Here take my daughter! Go on a ride with her! Help?

[Allison]

Also, WDW states that anyone over the age of 7 can ride alone.

7 and over can ride alone.

 

[martikus]

MY son and I do that all the time at
Our local park. He loves roller coasters and I don't. So I just stand in line with him and chicken exit. We make sure to have a meeting place right outside line in case I am not right there when he gets off.

That said at 8 he wasn't comfortable doing it. At 9 he barely gave
Me a backward glance.

 

[stitchlovestink]

That isn't correct, either. It is under age 7.

Actually the rule does say under 7, but the managers and trainers at the multiple attractions where my family members have worked turned away 7 y.o.s too. My family members turned away more than one 7 y.o. because that is what they were instructed to do....at 8 it was fine. Just sayin....

 

[Allison]

Actually the rule does say under 7, but the managers and trainers at the multiple attractions where my family members have worked turned away 7 y.o.s too. My family members turned away more than one 7 y.o. because that is what they were instructed to do....at 8 it was fine. Just sayin....

I would have pulled up the website and shown them the clearly stated rule if I was a family turned away. A 7 year-old is allowed to ride alone. It's unfortunate people at the attraction didn't enforce the rule properly.

Even if CMs don't know the correct policy, the OP shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Elliesmommy]

I am not paranoid nor delusional. I believe that most patrons at WDW are of good intentions. Actually, I refuse to have my daughter live in fear of her being kidnapped or sexually assaulted. These are rare occurrences. Now, that being said, she is well informed of what these things are and ways to avoid/confront them. These were the last of my worries while starting this thread.

I was simply asking what the procedures were at WDW and not how to protect my child. I already have that covered, thank you.

 

[BrianL]

On my trip last week, a mother with 2 children were in the FP line behind me at 7DMT. The 7 year old was very outgoing and struck up a conversation with me about how she was so excited to ride. I spoke with her and her mother quite a bit and when it came time to ride, I offered to ride with one of them (I didn't know their ages until I asked, knowing that can be an issue on 7DMT). To ensure I wouldn't be palced elsewhere I told the mother to indicate a party of four to the grouper. The little girl was so excited to ride with me, right up front. It was adorable!

So, I don't see anything wrong with just chatting with some other parties in line and see if your children could ride with them. Children ages seven and over can ride alone, so that's not an issue either. On the busy rides like 7DMT they try to never leave seats empty, so chances are someone will end up next to the child anyway. Boat rides always seem to give a whole row to a single rider, so unless you group with someone else, a child would likely be in a row alone.

 

[wilkeliza]

Actually the rule does say under 7, but the managers and trainers at the multiple attractions where my family members have worked turned away 7 y.o.s too. My family members turned away more than one 7 y.o. because that is what they were instructed to do....at 8 it was fine. Just sayin....

Your family members are being trained wrong then. It is 7 and older. It has been that way for years now and if a trainer at the park is telling people wrongly then they need to be corrected.

OP your daughter will be fine. In the event of an emergency the adults around her will probably go into adult mode and help her out. IF not CMs will be by shortly. E-stops are always an option but most kids can handle them. I am amazed at how little faith the Dis has in kids. It isn't just the Dis any more but really society as a whole. Of course use your best judgement as a parent but most 7 and 8 year olds and up should be able to be trusted in a situation like the 5 minutes when you leave them at the chicken exit and the ride the ride.

Also child molestation is not likely to happen in a ride. Lets be honest the restraints on any ride that they would have someone next to them would pretty much prevent that. Plus rides are very very very public. The rides that aren't like slow moving dark rides wouldn't add people in anyways.

Final note no child has ever been kidnapped from Disney. Do not believe the urban legends. It has never happened. I've been apart of a search for a 5 year old that had been missing for 2 hours in Epcot. If any kid was going to be kidnapped it would have been that one. Thankfully he was found unharmed and the parents got a pretty stern talking to from Park security but if a kid can be in Epcot during Food and Wine for 2 hours and absolutely nothing happen to him then I'm pretty confident that statistics are on your side.

