How to impress a teenager

[Williamsfamily7]

I have a 15 and 16 year old..........Is it something they might be interested in? Is it expensive?

 

[RumpleMom]

Our family has twenty-somethings: they love the Segway tour(minimum age is 16), Pleasure Island late at night after we are ready to collapse, any park with evening extra magic hours, sleeping in and going to a park later and staying until close, then going to Pleasure Island.

And if you are feeding boys-food!

Ohana-all you care to eat shrimp, steak and some other healthy stuff, but they didn't count

Hollywood and Vine-buffet-great salmon

Chef Mickey's for dinner- we were lucky to sit a little away from the main action, but close to the food, everyone was happy there!

I make a schedule for the week showing the park for the day, so there is no wasting of time discussing where we are going. It lists a general touring plan and shows a parade time or a show time, as the week goes on and we have hit our must-dos the plan is less structured. I make one ADR per day-lunch or dinner, that way our group can split up if we want, and be able to get back together easily. The kids will show up for meals because we are buying, if they choose to eat on their own it is on their own money.

DD took her boyfriend this trip and he was horrified that there was a printed schedule, as his family is very laid back about everything. After three days, he admitted that the schedule was very flexible and allowed for us to either be together or do separate things, but have a good idea where everyone was and get back together easily. We were able to do the most important things because we knew what they were and planned accordingly.

I believe planning is the key to a great WDW vacation, remembering to be flexible and to allow everyone to put a couple must-do things into the schedule when it is being planned.

Have fun. It is even more fun traveling with the kids now that they are older!!

 

[deekaypee]

Our family has twenty-somethings: they love the Segway tour(minimum age is 16), Pleasure Island late at night after we are ready to collapse, any park with evening extra magic hours, sleeping in and going to a park later and staying until close, then going to Pleasure Island.

[...]

I make a schedule for the week showing the park for the day, so there is no wasting of time discussing where we are going. It lists a general touring plan and shows a parade time or a show time, as the week goes on and we have hit our must-dos the plan is less structured. I make one ADR per day-lunch or dinner, that way our group can split up if we want, and be able to get back together easily. The kids will show up for meals because we are buying, if they choose to eat on their own it is on their own money.

[...]

I believe planning is the key to a great WDW vacation, remembering to be flexible and to allow everyone to put a couple must-do things into the schedule when it is being planned.

Have fun. It is even more fun traveling with the kids now that they are older!!

RumpleMom has some great suggestions, especially for a planned itinerary with flexibility that allows the group to split up.

I'm really just reiterating other suggestions, but Pleasure Island (the Comedy Club and Adventurer's Club) seems appealing to all ages; a day or an afternoon at the water park/beach/poolside for the young adults (with or without you); a special tour/day/event (Segway, horseback riding) of group consensus IF your budget allows it; and a special dining experience also decided by group consensus.

In general, I think the too-cool-for-Disney crowd are won over once they're in the parks. But I've also found that they tend to get more excited as the trip approaches, especially if they've been active in the planning process. (It's the strategy I used with my cooly nonchalant DH on his first trip, who become the tour guide for that experience and enjoyed all the plotting and taking credit for the trip's success; sneaky, huh? )

 

[schmitty]

Thanks for the info ...I have 2 sons ,one is 18 and the other is 21 ...so they could both go ! (if they ever agreed... to go again to WDW) Is the state drinking age 21 , I assume ? Thanks


Another quick thought ,do many college students go to WDW for "Spring Break" as an alternative to the other places they usually go like "Daytona Beach" back in my day (the 70's .... )???

Yeah its 21. Im sure some college kids go to WDW for spring break but I dont know if its over run by them or not.

 

[toocooltobeMom]

Don't try to hard to convince them to love Disney just like you! I believe that nowaday kids hate the fact that their parents make them do stuff (even secretly they love it ) Try a different approach. 1) Ask them to plan for you (make them feel smarter) 2) Tell them that the "Kiddie Rides" are going to be too rough for you; 3) Suggest to them that there is going to be alot of teenagers in the parks and DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS It works for every unwilling teen situation everytime.

 

[sk!mom]

Have they been before?

If not, then I would plan a couple of the special things that interest them- get their input. They will most likely find that it is a lot more fun than they think.

If they have been before- then best of luck to you. My DS at 19 put a real damper on a trip that we took a couple of years ago. He had been 3 times previously and was just over it. He has sworn off going again unless "I decide to have kids some day." I have sworn off ever going again with unenthusiastic travel companions. DD10 and I don't need anyone raining on our parade. We went last year without him and had a great time.

We went to NYC this year and we ALL had a great time together.