Kids exploring by themselves?

[AngieWin]

2 Questions...

How old would your kids have to be for you to let them explore WDW by themselves?

What safety precautions/limitations would you give them?

My DD is 11 and DS is 10, but they are not the best with common sense. I would love to give them an opportunity to do rides by themselves, or explore a section of a park. We have an extra cell phone (Sprint) that we could program with our numbers to they could have immediate access to us. Any suggestions, opinions?

 

[Vickie46]

I think I would give them time to do a few rides with me close by.. but I would be waiting... that is just me... I have a long way to worry about this though.. my little one is just 3.... I know they are probably ready for their own time... I don't know what to tell you.. good luck.

 

[TheresaNY]

I personally, would not let them go any place where I could not see them. They are still too young. Things unplanned and unpredictable happen EVERYWHERE. How would they handle it if they were on a ride and got frightened or it stopped because of a problem. What if the 2 became seperated from each other in a wave of a crowd? Besides, wouldn't you prefer to watch them and enjoy seeing the excitement on their faces ?? That's just my opinion but that is a real tough question ! Good luck which ever way you decide ( My kids are 13 & 8)

 

[scouthawkk]

I remember getting to explore the parks with just me and step-sister as early as when we were 9 (that was 22 years ago). I guess it all depends on how much you trust them. In 2 years, we are taking my 2 sisters in law and our DS. They will be 13, 11 and 4. If the girls keep on track with their current maturity level, we will probably let them go around by themselves for part of the days in the parks.

If you set up meeting times and places, or make rules like we all eat together, I don't see a problem with it. (I am pretty laid back about things, and if you show me that I can trust you, you get special privileges...) And the cell phone (or even those walkie talkie radios) will allow you to keep in touch with them as you need to. If they are going to be late for a scheduled meet, make them call. If they don't, then the privilege goes away. As long as they follow the rules, and you can trust them, they should be fine!

 

[Mom to Jordan]

I think they are too young for any real freedom yet. DS is 13 and we are just starting to give a little bit. I would be ok with them going through a line and you waiting at the other end but no more than that for a few more years.

 

[minkydog]

They'd have to be a lot older than 10 or 11, if they were my kids. Disney World is a great place for a vacation, but don't leave your common sense behind. Would you drop them off in a mall with a cellphone and let them "explore"? i hope not. There are just too many things that can happen. I wouldn't feel comfortable letting them go until i saw some maturity of thought, some ability to make good decisions in an emergency. Age 15, maybe.

 

[Coloradomom]

Even with very responsible kids I would not do it yet.
Last year was the first year we let DD (who had just turned 15) stay at a park by herself, and that was only because we'd been there many times, stayed at the same resort (POR) so she exactly where to catch the bus.
It was also the first time we let her separate from us at a park.

We did have cell phones and could contact her, but I would not rely on those. On any given day you can get spotty reception or a battery running down, and at those ages they could get scared pretty quickly.

If you are like me, you'd just spend the time worrying about them anyway, so it is probably not worth it. You could let them ride certain rides (like between Splash and BTMR) and just sit with a snack while they have some degree of independence but you are not too far away.

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

Personally, IMO I would never let my dd at that age to go off by herself no matter what level of maturity she had. I remember being 15 and my parents telling me they were letting me walk the mall alone..when really...I would turn just right and catch a glimpse of my dad trailing behind. lol
So, maybe I come from an overprotective family. Is this the first venture these children will have on their own? If it is..why would you start on vacation? In an unfamiliar place and with alot more things that could go wrong that being at most other places.

 

[MrsPete]

My DD is 11 and DS is 10, but they are not the best with common sense. I would love to give them an opportunity to do rides by themselves, or explore a section of a park. We have an extra cell phone (Sprint) that we could program with our numbers to they could have immediate access to us. Any suggestions, opinions?

My oldest is 11. She has always been extremely responsible, has great common sense, and has never given me reason not to trust her. She makes great grades, is super smart, and has consistantly made good choices in friends, etc. She has been to sleepaway camp for three summers and has attended a week-long academic camp on a college campus (both under the watchful eyes of counselors). She has gone away with her scout troop for weekend camping trips.

Despite all this, she is not ready to be "on her own" in a Disney park yet. I wouldn't even consider it!

 

[msbegin]

My oldest is 11. She has always been extremely responsible, has great common sense, and has never given me reason not to trust her. She makes great grades, is super smart, and has consistantly made good choices in friends, etc. She has been to sleepaway camp for three summers and has attended a week-long academic camp on a college campus (both under the watchful eyes of counselors). She has gone away with her scout troop for weekend camping trips.

Despite all this, she is not ready to be "on her own" in a Disney park yet. I wouldn't even consider it!

