Help-rescue a not so hot trip

[abmitch01]

Planned ten days in the world with my 15yr old DD. Thought it would be a great bonding time but she's been pretty moody everday,it hasn't been all that I had hoped. We took a day off today and that was her favorite day! It makes me sick to think about all the money I spent. Tomorrow MKis open til 1am. We have not seen any nighttime shows. I love wishes. So we are using early morning FPs to do the mountains then back to the hotel to rest for the evening. Can someone just tell me where I can see the parade and Wishes without waiting for an hour? Also, is the park mobbed late at night?

 

[fbb]

Frontierland for the parade and in front of MSB/Starbucks for Wishes. The park will indeed be crowded at the end of the night and beginning of EMH.

 

[vicki_c]

No great advice, only sympathy. My 13 and 15 year old were pretty bratty on our recent Easter trip. No one wanted to get up for rope drop, they were bored, wanted to stay in the room on their devices, yadda, yadda. It was not our typical fun trip at all. Hang in there!

We like to watch the parades from Frontierland, it's not as crowded.

 

[DebbieB]

Planned ten days in the world with my 15yr old DD. Thought it would be a great bonding time but she's been pretty moody everday,it hasn't been all that I had hoped. We took a day off today and that was her favorite day! It makes me sick to think about all the money I spent. Tomorrow MKis open til 1am. We have not seen any nighttime shows. I love wishes. So we are using early morning FPs to do the mountains then back to the hotel to rest for the evening. Can someone just tell me where I can see the parade and Wishes without waiting for an hour? Also, is the park mobbed late at night?

I like to watch both from Town Square. You can get a last minute spot standing behind people sitting on the curb in front of the train station.

 

[rwdavis2]

I feel your pain. During a very frustrating trip in 2004 I told out 13yo DD, "you are the only person I know that could have a bad time at Disneyworld." It's the age and there's not much to do about it.

By the way, Frontierland for the parade as was mentioned.

 

[MataHari22]

Frontierland for the parade and in front of MSB/Starbucks for Wishes. The park will indeed be crowded at the end of the night and beginning of EMH.

MSB/Starbucks ~ I'm guessing it stands for Main Street Bakery? (I think there's a Main Street bakery). I would really like a less crazy spot to watch Wishes.

 

[Planogirl]

Frankly I've known a few adults that can act like that too. There's not a whole lot you can do but muddle on through.

 

[GotLabradors]

I know that as parents we spend a ton of time planning ADRs and FP+ for our trips. so please don't flame me when I suggest this.

Let her plan the next day. I know it's hard to do WDW on a whim with no plans, but maybe letting her take the lead on the day's activities might be an idea.

 

[gschon]

Go to Downtown Disney and walk through some of the shops. That Usually gets females in a better mood.

 

[drgnfly30]

Sorry! Tough age... I would have been the same way ... and come to think of it, I probably was when I went with Mom & Grandparents at 14!

My DS requested a trip with just me for his 16th B-day & we had a blast. So much so that he asked to do it again as his HS graduation present... we leave in two weeks.

Good luck!

 

[mimomlile]

Planned ten days in the world with my 15yr old DD. Thought it would be a great bonding time but she's been pretty moody everday,it hasn't been all that I had hoped. We took a day off today and that was her favorite day! It makes me sick to think about all the money I spent. Tomorrow MKis open til 1am. We have not seen any nighttime shows. I love wishes. So we are using early morning FPs to do the mountains then back to the hotel to rest for the evening. Can someone just tell me where I can see the parade and Wishes without waiting for an hour? Also, is the park mobbed late at night?

I went through a similar experience with our teens. Although rope drop may be the most efficient way of touring the parks, sometimes it just works out better for teens to sleep in on vacation.

Maybe you could try sleeping in, and starting later in the day. You both would be able to stay up later and make it for the parades and Wishes.

 

[hallie]

How about sleeping in and being more mellow on the rest of the trip? I still hate waking up early on vacation, it's just not "vacation" to me.

 

[LISAVWL]

I know that as parents we spend a ton of time planning ADRs and FP+ for our trips. so please don't flame me when I suggest this.

Let her plan the next day. I know it's hard to do WDW on a whim with no plans, but maybe letting her take the lead on the day's activities might be an idea.

We did this a couple if years ago with oldest DS and it worked! It was not my dream day but he was happy. We also are there at rope drop but DS was not thrilled with this idea. We let him sleep in and meet up with us later. Not sure about your comfort zone with this but DS knew his way around pretty well at the time.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

I second letting her plan the day, and abandoning any idea of rope drop. We young people just don't like waking up early, it's a thing! (I'm 21.). Personally, I'll take being in the park until 3am any day over waking up before 10. It's vacation not school. Vacation means sleep!

What is she into? If she likes animals maybe spend some time over at AKL viewing them! More girly, maybe a mommy daughter disney manicure at the GF. Have you thought about Disneyquest if she is a gamer, or spending some time at a water park? As for wishes, maybe from the Poly beach if you can manage & they are allowing people. Grab a dole whip and chill out in some hammocks.

