Grad Night's & Harry Potter

[A Mickeyfan]

My DD's school went to Grad Night this past weekend. She didn't go since we are passholders & she could not see me shelling out more for one night than we pay to renew our pass every year (thank God she is thoughtful ). Anyway, some of the kids that went told her Universal was giving them a free pass (each student) to return at a later time since HP wasn't opened yet. When her school booked this trip, HP was supposed to have been for their dates. Universal did something nice & also a way for them to make more money.. how many parents are going to let their 17 & 18 year old go to Orlando alone for Universal.. that was a good marketing move on their part...

 

[Timmy Boy]

Are you sarcastic? I can't tell. Anyways, if everyone at grad BASH got a free ticket to come back, it would maybe make for some friends to get together and go.

 

[damo]

I've heard it from other sources too. I think it was a smart idea.

 

[Magpie]

I don't see why a group of 17 and 18 year olds couldn't get together and go to Orlando without their parents this summer. They'll be heading off alone to college or university in September, after all.

I think it was a smart good-will gesture on Universal's part.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Are you sarcastic? I can't tell. Anyways, if everyone at grad BASH got a free ticket to come back, it would maybe make for some friends to get together and go.

no, I am not being sarcastic.. sorry if you read it that way. I was stating that it was nice of them to do that & a good marketing tactic as well..

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I don't see why a group of 17 and 18 year olds couldn't get together and go to Orlando without their parents this summer. They'll be heading off alone to college or university in September, after all.

I think it was a smart good-will gesture on Universal's part.

I would not allow my 17 year old to go to Orlando without me (at that age, I am still legally responsible for her).. while in Orlando, yes, I would allow her to go to the Parks without me, I have done that, but not to the city without me.

Did you not realize there's a legal age to rent a hotel... and 17 is not it. Some may be 18, but some are also 21 to rent a hotel.. going off to college and going off to a large city for "fun" is 2 totally different things.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I've heard it from other sources too. I think it was a smart idea.

It really was I told my daughter to find out if any of her "close" friends had it & wanted to go. I would take them up with me..

 

[Magpie]

I would not allow my 17 year old to go to Orlando without me (at that age, I am still legally responsible for her).. while in Orlando, yes, I would allow her to go to the Parks without me, I have done that, but not to the city without me.

Did you not realize there's a legal age to rent a hotel... and 17 is not it. Some may be 18, but some are also 21 to rent a hotel.. going off to college and going off to a large city for "fun" is 2 totally different things.

I guess it's different in other places.

When I was 16 I took an airplane to attend a UN conference in another city - alone. Okay, my accommodations were provided for, but I wasn't supervised in any other way. It was a terrific experience, being a youth delegate.

When I was 17 I joined the Canadian Army Reserve and lived in barracks for months. I could legally drink in Quebec. I worked hard, and when I wasn't working I was free to do whatever I liked in town. I had my own paycheck - paid in a huge wad of cash at the end of the month! FWIW, I did not drink to excess, have sex or run wild. I was sensible and cautious, and kept my cash in my boots until I could get to a bank.

I rented my own apartment when I was a month past my 18th birthday.

I have faith in my children's good sense - they're even more conservative than me! If I knew their friends (and knew they weren't idiots) and at least one was old enough to legally rent a hotel room, then I would certainly allow my children to travel without me at 17 or 18 years old.

That said - I would expect a call every night! I'd also be running down their legal responsibilities and going over how to handle worse-case scenarios with them before they left.

But 18 is adult, and 17 is nearly there. I don't see any reason to treat them like they're incompetent.

Of course, all this is ignoring the fact that they'd have a darn hard time getting out the door without me... "I wanna come, too! Please! I love Orlando!"

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I guess it's different in other places.

When I was 16 I took an airplane to attend a UN conference in another city - alone. Okay, my accommodations were provided for, but I wasn't supervised in any other way. It was a terrific experience, being a youth delegate.

When I was 17 I joined the Canadian Army Reserve and lived in barracks for months. I could legally drink in Quebec. I worked hard, and when I wasn't working I was free to do whatever I liked in town. I had my own paycheck - paid in a huge wad of cash at the end of the month! FWIW, I did not drink to excess, have sex or run wild. I was sensible and cautious, and kept my cash in my boots until I could get to a bank.

