Letting my 18 year old use my time share

[stc1223]

My son will be graduating next June and already he's hounding me to allow him to bring down some friends to Disney for a celebration (without mom). Has anyone done this and what was your experience.

My older son has been working down in Disney for the past 7 months (though the college program) and I know security is very tight down there but I don't know if it's a good idea or not to allow a bunch of kids to use my time share.

Just looking for your thoughts.

Susan

PS I just got back from my 4th visit to Disney this past year and it's just not enough. Anyone want to buy a nice ranch in Central Jersey so I can move to Orlando???

 

[Chuck S]

It depends entirely on whether you feel your son, and his friends, are responsible enough to be on their own in your timeshare. I assume you have met the other kids wanting to go, and perhaps know their parents as well, so you can make an informed judgement. Some kids are "adult enough" to behave appropriately, and some go wild (otherwise there wouldn't be the Girls Gone Wild/Guys Gone Wild videos out there)

If you feel your son and his friends are responsible enough, there is no reason not to give them this graduation present, I'm sure a lot of DVC parents do this for their kids without any problems. I'm also sure there are a few who do give the trip, then regret it.

Unfortunately, it is one of those judgement calls only you, as the parent, can make

Of course, if you really want to go back to WDW...you could book a studio for yourself at a different resort. That way, you'd be nearby in case of a problem...and he and his friends would still be basically on their own

 

[kathleena]

If it was your two sons, I would say sure, why not go for it as long as they are well behaved and responsible and you know they will respect the other DVC owners and the family-style resort "behavior".

But you are talking about other people's sons travelling alone with your son. I think that's a whole different concept. And you described them as "a bunch of kids" as opposed to "this group of really nice, responsible young men." Just a feeling I'm getting by the way you worded your post- that you are not feeling really comfortable about it.

I would agree with the suggestion to tell him, sure you can go, but I am going too. (But I would stay in the same resort.) Don't worry, I won't be hanging out with you and your friends, but I will be watching out for you. If he's not planning any shennanigans with his buddies, he won't mind that at all. If he gives you a hard time, then I would say no.

 

[DisneyHumbug]

I have allowed both my DDs and their friends to use it after h.s. graduation. However, my son told me he didn't trust his friends and declined my offer. He recently stayed at BCV with my nephew and they had a blast. Maybe you should ask your son if he trusts his friends to not get him in trouble?

 

[paults]

just remember if somehting does go wrong and say damage occurs I believe you will be responsible for it for you are the contract owner.

If you trust your son you also have to trust the other people with him.

good luck with your decision

 

[Granny]

We're having this same discussion regarding my DD and a high school graduation trip next summer. In her case, I am confident that the girls she would be travelling with would be very responsible. It's just hard to imagine letting them go to WDW without any parental supervision or support.

On the other hand, a few months after that I'll be letting her go off to college without any supervision or support so hard to make a case for saying no.

In any event, I agree with all that it really depends on your son's maturity level and that of his friends. There are mature 18 year olds, and many not-so-mature 18 year olds. I don't think we can help you here, other than to wish you luck!

 

[Dean]

We're having this same discussion regarding my DD and a high school graduation trip next summer. In her case, I am confident that the girls she would be travelling with would be very responsible. It's just hard to imagine letting them go to WDW without any parental supervision or support.

On the other hand, a few months after that I'll be letting her go off to college without any supervision or support so hard to make a case for saying no.

In any event, I agree with all that it really depends on your son's maturity level and that of his friends. There are mature 18 year olds, and many not-so-mature 18 year olds. I don't think we can help you here, other than to wish you luck!

We did this for my son and his friends. My daughter and a friend (a few years older) went along as chaperones. I would have bet anything with this group it would not have been a problem. We had a boy's room and a girls room and the girls were by far the more difficult for my daughter to deal with. We had laid out some basic rules ahead of time to all teens and their parents and even those basic rules were tested time and again during the trip. My daughter said "never again".

 

[Granny]

Dean...great feedback, as always. Many of my DD's friends are going to Mexico, etc. We thought WDW might make for a more tame place to go.

Thanks for all the feedback and letting me piggyback on this thread.

 

[gmboy95]

I know many will shake their heads at this but as a rule, I trust anyone under the age of 21 years old as far as my eyes can see them, and when their not in my eyesight I pray I have given them just a bit of common sense to make good decisions, but i dont count on it!!!......Listen as far as i am concerned I try and remember back to my decision making ability as an 18 year old, and that alone would stop any notion of letting my Son or daughter go alone....just ask yourself about the night and day difference between kids when they enter college and when they get out (light years). It has nothing to do with how they where raised and if your kid is a "good kid", because most likely they are, its just 18 year olds are still teenagers and think like teenagers.....Hey do you think George Bush Sr. would have sent George Bush Jr. on a trip by himself when he was 18 , now he is president of the US; go figure

 

[dalt01]

some of you are saying i will trust mine but not other kids, what do you think THEIR parents are saying???????? my knee jerk reaction to the OP was "what, are ya nuts????"

 

[WOW]

I think it all depends on the relationship between the graduate and his friends. I would hope that most of the parents know each other and that should be key as to whether or not they should go!! I don't think that I would let a friend go unless I know the parents, or at the least speak to them about this. We allowed our children to go right out of high school, but it was a team between the grads and all the parents. There were rules and everyone was aware of them. Thank goodness that all went well with no problems. Good luck in your decision.....I know it is a tough one!!!

