Help for mom w/ 2 teens?

[thumperjr9]

We will be traveling to WDW at the end of April. It will be DH, DS4, DS16 and his friend (also 16) and myself. We will be staying at HIFS. I am thinking that much of the time the 16 year olds will be going off on their own at the parks and will probably not be ready to leave when we will leave with DS4. How would it work to go back at a later time to pick them up (we will have a rental car) As many times as we have been to WDW I have never noticed if there is a place to drop off or pick-up people. I'm sure they may be able to make use of HIFS shuttle, but because of the limited schedule I will need a back-up.

Also, I could use advice from all of you that are experienced WDW goers with teens. They have a pretty good idea what they want to do. I want them to have a good time but I don't want to be their taxi service for the whole trip. (it's my vacation too!!)

 

[Schmeck]

Would it be possible for them to use the DTD bus system? Is your hotel close enough for them to walk from DTD, or could you arrange a time to meet them there?

I've never seen a drop-off area at any of the parks either - but if you had already paid for parking that day, could you get back in to pick them up? I would think so, but you might have a hard time finding them!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I really think that I would allow them freedom with in the parks when I was there, but not leave them at WDW after you go back to the hotel. Going back for them with a tired 4 yr might not be too great and I have heard some not so great stories about the bus service at your hotel. They can have a great time hanging out at the pool after you return in the PM. By taking breaks in the parks during the day for a sit down lunch or visit to a resort, you may be able to stay in the parks until closing most days and then you could all go back together. Tough call and no clear answers.


Jordans' mom

 

[luvmarypoppins]

We travel with our 3 teens 16,14 and 12. I would say you definetely have more of a challenge because you are staying off site and you are responsible for someone elses child. We let our ds go places by themselves, but they must follow family rules, stick to the food budget etc. Do they have a means to communicate with you. I agree with the other posters, that downtown disney would be the best place to meet them, but you are going at a busy time of year and that parking lot gets full pretty fast even when its not a busy time. You know your child best and will have to live with any decision you make. I am sure they want their independence too. But you are still the boss. Is your little one a night owl, or will he be out like a light? Maybe you can find a nice quiet place to park the stroller and have a snack etc. while waiting for the teens. Its hard trying to make everyone happy. I will be doing that too in about 22 days, so I will write a nice trip report to tell how it turns out.

 

[thumperjr9]

I agree it would be easier to stay on-site. However, I feel if we did ,we would need 2 rooms and that is just not in the budget for this trip. Last year we stayed at the HIFS ( just DS4, grandma, and me) My DS4 loved it and can't wait to go back.

Jordan'sMOM-- What stories have you heard about the HIFS shuttle? I have heard that it has a limited schedule. Have you heard other neg. things? We have always had a rental car or stayed on-site. So I don't have any experience with hotel shuttles.

I am not really worried about them on their own. We will have 2 cell phones so we should be able communicate. There is a good chance that if we left mid-day with DS4 we would go back later. But you never know for sure with a 4 year old. We are staying for
for 1 week but DS16 and his friend are only staying for 4 days, He just can't miss a whole week of school. So they want to cram every thing they can in that short time.

Meeting them at DTD would probably work. I hadn't thought of that. I also thought about it more, and we could just go back and park then call them on cell phone and tell them were we are parked.

This is the 1st time since my DS4 have been born that the whole family has gone to WDW together. I am very excited about it but the planning has been a challenge.