Do you guys~

[The Sweetness]

Turn your kids loose in the park together for a couple of hours before or after lunch etc?

Im considering this next trip, as DD12's g/f (15) may join us for our upcomming vacation. Do you guys feel comfortable just letting them take off on their own for the morning or afternoon? We will also be traveling with granny (80) who will slow us down a bit but it will be worth it to treat her to WDW at least this one more time. This may be frustrating for the girls.

Also, would you suggest a suite for everyone (5), or 2 smaller rooms, 1 kids, 1 adults?

 

[Amirah95]

I would only let my 12 year old and her friend go if:

1. They have to be mature enough to tour the park alone (you will know this just by living with your DD).
2. If they had some type of communication device where I could reach them at any given time (cell phone or walkie talkie).
3. If they can meet up with us at a given spot at the given time to make sure everybody is OK (I'd make a written schedule before hand).

If they can do all of this then I would let my girls go on their own for a couple of hours or maybe 3.

 

[Coach Rick]

Personal choice here, but I would never let my kids go off on their own. Maybe I'm just paranoid, and watch too much news, but I always believed it's far better to be safe than....Again, that is my opinion, and is not an indictment of parents that choose otherwise. Plus I just like to share the fun and excitement with those I love most.

 

[trola2]

I won't comment on letting kids go alone because mine are younger and I haven't weighed that out yet!!

BUT when it comes to a suite vs. two rooms...is it important to you or anyone in your group to have two bathrooms. That can be a deciding factor for my family!

If Granny will stay behind at the resort any, a suite might be better.

Ok...I was no help.

~~Beth

 

[The Sweetness]

That 2 bathrooms thing didnt even occur to me! DD and friend will be serious bathroom hogs! Granny would not stay behind at the resort for the day unless she was really feeling ill. In that case, Id prolly send everyone else off to9 BB for the day and drive her home

 

[a Really Bad Egg]

We let our DD (14) and her friend (14) ride a couple rides alone while we went another way with our DS (8) - but they had a cell phone and always in contact. After each ride we met back up.

I think WDW is pretty safe...but I don't think kids ought to go off on their own to explore the parks.

 

[fran99999]

I was in a similar room question. Last year I went with DH, DD 15 and DD gf 15, DS4 and me. We stayed at CR.
This year I am getting 2 rooms at a moderate CBR I learned that to get 5 people up showered and dressed (privacy) it took us 1+ hour each day. This year the 2 girls will have their own bathroom and when one is showering the other can get stuff ready to be next. Then while one that showered gets dressed the other can shower. I never thought about it last year but who wants to dress in front of their father and mother LOL. I do agree privacy is important at this age (teen girls and boys). My DH and I will be dressing and showering in the same manner. I told them ( comando mom here) they will have to dress faster this year as I don't want to hear my DS5 whine every morning because it takes us almost 2 hours to dress and eat.

Your grandmother may also like the privacy of the 2nd bathroom.

Oh and who would sleep with grandma? There will be 2 queen/double beds and a day bed. I dont want to be in the room when someone says "why do i have to sleep with her?" Like she really wants to share the bed with them

Good luck and have a great Disney trip

 

[Debbie]

You will know your daughter best, and only you can make that decision. When my older three were 14,13,12, they were on their own for chunks of time while we did the kiddie and slower route with the 8 and 5 year old. We did not have cell phones, but we made sure that the kids knew what to do in an emergency. (That wasn't new, we've always prepared them to be 'street smart'', confident and independent.) We gave them 2 hour chunks (and of course they didn't leave the park). They were great about checking in. In fact, at one point, we were a bit late (at that point they were 5, since they'd been joined by cousins), and when we met them, the Talking Garbage Can gave us whatfor for being late! It seems the kids had "saved" him from some rotten little kids, and he escorted them to our meeting space. A moment to remember by kids and adults alike!

Great advice about the two rooms, btw. Two bathrooms is a godsend with teenage girls!

 

[The Sweetness]

Originally posted by fran99999
Oh and who would sleep with grandma? There will be 2 queen/double beds and a day bed. I dont want to be in the room when someone says "why do i have to sleep with her?" Like she really wants to share the bed with them

Good luck and have a great Disney trip

If 2 rooms, DH and I, and granny share a room, and give the girls a room next to/ near ours if needed, we(could) split them up(if they are up too late etc). Speaking of FUNNY!, DH suggested that WE have a room, and the girls share with granny

In a suite, it would be granny on the pull out, me&DH, and the teens in the other queen. They know, that by allowing DDs friend to come along, that they will be sharing a room, if not a bed.

 

[disneysteve]

I'll skip the kids alone question since mine is younger and I haven't had to do that yet.

As for suite vs. 2 rooms, I would much rather have a nice suite, condo or pool home. You get way more space, 2 or more bathrooms, full kitchen, washer and dryer, etc.

There are tons of great places. Check http://www.vrbo.com for ideas. We've rented homes in Lindfields several times. We've rented a condo in Windsor Palms. Next trip we've got a 2-bedroom condo at Orbit One Villas. And there are plenty of other choices too.