Is my niece old enough to watch 6 year old?

[mydisneymoney]

We are going to be at DLR in 8 days. My sister and her family are joining my family on this trip. My son is 6 and really does not like the fast rides and my niece, who is 12 does not like them either. Now the adults love the fast stuff. Do you think I should allow my 12 year old niece to watch my 6 year old son while we ride the fast stuff? Will the CM allow the kids to stand in line with us and then stand to the side at the loading area while the adults ride? They are too big to use rider swap technically because my son is tall enough to ride on all of the rides. Suggestions?

 

[I married a king]

I know when we were at Hollywood Studios last year my young son did not want to ride rockin roller coaster so we all stood in line together and when we got near the front we simply informed the cm he didnt want to ride and we were directed to the exit door. As for having a 12 year old watch while your in line, i dont see anything wrong with it, maybe there will be some sort of playground around and they could just hang out there and wait for you all to return.

 

[deesquared]

I personally wouldn't be comfortable doing that...
It's very easy to get separated from a group, and I don't think a 12 year old has the maturity to handle that type of situation in a crowded place like Disneyland.

 

[nana50]

If the wait is not long, pick a nice spot with a bench, and have them sit there until you get back. There is usually a safe place out in the open. Ask your niece how she feels about sitting out a ride with a six year old. If it's a long line, an adult should wait with them.

 

[mydisneymoney]

I too do not feel very comfortable with them just going off on their own or sitting somewhere waiting for the adults. I was wondering if anyone else had every had their children that didn't want to ride go through the line and then stand to the side at the loading area for the adults to return. Does anyone know if DLR will accommodate for that? I do trust my niece in that she is the oldest of all of the cousins and has always taken a very protective role with them.

 

[skiingfast]

I too do not feel very comfortable with them just going off on their own or sitting somewhere waiting for the adults. I was wondering if anyone else had every had their children that didn't want to ride go through the line and then stand to the side at the loading area for the adults to return. Does anyone know if DLR will accommodate for that? I do trust my niece in that she is the oldest of all of the cousins and has always taken a very protective role with them.

I would say from your post that the answer to your questions are NO!

"The Rider Swap program allows multiple adults to experience an attraction while one adult waits with a child. You then "swap" to enable the other adult to enjoy the attraction."

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/attractions/list/#/rider-switch

 

[mydisneymoney]

skiingfast, it is my understanding that rider swap is for parents with children that are too small to ride a ride (too short). My son is tall enough, he just does not like it, nor does my niece.

 

[bumbershoot]

They wouldn't be able to stand to the side. They would end up exiting if they went through the line with you, and could wait by the exit area. Unless there's a ride stop, you would be reunited in a short period of time.

I was babysitting at 12. Unless your niece is far too immature to babysit, I wouldn't have a single problem with this. Well, unless your 6 year old is too wild for a younger babysitter to deal with; the 6 year old has to understand completely that the 12 year old is the law while they are alone.

 

[mydisneymoney]

They wouldn't be able to stand to the side. They would end up exiting if they went through the line with you, and could wait by the exit area. Unless there's a ride stop, you would be reunited in a short period of time.

I was babysitting at 12. Unless your niece is far too immature to babysit, I wouldn't have a single problem with this. Well, unless your 6 year old is too wild for a younger babysitter to deal with; the 6 year old has to understand completely that the 12 year old is the law while they are alone.

My son loves his cousin and she thinks the world of him. She comes over at least once a week to "babysit" him while I work. I would trust her to get him out of the building and wait at the exit for us. I just do not think I would be ok with them going to another area of the park for 45 minutes while the adults stood in line.

 

[argueta0305]

I personally wouldn't be comfortable with a 12 year old watching my 6 year old. It is very easy to get separated from a group. Especially in a crowded place like Disney.

 

[jmainaz]

Times have surely changed.
I used to go the WDW, back when it was just Magic Kingdom, with my family all the time (Mom, Dad, Sister, Me).

Back then, I was 5,6,7,8,9 years old and my sister was 9,10,11,12,13 respectively.

First, when we were together, my Dad would make us ride all the rides, even the fast ones. Even if we were scared at first. I grew to love all rides, especially fast ones.

Second, he and my mom would go off shopping around the park and we would make arrangements on meeting back at a certain time. He made sure we all had working watches. My sister and I would go off together and ride and ride all day long.

These trips to WDW made me into the Disney fanatic I am today and the overall lover of thrill rides / dark rides and all rides in general.