 

[Merilyn]

I didn't let mine go alone until they were college grads. I did take them all for high school graduation but I was there! I think 18 is a little young to be alone that far from home. Anything could happen. At least at college there is adult supervisors and rules. They may be considered adults but lets face it, they are not! I agree with others that the 4 years in college makes a big difference and even then I don't think some of them are ADULTS. Maybe you could just be there in another room.

 

[jetsetter90]

My DS is going to be a junior and has asked if he'll be able to go down with the guys at some time. It will most likely be after senior year also. I know I may be naive but I would much rather he be at DW then in Mexico or whatever that years hot spot is.

I do like the idea of being at the world. Any excuse to be there would be fine by me.

TTFN
Jetsetter90

 

[Dean]

My son will be graduating next June and already he's hounding me to allow him to bring down some friends to Disney for a celebration (without mom). Has anyone done this and what was your experience.

My older son has been working down in Disney for the past 7 months (though the college program) and I know security is very tight down there but I don't know if it's a good idea or not to allow a bunch of kids to use my time share.

Just looking for your thoughts.

Susan

PS I just got back from my 4th visit to Disney this past year and it's just not enough. Anyone want to buy a nice ranch in Central Jersey so I can move to Orlando???

Just a note about other timeshares. Many, if not most, timeshares have a higher cutoff age to be able to check in. Some are as high as 25 with 21 & 23 being more common and they tend to be very strict about it.

 

[BeccaG]

I didn't let mine go alone until they were college grads. I did take them all for high school graduation but I was there! I think 18 is a little young to be alone that far from home. Anything could happen. At least at college there is adult supervisors and rules. They may be considered adults but lets face it, they are not! I agree with others that the 4 years in college makes a big difference and even then I don't think some of them are ADULTS. Maybe you could just be there in another room.

I don't know a lot of college dorms with adult supervision. Yeah there are RAs but they are just older college kids themsleves!! I really think it depends on the graduates as everyone keeps saying. Secondly, and I think someone already said this, Disneyworld would be tamer, than say Aruba, and if they don't take a car they are stuck with Disney transportation so they can't go too many places to get in trouble!!! I am a high school teacher, and I teach seniors and there are some who I would totally trust with my DVC timeshare and others I wouldn't. Heck there are some 30 year olds I would not trust!!!

 

[dumbo71]

18 year olds unsupervised is never a good idea regardless of the kids involved. Things can and do happen. Just ask Natalie Holloway's parents if that trip was a good idea. Aruba is the safest place in the world from a crime statistic standpoint and it happened there. It could happen at the "world" also.

Lets take the liability thing into account: what if some one gets hurt or killed while staying on your points at WDW? Who's liable? YOU. Also, could you sleep knowing you allowed this unsupervised trip? Probably not.

25 really should be the legal age. Just ask the rental car companies. They seemed to have figured it out. Only Enterprise still rents under 25, I believe, and there is huge surcharges added on top of the rental for 21-25 year olds.

Please think this thorugh. I remember being 18 and I know what I would have done and it wouldn't have been pretty.

 

[dalt01]

18 year olds unsupervised is never a good idea regardless of the kids involved. Things can and do happen. Just ask Natalie Holloway's parents if that trip was a good idea. Aruba is the safest place in the world from a crime statistic standpoint and it happened there. It could happen at the "world" also.

Lets take the liability thing into account: what if some one gets hurt or killed while staying on your points at WDW? Who's liable? YOU. Also, could you sleep knowing you allowed this unsupervised trip? Probably not.

25 really should be the legal age. Just ask the rental car companies. They seemed to have figured it out. Only Enterprise still rents under 25, I believe, and there is huge surcharges added on top of the rental for 21-25 year olds.

Please think this thorugh. I remember being 18 and I know what I would have done and it wouldn't have been pretty.

i heartily second that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jacksmom99]

I think a responsible 18 year old alone would be fine. However, how many 18 year olds go anywhere alone. Let's face it, the ability to use common sense and make good decisions decreases exponentially as the group size of teenagers increases. I would allow the trip only if I were to go and stay in the same resort.

 

[donmil723]

When DD graduated from high school 3 years ago, she wanted to go to WDW with her two best friends and use our DVC. She did but I went too along with my best friend. We had two studios at BCV so they had plenty of privacy but I was close by just in case. We all had a blast!!!!!

Looking back, I'm glad I went too. Even though I felt at the time that DD and her friends were responsible and would behave themselves then, I can see now that they weren't really ready to handle all of the types of problems or situations that could occur. The phone calls home from college that first year support that!!!! DD will graduate from college next spring and is talking about a graduation trip to Florida with her roommates and fellow graduates. I'm all for it as I know she will have the benefit of four years away at college handling various situations and problems. Experience is a great teacher!!!

To the OP, be thankful your son prefers WDW to Mexico as I know several high school grads from around here that like to go to Mexico and do nothing but PARTY, PARTY, PARTY since it is legal for them to drink there. WDW is very strict on underage drinking!

Donna

 

[SLM]

My daughter and three friends went to WDW after their high school graduation-I knew the girls and their parents for ages-they had a great time and no problems. They called frequently but to be honest I still worried. I love the idea of mom and a friend staying onsite.