children alone in park?

[DVC-Don]

We cut our two kids loose in the parks last summer at ages 14 & 15. They both had their cells phones and were required to call us if they changed parks and when they started back to our resort. They also had times they were to meet us once and a while and they both made the meetings on time.

 

[StephaBabe50]

I'm 15 and even when I've brought friends to WDW we've stayed with my parents. I've never really felt the need to go somewhere a lone.

However in April my best friend and I went to DL for the first time with both our parents. It was our last night in the park (we only spent three days in the parks) and we wanted to see the fireworks. We were at DCA watching the light parade and then fireworks started like right after the parade had ended. So our parents let us run from DCA to DL to watch them. The fireworks ended up being cancelled but we talked to a CM and they gave us tickets to come the next day. While our parents went out to dinner (in DL) we walked around and got good seats to watch the fireworks that night. We were alone but only for about 2 hours.

I think your kids should be fine and I don't think Disney will do anything if they see them walking around with no adult.

 

[crisi]

Its going to depend on three things:

1. Disney's age for letting kids run around without an adult (which I think may be as low as eleven).

2. Your own child's maturity. Unfortunately, there are adults too immature to be unsupervised at Disney. There are probably eight year olds mature enough to do it out there.

3. Your own comfort level. As you can tell, this is a big one. Some parents don't want to let their kids out of their sight until they send them off to college for fear of what might happen. Other parents are willing to trade slight risk (and stranger abduction/molestation is a very slight risk) to have their kids gain some independance (and have themselves gain some freedom). There isn't a bright line here - you have to let them go sometime, but obviously, there is a point that's too young. And a huge grey area between "eight" and "eighteen."

I think that your own comfort level with Disney and your kids' also plays a part. If they've been going to Disney since they were little, getting around, knowing what to do, and knowing how to behave are going to be second nature. If this is a first or second trip, they'd have to be older to not get lost, be able to handle transportation, etc.

(I also went to college at 17. Years before my parents dropped me off at a dorm five hours from home with "see you at Thanksgiving," they started letting me develop the independence that enabled that. I actually started college at sixteen (and when I went to college met students as young as fourteen) but lived at home while just taking a few prereq classes at a community college the first year).

 

[meandtheguys2]

If you feel OK about it, and so do they, Disney is a great place to spread their wings.

 

[mickeymousemom]

Up until two years ago, my two oldest DD's were allowed to go off alone together as long as were in the same park as them(we probably first let them do this only the year before that). They had a cell phone, and my oldest has always been extremely mature. On our 2005 trip, we let them actually stay in the room and sleep in, then they just walked to the bus stop and met up with us later. My oldest was 16, my middle was 12. Last year, they went their separate ways a few times. They went shopping at DtD, went to MGM, etc. without us. We kept in touch constantly and we were always together when we went back to the room. They weren't allowed to be out in the parks late by themselves. You just never know about other people. This year my oldest will be 18 so I'll probably give her more freedom. And after all that rambling , I see nothing wrong with what you want to do....

 

[allyphoe]

I had my child when I was 16 all by myself, I am sure a 15 and a 14 year old can figure stuff out for a night

LOL - I'm guessing that's not what the OP was going for.

(Not meaning to pick on you - just the way those two things got juxtaposed struck me as funny.)

I remember running around MK with my cousins at about those same ages, and wouldn't have any issue with my DD and her cousin going off by themselves when they're teens.

 

[jcpuppy.com]

age 14 was in wdw with my friend, parents left us with the "meet me back here at ..." mind you this was before cell phones. We survived
we also took a school trip to great adventure...same deal we each had partners and had to meet the group back at a specific time

that said, if trouble were to occur dear social services may think you neglected the youngest kid. these days people think at age 18 kids magically become adults capable of thinking on their own. they forget , it is those little adventures beforehand that help train them for adulthood

 

[tiki23]

Our kids call DH "Mr. Safety." If anyone can find the danger in a situation, it would be DH. (One of the kids' favorite "Dad stories" is about "danger tacos" )

After the 2nd day on our trip last year (our 1st!) even "Mr. Safety" felt comfortable letting our kids 16, 15 and 13 go off by themselves - cell phones in hand, of course.