I have to agree here. My oldest is 11 and he's in the High Honors & gifted programs. He runs xcountry & is a BMX rider. He spent his first week at a sleep away BMX camp in PA this summer (we live in CT). This is a world renowned camp with great security & I still worried all week.

My point is no matter how responsible YOUR child is, remember they are still just kids. There are a lot of crazy people out there & I'm not ready to subject my child to a potentially scary or dangerous situation without a guardian.

It's a personal choice, but I know my son will not have that freedom till he's at least 14-15 (and even then we'll see)

 

[Schmeck]

What would your kids do in an emergency situation? What would they do if they got separated from each other? If one was feeling sick? If they lost something? If they got lost?

If they can give you the correct answers to these questions, then maybe they are ready to be on their own. My DD14 was allowed a lot of freedeom at WDW this last trip, and she managed to lose her cellphone on MS!

 

[AngieWin]

Thanks for the input!! I want to give them a little more responsibility (we have also been working on this at home) and I think I will...

*Let them explore small areas of their choice (stores, play areas appropriate for age) with them knowing exactly where we are and give them a time limit (DS wears a watch and we will get one for DD also, both are very aware of the time when wearing watches)
*Let them ride age-appropriate rides by themselves. Before hand we will find the exit together and identify where we will be, as well as the approximate wait time.

If those are successful, we may go from there! Thanks again!

 

[tjmw2727]

snip to:

My point is no matter how responsible YOUR child is, remember they are still just kids. There are a lot of crazy people out there & I'm not ready to subject my child to a potentially scary or dangerous situation without a guardian.

It's a personal choice, but I know my son will not have that freedom till he's at least 14-15 (and even then we'll see)

ITA this is exactly what I may have written if I had not read ahead. My kids are responsible and cabable but I wouldn't be comfortable with them doing parks or portions of them alone.

In addition, I just spent 5 days at WDW with my dd's 9, (almost 10) and just turned 11 and I personally would not have wanted to miss a minute of it. Part of vacation for us is in doing things together. They will have plenty time to be on their own so I won't rush it.

Have fun
TJ

 

[Schmeck]

Letting a 9 yr old and 10 yr old 'explore' in a store? Are you begging for trouble? It only takes a minute for a sicko to exploit a young child. We had a rape at our local Burger King a few years ago, when a 10 yr old boy went to use the men's room on his own...

 

[Gerweniel]

My DSs are 12 (just about 13) and 11.
I let them wander a bit in the water parks if they stay in the wave pool or keep on going down the same slide - but they must check in every 20 mins with me. I am never far away.
The last hotel we stayed in I let them go to the game room alone - but I ended up going to meet them because I was just too freaked out.

Unfortunately, there are too many cases of abuse/attacks these days. I may be accused of being too overprotective, but I'd rather be safe and boring - than sorry.
Jill

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

We have 3 children, girl age 11, boy age 10 and girl age 5. My son is just chompin at the bit to explore on his own. He drives us crazy. If we are swimming he'll start that he can go to the community room by himself. We need to keep a tight rein on him. My 11 year old is much more cautious.

I honestly can't see myself letting them go exploring any time soon. I go nuts just letting him go into the mens room by himself. Plus we have been lucky because other than the community room problems, we don't really have a major difference in opinion in what we want to explore and any that we have had were easily settled by mom and dad splitting up, because my son likes the more wild rides while my girls like calmer stuff.

Sometimes I am afraid that we are overprotective, but it will be all too soon and we won't have any control at all.

 

[daisyduck123]

For my DD11...no way....and she is bright & mature...even skipped a grade (all her friends are 12 & 13) but there are too many weirdos in such large crowds. I can remember being at the Air & Space Museum in D.C. with DH before the kids were born & this weird man was following us & even brushed right up against me & squeezed my rear end once or twice..and I was a grown woman in a place packed with people. So no way for my DD11 to walk around alone.

 

[LoveWDW]

At the very least I hope you have talked to them about potential problems, including being approached inappropriately and getting lost.

 

[3DisneyKids]

I'm not sure, but I think WDW has a policy for this...no children under the age of 12 unattended. Again, I'm not sure, but I would look into it.

My opinion: not in a million years would I let kids that age in any theme park on their own. I'm sure they are wonderful kids, so this is not a reflection on you or them.

Think of things that happen to responsible ADULTS: How often do you misplace your cell phone? Your keys? Lose track of time or run late? Especially in a place with as much "distraction" as WDW, all of this is easy for adults to do. Why risk it with the most precious people in your life?

 

[_pretty_pixie]

child independance is great but at 11 in a diffrent state nnnnnnnnnoooooooo!!!!!!!!!!