How old would your kids have to be...

[DVC Jen]

to let them enjoy a park "alone"?

When I say alone I mean with you in the same park, but not traveling the park with them.

My two DDs are 16 and 11 (will be 12 when we go). They are both very responsible and mature. We are thinking of letting them venture off by themselves at the parks. We would be in the same park as them just not together. They would also both have their cells phones with them and us have ours as well incase they needed us quickly.

We let them go off on their own in the mall with specified times to call and check in and also a time or two to meet and touch base. Now I know the mall is no where as large as WDW.. that is why they would have to be in the same park as us.

Anyway.. would you let your kids do this at that same age?

 

[Leota]

Hey Jen - My DS, Max, starting venturing off for short periods of time away from us in the same Park at around 12. We had 2-way radios at the time & he had several WDW trips under his belt, knew his way around very well, was very mature & we started of with short bursts.....

Now he is 16 & I am very comfortable meeting up with him at Parks & letting him have more space if he wants it. He has slept in while at the Poly & met up with me at MK before, stayed at the BC for swimming while DH & I went over to WS etc.... I would say I feel very comfortable with it at WDW.

You are lucky that you have the 2 kids to watch out for each other. Also, you know your kids best & know what you all are comfortable with. Follow your gut...

 

[Philadisney]

when I was 14, my school marching band went on a trip to WDW. we were allowed to go off on our own at the parks (we all had to stay in the same park each day, i don't mean we could go all over WDW alone) without chaperones. we had a great time and felt very safe, and this was even before cellphones, so i think with that safety addition you should be just fine. (of course, this is just my experience - you know your kids best! )

 

[Bill From PA]

We cut the cord between 12 and 13. By that time all the kids had been to WDW several times, staying on-site all but once, knew the bus and 'rail system and knew what attractions were in which park. Our vacations got a whole lot easier at that point.

Bill From PA

 

[Jennasis]

When I was 9 or so and my sister was about 12 (younger sis was maybe 6) my Dad had a HUGE asthma attack while waiting for Kitchen Kabaret (it was while ago, duh!). Mom didn't want to panic us kids so she hadned us the room key to our cabin at FW and told us to be back there at 9pm. We were jazzed to be all alone! Mom had dad rushed by ambulance to the hospital (all unknown to us at the time). My sisters and I park hopped to MK, rode a bunch of rides, grabbed a bite to eat and then took the boat to FW! Best memory of WDW to this day!

Later on in years I asked MOm how hard a decision it was and she said we'd been there so many times we couldn't possibly get lost and that it was the ONE place on the planet she would ever consider doing that!

 

[DVC Jen]

Thanks everyone.

My gut tells me they will be fine. My oldest is old enough to drive so if I can trust her with a car I can trust her at WDW. Our youngest is the one with the great sense of direction (LOL she will keep her older sister from getting lost). They both know how do deal with large crowds. I guess I am just being a worried Mom.. BUT I am also sooo looking forward to being able to do "adult" things and just kinda hang out with my DH on this vacation. Well not totally alone with him, but more than we used to have when the girls were younger.

This is really kinda cool. We haven't had basically free roam of a theme park in 16 years. We will even be able to hold hands without smart comments from our youngest.. like "Do you two HAVE to do that?"

 

[DVCLiz]

DVC Jen - My DDs are also 16 and 11 - welcome to a great new adventure!!! I let them go off by themselves one night in the Magic Kingdom (E night), and they did a great job. Everybody had a cell phone and a plan to meet if lost for any reason. I think they really enjoyed the sensation of being by themselves, and I could ride things they weren't interested in while they were on Splash and Space Mountains, which make me ill! We had plans to meet back at the hotel (boat launch to Wilderness Lodge) but ran into each other before then in the park. It was a great experience - I'd let them do it again easily!!

 

[snappy]

My DD14 was allowed last week to go off by herself to the Main Street shops to buy something for Grandma. She had her cell with her. I am not sure if I would cut her lose by herself if I was not in the park. She has been to the parks many, many times and knows her way around. She is also not a bit shy about asking a CM for assistance if needed. My DS16 was also there with his band (they marched right before the MK parade on Wednesday) and the band students were required to stay in groups of at least 3 or 4. The chaperones were in the park and one was stationed at a spot all the kids were aware of. Many of the kids had cell phones.