We all loved our Disney trip, of course! and are going back this year but one of the biggest selling points for a WDW vacation (for me) is that DH can truly relax without worrying himself sick over the kids.

OP - I think your kids will be fine. You might be surprised though, our 3 wanted to spend more time with us than we had imagined.

 

[Schmeck]

I have to ask....does this just mean an amusement park or everyday life? Because my girls are in high school (14 and 16) and I give them the keys to the car and they go to the mall/movies/Walmart/etc.....which in my opinion is WAY scarier than letting them ride the monorail/bus by themselves at Disney.

While the incident at the Swan was scary, kids are molested every day at school and other places, you can't keep them in a bubble forever (as much as I would like too!!)


To the OP, no Disney would not have a problem with your kids being there under the supervision of the 15 year old. Just give them rules and a cell phone which it seems like you have planned for and go for it!

No, I don't give my kids the car keys and let them go off on their own, at ages 16 and 13. Especially to our local movie theater, where the wanna-be gang kids hang out, where I've called 911 because they were beginning to 'rumble' in front of dd13's dance studio, which is at the same stripmall as the movie theater.

Yes, I've dropped the older one off at Walmart with friends, but I did not like that situation at all - of course she needs to learn how to handle being an adult and she needs experience with the 'real world', so I let her, but I don't have to feel comfortable with it. Of course I will let her become a responsible, capable adult, but there are too many good kids dying, getting hurt, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, for me to not feel uneasy about her being in certain situations.

To the OP -ask your kids what they would do if something happened to one of them at the park - if one got separated from the others, if one got hurt, if someone got rowdy in a line and punched one of your kids in the face... After the 'teacup incident', I'm not going to be surprised by anything happening at WDW!

 

[KimK2006]

I would have no problem with letting them go, especially if they have a cell phone. I would tell them to stay together. Make sure they have a meeting spot in case they accidentally get separated. I would have them call and check in every couple of hours. I didn't think of the issue of getting off of the bus and walking to the room until it was mentioned. It is a good idea for them to call as they are getting on the bus so you can wait for them by the bus stop and walk them back to the room.

You might, also, give each a piece of paper with the resort name and room number you are staying at, your cell phone number, the cell phone number that the kids have, etc. That way, if there was some sort of accident, or the kids got separated and one of them paniced, they could get a hold of someone quickly.

 

[Bambi5826]

i'm glad to hear that you have such responsible kids! it's good to have that kind of trust with them.
at 15, my sis would NOT have been ready for something like that. just really immature.

 

[marcbelt]

The way this thread is going, I´m going to be massively flamed for this, but I let my 9 yr old son go his way in Epcot for about 5 hours (did the same in MGM) this past summer. The rules: he had to call me on his cel phone every hour (which he did) and tell me where he was (which he did). I gave him $10 for lunch money (which he spent wisely) on both days. We would meet at around 5 to do things together including the late shows. I should add that he knows all the parks by heart, knows English/Spanish, is not shy to ask CM´s questions, and even knows (although I didn´t get to that) how to move around the bus/monorail system. His mother and I have made him learn emergency numbers by heart.

I´m VERY proud of him. His sense of responsablity, I guess, is remarkable.

In case you´re wondering, while in Epcot most of the 5 hours were spent at Mission Space and most at MGM at Star Wars/Muppetvision 3-D.

 

[MichelleVW]

No, I don't give my kids the car keys and let them go off on their own, at ages 16 and 13. Especially to our local movie theater, where the wanna-be gang kids hang out, where I've called 911 because they were beginning to 'rumble' in front of dd13's dance studio, which is at the same stripmall as the movie theater.

Yes, I've dropped the older one off at Walmart with friends, but I did not like that situation at all - of course she needs to learn how to handle being an adult and she needs experience with the 'real world', so I let her, but I don't have to feel comfortable with it. Of course I will let her become a responsible, capable adult, but there are too many good kids dying, getting hurt, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, for me to not feel uneasy about her being in certain situations.

To the OP -ask your kids what they would do if something happened to one of them at the park - if one got separated from the others, if one got hurt, if someone got rowdy in a line and punched one of your kids in the face... After the 'teacup incident', I'm not going to be surprised by anything happening at WDW!

Wow...you live in a much rougher neighborhood than I do and while I understand you hesitance there in letting go...two teenagers together at Disney are pretty safe...but your kids, your rules and that's fine by me!!