I loved that my Dad pushed us to be independent. But times have changed.
Now that I am a Dad, I wonder if I can trust doing the same thing with my child. She's still only 4 and we don't have an older child so thankfully I don't have to make that decision yet.

However, my daughter is already looking forward to riding all the rides. Last year, on her last day before her 3rd birthday, she rode the Mattahorn. So technically she was a 2-year old at the time

She looks forward to riding TOT, SSM, SM, BTM, etc. on this trip. It must run in the family blood now; my sister's son rode TOT at 4 and stuck his hands straight into the air with a big smile on his face as we rode.

-J

 

[jenniferrose]

skiingfast, it is my understanding that rider swap is for parents with children that are too small to ride a ride (too short). My son is tall enough, he just does not like it, nor does my niece.

I do not think this is the case. When we have done rider swap, they never asked where my kids were or asked to measure them. Some kids that are tall wont want to ride the ride.

 

[mydisneymoney]

Times have surely changed.
I used to go the WDW, back when it was just Magic Kingdom, with my family all the time (Mom, Dad, Sister, Me).

Back then, I was 5,6,7,8,9 years old and my sister was 9,10,11,12,13 respectively.

First, when we were together, my Dad would make us ride all the rides, even the fast ones. Even if we were scared at first. I grew to love all rides, especially fast ones.

Second, he and my mom would go off shopping around the park and we would make arrangements on meeting back at a certain time. He made sure we all had working watches. My sister and I would go off together and ride and ride all day long.

These trips to WDW made me into the Disney fanatic I am today and the overall lover of thrill rides / dark rides and all rides in general.

I loved that my Dad pushed us to be independent. But times have changed.
Now that I am a Dad, I wonder if I can trust doing the same thing with my child. She's still only 4 and we don't have an older child so thankfully I don't have to make that decision yet.

However, my daughter is already looking forward to riding all the rides. Last year, on her last day before her 3rd birthday, she rode the Mattahorn. So technically she was a 2-year old at the time

She looks forward to riding TOT, SSM, SM, BTM, etc. on this trip. It must run in the family blood now; my sister's son rode TOT at 4 and stuck his hands straight into the air with a big smile on his face as we rode.

-J

To give my son credit, he went on every ride we wanted to go on last February and didn't cry or freak out. However he said he didn't want to go on them again. I think I can get him to go on them again but I do not want to force him into something he really doesn't want to do. I agree that I think he is more scared of the unknown and not the ride itself. He did not like Prirates but when we went on it a second time he decided it wasn't so bad and asked to go on it a third time. My hope is that he will give them all a try this time around.

 

[Scribble Kitty]

There as a mouseplanet update about this recently, I'll copy it here:

How does Disney's new height requirement measure up with parents?

A new policy at the Disneyland Resort is changing the way parents with young children plan solo trips to the parks. In the past, Disney required that children who met a ride's height requirement but were under 7 years old be accompanied by a "responsible person" who was older than 7 and also met the height requirement to ride alone. This let families pair siblings together on rides, and also helped facilitate "rider swaps" in situations where one or more children were too short to ride at all.

Now Disney requires that children under 7 years be accompanied by a responsible person aged 14 or older, who also meets the height requirement to ride alone. This now prevents 6- and 8-year-olds from riding alone together, as now you need a teenager to ride with preteens.

The policy also applies to the rider swap. In the past, a parent could leave a 6-year-old in the care of a 13-year-old while the parent rode with another child. That is no longer the case—the "responsible person" waiting with a child while the parent rides must be 14 years or older.

MousePlanet reader Teddi calls the new policy "painful," and explains how it impacted her recent trip with three children: an 11-year-old and two 6-year-olds. Teddi tried to ride with her children on Silly Symphony Swings, which has one height requirement to ride, and another to ride alone. In the past, Teddi could ride with one of her younger children in a tandem swing, while the older child rode with the other younger child in another tandem swing.

This time, Teddi was told that she could still ride with one of the 6-year-olds, but that the other 6-year-old could not ride with the 11-year-old, even though the older child is tall enough to ride on his own. She was also told that the older sibling could not wait with the younger sibling in the rider swap area. In the end, the 11-year-old was allowed to ride on his own, while Teddi waited with the two 6-year-olds.

Teddi said, "My littles were disappointed to the point of tears when the entrance [cast member] gave us misinformation and when we went to try to board, we were denied." She said, "I'm not going to argue it, because Disney has the right to set policies as they believe best protect all parties," but continued, "I'm glad we won't be taking the kids again 'til after Christmas, which will fall one week after my twins hit 7... otherwise, not sure a solo mom trip would be worth the stress and upset kids."

