Enforcement of 14 yr old restriction

[GaryDis]

Do you not remember the story of the parents in the North East who have been called on twice for letting their kids walk to their neighborhood park?

I believe you're talking about this Maryland family. They've been cleared of all charges, are suing the county, writing a book, and starting a non-profit. Sounds like an opportunity.

 

[kaytieeldr]

That said, criticizing someone for "breaking a rule" is a pretty unstable high horse to sit on. Everyone breaks rules.

Is this where it's appropriate to insert mom's "so if everyone jumped off a bridge..."?

This is a rule almost everyone believes came out of crowd control efforts at DL,

"Why" doesn't really matter. It's a rule and, as several others have stated, DIS rules prohibit discussing getting around Disney rules.

It's Disney for Petes sake... what in the World could happen? It's not like any Disney security guards are into child pornography or a child predator or anything. Oh wait... happy late April Fools! Not the first Disney employee to be arrested for a similar charge.

‘Operation April’s Fools’ arrests 17 child predators
http://wishtv.com/2016/04/05/operation-aprils-fools-arrests-17-child-predators/

Among those arrested were a Walt Disney World Security Guard, a Discovery Cove theme park janitor, a technician at Florida Hospital, a football coach, an Alaska Airlines customer service manager who brought LSD and cocaine with him, according to investigators (see descriptions of each suspect in photos below).

This was a sting operation. There is ZERO indication that any of the suspects ever even approached a child at work with sexual intent.

We are talking about a company that considers it okay to charge a 10-year-old for adult portions of food- so they have never made sense with some of their age requirements! I'm not a lawyer and I don't know the law of every state, but I think 13 is considered old enough to be left unsupervised for several hours.

I think there are parents who would happily stick their teenager in the kids club- I just think no cast member wants to deal with a 13 year old! I volunteer in middle school every day and I don't blame them!

Ten year olds are considered adults in dining because this aligns with access to park attractions. The vast majority of ten year olds and up can, at least heightwise, enjoy/experience all the park attractions. Most likely, enough parents complained when the ticket for a child was nine and under but the dining age was twelve and under.

There's a difference between leaving your 13 year old unsupervised - or even babysitting - in/around your home, and knowingly sending that person into a business which requires anyone that age or younger to be accompanied by someone at least 14.

 

[Hibiscus]

DIS rules prohibit discussing getting around Disney rules.

This thread is fine. It's still here, much to the chagrin of people who can't see the forest for the trees.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Nobody is chagrined that this thread remind remains (blasted incorrect autocorrect!)

 

[11290]

How would anyone know your children would be alone? They could be with the people passing through the entrance gate in front of them.

Actually easy to tell. No adults hollering (screaming) at the kids to "hurry up", "here hold this for me", telling them what a great job they did scanning their Magic Band (while they struggle with theirs) or other things similar to that.

DISCLAIMER: I work Main Entrance at MK, DHS and waterparks from time to time (not my "normal" work location since Fall 2014 but pick up shifts often) so have "seen it all", so to speak. Also, we do ask kids a lot concerning this.

 

[Nancyg56]

Actually easy to tell. No adults hollering (screaming) at the kids to "hurry up", "here hold this for me", telling them what a great job they did scanning their Magic Band (while they struggle with theirs) or other things similar to that.

DISCLAIMER: I work Main Entrance at MK, DHS and waterparks from time to time (not my "normal" work location since Fall 2014 but pick up shifts often) so have "seen it all", so to speak. Also, we do ask kids a lot concerning this.

Hi there! Maybe you can shed a little light on the discussion for us. As you can see, we have a diverse group of opinions, so as a Front Gate CM, can you tell how Disney wants this age thing handled? I understand if you don't want to get pulled into the fray, but it would be interesting t know if you all have been given direction on this issue, or if it reall is a non issue for the most part.

 

[Magpie]

de Becker?



Most of the girls in ds's dance program (active, fit kids) are in training bras by 9 and are starting to "need" them before 11. I personally could have used a bra at 10 but refused until 7th grade when my mom pretty much wrestled me to the ground and out one on lol.

To think that a chest means 14 is odd.

And as of a week ago my 11 year old boy is taller than me. They're going to start carding ME soon when I'm with him!



My son has been eating adult portions since he was 8. And he's not alone. There are some tiny eaters out there, but I know very few.

We realized our kid meal days were done when he was an old 8 or maybe 9 when he polished off a kid meal then was hungry enough to eat an adult meal of fettuccini Alfredo at Universal's Lombard's.

Yep, Gavin DeBecker's books were a real eye-opener for me!

Also, my boy was taller than me at 11, too (Edit: I'm 5'8" and he hit 5'10" that year). I remember feeling ridiculous, looking up at him telling him what he could and couldn't do. I can't imagine anyone would have questioned his age, if he'd gone to the Magic Kingdom alone.

He topped out at 6'3'' a few years later.

 

[JerseyGirl]

There has to be an age, they chose 14 (high school age). Parents need to use common sense. My DD who will be 16 is terrible with directions and would get lost, but extremely outgoing and can problem solve. My 13 year old DS can read a map better than me but is so shy he wouldn't ask for help if he needed it. Individually, I wouldn't be comfortable with either of them traveling from the resort to the park alone. Together, I would be fine. Parents need to know what their child is capable of.

