Kids Alone in the Park--What Age?

[Princess Disney Mom]

I think that 12 & 14 is fine to tour alone.

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Thank you all! I hate to sound like one of "those" parents, but I really have no question at all that they'll behave. They're good kids and I trust them completely to do what they're supposed to be doing. As a PP mentioned, they know there are consequences if they don't--but we've never had to once follow through and actually punish them for anything!

I think they'll enjoy the independence--maybe a little too much and want to do this all the time!

 

[AmyB2006]

I remember being off on my own at 12 and 13. It shouldn't be a problem, and you're within Disney rules because it just says they have to be at least 14. And we didn't even have cell phones then. We used Disney transportation even to travel between parks. We would go from Epcot to MK then back to Epcot to meet my parents for dinner. LOL To think I'm still alive to talk about it to this day... amazing stuff.

 

[jcvalenti]

Last trip down my sons were 12 and 6. The 12 year old had spent a total of 6 or 7 weeks of his life in the parks, and knew them backward and forward. We let the 12 year old (and his 2 12 year old cousins) take the "younger" kids from World Showcase up to Future World at Epcot to do some rides, and they were fine.

This coming summer, we will let the group of cousins (3 age 14, 1 age 11, 2 age 8) have a lot of freedom in the parks to go do rides while the adults stroll. We know they are polite, responsible, and capable of watching out for one another. As the older ones all have cell phones, and baby sitting experience, I'm not worried a bit if they want to go off on their own.

As long as you trust your kids to behave, and you set some ground rules (how often to check in, where to go, etc) it's fine.

 

[jcvalenti]

I remember being off on my own at 12 and 13. It shouldn't be a problem, and you're within Disney rules because it just says they have to be at least 14. And we didn't even have cell phones then. We used Disney transportation even to travel between parks. We would go from Epcot to MK then back to Epcot to meet my parents for dinner. LOL To think I'm still alive to talk about it to this day... amazing stuff.

I recall being 12 and my parents wanting to hang out at our camp site at Fort Wilderness back in 82. I took my younger sister, we got on the bus, we went to Epcot for the whole day and met them for dinner. No big deal !

We always keep saying as parents that "it was different back then", but part of the reason it's different is because our generation seems to be comfortable raising a whole generation of kids who can't even walk down the block to play at the school yard without a carpool and chaperone.

 

[Ofinn]

I recall being 12 and my parents wanting to hang out at our camp site at Fort Wilderness back in 82. I took my younger sister, we got on the bus, we went to Epcot for the whole day and met them for dinner. No big deal !

We always keep saying as parents that "it was different back then", but part of the reason it's different is because our generation seems to be comfortable raising a whole generation of kids who can't even walk down the block to play at the school yard without a carpool and chaperone.

I totally agree with you. I give my 10 and 11 year old a lot of freedom on the ships. I know a lot of parents on the DCL board won't let their kids out their sight. I can't wait until they are 13 and 14 and they can tour the parks on their own. Disney is probably the safest place in the world to give your kids a little independence.

 

[hucifer]

Disney is probably the safest place in the world to give your kids a little independence.

I agree.

Back in 1980, my parents let me and my sister go from the Poly to MK and back (via monorail) by ourselves, and we were 9 and 11. It's kind of crazy to think about sending your 9- and 11-yr olds off alone, but they felt perfectly comfortable doing so at the time.

 

[JBS2]

You'll be in the same park, they'll be together, and they will have cell phones with them - I think 12 and 14 is a fine age to explore the park without your direct supervision.

This is how my wife and I felt with our DD 13 and her friend (12). Even the mother of the 12 year old did not express a concern as long as we all came and went from the same park at the same time (and they both had their cell phones). We went last September and DD and her friend entered the park ahead of us and they were not even questioned about their age.

 

[wordwitt]

I agree.

Back in 1980, my parents let me and my sister go from the Poly to MK and back (via monorail) by ourselves, and we were 9 and 11. It's kind of crazy to think about sending your 9- and 11-yr olds off alone, but they felt perfectly comfortable doing so at the time.

I know that my parents used to drop my cousin and I off at Disneyland and Knotts when we were 11. We used to stay until the park closed and then they'd pick us up. (We lived close.) I'm pretty sure this type of arrangement is what led WDW to institute the "14 to enter the parks alone" rule, but these were some of my best memories.

Honestly, I am generally very overprotective of my daughter, but I just don't think there's anything wrong with most 12+ year old kids touring the parks without their parents. As long as the parents are in the same park, and the kids have a way to communicate, it seems pretty benign.

 

[disneyjunebug]

I used to take Middle school groups to WDW every year. They would put themselves into groups and then would be given a check in time at a specific location every 3 hours. I would be there 15 minutes before until 15 minutes after the appointed time. (If they were late, there was a severe, severe punishment -- Having to ride Small World with me singing the whole way.) Never had a problem with them being late. And never lost a child. Now some of the adult chaperones I wish I could have lost......

The kids did great. Some had a chaperone in their group and some didn't. This was before the age of cell phones. It would be so much easier today with all the cell phones. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[cjbcam]

Ok this is my experience when we went last week. My oldest DD are 11 and 9 then my youngest DD is 6 and my DS is 3. I had the three girls one afternoon by myself and my 11 and nine year old got asked at EVERY ride even though I was there but they were in a different seat. A couple times they really questioned my nine year old and I was told they have to be seven to ride without an adult and almost made my 9 year old ride with me and my 6 year old and make my 11 ride by herself.
I knew I would have to ride with my six year old and the other two would have to ride together all day and it got a little sickening to have to argue the age of my nine year old with the cm.
Then I just had my oldest two and we were going to meet Mickey and they got ahead of me. The lady standing at the door wouldn't let them in until I got there. As I was walking up I could hear the really rude CM telling them they are not allowed in the line without a parent.

