Advice on guidelines for a person coming to WDW with you...

[Matt@WDWR]

Hey! My wife and I are taking our 3 girls (10, 6, and 1) to WDW and staying at the Fort Wilderness Cabins. After we booked the trip we thought about inviting somebody to go with us so that my wife and I could ride a few rides together. We are inviting my 20 year old cousin. She is a very sweet and responsible girl in college. So, I have no trust issues with her regarding the girls. We have already paid for the cabin obviously. I also am buying her 8 day parkhopper passes and paying for her meals. The only thing I told her was to just bring spending money for souvenirs although we will probably buy her one thing or so as a thank you.

My wife and I will probably go out by ourselves one evening (Citricos) for a nice dinner but besides that, we will probably do most things together. I am most excited about actually getting to ride roller coasters with my wife again!

Does anybody have any suggestions on maybe how to give her some alone time? She is certainly old enough to walk the parks by herself if she wants to for a bit. However, since she is my uncle's daugheter, I will try and watch out for her. She is very close to my kids so maybe I could let her walk around with one or two of my older daughters at times. I am hesitant to want her to go to the parks by herself at night although she is an adult obviously.

Any help from people who have done this before?


Thanks,

Matt

 

[maroo]

I am considerably older than your neice...but I have heard of lots of people sending teenagers to the parks "alone" and even taking bus transportation.

I really can't think of anything that can go wrong there. There are just too many people for her to get into trouble and not be able to get a CM to help her, etc. She will have a cell phone, right? In case she needs something. And make sure whoever she would be calling actually has their cell phone turned on and willing to answer it. That was a problem for us occasionally...we could not reach each other when we needed to change plans or something.

I would think the might get lonesome walking around alone and would probably want to have someone with her.

When I went with a family, we had some time when I was with their daughter (she is disabled) and the rest of their family had some time to themselves...and I had some time with her Mom by ourselves, too...to just hang out and do girly stuff! And I gave the parents a break, too, at times...

So I would just mix it up. I would definitely talk about her expectations for alone time vs. time with the kids etc. She may think she will be touring alone a lot more than you think or she may be totally opposed to the idea anyway.

Very, very nice of you to provide tickets, meals, and lodging! I hope she knows what an opportunity that is!!

 

[Matt@WDWR]

Thanks for the advice. My oldest daughter is pretty mature so I would probably think it is okay for the two of them to walk around together. I will have to supress my "overprotective Daddy genes" while she is with her though. hahaha

 

[Renysmom]

Overall, I am hesitant to go anywhere alone at night but at WDW I never am, there are always people around in the evenings..

I think the important thing is to just have the talk about remembering to keep her street smarts working. It's very easy to let your guard down at WDW.

 

[Carolinagal]

.... if it were me, I would maybe take her to whatever park she/they want to visit, and then meet them when they want to come home. You are at Fort Wilderness? so they will be taking the boats, right? Just take a quick ride with them to the Magic Kingdom, and make sure they know how to get from the boat launch to the park. Then, when they get ready to leave, either go meet them at the park and sail back, or meet them on the dock when they return.

I would be tempted to ride the bus all the way to other parks with them if they choose to go to the other parks. A little inconvenient, sure, but at least you know they have arrived and leave safely.

Once in the parks they should be fine, and there are lots of signs and cast members to help those directionally challenged, but the whole getting from the boat launch or bus stop to your cabin may be trickier.

Of course, I am assuming that she does not know the parks as well as some vets. And you will want to make sure your daughter absolutely is under strict instructions to stay with cousin and knows how to contact you herself.

They will be fine - and you are very nice to think of it

 

[kafitty]

as a 22 year old college student, i think she'll be fine by herself.

a PP was right though, it's just being aware of your surroundings and staying in public, well-lit places, etc. But those are life skills, and there's no better place to learn than WDW!

and you can be my uncle any time

 

[exwdwcm]

if she is in college, she obviously can do things on her own. If you were in a dangerous place, i could understand worrying about her, but you will be at disney, it is overall pretty safe.

heck, at 20, many kids were already working at disney on the college program, so i am sure she can navigate the parks and transportation just fine. I've seen 12 yos set loose on their own, including getting back to the room and park hopping. So she should be fine- just be sure she knows how to get around. and of course you are always a cell phone call away, right?

 

[Matt@WDWR]

Don't get me wrong, I would never tell her what she couldnt do. haha I was just wondering what others thought. I would never treat her like she is a hired babysitter but at the same time, I want this to be a family trip. I will definitely let her take my oldest to MK by herself at night if she wants to. Thanks for the reassurance!

I need to ask her if she has ever even been to WDW. I am sure she has but her father, my uncle, is a notorious cheap skate. So if they did, they didnt do it "Disney Style". haha

 

[exwdwcm]

if you were going to have help somewhere and let them go off on there on, disney is the place to do it!

while the younger kids might tire out and need tucked in early, maybe she can take your older daugther to an EMH night or something. I think that would be fun and good bonding time for them too.

have a great trip- it sounds like fun and i love Ft. W!

Don't get me wrong, I would never tell her what she couldnt do. haha I was just wondering what others thought. I would never treat her like she is a hired babysitter but at the same time, I want this to be a family trip. I will definitely let her take my oldest to MK by herself at night if she wants to. Thanks for the reassurance!

I need to ask her if she has ever even been to WDW. I am sure she has but her father, my uncle, is a notorious cheap skate. So if they did, they didnt do it "Disney Style". haha

 

[TXYankee]

I think she would be fine on her own.

I think you need to talk to her and see what she wants to do for her "down time". She might want to take a morning tour(segway or Keys to the Kingdom), or explore a Park by herself one afternoon. 20 year olds have different interests then 10 year olds.

I went to WDW with my 18 and 20 year old nephews (along with 5 and 8 year old neices) and the young men hung out with the family in the evening, but wanted to skip some of the mornings and sleep in, relax by the pool, or check out the the parks with out the kiddies. She and your wife may like some grown up girl time at DTD shopping or a trip to a spa.

I do solo trips and love time to linger and explore on my own.