Children - What age do you allow them freedom at the parks?

[princesspumpkin]

I'm traveling with a group of family members and there are three teens, two 14 1/2 and one 15 1/2 year olds are going. What are your thoughts on allowing them to be in do the parks on their own (without adults, but staying together)? We are also staying on the property. Have people allowed their teens to go from the hotel to the parks without adults? Thanks!

 

[flatline]

ours has had the run of the parks since 11 if she takes her cell phone and has at least one friend with her. if we stay onsite, we travel to and from the resort together. I'm not sure if the water taxis have a minimum age to ride unsupervised.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I started inside the parks at the age of 11 with cell phones & checking in every hour.. Now at 13 she can be at a different park then me.... checking in every 1-2 hours. She goes with her friend who is 12. If staying onsite, I let them go without me.. off site... NO WAY! ... unless it is one of the water parks at Disney... I drop them off, they stay & call me every hour. I usually hang out at DTD until I get the call, or maybe off to another park.. but I will not go back to my hotel. I have 3 children & this is my baby.. I did allow the others to start at the same age. My 17 DD can go to & from where she wants when we are on property (she is usually with a friend that is 18), Disney or Universal. I just will not allow her or her friends to drive anywhere in Orlando! We are from SW FL & they know the roads very well but I do not trust the tourist traffic.. no offence to anyone but when some do not know the roads, they have a habbit of doing stupid things like making rights from the left lane (and visa-a-versa) or backing up on the entrance way to I-4 because they realized they are going in the wrong direction etc.. I have seen it all!!! Driving for my kids is off limits when up there. Not that it is much better down here when we are in season... but I sort of have no choice here

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Our family dynamic is that DS is a pool person, while DH and I are park people. DS could easily spend 8-10 hours a day at the pool! DH are perfectly content spending an hour at the pool for the entire trip!

So, when DS was 11, and spending most of the time at the HRH pool, DH and I would leave to go to the parks or to eat at City Walk. We would check on Ds every couple of hours, but usually the only thing that got him out of the pool was the lifeguards at closing time. We would make sure he was fed and just leave him. One time a storm blew in and DH and I holed up at Finnegans. I was worried about DS so kept calling the room. No answer. I dragged DH through the pouring rain back to the hotel. Since there was no lightening, the pool did not close. There was DS, playing basketball in the pool with his new buddies!

As far as the parks are concerned, since DS really prefers to be in the pool, not the park, the only time he is usually alone in the parks is when he begs us to let him go back to the hotel so he can go to the pool! I can only recall one time when he was about a month shy of his 13th birthday that he went to the parks by himself. Not because he would not be allowed, but because he just is not much of a park person.

Now, City Walk is another story. I don't think that is a place for kids to go at night by themselves. One night DH and I went to Emeril's for dinner. We had given DS the meal coupons that came with our movie/meal deals so we knew he would have something to eat. We knew he was planning to go to Margaritaville for a "Cheeseburger in Paradise". After we finished our meal, we went over to M'ville to find DS enjoying his burger. We went back to the hotel together.

DS has been going to Universal 2-3 times a year since he was 9. He knows his way around. We always grill him on his room # and reiterate not to give the room # to others. We are always available by cell phone. It works for us.

 

[cometsmom]

I have thought of this issue also. We are travelling with my DS who is 17 (but will be 18 in Dec), and my DD who is almost 15 and her best friend who is 14. I won't let them (even the oldest son) walk to the parks from the resort. There seems to be so many nuts out there who favor young girls..and as much as I speak w/ my daughter about 'stranger danger'..she is naive and who knows when someone can grab her. But, my son is very protective of his baby sister.

 

[flatline]

it also depends on the individual kids. our daughter knew her way around every park down here when she was 8. she knows that the Team Members and Cast Members are the first people to find if there's a problem. she knows where the first aid and guest services are in all of the parks.

the resort areas are still off limits without us. the same thing with Citywalk and Downtown Disney.