A good compromise is to enter the park together and give some freedom inside the park...we compromise on sleeping in, relaxing etc.

 

[Nancyg56]

There has to be an age, they chose 14 (high school age). Parents need to use common sense. My DD who will be 16 is terrible with directions and would get lost, but extremely outgoing and can problem solve. My 13 year old DS can read a map better than me but is so shy he wouldn't ask for help if he needed it. Individually, I wouldn't be comfortable with either of them traveling from the resort to the park alone. Together, I would be fine. Parents need to know what their child is capable of.

A good compromise is to enter the park together and give some freedom inside the park...we compromise on sleeping in, relaxing etc.

I agree. My DGD is 14 and I asked my DD if we would let her galivant alone in the park. Nope. She is very responsible, and has excellent judgement but DD is not okay with her wandering around alone. But then DD does not want me wandering around alone either! LOL!

 

[mjkacmom]

To me, this situation is similar to letting your 12 year old see a PG13 movie without adult supervision. I've let my kids, the only time there was an issue was when dd13 (12 at the time) asked for a child's ticket. They ended up going somewhere else (not even savvy enough to buy tickets to another movie, and go into the PG13 one).

 

[maxiesmom]

To me, this situation is similar to letting your 12 year old see a PG13 movie without adult supervision. I've let my kids, the only time there was an issue was when dd13 (12 at the time) asked for a child's ticket. They ended up going somewhere else (not even savvy enough to buy tickets to another movie, and go into the PG13 one).

Maybe your local theaters are not the same, but the large on here does sporadic ID checking at the theater itself. As in you pay for your ticket and they check you right as you go into each movie. Buying a ticket and going into another theater wouldn't always work.

 

[mjkacmom]

Maybe your local theaters are not the same, but the large on here does sporadic ID checking at the theater itself. As in you pay for your ticket and they check you right as you go into each movie. Buying a ticket and going into a another theater wouldn't always work.

Nope, not here. 16 theaters, no one mans the doors.

 

[GaryDis]

Nope, not here. 16 theaters, no one mans the doors.

Ours are all reserved seats, so it wouldn't work here, either. But I digress.

 

[whiporee]

Ours are all reserved seats, so it wouldn't work here, either. But I digress.

I'm going to second your digression. I never knew what a great thing reserved seats at the movies was until we got them at our closest place. It rules. And if you get reclining seats, even better!

 

[dcassetta]

This thread reminds me of a story a friend told me from several years ago, before cell phones, and children with cell phones, were so common. She was working at Sea World and at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon the security department ended up with a five-year-old boy. Evidently his family was going to Universal that day, and he didn't want to go to Universal. So, they bought him a ticket to Sea World and dropped him off at 9 o'clock in the morning with some lunch money. Child made it five hours on his own, but then I guess got lonely or tired and asked employee for help. The parents finally returned at 7 o'clock at night to pick him up. The sheriff was called, but the park didn't have any choice but to just wait for the parents to show back up again.

 

[chelynnah]

This thread reminds me of a story a friend told me from several years ago, before cell phones, and children with cell phones, were so common. She was working at Sea World and at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon the security department ended up with a five-year-old boy. Evidently his family was going to Universal that day, and he didn't want to go to Universal. So, they bought him a ticket to Sea World and dropped him off at 9 o'clock in the morning with some lunch money. Child made it five hours on his own, but then I guess got lonely or tired and asked employee for help. The parents finally returned at 7 o'clock at night to pick him up. The sheriff was called, but the park didn't have any choice but to just wait for the parents to show back up again.

OMG. FIVE!? Now THAT I have huge issues with

 

[JerseyGirl]

This thread reminds me of a story a friend told me from several years ago, before cell phones, and children with cell phones, were so common. She was working at Sea World and at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon the security department ended up with a five-year-old boy. Evidently his family was going to Universal that day, and he didn't want to go to Universal. So, they bought him a ticket to Sea World and dropped him off at 9 o'clock in the morning with some lunch money. Child made it five hours on his own, but then I guess got lonely or tired and asked employee for help. The parents finally returned at 7 o'clock at night to pick him up. The sheriff was called, but the park didn't have any choice but to just wait for the parents to show back up again.

That is sad! It is a family vacation...why would anyone risk the safety of a five year old...

 

[Jfsag123]

We were standing in line waiting to meet Mickey and there were a couple of teens in front of us. A CM asked them their ages. I think they were like 16 or so and looked a little annoyed to be asked. Once they headed in to the room to meet Mickey, the CM turned to us and said "if they look young and are alone, I always ask!"

 

[gtpoohbear]

We were standing in line waiting to meet Mickey and there were a couple of teens in front of us. A CM asked them their ages. I think they were like 16 or so and looked a little annoyed to be asked. Once they headed in to the room to meet Mickey, the CM turned to us and said "if they look young and are alone, I always ask!"

They would only have to be 7 to meet Mickey alone, did they really look THAT young?? I would have been annoyed too, lol!

 

[Pixie Dust ✨]

They would only have to be 7 to meet Mickey alone, did they really look THAT young?? I would have been annoyed too, lol!

This was going to be my comment. I think the CM might need a little bit of retraining on the park rules. Poor girls.