HELP Teenager being a teen

[msgrimm23]

OK so here it is My middle sister and i want to go to disney and take our 16 year old sister with us. She has never flown or been with out mom and dad. we have a huge opp to go in august right around her b-day for 6 days then go and see her godmother. she is polling the i don't want to go. My mom thinks it cause she is not going. how do i get her to go. I think we would have so much fun any one have any suggustions on how to talk to her so she would be happy and want to go. she is a big tink fan too if you guys have suggestions about tink too

 

[Lynne M]

Well, first of all, you need to sit down and talk to her and find out WHY she doesn't want to go. Could be:

- She's afraid to fly
- Hasn't been away from Mom and Dad before
- She thinks WDW is for little kids
- Her friends think it's for little kids and she's afraid they'll think she's not cool
- She'd rather spend time with her friends over summer break

If it's the 'WDW is for babies' thing, you might be able to change her mind by describing all of the non-kiddie things to do there. Depending on what she's into, you could arrange a spa treatment, the afternoon tea at GF, a visit to the water parks or DQ. If it's some other reason, you might have less of a chance of getting her to go.

It's gotta be up to her...I think you're just great for wanting to show your little sister how wonderful WDW is, but don't drag her if she really doesn't want to go. Nothing worse than having your whole vacation dragged down by a pouty 16-year-old.

Good luck!

 

[msgrimm23]

thanks for the advise i found out its cause its the week before school starts

 

[Lynne M]

Wow, if it were me, I'd really WANT to go to WDW the week before school starts just to get in one last bit of fun!

Oh, well, I hope you can convince her to go!

 

[magicaldisney]

Would it help to show her pictures/videos of the resorts and the parks. You can order a vacation planning package with the video. That helps put you in the spirit of things.

Let her be a major player in the planning.....what resort, speicial dining, rate rides from most to least importance, rate parks from most to least importance. Talk about all the different types of transportation she'll get to experience...plane, luxury bus (ME), city type bus, monorail, different types of boats.

Don't forget about DTD, Disney Quest, water parks, pin collecting.

With her help make an address book with all her friend's names, addresses, phone #'s, e-mail addresses. Then supply her with the postage to send cool postcards from Disney to her friends.

The week before school is difficult. My son will be a sophmore this year and I know he would be ok with going then, but that's because he's been there before and knows how cool it is. She has never been (at least that's what I'm assuming) so she doesn't quite know how to get excited about it.

Hope something here can help. Good Luck! Throwing pixie dust your way.

 

[grinningghost]

Oh wow. This is always a tough one. My DD went through a "I don't want to go" phase too. We actually went to Disneyland WITHOUT her because she just wasn't into it! Horrors! How could MY child not want to partake in any Disney vacation???

I think your best bet is showing her the "not so childish" side of WDW. There's alot to do that appeals to teens, you just have to get their attention long enough to show them. Thrill rides, waterslides, cool dinner shows, renting boats, etc.

If she still doesn't show interest, I'd let her pass. She'll only make your trip miserable.

 

[Jrabbit910]

I understand your point on wanting to make this a sisterly trip but after finding out that she doesnt want to go because its the week before school you should try and plan a different time to go. I am sure she wants to get ready and prepare for school. If you really really want her to go, why dont you see if one of her friends want to go w/ the two of you.

 

[nhpooh]

thanks for the advise i found out its cause its the week before school starts

Guess what, I have a DD(17) who has been to WDW many times. She too doesn't want to go the week before school. We couldn't talk her into it. We even offered to take her best friend, no go. I don't want to take her out of school to go another time. So we don't go Good luck!

I should say she loves WDW, just not the week before school. We have gone the week before school in the past, she didn't like it.

 

[misslissa]

I would say... if she doesn't wanna go... don't have her go with you! Go on your own! You can right?

I don't know... that's just my opinion.

No one likes people trying to convince them to do things they don't wanna do Her reasons should be irrelivant.

 

[disgram]

My almost 14 yr old has told me that she doesn't want to go either!! She wants to hang out with her friends. We offered to let her bring a friend and she has finally agreed. Her problem too, is that it is the week before school starts. She will have all her stuff and be all set when we get back. Guess it is just a "teen" thing. Friends are more important than the World she and the others will be back to the "light" side in a couple years!!!

 

[Melvinthehurricane]

as a 15 year old myself, i would say that DW is muy bien. (very good). There are many thrill rides for older teens. Splash Mountain, Rocknrollercoaster, Tower of Terror, Mission Space, Space Mountain

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

My mother forced me to go for my 18th b-day. We have both not forgotten it. I was on par with the wicked witch for 8 days, no matter what thed tried to do, there was just no way to make it better. It is now 16 years later and we both still wish I had not gone on that trip.
I am back to the "light" now and on my 2nd trip to WDW with the parents and now my husband and kids. I love my parents, but would highly recommend not insisting that a teen will like something that they really don't want to do. It truly took years to fix the damage I did to family relations on that trip. (I was a rotten brat, I know that, but I was also a normal teenage girl.)

 

[sammielynn]

I have a 16 year old son and we have been back a week from WDW. He had fun but was on the phone quite a bit. If he had said no to the trip I would have left him home with his Dad. At that age don't make them do anything that they don't want to do if it is within reason(work around the house is in this area). Just not worth the trouble.

 

[ptmmg]

omg I am in shock with this thread I have 4 children ages 2 through 16 and have to tell you my 16dd is so excited about going to DW even if it is without friends!!

 

[grinningghost]

omg I am in shock with this thread I have 4 children ages 2 through 16 and have to tell you my 16dd is so excited about going to DW even if it is without friends!!

Consider yourself lucky. In all my years of DISing, the one lesson I have learned is teens and WDW don't often mix.

In fact, last time we went, DD was 14 and brought a friend. They spent almost all their time at the hotel pool or in the room - watching LIFETIME MOVIES. I am not kidding. That was a whole lotta money wasted.

Thankfully, she is now 17 and very excited about going (with a friend of course).

 

[Sammie]

I know it is very hard for any of us to imagine not wanting to go to WDW at anytime, however I think everyone has to respect that some people just are not into it. I am sure their are many types of other vacations some of us would not be into. Camping is not on that list for me.

I say if she really does not want to go, save yourself and her the misery and try another time.

 

[msgrimm23]

I'm wondering if my sis is disneyed out we go every year. o also her boyfriend is going away to college so im wondering if that has something to do with it anyway my DH and i are planning to go back instead for a couple of days maybe or be may go in jan and do the cruise im glad other people have had similar prob with teens too thanks all i will keep you posted as to what happens