DVC for 18 yo girls

[irazabul]

My daughter requested a stay with her friends as a graduation present before they go off to college. I'm inclined to allow it, but any cons or advice or things to look out for that I should be aware of or would be helpful?

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I think Disney is a great trip to let them take on their own. Especially if they're already very familiar with it. Safe/easy trans from start to finish being the main reason in my mind.

Only issues I'd think of are the usual ones with essentially getting teens a hotel room that you're responsible for. So, only you know your kid and her friends. Do you have concerns?

My 18 yo is a strict rule follower and a very routine person. She goes to bed early and gets up early. And we have our "ways" of doing Disney. My concern would be that her friends wouldn't like her by the end of the trip! lol Also, I'd be concerned if any of the friends coming along aren't big Disney World fans or are first timers. My D took a school trip at 16 y.o to WDW and couldn't believe how many weren't "into it" and how much time they just spent doing nothing and unable to agree on what to do. I remember her texting me upset because the group had been given maybe 4-5 hours of free/unstructured time and had managed to ride 1 ride. With the current situation of no fireworks, shows and other limitations, finding things everyone wants to do could be an issue. Make sure they have discussions ahead of time about how they want to spend their time.

Resort choice:
SSR is a very fun resort IMO for young adults because of DS access but it also means they are more likely to be out late / coming back to the room late, etc. I'm a cautious worrier. So, with me as the mom and planner, at just 18, being females, and assuming they haven't done much travel on their own, I'd probably shoot for BWV / BCV for max fun, ease of movement, etc. My girls love Epcot and HS and find those parks easy to just wander and stay easily entertained.

Any monorail resort being next choice. (Just depends on the group and how MK heavy they want to be.)

Make sure they have a ticket for every day with a hopper.

Make sure they are very up to date on whatever COVID rules and limitations are in place at the time they travel.

Make sure they know what to expect at the airport and how to navigate it.

 

[VLee]

My granddaughter took a graduation trip with a friend and her 12-year-old sister tagged along. They were on a non-stop flight and used Magic Express and stayed at the Polynesian. They did great! I and they had Life 360 installed on our phones, so I could monitor their location at any time, which helped give peace of mind.

 

[MrsM]

We did this when my daughter graduated in 2019 (so no COVID concerns). Just due to schedules and pricing they flew into Sanford and I arranged a private town car transfer to pick them up and they used Magical Express to return to Orlando International. We were able to get them a studio at the Polynesian and they loved it. She's been going to Disney since she was 1 so it was really cool for me to see her making all of the plans for her and her friends.

My daughter didn't turn 18 until a month before graduation so I had to list one of her currently 18 year old friends as the lead guest on the reservation until her birthday and then I called back to switch it (it's been a while but I think this may have had something to do with making FP reservations which obviously isn't an issue right now either). I wouldn't hesitate to do it again with my younger daughters if they were interested.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Drama. We took our son and eight of his friends to WDW right after they graduated from HS. The girls were total pigs in the rooms and bathrooms. The boys weren't as messy in the living room and bathroom. We had the master and provided food in the kitchen and one breakfast at Chef Mickey's for everyone together. I think two of the kids were still 17, but since we were there it wasn't a problem. We had a GV at OKW. They all got together a time or two before our trip to make plans, but threw them all out the window once we arrived. Sometimes they didn't know where they were going to eat until an hour before they wanted to eat and ate where they could find a reservation. And they didn't all agree. A smaller group might find it easier.

 

[crisi]

The same gotchas as anytime you invite people, but age adjusted. Maybe some of them will want to go, but pull out. Maybe some of them won't be able to afford the park tickets. Maybe some will want the trip moved so it doesn't interfere with other Summer plans, etc. Maybe some of them will get into a huge fight six weeks before the trip. Maybe one of them will invite their boyfriend and "surprise!" you have extra guests.

I'd really recommend a meeting early in the process where your daughter lays out costs and expectations. You should be present to make sure everything gets communicated. And have a backup plan for the worst outcome - your daughter ends Senior year with all her friends ditching her - because high school kids can be horrible.

 

[RoseGold]

You know your own kid.

I had done much crazier things than this at 18. This sounds pretty tame and fun to me actually. Assuming your kid is responsible, I'd totally let them pick a resort and have fun!

The rule change I would make sure they know is weed. Though FL legalized medical marijuana, DVC still says no weed and no smoking anything on property. That could be a very expensive mistake.

I also agree with very clear communication about cost. This is a very, very expensive trip.