1st time trip to WDW for me and DD 10years old

[jessieRN]

Think my DD who is 10 has outgrown the princess dress up and characters (some) what should I plan that would be appropriate for my tween?
Excited for our first trip in 2/2014

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

The tween years are fun. I find that DD(11) is both younger and older at Disney. I make a conscious effort to let her exercise some new found independence in a safe environment (making purchases, riding some rides alone, being the "runner" if we need something while we are waiting on a parade/fireworks/etc.). She wants to get her hair done at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, but she wants to wear her own fancy dress rather than looking like a Disney princess. She also likes to be part of the planning and pick restaurants and experiences herself. Believe it or not, she always picks Les Chefs de France, because she wants to order their escargot, and she has been asking to go over to Universal next time to see the Blue Man Group.

Does she have a favorite character? DD isn't at all interested in waiting in line to meet characters, but she enjoys the character meals and if we come across a character with little or no line, she wants to meet them. Since she loves Stitch, I make sure to always plan a breakfast at 'Ohana.

DD also loves rides, and if it was up to her, she would pick a ride for the day and do it over and over and over again. I don't know if that is a tween thing or just her personality.

 

[jessieRN]

That was very helpful . I believe we have reservations at Ohana. Thanks for the great info :

 

[DISNEYNV]

My DD is nine and has outgrown the princesses and character meet and greets too, but she still wanted to do a Character meal. We also loved Ohana for breakfast and are planning on it again this May. She wore a Brave dress last year, but this coming trip she doesnt want too, however I was thinking about horseback riding at Wilderness Lodge or the Tea Party at the Grand Floridian as something special for my soon to be tween. Maybe have your nails done in Disney motif together before you go on your trip. Or let her get the colored extentions to wear in her hair. The Norway dinner with the Princesses was fun too. You get to see them, get autographs if you wish, and pictures, but you are not there just for the character interaction. Food was good and different. My daughter also loved watching the fireworks, and checking out Animal Kingdom last year, as well, and we had fun just touring the trek walks and riding Everest and the Safari more than once. Its a fun age because they can wait fairly patiently in lines, you dont have extreme meltdowns, and lets face it...those scratchy princess dresses are sort of a pain to carry around after they get hot or tired of wearing them in the parks. No strollers either Have fun. There is something for everyone at Disney!!!!

 

[MARCIAKAZ]

On our first trip, when my girls were 15 and 8, they both loved getting their faces painted at Animal Kingdom, and loved riding the Surrey Bike at the Boardwalk. Then when the 8 year old was 16, she brought her best friend on our trip--the friend was crazy for the princesses and other characters, too, so Disney definitely can bring the little kid out! Is she also a Star Wars fan? If so, Hollywood Studios has the Jedi Training Academy. We didn't do it, but the kids we saw doing it seemed to be having a great time--most were in the 8-12 age range. Pin-trading is another thing. Lots of info about it on these boards and elsewhere, if you want to learn more about it.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Maybe she would like afternoon tea at the GF? The Cinderella meal at the GF is also good for older kids. The step sisters are there and they are a hoot!!! Maybe a spa treatment or nails done at the GF? Maybe a late night at one of the parks riding anything she wants? A bit of shopping at DTD?

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We took DD13 for the first time at 11 last Summer. Surprisingly, she still wanted to meet a lot of characters (we don't watch that many Disney movies), though she wasn't nearly into the princess lunch like her little sister. No interest at all in BBB. And though she enjoyed all of Disney, she ranked Magic Kingdom beneath Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and both water parks. At least it beat DHS

I guess the bottom line is, you just never know with that age.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

Our dd as young teen, still enjoyed a converted Minnie dress into a skirt with ears, and a big lavender bow with a Daisy colored top with a whit skirt. Especially just for a charcter breakfast or meet and greet...it really depends on the kiddo.

 

[laughinplace199]

I took my DD on a mother-daughter trip when she was 11. We'd been many times as a family, but never just us girls.

We went to see Cirque de Soleil, and we did the Wishes Dessert Party. We also spent a lot of time in Epcot, exploring the countries (something her younger brothers don't enjoy, so we typically don't spend tons of time in WS).

 

[mousehunter3]

My DD (10) enjoyed the character meals, but probably could have done without (her two younger brothers still really enjoyed them). She said she didn't want to do BBB, but when we were in DTD and walked past the BBB, then she said she wanted to get her hair done! Of course, they didn't have openings, but she was happy to be sprinkled with fairy dust by the CM. She certainly would not have wanted to do the whole costume thing like she did when she was 6 though.

I think it's up to the individual child- that's a tough age. Some still like that stuff and some don't.

ETA: Of all the things we did on the trip to WDW when she was 6, the thing that sticks in her mind the most is the night when she and I filled our resort mugs with Hot Chocolate and sat on the deck at our resort together to watch the fireworks (while daddy stayed back at the room to put brothers to bed). It's always those simple moments that end up being the most special.