At what age would you let your child wait for you outside of a ride alone?

[V.I.N.CENT.]

We were comfortable at 13, with a cell phone.

 

[foolish_mortals]

I do consider Disneyland a safe place.

Disney is safe but definitely remind your kids that it’s still public.

I had some sceezy dude with his young toddler try to hit on me when I was 16 and waiting for a friend. He did kinda freak out and leave when I told him my age, but it’s not like I looked that much older. Felt really bad for his kid that he was obviously using as a prop.

 

[DLgal]

Something to keep in mind in this discussion, especially lately, is that the child needs to be mature enough to be waiting alone for potentially a LONG time if a ride breaks down while the parents are on it. This is happening so often now that you have to assume any ride you get on might stop mid ride and you may be stuck for a bit before a CM gets you out. This has happened to us recently on a few rides. This is where it is immensely helpful for the child to have a cell phone so you can communicate with them.

If your kid can't be okay alone for at least an hour, don't leave them waiting for you outside a ride. Wait until they are old enough or skip that ride altogether.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Something to keep in mind in this discussion, especially lately, is that the child needs to be mature enough to be waiting alone for potentially a LONG time if a ride breaks down while the parents are on it. This is happening so often now that you have to assume any ride you get on might stop mid ride and you may be stuck for a bit before a CM gets you out. This has happened to us recently on a few rides. This is where it is immensely helpful for the child to have a cell phone so you can communicate with them.

If your kid can't be okay alone for at least an hour, don't leave them waiting for you outside a ride. Wait until they are old enough or skip that ride altogether.

That's a good point. With ILL/Genie+ it might be tempting to think "it's only 15 minutes" but life doesn't always work out that way. It once took us almost an hour to get through Guardians in DCA with Genie+ and without a ride breakdown beyond only running 1 tower. There is no way we would have guessed that in advance.

 

[Malcon10t]

Something to keep in mind in this discussion, especially lately, is that the child needs to be mature enough to be waiting alone for potentially a LONG time if a ride breaks down while the parents are on it. This is happening so often now that you have to assume any ride you get on might stop mid ride and you may be stuck for a bit before a CM gets you out. This has happened to us recently on a few rides. This is where it is immensely helpful for the child to have a cell phone so you can communicate with them.

If your kid can't be okay alone for at least an hour, don't leave them waiting for you outside a ride. Wait until they are old enough or skip that ride altogether.

Or the opposite. We frequently let the kids ride. They know they may get stuck and they know we will be waiting and they may have to wait on the ride a while. They view E-Stops as adventures, but I know not all kids will.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Or the opposite. We frequently let the kids ride. They know they may get stuck and they know we will be waiting and they may have to wait on the ride a while. They view E-Stops as adventures, but I know not all kids will.

I worry less about the ride breaking down for them. Unless they are actually ON the ride when it breaks down they can always leave if they get nervous, and from a parent's perspective they will only exit in 1 of 2 ways. Plus you can use "Find My" or the Android equivalent to see where they are at all times. Even though it may feel like freedom for them you have a lot more control.

When DS was 9 or 10 we let him and his best friend ride a roller coaster than neither mom wanted to be a part of. We showed them where the exit was, dropped them off in the line, and then sat and waited for them to come out. They were all smiles about 30 minutes later.

 

[juxtapose]

My daughter is 10 and with a phone I'd let her now, assuming I also had a phone and could text her if the ride got delayed. She walks home from the bus and stays alone for short periods of time at home. She's mature and will sit on a bench/couch reading for hours. My son is 7 and I do not see him being okay at that age to be left as he has never been mature and is very active/destructive.

 

[Malcon10t]

I worry less about the ride breaking down for them. Unless they are actually ON the ride when it breaks down they can always leave if they get nervous, and from a parent's perspective they will only exit in 1 of 2 ways. Plus you can use "Find My" or the Android equivalent to see where they are at all times. Even though it may feel like freedom for them you have a lot more control.

When DS was 9 or 10 we let him and his best friend ride a roller coaster than neither mom wanted to be a part of. We showed them where the exit was, dropped them off in the line, and then sat and waited for them to come out. They were all smiles about 30 minutes later.

Yes, if there is a break down and they aren't on the ride, not a biggie. But I always wanted to make sure they knew what to do if they get walked off. Also, if they are on a ride and get returned to a different exit (ie Racers.) The oldest is 11 and she has been in training for about 6 years! Her request for her 7th birthday was to ride single rider. Well, riding single rider amounted to her and her "girl friends" (teens of my friends who come and help, they were 16 and 18 then) where one friend was in front of her, and one behind, but she felt independent on Matterhorn. We did limit the rides.

 

[starlite_]

I was doing fastpass runs at around 12 I think while my parents took care of my baby sibling. It depends on the kid, around 11-12 seems like a good age to me if the kid is comfortable.

 

[serendipityaey]

10 with a cell phone and we had a fast pass

 

[Chickinvic]

Depends on the kid. I was taking the bus downtown (from home) and walking the 4 blocks from the downtown bus stop to get to my swimming lessons at the YMCA at 6 years old, then walking back to the bus stop and getting back home at 6 lol. For me, I could have been waiting outside a ride at a very young age with no issue. For some kids, depending on their maturity level and comfort level, they would probably be closer to 12. My own kid could have easily done this by 8 or 9.

 

[olafgypsy]

10 with a cell phone and we had a fast pass

I think this would be my comfort zone too. I am leaning toward doing this for GotG if my 9-year-old is okay with it. But if he freaks out (which is likely) I won't do it.

 

[GoldeneyezCA]

I’m a fan of the chicken exit for my 9 yo due to the shorter wait time and the presence of CM’s nearby. She has an Apple Watch with cellular and my phone for entertainment (though that doesn’t help at Indy due to the lack of cell service).

This approach kinda backfired at Universal this summer, though. It turns out the Mummy’s chicken exit led her down a hallway, and then to a room, behind a closed door, where she was waiting *totally alone* when we exited the ride. I was NOT happy about that (really creepy), so we left her outside the ride with big sis (13) when we rode a second time. They wandered around the Jurassic World gift shop until we were done. I haven’t had this issue with Disney.

 

[westie55]

If he is mature enough to stay put, stay out of trouble and make good choices should be approached, AND is totally comfortable with being left alone, then I think 10 is old enough.

 

[lurpee]

I think it really depends on your child and how comfortable he is with it. I have a daughter who is 10 and I believe that she would be okay with waiting outside if she wasn't going on a ride, but we live in a tourist destination town, and she's used to crowds. I think it might depend on how long the wait is as well. We are going in December and I just received Apple AirTags that I ordered. I ordered a kids' necklaces and keychains that hold the airtags and will put on the 10 year old when we're there and in LA on that trip. Just for peace of mind. You might want to do that but again, I think it really depends on the child.