Parenting in the Parks columnist Adrienne Krock said about the new policy:

"I understand why Disney wants to ensure that responsible individuals accompany young children on rides. On the other hand, I see two problems with the new policy: First off, age restrictions are difficult to enforce. Unfortunately, parents already fib about their children's ages to save money on admission media, so there's nothing to stop them from fibbing about children's ages, whether 5-year-olds now become 7, or 12-year-olds will now claim to be 14.

"Secondly, as an Annual Passholder, for years I have taken two or three children to the parks by myself and this will make it much more difficult for parents to take trips alone with their children. That said, many attractions can accommodate one parent and two or three small children in the same ride vehicle. If the families can still sit together in the same vehicle, but different rows, they may not even notice the policy change very much. For local parents, this may mean they need to eliminate a small number of attractions from visits when only one parent accompanies the children. Based on reactions on the MousePad message boards to this announcement and to announced upcoming ride closures, for vacation planners, often eliminating even just one or two attractions from their options will make them very upset."

So to sum up, it sounds like unless the kids look alittle older then they are they won't be able to wait at the exit for you and the other adults to ride the fun stuff.

 

[mom4princesses]

IMO if the child needs an adult to wait with him per Disney policies then you should be allowed to use the child swap. Not sure what the exact policy is but like I said thats my opinion.

 

[mydisneymoney]

There as a mouseplanet update about this recently, I'll copy it here:



So to sum up, it sounds like unless the kids look alittle older then they are they won't be able to wait at the exit for you and the other adults to ride the fun stuff.

Really sad that they can't stand at the exit but they can technically go find a bench to sit on and wait and no one would question it. I think if they are going to make it this difficult then they should allow rider swap in these situations. My niece could pass as 14 and my son could pass as 7 but I do not them to lie about it if asked. That would be teaching them something that isn't right.

 

[jory29]

I personally would not do it - not only is their the fear of separation of 6 year old from 12 year old by accident, what would happen if an earthquake were to take place, or some other event? I feel comfortable splitting my family up if Dad is with one kid, I am with the other, and we both have cell phones to communicate, as well, we have a meeting place should anything happen that communication fails. Disneyland is a great place, but I would still not feel comfortable with leaving the 12 and 6 year old together while the adults go on the rides that they don't wish to. How would you or they feel (and how would everyone handle it) if you got caught up in a *really* long line, or what if the ride broke down, etc. etc. Too many 'what if' scenarios that would just make me feel too nervous to do that.

 

[pixiewings71]

I too do not feel very comfortable with them just going off on their own or sitting somewhere waiting for the adults. I was wondering if anyone else had every had their children that didn't want to ride go through the line and then stand to the side at the loading area for the adults to return. Does anyone know if DLR will accommodate for that? I do trust my niece in that she is the oldest of all of the cousins and has always taken a very protective role with them.

Well I think this is a very personal choice that each family has to make for themselves. If you are comfortable with your neice doing this then do it, if not then don't.

Our family has been going to DLR for years, both girls (and we adults) are extremely comfortable with the parks. Our girls have been allowed to go on rides together (without the adults, SM makes me sick) since they were 9 and 12. But not everyone is that comfortable with the parks or their kids. If you aren't comfortable with it simply have them go thru the line with you and let the CM know they aren't riding, the kids will be directed to exit at that time, if you have a predesignatred meeting place and each party has a cell phone this is usually the best solution.

Whatever you decide enjoy your trip!

 

[jory29]

Well I think this is a very personal choice that each family has to make for themselves. If you are comfortable with your neice doing this then do it, if not then don't.

I also agree with Pixiewings - it is a decision each family can make for themselves, as it is a personal decision...

 

[Leofoenget]

I personally wouldn't be comfortable doing that...
It's very easy to get separated from a group, and I don't think a 12 year old has the maturity to handle that type of situation in a crowded place like Disneyland.

My son is 12, (13 in one hour! ) and he is totally mature enough to watch is brother while we go on a ride. We go to Great America here in No Cal and many times I have handed off Jeff to watch Jason while I jump on a quick ride. I do have a stroller, tell them exactly where I expect to see them when I get off the ride. In addition to that, if anything were to happen he could totally figure out how to get help. Come on 12! I was baby sitting infants younger than that!