 

[DisneyOma]

I would have pulled up the website and shown them the clearly stated rule if I was a family turned away. A 7 year-old is allowed to ride alone. It's unfortunate people at the attraction didn't enforce the rule properly.

Even if CMs don't know the correct policy, the OP shouldn't have a problem.

CMs go by the info they are told at training, not the (sometimes erroneous) info posted on the website (by people who probably have never stepped foot in WDW). The CMs should not be swayed by what someone pulls up on a cellphone - but you can request a manager.

 

[bopper]

My advice is to know your child. If you go to the movies/on a bus/train, does she not want to sit next to a "stranger"?
Does she know she would have to ride alone?
Is she adventurous? Does she ever "freak out"?
Has she gone on "thrillish" rides before at another park?
Is there anyone else that can go with you? I.e. another parent and child?
I have one child that would have done this in a heart beat (loves thrill rides, is independent) and another that this would never work (cautious, anxious).

If this were me and I thought she could handle it, I would:
1) Talk about what would happen if she decided she didn't want to go on the ride/got lost
2) Try to use Fast Passes for these rides to minimize her time alone in line
3) Make sure she knows she will be sitting next to someone else...so have her practice in situations to see it works.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Your family members are being trained wrong then. It is 7 and older. It has been that way for years now and if a trainer at the park is telling people wrongly then they need to be corrected.

OP your daughter will be fine. In the event of an emergency the adults around her will probably go into adult mode and help her out. IF not CMs will be by shortly. E-stops are always an option but most kids can handle them. I am amazed at how little faith the Dis has in kids. It isn't just the Dis any more but really society as a whole. Of course use your best judgement as a parent but most 7 and 8 year olds and up should be able to be trusted in a situation like the 5 minutes when you leave them at the chicken exit and the ride the ride.

Also child molestation is not likely to happen in a ride. Lets be honest the restraints on any ride that they would have someone next to them would pretty much prevent that. Plus rides are very very very public. The rides that aren't like slow moving dark rides wouldn't add people in anyways.

Final note no child has ever been kidnapped from Disney. Do not believe the urban legends. It has never happened. I've been apart of a search for a 5 year old that had been missing for 2 hours in Epcot. If any kid was going to be kidnapped it would have been that one. Thankfully he was found unharmed and the parents got a pretty stern talking to from Park security but if a kid can be in Epcot during Food and Wine for 2 hours and absolutely nothing happen to him then I'm pretty confident that statistics are on your side.

I don't disagree with you. HOWEVER as a lowly CM, if you value your job it is generally frowned upon telling a supervisor or trainer that they're training you to do it wrong.

 

[k8Davies]

If you're going to be queuing and then waiting for her at the end, you should be fine and as fast rollercoaster rides only last a couple of minutes max so not too much time waiting around wondering

as for the:



as a parent you always have it, but in this situation you probably need no more than you have normally.

I hope you both have a fabulous time and she enjoys all the thrill rides

 

[xjillianpaige]

I've had families ask me to ride with their child before. Once at Universal on the Hippogriff Ride (Mom was pregnant and Dad had the other kiddo, so I took one of their daughters) and once on Test Track. In these cases, however, the majority of the family was there and they asked me to help out with one of the kids, I wasn't alone with the kiddo. And obviously we chatted in line, as well.

 

[Janai]

I remember riding solo when I was 7 on the Winnie the Pooh ride. My mother simply didn't want to go with me and I was desperate to xD (major Winnie the Pooh fan) anyways I was able to go on the ride on my own with no one else (it was quiet then like literally little to know one else) and I enjoyed it. I guess it depends on the parent if they think their child can go solo.

 

[MSLRAC]

Since you are waiting in line with her, you could look for odd sized families and maybe ask if she could ride with them. We are a family of 5 so someone is always on their own and we'd welcome another kid to ride with us.

 

[Elliesmommy]

Since you are waiting in line with her, you could look for odd sized families and maybe ask if she could ride with them. We are a family of 5 so someone is always on their own and we'd welcome another kid to ride with us.

