I'm going to slightly dissent with popular opinion here....
My ds is 10 and will have his 11th birthday at WDW in January. We're planning to begin letting him have a little freedom at WDW if he chooses, but it will only be in the parks and we'll definitely be nearby. But if he wants to go into a nearby attraction that we don't want to do, I don't see a problem with it. Admittedly, he's only been using the restroom at WDW on his own for about 2 years, but I think of all places in the parks the restrooms are the most risky. But if he'd like to go watch Philharmagic while the rest of us go on Its a Small World....or if he wants to stay outside and have a snack while we go in a shop, or go to an attraction while the rest of us have a snack I don't see any problem.
At the resort I can see too much opportunity for an abuser to pull a child into a room or a car that affords a really dangerous level of privacy. The parks are much more public in almost all areas.
I will add that my ds is extremely familiar with the parks and at home I have no problem with him being out of my sight in areas I know he knows well. I'll send him across the supermarket to grab something I forgot...or let him go to a different department at Target. He does not stay at home alone....but I can see leaving him while I run out to pick up a pizza or something in the near future. Very short periods of time to start out then getting longer as he gets older.
My whole theory is start small and work towards greater independence. I definitely think my ds will be more than capable of handling WDW on his own, including transportation to and from the resort to the parks, etc.... by the time he's 16 (but not with his sister, who will only be 11...). By starting with short amounts of time and small distances, we'll move gradually to longer times and larger distances. I certainly think a 13-14yo is capable of safely spending several hours in one park, particularly with a cell phone and parents in the same park and a designated meeting time and place. Even at 12yo I can see maybe an hour at a time with closer proximity.
My ds does like company though....so I don't know how likely it is for him to want to go on his own! Also, my thoughts are entirely based on my ds's experience w/WDW....he knows his way around and knows how it all works. For a first time visitor I'd be a lot more cautious...the parks can be very disorienting!
My ds is 10 and will have his 11th birthday at WDW in January. We're planning to begin letting him have a little freedom at WDW if he chooses, but it will only be in the parks and we'll definitely be nearby. But if he wants to go into a nearby attraction that we don't want to do, I don't see a problem with it. Admittedly, he's only been using the restroom at WDW on his own for about 2 years, but I think of all places in the parks the restrooms are the most risky. But if he'd like to go watch Philharmagic while the rest of us go on Its a Small World....or if he wants to stay outside and have a snack while we go in a shop, or go to an attraction while the rest of us have a snack I don't see any problem.
At the resort I can see too much opportunity for an abuser to pull a child into a room or a car that affords a really dangerous level of privacy. The parks are much more public in almost all areas.
I will add that my ds is extremely familiar with the parks and at home I have no problem with him being out of my sight in areas I know he knows well. I'll send him across the supermarket to grab something I forgot...or let him go to a different department at Target. He does not stay at home alone....but I can see leaving him while I run out to pick up a pizza or something in the near future. Very short periods of time to start out then getting longer as he gets older.
My whole theory is start small and work towards greater independence. I definitely think my ds will be more than capable of handling WDW on his own, including transportation to and from the resort to the parks, etc.... by the time he's 16 (but not with his sister, who will only be 11...). By starting with short amounts of time and small distances, we'll move gradually to longer times and larger distances. I certainly think a 13-14yo is capable of safely spending several hours in one park, particularly with a cell phone and parents in the same park and a designated meeting time and place. Even at 12yo I can see maybe an hour at a time with closer proximity.
My ds does like company though....so I don't know how likely it is for him to want to go on his own! Also, my thoughts are entirely based on my ds's experience w/WDW....he knows his way around and knows how it all works. For a first time visitor I'd be a lot more cautious...the parks can be very disorienting!
