Kids on their own in the parks? What age?

[delmar411]

Just wanted to say that what my post said was that I let my 8 & 6 year olds ride some rides by themselves and wander nearby in the same area as I'm in. I don't drop them off at the Six Flags entrance and pick them back up at night. I will allow them to go ride some rides while I'm in line for something, or I'll ride 1 ride with 1 of them while the other rides something else in the same general area of the park. I will have no problems letting them go off by completely by themselves with friends for several hours when they are 11 or so, until then we are gradually working our way there I just see no need to hover over kids and act like they are not capable of handling situations. They will rise to your expectations.

This is also how our family handles the parks. And I forget which poster mentioned the kids being afraid, well at least for our family, fear isn't an issue. My kids are not raised to fear things/places/people. It's a privilege to ride w/o mom and dad, not a punishment! My kids tear off at WDW to go on rides that DH and myself don't ride. We ride something else w/ the youngest or wait for them at the end of the ride. I think they can handle themselves just fine and they do listen to my oldest and defer to her authority when we're not around. (and she'd happily tattle if they didn't! LOL) I have a couple of similar aged children as nchulka (as well as older and younger too). I like that my kids can navigate the parks, they are very comfortable approaching and talking to CMs, and that they can enjoy rides that neither of their parents are willing to ride.

I do know that I'm raising my kids differently than some other families though and I accept that I won't always see eye to eye with other parents.

So my vote is let the 2 kids go off together! They'll be fine.

 

[Pastamom]

I see no problem with letting a 15 year old go on there own or with the 9 year old as long as they get a long. I'm assuming the 15 year old baby sits or watches the 9 year old so they should be fine.

Not sure that there is a magic age to let children be on their own. DS's are 9 and 11 and I would probably let them ride a ride together at WDW and wait for them - we usually all go together anyways so it hasn''t been an issue yet.

We were at 6 Flags in IL this week and there was no way that I was letting them on there own there. I just didn't feel as safe there - not as family orientated. I wouldn't even let them go in the bathroom by themselves - you just ever know what can happen...and there would be nothing that I could do about it...that I could not live with.

 

[DawnM]

My kids were 11 and 9 last year when we went to Disney. I did the same as many posters....let them go on a ride nearby while I went on something else, and then met up after the ride. They aren't old enough to go off on their own for hours at a time, but for short periods they were fine.

Dawn

 

[2luvmickey]

We let our then DS 18, DS 15 and DS 12 go off on their own at Universal IOA a few years back. They had spending money, room key and cell phones at the ready. They went on the rides they wanted, and DH went through the parks at our leisure.

Just this past spring, we let our (now) DS 18, DS 14 and DNephew 15 roam around Disneyland on their own. They had a blast. In fact, for a "family reunion" we managed to break up into three different groups! So much for family togetherness!

As long as you have clear guidelines, meeting places and cell phones, and depends upon the kid's maturity, let 'em go!!!