How old should they be before you let roam?

[CLR4321]

I agree with the majority...9 is a bit young to be walking around a resort alone. One option you could consider though is to give her 30 mins at a time, where she needs to check in with you in person. You could also have her take a cell phone to call to check in and let you know exactly where she is.
You should definitely give her a run down of safety rules to follow, like staying in public areas only, and to only go to a cast member if she needs help or has a question.
It really depends on what you are comfortable with.

 

[redrosesix]

I agree with the majority...9 is a bit young to be walking around a resort alone. One option you could consider though is to give her 30 mins at a time, where she needs to check in with you in person. You could also have her take a cell phone to call to check in and let you know exactly where she is.
You should definitely give her a run down of safety rules to follow, like staying in public areas only, and to only go to a cast member if she needs help or has a question.
It really depends on what you are comfortable with.

It seems like you, along with many, many others, have completely misunderstood everything I have written (a little frustrating, that). My daughter has never even been out of my sight at the resort. So, giving her 30 minutes at a time probably goes way beyond what I was considering (although at our campground she is often gone for 3 hours at a time -- but we're seasonal, so that's different)

 

[chisnpeke]

I think 9 is too young. I was 12 when I walked around a hotel by myself. I was also 12 when we went on the Disney cruise and walked around by myself on the ship. I was fine then. I was 11 when I was able to go out in the hallway of a hotel with my 13 year old cousin by myself.

My general point is I think that she needs to be older.

I'm surprised I was allowed to though. I'm a worrywart so I don't know if I would be able to let my own child do it at the age that I did.

 

[missDisneylady]

I am suprised about some of the comments and ages people have posted in this thread. 9 is too young to be given "roaming rights" but there are those that mentioned 13 14 even 16 and 17 as too young. That is a bit over the top. Especially in Disney. There has NEVER been a case of child abduction or assault on Disney property. It is a pretty safe place. Obviously all kids are different but at some point they need to learn resposibility.

B.

Just because it has never happened doesn't mean it can't. And I would not want my 11 year old daughter to be the first.

 

[missDisneylady]

I would think that Disney would be a predators dream. The Snow White ride scared the crap out of me. We rode near closing time and there were not hardly any other riders. The entire time I was thinking about how dark it was in the ride, how far the cars are spread apart and how easy it would be for someone to hide in there and snatch a child. I know, I know, I sound paranoid but I don't put anything past anyone.

 

[simonkodousek]

If the child were responsible, I would say 13 is accectable to tour a park solo, but have a parent/guardian in the park at all times. It would be absolutely necessary for the child to have a working cell phone as well.

To tour a park solo without a parent/guardian in the parks, 15-16 would be a reasonable age. Again, this depends on whether or not the child has a cell phone and whether or not they are responsible.

Just my $0.02.

 

[redrosesix]

I would think that Disney would be a predators dream. The Snow White ride scared the crap out of me. We rode near closing time and there were not hardly any other riders. The entire time I was thinking about how dark it was in the ride, how far the cars are spread apart and how easy it would be for someone to hide in there and snatch a child. I know, I know, I sound paranoid but I don't put anything past anyone.

EEEK!

Even though WDW's rules are that kids can go on rides alone when they're 7, I can't imagine allowing that on most rides there. Even where you can see both the entrance and the exit (like the teacups), I can imagine a lot of families get separated when they send their kids in alone (unless there is no wait line at all, maybe)

I probably wouldn't allow it until I felt comfortable letting her tour the parks alone.

 

[missycool]

It is, but part of family time is being able to reinforce the rules that you want them to follow ie. they are with you, not their teacher, not their coach, not their babysitter. So, I think about these things in advance -- I'm not going to just make up the rules as I go along because for my daughter, it is best if the rules are clear and discussed in advance -- I have never had a problem getting her to follow my rules as long as I'm consistent and I know what I'm doing.

Okay, I get what you are saying, but I still don't think Disney is the place to test the waters. I gather from most posters here that we trust our children, feel they are responsible, want to make clear and consistent guidelines for them to follow, BUT we are terrified of what "could" happen and therefore are fearful of letting them out of our sight even for short periods of time when at the resorts or parks. It's a sad aspect of parenting in today's world that we have to be so afraid.

I respect you for trying to get it all right. Good luck and be safe.

 

[hematite153]

we are terrified of what "could" happen and therefore are fearful of letting them out of our sight even for short periods of time when at the resorts or parks.

I really don't think the OP is asking about letting her DD out of her sight. I think that she is asking about doing what the majority seem to do (based on my observations). She wants to know if she's going to let her DD run a couple of feet ahead during the walk to a bus or the food court, or if she can let her go swimming without getting in the water a foot away and instead sit on the side of the pool, etc.

As I said earlier, I think that most parents I run into at wdw allow these things with 9 year olds. However, I think that they also don't seem to realize they are doing it.

As a teacher who has taken 9 year olds to theme parks in groups, I've found that they usually react to the amount of supervision we provide because we require them to stay within a couple of feet of everyone else in their group (6-8 kids and an adult) and to ride everything together. Most of them complain that their parents would let them wait at the exit instead of riding (because 3 want to ride and can't unless everyone wants to) and/or go get food at a different stand "just over there", etc.

 

[redrosesix]

As I said earlier, I think that most parents I run into at wdw allow these things with 9 year olds. However, I think that they also don't seem to realize they are doing it.

I think you're right, which is why I was so surprised at the responses.

I started a similar thread here too, and most people answered that they would let their kids do all of these things by at least age 9.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2077080

The answers are very revealing -- and it's obvious that some people don't really read the questions and answers in the threads very thoroughly when you compare the two threads.

 

[missycool]

I really don't think the OP is asking about letting her DD out of her sight. I think that she is asking about doing what the majority seem to do (based on my observations). She wants to know if she's going to let her DD run a couple of feet ahead during the walk to a bus or the food court, or if she can let her go swimming without getting in the water a foot away and instead sit on the side of the pool, etc.


Yes, but the word "roaming" prompted more than that. It has opened up a place for all of us to express how we feel about all aspects. I think that's a good thing. And isn't that why we all come here ~~ to share ideas, opinions, etc.?