tested the idea.

I think if the wait is long, and you don't have a fastpases I would have her stay in line with you, then exit at the last minute with plans to meet you. I don't know that I would want her hanging out alone in the gift shop the whole time if it's a 40 minute wait, if it were me.

Have fun.

 

[Cedarmom]

Hmm, maybe I'm a little naive because I only have a 5yo but people really don't leave 10yos alone?

It depends on the 10 year old. My current 11 yo? No problem leaving him like that at 10. My current 9 year old? There's no way I could do what the OP is suggesting with him in a year. He would be on the other side of the park by the time I got back! My 6 year old? I could probably leave her in charge of her 9 year old brother right now.

 

[anniemae]

I think 10 is fine to leave in the gift shop while you ride. I would have her wait in line with you then exit to the gift shop when you are about to ride. She will only be alone for a short time. There are cm all over the shops if she ran into trouble, but I doubt she would. I would give her the phone and have her call her dad to check in. I don't ride the thrill rides, but I assume they all empty into a gift shop. As long as you and your DH both agree she can handle it, I would think it's fine.

 

[sharona]

Definitely be prepared for ride stoppages! Last trip to Universal my DD11 and I decided to use the single rider line to ride Gringott's and meet in the gift shop. I went first so she would not be outside by herself but the way they board the cars on 2 sides, she ended up leaving the terminal first. Right before my car left the terminal, not even a minute later, there was an issue with the people in the car behind us wanting to get off (they had a young child who was crying and a mom in a panic). The ride had to shut down and restart because of them. It was only a 10 minute delay. When I exited DD was not in the gift shop. I looked and looked around the gift shop then thought maybe she was at the lockers and went there but she wasn't. Then I thought maybe I missed her when I was in the lockers so I checked outside and then the gift shop again. It was mid day and totally packed. Of course our phones were in the locker! People were exiting the ride but no DD. Totally starting to panic it was at least 30 minutes but seemed more like an hour before she materialized in the gift shop. The car she was in had been in the middle of the ride when they did the shut down. I guess they had to finish out the ride without any of the screens working. When they got to the end, they were given the option of riding again immediately, which she didn't think twice about. She assumed that I had also ridden again and had no idea that I was losing my mind looking for her.

 

[Ratpack]

As others have said, if the child is OK with it, then no problem. We have left our kids in the git shop when they were that age.

 

[tsme]

I'm in the minority. I wouldn't have let my DD wait alone when she was 10. I wouldn't have felt comfortable and I don't think she would have either.

 

[Iowajes]

I personally would have her go through the line with you and then chicken exit, rather than spend the entire time waiting without you in a gift shop or something.

Just tell the cast member as you are loading that she has decided not to ride (heck, maybe being in line she will decide TO ride) and she can wait along the exit path for you.

(I do this for pretty much every ride, since I cannot ride rollercoasters due to a neck injury. But it is more fun to wait in line with friends/family then to wait outside of the lines by myself.)

If it was more than just the two of you, going to do an alternate activity might be more fun, but since it is just the two, have her chicken exit. For rides that load and unload at the same place, you can usually just walk over the seat and wait on the other side of the platform. Just tell/ask the cast member so they know how to load the cars properly.