 

[ILoveWDW2003]

We let our 11yo DS and 12yo niece go 'alone' in the same park...
When they were 12 and 13 we let them spend a few hours at DisneyQuest - including the bus ride back to WL.

Both are very responsible - DS has been to WDW 5 times now.

 

[kimwim8]

This is all good info for the future! I was wondering the same thing.

 

[Bellefan66]

I feel the same way,if their old enough to drive,then their gonna be fine in DW.My DD will be 17 next trip,old enough to pal around w/ kid sister who will be 10. Looking forward to having DH to myself some.

 

[goofy4tink]

My dd is really looking forward to her trip to WDW in Oct '06. She will turn 13 there and we are traveling with another mother/daughter. The other dd is also turning 13 but the day we return. The girls are thrilled that for the first time they will be allowed 'free time' away from the moms in the parks. Dd could probably lead a tour at this point, so I'm not concerned with her getting lost. So, they'll head out for an hour or so and then have to meet up with us to check-in. Have to say that the moms are looking forward to it also!

 

[dreamscometrue47]

We allowed my 14 yr old daughter and her friend go off on their own, as long as they stayed in the same park. We usually met up at least for lunch and we all had cell phones. Both girls know WDW like the back of their hands and are very responsible.

 

[WheresGoofy]

I was 12 when I was unleashed in the park on my own the first time. The next visit, I think, I was 14 or 15 and was allowed to venture between the parks on my own some. I would tell my parents where I was going and give an estimate of my return.

Now days when we have a family get together at WDW, my parents, 2 sisters, dw, and I (pre DD) stick together and go from ride to ride. When I was a teenager, I wanted my independence now I think it is really cool to ride things like TOT with my dad.

Letting your kids go out on their own in the same park as you is ultimately up to you. If they are good kids, I say let them have fun.

 

[Queenie]

I was 17 when I first went with partner and his parents and I could do whatever I wanted. I don't live with parents so I can do whatever I want whenever all the time. Disneyworld was honestly the only place I've ever walked around late at night on my own and not felt in the least bit threatened or scared. It was brilliant!

 

[shirleyb]

When we go in May, DS's will be 15 and 13, and I imagine there will be times all five of us will be together, and times they will split off to do something else. We'll just give them one of the cell phones and arrange a meeting time. It is nice to have two to send together.

 

[bryon]

My first trip to DW I was 12. My family let me go alone with my 14 year old cousin (who was a heck raiser) when we were in MK. Anyway...we did fine...meeting up with family at a designed time and location.

Of course, I was staying home alone for a few hours every day when I was 9, so I had proven I was fine on my own.

 

[eeyore0062]

My DH and I were just talking about that a few days ago. I remember when we used to go to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg (lived about an hour away) when we were young I think I was about 16 and my brother 11 and my parents would let us go off with a time and place to meet. Usually for an hour or 2. My DD is almost 11 and we are thinking, if she has a friend with her and a walkie talkie we might think about it when she is about 13. I would start with somewhere like Disney Quest 1st, since it is a bit more contained, and go from there.

 

[Iansmom]

When I was about 12 (and again at 15,) we stayed at Poly. My brother and I (he is 3 years younger than me) were allowed to head over to MK on the monorail by ourselves. Mom had opted for the dining package and room charges on the room key. That's all we needed. It was great having that much freedom. We could ride Space Mountain over, and over and over! It was such a blast!!

My DS14 is essentially an only child and very responsible and well behaved. While I'd love to give him the freedom to go to parks on his own (we've been enough for him to get to wherever he wants) I don't think he's ready to break away from mom and dad. And to be honest, I really don't think I'd let him go too far away from me without a buddy. I'm trying to encourage him to ask a friend to come along. With meal-time check-ins and cell phones, I think they'd be fine to visit parks on their own.

 

[anewvance]

We used to go yearly with my grandparents when my grandpa had conventions there. I think around 12 years old they started letting my twin sister and I go to the parks alone. We had been going twice a year for years by then and were staying at Poly every time so they figured it was a straight shot and we had each other.