How old for on their own?

[JadeDarkstar]

i think the only thing is "54 inchs to ride or else need an adult?" that is the only thing ive read

 

[Desert Dwellers]

That is a good point, pixleyyy.

Last year, our kids rode the Orange Stinger without us. We just waited near the exit, and it was fine. The height requirement for it is 48 inches. Mullholland Madness is 42 inches.

 

[disney4metoo]

We just recently allowed our daughter (19) & Son (17) go off on their own at Disneyland! I guess I am an overprotective parent!

We have only recently ( in the last year or so) stayed on site, it makes it easier to let them go on their own. We used to stay at the Embassy Suites on Harbor and it is a bus ride back to the hotel, much more difficult!

However, thinking back, I really should have let them on their own when they were 17 & 15 years old.

 

[DizMe]

When I was a kid, my grandma lived relatively close to DL (Huntington Beach) and we lived a little over an hour away ourselves, so we went fairly often. My parents used to just drive up to the front (back then you could do that) and drop us off. We used a pay phone to call when we were ready to come home. They started allowing us to go alone when my sister and I were 9 and 7, respectively. I managed to get a migraine almost every time and I now think that a big part of it was stress related because I was always fine when my parents were there.

Anyway, there were a lot of things my parents let us do when I was a kid that I wouldn't be ok with as a parent myself. I think the suggestions for offering them a *little* bit of independence are great. I also think it's important that they know you are nearby and involved. You'll be able to tell when they're ready, I bet! Kids are rarely shy about expressing things like that. Some kids, me being one of them, take a lot longer before they're comfortable with taking the "risk" of venturing off without parents. It's hard to let them go when they're ready but it's worse to make them go when they're not.

 

[Boo Bear]

I don't have kids, but I remember that when my sister and I were 9 and 12, we were mature enough to do things like that so it depends on the maturity of your kids and how trustworthy you feel they are. Follow your instincts. You are the parent and you will know what to do above what anybody else.

 

[The Orchid]

I don't know how old DS will be, but I know I was wandering Great America (amusement park in San Jose CA) by 10 (with friends).

When I was a kid, we (my friends and me) would wander through Cedar Point all day by ourselves by ten as well. I'm pretty sure we were nine the first time we did that. Our parents would go off to play the games and the kids would go off to ride. It never seemed odd to any of us. We never got in any trouble and we always had enough money to eat.

 

[pixiewings71]

Does Disney have an age for letting kids ride without parents? I'm wondering about this because on occasion DH and I won't want to go on a ride (Mulholland Madness ) and I'd be willing to let them go on it alone. I do have a 12yo very responsible DS that I would let have a little freedom in the parks and to watch over the other 2 on that ride, but I wondered what the "policy" is about riding without parents. Anyone know?

We let the girls ride without us a lot. DBF and I don't like Mulholland Madness, the Orange Stinger and we don't like to do Star Tours or Space Mtn every trip so we will let the girls do those rides without us. They have never had a problem, once a child is tall enough they are tall enough and that's it.

 

[disneynerd420]

I'm starting to think my father was a little neglectful when i was maybe 12 to 13 and he told me to meet him in front of star tours in 3 hours.

I will admit, I had a blast exploring the park by myself.

 

[avalon451]

Isn't this the truth, though? I think a lot of us grew up in a time when it just seemed normal to let your kids have quite a bit independence at age 10 or 12. Heck, I was a latchkey kid by age 10. My best friend and I used to walk a couple of miles on the busy suburban streets to the shopping center when we were 11. There is NO WAY I'd let my kids do that now. It's kind of sad-- there probably aren't any more or worse criminals out there to prey on them, it's just that we're so much more aware of what's out there because of the media.

We talked about letting our DD's go off with the cell phone when they were 10 and almost 13, our first trip at DL. Because DD13 was sick, it never happened, but I think we would have done what many of you do, let them have an hour in a particular area when we were in that area, also.

 

[Queen Elisabeth]

My boys are 11 and 13, and very responsible. We're planning on giving them some time here and there to get in some rides by themselves, with a cell phone and very specific direction and check-in times. We will be doing the princess dinner which they are not interested in going to, and I figured that would be a good time for them to play big kids for awhile.

 

[tommycairns]

I think the answer depends on how well you know your kids. This trip we will allow our boys to roam (8 & 12). They are both quite mature and wordly wise, but then again, we talk about everything, no question is ever off topic, and as such they have both gained the knowledge that we deem sufficient to allow some independence. The world has not really changed that much since I was a kid, we are just more aware of things these days. I think being allowed to be a kid is still one of the most important things we can give our children. They just need to know what they can and can't do.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Our most recent trip to DLR was just the 3 of us (1st time for that) DD is not tall enough for Indiana Jones & CA Screamin' ~ DS rode those by himself several times using the single rider lines (he was almost 9 at this time) ~ he always had a cell phone when he was seperated from us, we'd wait at the exit for him. DD and I had lunch @ Ariel's during this trip ~ DS had no interest in joining us, he rode CA Screamin' several times, I called him every 5 min. or so.

It'll be the same next week ~ just the 3 of us again. We'll go with the same thing again except no meal @ Ariel's. I am glad Gma is joining us for WDW in Oct. though ~ it'll be fun to have her with us and we are not familiar with the parks in FL.