 

[Disbug]

Everyone will have different views on this, based on your values.. but I would not allow mine to have "run of the park" until 16! It is nice that the kids know their "way around" and have a cell phone, BUT (and this is the big but) it only takes ONE time for someone who is looking for a child to find them and be gone. Then what would you do? Just because they have a cell phone does not mean if they are in trouble they can use it. I only mention this because I am sure there are some parents out there that would give anything to have back the children that were taken when they weren't watching....

My DD11 also loves the pool and I have been down there at 11 PM until she's been kicked out by the lifeguards. Sometimes you just have to make a choice.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Perhaps I should add that my DS is not the typical sized kid. At age 11 (and I remember this because we had to keep track for football) he was 5'5" and weighed about 160. He is well versed in not letting anyone know the room # and not to go to anyone else's room. Now that he is 13, he is 6' 210 lbs and moving through the ranks in karate. I don't worry about him getting grabbed. We review do's and don'ts often. We tell him the expectations. I think you have to know your kid.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

So far my kids havent asked and I havent offered! I dont leave them alone in the pool either. There is no right age its all relevant to each child. Families that live in Florida or vacation there often will have kids that know the lay of the land. Its a definite advantage. I know my kids could give the tour!

 

[flatline]

at most of the parks down here it's one way in and one way out. plus, with the crowds and at least one girl kicking and screaming if something were to happen, I think a theme park is a rather safe environment. I'm quite sure convicted sex offenders enter the MK every day, but it's not an venue that suits them.

 

[sha_lyn]

Around 11 we let DS go off on his own or with friends/cousin etc when we were in the same park. This was with set up meeting times/places and 2 way radios.
At 14 he was allowed to go to a different park or stay in the parks later than us at US/IOA.

 

[shockwave]

i went there on a field trip and im 12 and they let us

 

[Disbug]

Perhaps I should add that my DS is not the typical sized kid. At age 11 (and I remember this because we had to keep track for football) he was 5'5" and weighed about 160. He is well versed in not letting anyone know the room # and not to go to anyone else's room. Now that he is 13, he is 6' 210 lbs and moving through the ranks in karate. I don't worry about him getting grabbed. We review do's and don'ts often. We tell him the expectations. I think you have to know your kid.

I have to agree, you need to know your child... and a BIG kid, maturity and development wise, is akin to an older kid! Since I have all girls I know I am more protective. PS IMGONNABE40! Can I use your son as a bodyguard for my girls??

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

PS IMGONNABE40! Can I use your son as a bodyguard for my girls??

I think he would be good at that! People are often referring to him as a gentle giant due to the care and attention he shows to younger children. But he can be tough when needed. Most players shy away from being hit a second time on the football field when DS is on the line!

 

[JLTraveling]

It really depends on the maturity level of your kids, I guess. However, even with less mature kids, things are usually fine. I went on lots of field trips to the attractions as a kid, and the rule was always, age 8 and above are not required to stay with a counselor. Of course, we had certain check in times throughout the day, and if you were late checking in, the privilege of freedom could be revoked. I remember a few kids having their freedom revoked, but no one was ever abducted or anything. At 14 and 15, they'll definitely be fine. By 16, I was allowed to roam Washington DC freely, with a couple friends I made while on vacation there. No need to worry, if your kids are okay with reasonable freedom at home, they'll be fine with reasonable freedom on vacation.

 

[Hannathy]

My sister regularly takes her HS band to Disney and the 9th graders are 14 and they are on their own- only have to be back at the bus at the right time. By 16 they are the veterans!

We let our 12 yr old DD go alone in the parks we were at or go to the pool or gift shop/food court (heck I sent her a lot so I wouldn't have to walk!) at 14 if she had a friend I'd let her go to a different park. I wouldn't let them go to DTD alone at night however much less security.

 

[tinkersmama]

I think I was between the age of 10-12 when I started going to the parks with just me and my friend. However, we also went there every summer and her grandmother drives the busses there. We were always at the parks during the summer. Just go with what you think your child will be ok with. If they are responsible and you trust them not to break the rules, then let them go. However, if they are mischievous and cause trouble at home or school(like my younger brother), I would not let them go alone.