I rented my own apartment when I was a month past my 18th birthday.

I have faith in my children's good sense - they're even more conservative than me! If I knew their friends (and knew they weren't idiots) and at least one was old enough to legally rent a hotel room, then I would certainly allow my children to travel without me at 17 or 18 years old.

That said - I would expect a call every night! I'd also be running down their legal responsibilities and going over how to handle worse-case scenarios with them before they left.

But 18 is adult, and 17 is nearly there. I don't see any reason to treat them like they're incompetent.

Of course, all this is ignoring the fact that they'd have a darn hard time getting out the door without me... "I wanna come, too! Please! I love Orlando!"

When I was 18, I went to Fl from NY alone.. but that was 35 years ago. Orlando is not a "safe" city to have teens alone in. I live 3 hours from there & like I said, still would not let my 17 year old go without me. At 18, it is hard to stop them, but again, there are some resorts/hotels that would not allow them to check in.

As far as trusting my daughter, sure I trust her, but I don't trust the perps in Orlando... look up the crime rate there. Many who do not live near there and only go for "vacation" don't realize what it is "really" like. They seem to think it is all "magical" and it isn't. There are shady hotels, lots of areas that are undesirable.. on the same token, there are some really beautiful places there too.. but beautiful doesn't stop crime.. and a 17 year old girl is not ready for handling that. I am not sheltering, just watching out for.

 

[Magpie]

When I was 18, I went to Fl from NY alone.. but that was 35 years ago. Orlando is not a "safe" city to have teens alone in. I live 3 hours from there & like I said, still would not let my 17 year old go without me. At 18, it is hard to stop them, but again, there are some resorts/hotels that would not allow them to check in.

Are the crime stats actually worsening in Orlando? I'll take your word for it!

In my town - and right across most of Canada, for that matter - crime has been dropping steadily since the seventies. It's safer now for our kids than it's ever been before.

In our case, the kids would be getting on a plane, taking a cab to an on-site hotel, and maybe taking a shuttle to SeaWorld or Busch Gardens for the day. They'd hardly be touring Orlando's red light district. I think they could get in a LOT more trouble hitting the bars in our own town, if they wanted to.

For years my son has been saying he wants to get a job with Disney as soon as he possibly can, and (ideally) work in the Canadian pavilion at Epcot. The website says something about International students having to be a Graduating High School Senior - he'll be 17 when he graduates. Even if he has to wait until he turns 18, he still wants to head right down and start working and living on his own.

As for me, I think it'd be a very good thing to do before he goes to college or university. He can earn some money for school. Also older students usually take university more seriously, than the ones who jump in right out of high school.

 

[Amandaj0831]

I went to universal after my HS graduation with my bf at the time. Her parents dropped us off for the day and picked us up later. My parents were pretty strict but after graduation you are 17 or 18 and 18 is considered an adult... I would have loved a freebie ticket

 

[klmorg]

I just returned from Grad Bash this weekend...DH and I were chaperones for the event, my DD is graduating. We are getting complimentary tickets for all 3 of us to return to the parks after HP is open.

All in all we had a great time, but IMO...Disney beats Universal just because at Universal you see the 'outside world' ie..parking lots and roads and traffic etc...when at Disney you are magically transported into the magic and the outside world just goes away for awhile

Universal makes a good day trip....but for our week long or more trips it will always be 'the mouse'

 

[Magpie]

We are getting complimentary tickets for all 3 of us to return to the parks after HP is open.

That's so cool that the chaperones got tickets, too!

... going off to college and going off to a large city for "fun" is 2 totally different things.

Just one more thing... My husband mentioned something which I think is true. There are few places more dangerous for your 17yo than college.

Sexual predators hang out on campus because they know that's where they'll find the young girls. "Date rape" is all too common. Underage drinking is rampant in all Universities and colleges - it's part of being a Frosh. University and college is also typically where young people experiment with sex and drugs. This is the age when mental health issues (like schizophrenia) tend to crop up for the first time, when the young person is away from the support of their family. Suicide is a serious problem.

Basically College IS "going off to a large city for 'fun'". Except without a return ticket.

 

[tarrbear]

Yeah my sister just went to Grad Bash, so that means were heading to Universal in the near future!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

That's so cool that the chaperones got tickets, too!



