Kid FP Runner

[Balt ravens fan]

Would you ever have a kid be a FP Runner? Here is my dilemna, my wife is most certainly going to be a wheelchair for our trip she has a severe ankle sprain and cannot put much weight on her foot. I will be pushing her around in the wheel chair. Now my oldest daughter is a lot like me, and at times likes to run to the FP machines with me - she is 12. If you were say walking toward Tomorrowland from the HUB, would you feel comfortable sending your 12 year old child to get FP for Space Moutain and then meet at Buzz lightyear if they really know the park, and maybe send them with a cellphone and specific instructions not to lose the tickets! The other idea that she likes is to push mom around in the wheelchair, but I am worried about her pushing mom in the crowds, the third and more sane idea is for all of us to stay together, maybe leave them at the entrance for a ride while I run for a FP for something else. I am leaning toward this, but just wondering what people's thoughts were about a kid Fast Pass runner, most of the time an adult is the FP runner from what I read on here. My main fears are - they get lost (although phone and knowing the park and giving short distances would help with this), OR they lose the tickets. I am thinking maybe 12 is too young for that.

 

[TDC Nala]

Up to you really. Do you trust your 12 year old to take the tickets, go off on her own and come back to the correct place with both the tickets and fastpasses intact? Each 12 year old is different. I am pretty sure my nephew, who is 12, could probably handle it if he had something to put the tickets and passes in (as opposed to carrying them in his hands). Buzz and Space Mountain are not that far apart either. It's not like you are sending her across the park.

 

[kmk1180]

12yrd old...personally ya I would.
but to each their own. It's what your comfortable with.

I hear you about the dilema though.
Ours is for HS.
We want to hit Jedi Acemedy and told it's best to go directly at rope drop
to sign up.
But HS is also TSM.
I've love to my wife and kids to go to JA, and me toTSM then meet them.
but (I love her) she's very directionally challenged.
Not sure she's get to JA since we've never done it. (Took the wrong turn last year to TSM)
And to do together, afraid by the time we go to JA, sign up, then to TSM get FP or ride, then we'd jsut walk back to or be late for JA.
Seems like a lot of wasted time.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

We've had our TWO kids (9 and 13 at the time) do it once. They got FastPasses for TSM while my wife and I went on RnRC. We met back at Starring Rolls for breakfast.

 

[Sugardimples]

I would do it. If she is familiar with the parks and would not be scared to be off on her own, I see no problem with this. I do think it is a good idea to make sure she has something to keep the tickets in and make sure she know how important it is to hold onto them.

 

[Balt ravens fan]

We've had our TWO kids (9 and 13 at the time) do it once. They got FastPasses for TSM while my wife and I went on RnRC. We met back at Starring Rolls for breakfast.

I have a 9 year old too - I wonder if they could do it together without fighting. This sounds like a good idea to send them together - in theory.

 

[puffkin]

Sure I would. Most 12 year olds I know (I coach field hockey to that age group) would be perfectly fine doing that especially if they are familiar with the parks. Plus Space and Buzz are pretty close so it is even less of an issue.

My only concern would be that they forget the tickets or something, but if they have something to put them in it should be fine. I think it is a great responsiblity test!

 

[sharona]

At 12 we were allowed to go off on our own as long as we stayed in whatever park our family was at for that day. Usually we paired off w/ a favorite cousin or siblings but sometimes we would be totally on our own for quite a while and meet back up later. And that was long before texting and cell phones made it easy to find each other. It sounds like your dd is more than ready for this.

 

[beautyqueen]

I think I would have let me son do this at 12 if he would know the park like your dd does. Now having the 9y/o go along with no fighting I'm not so sure about! lol

 

[Day-Day]

I would do it. I'd be more worried about the kid leaving a ticket at the machine; I'd keep reminding the kid to not forget the tickets. As long as you have a meeting place, the kid can find it even if it takes asking a CM. Sounds like your child has been to WDW before so it is even less of an issue.


You could instruct your kid to get help from a CM at the FP machine and not get the FP's on her own.

It is always a good idea to record the ticket serial numbers or make copies.

 

[Mrs D]

I have an alternate solution - if you are in the parks for more than a day or two you might consider renting an ECV for your wife. I could see how pushing a wheelchair for multiple days would get old real quick.
My Mom rents from http://www.buenavistascooters.com/ when she goes to WDW. They are on-site at the Boardwalk, deliver & pick up directly to your resort and are better priced than renting from Disney.

Just a suggestion! Hope you have a great trip!

 

[lroger01]

Here's how I'd do it if it were my kids:

Send both kids with lanyards with clear pouches on them.

The oldest carries the tickets in her lanyard and puts the tickets in the fast pass machine.

The youngest gets the fast passes as they come out of the machine and puts them in her lanyard.

Since both are responsible for just 1 part of the transaction, they'll be more likely to get it right! And since they both have specific jobs, there is less chance of a fight.

Emphasize to them that what you are asking them to do is a very adult task. They need to handle themselves as if they are adults and prove to me (the parents) that they are capable of handling such a grown up task. Make it clear to them that losing the passes or tickets, fighting, and not meeting up at the right place immediatly afteward, are all signs they aren't ready for such an adult responsibility.

I can almost guarantee mine would handle the task admirably and make me proud. I'm sure yours would too.

 

[kamik86]

I agree with the PP that I would have no problem with this if she knew the parks and isn't likely to get lost. (My mom could get lost anywhere, my sister managed to ride the school bus for months when she was in school before she could tell you how it got to her school, etc)

Also I second having some kind of pouch to put the tickets and fast passes in so there is no worry about her losing them.

 

[t_catt11]

I'd have no issue at all with my 12 year old running for fastpasses - the chief worry would be in forgetting the tickets.

Send a cell phone and keep one on you in case you miss one another.

 

[Hannathy]

Isn't that one of the perks for having them? for putting up with them,feeding them, paying their admission?

Heck yeah I'd do it and have done it. Just know where you are meeting for sure.

 

[Day-Day]

Isn't that one of the perks for having them? for putting up with them,feeding them, paying their admission?

....

Bingo!

 

[Balt ravens fan]

I was expecting more concerned people. I just have to pass the idea by my wife now .. lol .. if it is a no - I will be running and pushing which I am cool with.

 

[sharona]

Isn't that one of the perks for having them? for putting up with them,feeding them, paying their admission?

Heck yeah I'd do it and have done it. Just know where you are meeting for sure.

This made me lol.

 

[bwilcox]

If you are going to give your kid a little independence, WDW is probably the safest place in America to do it! I would if my child knew their way around WDW.

 

[shemp1]

My DD (age 16 then) didn't like to do it last year because she "got tired of all the old men" (my age I guess) trying to cut her off.