 

[lorik]

I think you have to look at what your kids are used to doing at home. Do they go to school or to the mall by themselves? Do you live in a urban area or a rural area? I live in NYC and here kids as young as 10 or 11, maybe younger, use public transportation to get to and from school. I don't agree with kids that young traveling by themselves, but certainly by high school most kids in NYC travel by themselves. I wouldn't hesitate to let my 15 year old go around Disney by himself. Although he would still have to check in by cell phone frequently. It might be different if we lived in the suburbs and he was used to me driving him everywhere. But in NY he has had to get from one borough to another using subways and buses. I think he can negotiate Disney.

 

[BuffettFan]

Last summer my son, then aged 11, traveled to Europe with a student program. One the last day of their trip they visited Disneyland Paris. They had to use the "buddy system" but other than that, they were given free reign of the park, only having to check in for lunch and dinner. When he came back and told people about his trip, that was one of the highlights. Not because he was in Disney, but because he was in Disney "alone". He was able to feel real independence. It didn't matter that he had crossed the Atlantic, our toured 2 countries without his parents, he toured Disney "HIS way". I think as long as they are responsible kids, you would be giving them a memory that will last a lifetime!

 

[Cool-Beans]

No, I don't give my kids the car keys and let them go off on their own, at ages 16 and 13. Especially to our local movie theater, where the wanna-be gang kids hang out, where I've called 911 because they were beginning to 'rumble' in front of dd13's dance studio, which is at the same stripmall as the movie theater.

Yes, I've dropped the older one off at Walmart with friends, but I did not like that situation at all - of course she needs to learn how to handle being an adult and she needs experience with the 'real world', so I let her, but I don't have to feel comfortable with it. Of course I will let her become a responsible, capable adult, but there are too many good kids dying, getting hurt, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, for me to not feel uneasy about her being in certain situations.

To the OP -ask your kids what they would do if something happened to one of them at the park - if one got separated from the others, if one got hurt, if someone got rowdy in a line and punched one of your kids in the face... After the 'teacup incident', I'm not going to be surprised by anything happening at WDW!

I think some people might read this and think that you have a 16 year old who can't go anywhere alone - like the movies or shopping or a date or whatever - like mommy has to drop her off and pick her up and is always there to run interference. Like she'll turn 18 and be let loose in the world to fend for herself with absolutely no preparation.

I'm sure that isn't the case!! It is just that, the way the post was worded, it sounds like that.

And even if it were the case, she's your daughter and you have the right to raise her any way you see fit.

 

[hotwheels]

ok i see disney will not have a problem.. that was my main concern... my only other is the kids getting lost.. remember they are expecting a small park. they go everywhere around here alone.. but i live in a town that might be smaller then disney.( aprox. 2 square miles). they are more responsible then most adults i know.. .. a lot happened in the last few years and they have had no choce but to become very responsible. though they were before all this but more so now. they will look out for each other with out a doubt. the oldest is to protective of his brothers. it dawned on me i wrote before that they do the grocery shopping and i dont want it to look like im a terrible parent .. i cant do it right now.. i use to and actually enjoyed it. amd the store is only like 1/3 mile from my house.

 

[Eeyore2003]

It sounds like you know your kids and feel comfortable with it. In 2001 our youngest DS was 16, we were staying at the Contemporary and a couple afternoons while we stayed back and let Nana (age 80) get a couple hour break from the heat, he would go over to EPCOT on his own.

I would have LOVED cell phones at the time, but we didn't have one. I think it's funny what they "do" on their own. He loved World Showcase and just walked around watching the acts and looking at stuff in the countries. Have a great time!!!

 

[klineyqueen]

I went to WDW with my HS marching band when I was in 9th grade. I was 14 years old. We went around the park all day without our chaperones. We would meet up at night. We all did just fine.

I must add....I dread the thought of my children going alone...but they are only 1 and 4. I don't like to imagine them older!

 

[amandathepanda]

We are from England, and are visiting in October. My daughter who is 16 is bringing three of her friends with her. As we have visited Disney 3 times before and my daughter knows her way around we will be letting them go off on their own if they want to. But saying that we are insisting that the keep in touch by phone and visit the same park as us each day.