Just one more thing... My husband mentioned something which I think is true. There are few places more dangerous for your 17yo than college.

Sexual predators hang out on campus because they know that's where they'll find the young girls. "Date rape" is all too common. Underage drinking is rampant in all Universities and colleges - it's part of being a Frosh. University and college is also typically where young people experiment with sex and drugs. This is the age when mental health issues (like schizophrenia) tend to crop up for the first time, when the young person is away from the support of their family. Suicide is a serious problem.

Basically College IS "going off to a large city for 'fun'". Except without a return ticket.

I know what college is.. My 17 year old is my youngest. I have a 23 & 21 year old...
here is a link to the Orlando paper.. read it for a week..

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/

Beside the fact of her going & staying over night, she wouldn't be flying & taking a cab. I live 3 hours by car. She would be driving there. I-4 with many tourists that have no clue where they are going is no place for someone with their drivers licence for less than a year to be driving. I hate I-4 and I have been driving 30+ years..

 

[A Mickeyfan]

That was nice that even chaperons got the free come back day ...

 

[Magpie]

I know what college is.. My 17 year old is my youngest. I have a 23 & 21 year old...
here is a link to the Orlando paper.. read it for a week..

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/

Beside the fact of her going & staying over night, she wouldn't be flying & taking a cab. I live 3 hours by car. She would be driving there. I-4 with many tourists that have no clue where they are going is no place for someone with their drivers licence for less than a year to be driving. I hate I-4 and I have been driving 30+ years..

Looks like a typical city! 99.9 percent of the stuff that goes on will be between people who know each other, or who put themselves in risky situations (ie, club hopping). There will be the occasional awful out-of-the-blue situation, but that happens everywhere. There are more random incidents in places where there's more people, less in places where there's fewer people. But the actual rate of predators per 1000 people remains pretty much the same no matter where you live.

Which is why I get frustrated when people say, "But things like this never happen in our sleepy little town! The world is becoming a more dangerous place." When the truth is just that it's like getting hit by lightening. It can happen anywhere, any time. And thankfully we're MUCH more likely to catch predators now than we were back in the 60s, 70s, or any previous decade before this one.

I do understand what you're saying about the I-4, though! We weren't terribly impressed when we drove it, either.

In your case, I can definitely see the merits of acting as chauffeur. I'd do the same, in your shoes.

But this would be on the basis of my children's confidence driving the I-4. Not because I thought they were in any specific danger from strangers, or couldn't handle themselves intelligently in an American city.

You want living dangerously - my mother spent years teaching in Pakistan! She lived behind fences with armed guards, couldn't go outside without a bodyguard, and rape and murder were so common they didn't even merit a mention in the local newspaper any more unless there was something special about it - like if the woman's nose and tongue had been cut out.

It definitely gives you a different perspective on the relative risks of living in North America.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Looks like a typical city! 99.9 percent of the stuff that goes on will be between people who know each other, or who put themselves in risky situations (ie, club hopping). There will be the occasional awful out-of-the-blue situation, but that happens everywhere. There are more random incidents in places where there's more people, less in places where there's fewer people. But the actual rate of predators per 1000 people remains pretty much the same no matter where you live.

Which is why I get frustrated when people say, "But things like this never happen in our sleepy little town! The world is becoming a more dangerous place." When the truth is just that it's like getting hit by lightening. It can happen anywhere, any time. And thankfully we're MUCH more likely to catch predators now than we were back in the 60s, 70s, or any previous decade before this one.

I do understand what you're saying about the I-4, though! We weren't terribly impressed when we drove it, either.

In your case, I can definitely see the merits of acting as chauffeur. I'd do the same, in your shoes.

But this would be on the basis of my children's confidence driving the I-4. Not because I thought they were in any specific danger from strangers, or couldn't handle themselves intelligently in an American city.

You want living dangerously - my mother spent years teaching in Pakistan! She lived behind fences with armed guards, couldn't go outside without a bodyguard, and rape and murder were so common they didn't even merit a mention in the local newspaper any more unless there was something special about it - like if the woman's nose and tongue had been cut out.

It definitely gives you a different perspective on the relative risks of living in North America.

oh my gosh... I would not do that...
and you are so correct on when people say, "oh not here"...