Maybe try pick a pearl at epcot if you end up over there. Girls like jewelry!

 

[TonyStark]

Yep, one of the reasons we like the new FP+ is that we don't have to rush in at RD to do rides and grab the old paper FPs. Our 14 & 12 yr. olds sleep in until 9ish and we get to the park by 10, 10:30 for our first FP.

Other ideas, depending somewhat on where you are staying: Senses Spa appointments, Downtown Disney Co-Op shopping, Epcot World Showcase shopping and interacting with foreign CMs, get the Hidden Mickey book and do scavenger hunting.

I know some of these add more expenses to an already expensive trip, but they may rescue it somewhat

Ask her what one thing she'd like to do each day and try to accommodate.

Think of non-traditional / unique Disney experiences -- tour the resorts instead of the parks. Do the Hidden Mickeys at each resort. Try the different foods around the world. Try mini-golf at Winter Summerland. Do the Water Parks.

Leave no stone unturned -- good luck!

 

[soniam]

We watched Wishes in front of the bathrooms between Main Street and Tommorowland. There was a small roped off area that you had to stay in to allow access to the bathrooms and the back exit that they open after the Electric Parade. I think it's near the bakery/ice cream place. SRO though.

 

[4HOLIDAYS]

I have 2DS(15 and 18)..they no loger like to tour the same way. The only way to do an early morning is if its for a tour. DS 15 is turning 16 on 9/1, we will get up early that day to do KTTK tour and then HDDR at night.

During the week we have 2 days at waterparks, a night at the amc dine in theater, mini golf, eat at Planet Hollywood, and we are also doing a tour at AK and probably the seeds tour at epcot.

They love the behind the scenes of tours and feeling like a VIP. Waterpark and the lazy rivers- we love it. Even just tanning by the pool or a late night in the Jacuzzi.

There are some neat places to eat-think a neat theme. Also maybe more shows at the parks? Shopping for girls is always good.

Above all, not an early am unless that what she wants because they have to do that every day of school. Oh, and I let them get what ever they want for food and snacks, dole whips, mickey bars, school bread, kaki gori...

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Time for Uni/IoA. More teen stuff.

My DD's 15 & 16 were terrible for RD at WDW, getting them out of the room for attractions they had been riding since forever was hard. However Gringotts got them out the door by 6 AM. They knew it was that or a 3 hr wait.

 

[bluezy]

I also like to watch Wishes from Main Street in the area of the Bakery/Starbucks. We usually ride a few rides while the early parade is going on and then head to The Emporium to browse until the parade is over. Once it's over we sit on the curb (Main St. seems to empty out somewhat after the first parade). We get some snacks and drinks and just hang out on the curb until people start lingering in the street for Wishes. A few minutes before the castle projection show starts, we'll stand up and stake out our spot on Main Street. After Wishes is over, we head back in to the Emporium and head towards the back of the park (if you try to walk that direction on Main St. after Wishes is over, you'll be like a fish swimming upstream). We hit a few more rides (usually POTC and either Splash or BTMRR) and then sit on the porch at Pecos Bills to watch the late parade. The parade doesn't get back there until about 11:20. If you want a spot to sit to watch the parade, you probably need to be there by 11:00. If you're ok standing, you can get there at 11:20.

Hope your day goes better tomorrow. I feel your pain. I survived 2 teenagers so far; have 2 teenagers right now; and a caboose baby who will hit her teens in a few years.

 

[kittyninja]

Time for Uni/IoA. More teen stuff.

My DD's 15 & 16 were terrible for RD at WDW, getting them out of the room for attractions they had been riding since forever was hard. However Gringotts got them out the door by 6 AM. They knew it was that or a 3 hr wait.

Me and my sister are both late sleepers, but we're always up super early on Disney/Universal trips!! We know what it takes to make the most of our time!!

Your post reminded me of us on our first trip to Universal in July 2010--right after Hogsmeade first opened:

Apparently we slept through or turned off our phone alarms and woke up at 6:45 with early entry starting at 7! You have never seen two girls get up, ready, coffee, and in the car as fast as us!! I'll admit we probably looked awful that day (we had showered the night before thank goodness) and our hair was not straightened and I did makeup driving to the park!!

What we do for Harry Potter!!

Also when we did the Celebration of Harry Potter in 2011 we had early entry at 5 am special for the Celebration package guests. We were at the park at 4 am both days and in the parks as late as they'd let us!! Man were we tired!!

OP, maybe a Universal vacation is a good idea! But I also agree to let her take the lead. Trust me though, I'm 20 now and a few months ago I broke down and hugged my mom telling her "Thank you for all of the wonderful times and memories at Disney World. Even if I was 5 and don't remember it much!"

Your daughter will probably grow out of this and love Disney as much as you do when she's out of her "too cool teen" phase!!