 

[china mom]

I have been letting my kids out of my sight but still in the same land (tomorrowland, fantasyland etc) since they were 7 & 9. They go to Disney a lot and know their way around, have cell phones and most important, have common sense. In fact, they have been riding rides without me since even before that since the boy child could pass for 14 and acted as the chaperone.

They have only been questioned once (getting on Small World) back when DD was probably 6 and teeny, tiny. At the time, they did not have the "must be 7 to ride alone" rule and they were allowed on without me. Other than that, they were asked their ages one time at Tower of Terror but still allowed to ride.

I am not quite ready to let them have complete run of the park without me but (helicopter parents, be prepared to freak out) I might be next year when they are 10 & 12. I think my 11 year old is ready to run free now and could navigate all the way from resort to park and back but his sister can be, eh, um, "difficult" sometimes and I don't want to stick him with that too far from home.

 

[madelyn]

My experience is with our last trip to WDW in June of 2012. My two boys were 13 (going to turn 14 the next month) and 10.5 and my daughter 5.5 years. In our middle school (starting in 6th grade) here the kids start going on school trips to water parks and Six Flags parks where they have to stay in a group but navigate the parks on their own without an adult in their small group. I was in the Magic Kingdom with my 3 kids. Also had 3 other adults on that trip but not sure where they were at. My boys wanted to ride Splash Mountain and I was going to take my daughter to grab something to eat and be right back. I assumed I would be back before the boys would finish the ride. My older son and I had cell phones so I figured everything would be fine. Turns out the ride broke with a few groups stuck on the ride. I didn't see my boys anywhere so figured that they might be stuck. I talked to employees and gave a description of what one of my boys was wearing but no one could conclusively tell me if my boys were on the ride. It had been raining that day and when I tried to use my cell phone it didn't work! And my son's phone was relatively new so I didn't know the number by heart! Had about an hour or so where I didn't know where they were. Turns out they were not on the ride but were in the line when the ride broke. They exited the ride and didn't see me there and walked elsewhere. Turned out another adult in our group noticed them watching the fireworks on Main Street. Next time I will have a back up plan and tell them to meet someplace if they don't see me! The last family vacation we had was a Disney Cruise. My boys were 15.5 and 12. My older son pretty much went on his own around the ship. The 12 year old we would keep tabs on but he would do some things on his own but we generally knew where he was.

 

[Alice Royal]

Ok this is my experience when we went last week. My oldest DD are 11 and 9 then my youngest DD is 6 and my DS is 3. I had the three girls one afternoon by myself and my 11 and nine year old got asked at EVERY ride even though I was there but they were in a different seat. A couple times they really questioned my nine year old and I was told they have to be seven to ride without an adult and almost made my 9 year old ride with me and my 6 year old and make my 11 ride by herself.
I knew I would have to ride with my six year old and the other two would have to ride together all day and it got a little sickening to have to argue the age of my nine year old with the cm.
Then I just had my oldest two and we were going to meet Mickey and they got ahead of me. The lady standing at the door wouldn't let them in until I got there. As I was walking up I could hear the really rude CM telling them they are not allowed in the line without a parent.

Wow, that's really sad. Sadder is that while it isn't your fault, you know that there have probably been some parents who would argue just as hard for their children's age because they wanted their 6.5 year old to ride alone, and that's why they question.

I was that kid whose parents would never have let me go anywhere by myself, even at WDW or on a DCL ship. I even asked them to have some 'me time' in the parks on our last trip, when I was 17, and I still got a flat-out 'no'. Turns out the joke was on them, really--the moment they let go of the proverbial leash, I ran away to Florida for college. I've adjusted to freedom without going crazy, thank goodness.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

As noted, the official age is 14.

the 12 year old would need to be accompanied by an adult to enter the park, but once inside could go everywhere with the 14 year old.

 

[wordwitt]

As noted, the official age is 14.

the 12 year old would need to be accompanied by an adult to enter the park, but once inside could go everywhere with the 14 year old.

This is not quite accurate. A 14 year old can enter the parks with an under-14 guest.

"Children under age 14 must be accompanied by a Guest age 14 or older to enter the following Walt Disney World parks and locations . . . "

 

[ZoZo]

And one thing to be aware of is that cell service can be spotty in the parks. I like the idea of having them have a specific time and place to meet you, in case there's an issue with service.

Texting can often work better than calling sometimes, too. Some rides are very loud, so it's hard to hear on a cell phone, and some places (such as The Land building in Epcot) have terrible cell reception. Texting works much better.

 

[WantToGoNow]

My ds12 spent many hours running around the MK doing the game. Never had a problem with him reaching us to see where we were.

 

[SmallWorld71]

DS14, DD10 and I were at WDW not long after the age change for entering the parks.
We all entered together, but there were a number of times that I had to visit first aid. Rather than have them wait with me in the first aid office, they went off and rode things that I was not feeling up to and then we would meet up. (Dinosaur, Space Mountain etc...)
They were never questioned at all. DS14 is very average sized for his age; DD10 is tall and could probably pass for 11 or 12. Your kids should be fine. Just be very clear about staying together, what to do if separated etc...

 

[Lizzybean]

So glad I found this thread! The policy seems pretty clear which is nice. Last year I let my 14 y/o boy tour the same park we were in on his own and I let his 9 y/o sister go with him for some rides.

This trip they are 15 1/2 and almost 11 and want to try going to other parks (without us). Sounds like Disney is fine with that and I trust the kiddos completely. Excellent kids, a fair amount of common sense, independent, and look out for each other.

I think like pp mentioned, it depends on your kid; you know them best.