I really think that is some good and sound advice. I will keep my eyes peeled for an odd # of family members and hopefully work it out with them. Just like you and many others are saying. We would all be willing and happy to take a child on a ride.

It takes a community to raise a child

 

[stenmarks]

I really think that is some good and sound advice. I will keep my eyes peeled for an odd # of family members and hopefully work it out with them. Just like you and many others are saying. We would all be willing and happy to take a child on a ride.

It takes a community to raise a child

I think you summed it up right here. And you're also setting an example for your child...both that it's okay to ask for help and that you should help others when given the opportunity.

 

[mathdisney]

You will meet many nice people in the parks. I would recommend waiting with her in line. You can strike up a conversation with a nice person who will be close to you in the line. You know how to spot them. Trust your instincts. They will be happy to let your daughter ride with them. You can meet your daughter at the ride's exit. I am facing the same issue this summer when I travel with my 14 year old niece. I teach elementary school. I plan to search out fellow teachers. We know how to spot our kind. I hope you have a lovely vacation.

 

[bumbershoot]

A friend or another relative to ride with would be much better, IMHO! This is 2017, not the 1950's!

An 8 year old girl, alone, is a target for unwelcome issues. Please think again! Thanks!!!


Also - I believe that she has to be with someone over 14.

Please read The Gift of Fear. It will help calm you and be aware of more statistically likely issues.

And no she doesn't have to be with a 14 year old.

And we're not talking babies in diapers, one family had their 10 year old daughter "airing it all to the world" while she played on her iPad! Let me say for the record, that was possibly the "Quickest Quick-Serve Meal" we ate the entire trip!

I hope you told the family, especially the 10 year old's?

At a dance convention I was sitting so I saw a view a girl's family didn't. Her dance shorts were too stretched out. I told them.

Stealing a child can happen anywhere at any time.

I stand firm in what I wrote.

Stealing a child from a ride line around thousands of other people and employees while under video surveillance the whole time.

Ok.

child under the age of 8 must be accompanied by someone 14 or older. An 8 y.o. may ride alone according to Disney's rules. It's very clear on Disney's website.

No.

7 and up ride alone.

"To board an attraction, children under age 7 must be accompanied by a person age 15 years or older. "


Under-14 must be with 14+ to enter the parks. But 7 and up can ride alone.

Actually the rule does say under 7, but the managers and trainers at the multiple attractions where my family members have worked turned away 7 y.o.s too. My family members turned away more than one 7 y.o. because that is what they were instructed to do....at 8 it was fine. Just sayin....

Either your relatives are hearing it wrong or the trainers are.

I remember one of the most complicated parts of parenting when ds was bitty (apart from shoe sizes, and later, why there's no size 9 for kids) was getting the "under age x" and "age x and over" stuff straight for zoos etc.

I bet that's what is going on here. Either it's your relatives or their trainer. Either way the wrong info must stop.

CMs go by the info they are told at training, not the (sometimes erroneous) info posted on the website (by people who probably have never stepped foot in WDW). The CMs should not be swayed by what someone pulls up on a cellphone - but you can request a manager.

I'm with you so far as it concerns rider switch. But not this. This info, the 7 and up for riding alone, is real and true and highly publicized when they put it all up in the site. This isn't an IT glitch.

Trust your instincts.

Trust your daughter's instincts. She hasn't been socialized to the point where she trusts everyone or distrusts everyone yet. She's still got the innate spidey sense.

 

[chell]

Are you participating in any meetups while there? You may be able to meet some fellow DISers who will ride with her. If you happen to be going at the end of October we'll ride with her.

 

[Iowajes]

2. Not that I know of. Part of single rider "agreement" is that you get sat next to who they need you to sit next to and not where you want.

A cast member is not going to place a child next to a rider they have indicated they are uncomfortable with. They may have to wait for the next vehicle though, and let the person waiting behind them board the ride. People won't be moved around to accommodate this.

OP: Know that to wait in lines that require FP, even if you aren't riding, you must also have a FP.