Need advice on vacation with a teenager.

[maine_jennifer]

Hi all!

In July I will be taking my 13yo nephew to Florida. We're going to spend most of our time at WDW, with a day at Discovery Cove, a day at SeaWorld and the Marine Mammal Keeper Experience at SeaWorld.

This will be my first trip with a teenager and his first trip without his family. Does anyone have any advice on vacationing with a teenager for a week? How can I make sure he has a good time? Is there anything I can do to make it extra special? Is there anything I should not do?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Belle5]

Let him rent a water mouse (sprite boat) for an hour from a good marina. (Contemporary or WL for example.) Disney Quest is a big hit with boys that age. Let him play games at the arcade in the Contemporary.

Belle 5 (mom to 6 boys 17, 15, 13, 11, 6 and 1/2) who has been to the "World" with the kids 18 times.

 

[laceemouse]

Jennifer, your time at Sea World and Discovery Cove should be awesome! My oldest DD will be 13 in a couple of weeks and she will say things like "Disney AGAIN!" and act like it is not cool at all, but when she gets there she always has a great time. I have told her that she could just stay here with her aunt and uncle but she never takes me up on it! We just got back fromWDW last Sunday and although she wouldn't smile in the pictures LOL she DID have fun when we were there!!!

 

[georgina]

Let him choose what he wants to do at the parks. I'm taking my Dd for her 14th birthday, and going to let her decide what to ride, when to swim, etc. We did discovery cove last summer, and that was great. We've been to WDW a few times, so she has some idea what she likes to do and I'm just going to go with the flow!

 

[4greatboys]

My 2 oldest are teens--16 and 14. We just take turns doing things that interest everyone. We really like the thrill rides so we utilize babyswap and my 2 oldest end up getting to ride twice so that makes it fun and they even enjoy the rides for younger kids because their little brothers are having a good time.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

Last year and this year again, I have let both of my DD's plan their day at the parks. This allows them to control all the rides we go on, where we eat, when we switch parks, how late we stay, etc. This worked out well last year (they were 13 and 11 and the time) and I am pretty sure it will work out as well this time.

There are still so many things we have not seen at WDW I know the girls are going to have a great time.

 

[Cameo]

We took my niece when she was 13. She was supposed to help with the 20-m-o DD, but that didn't work out very well. It was her first trip away from home also, and she did get quite homesick - more than we thought. Make sure you plan/budget for plenty of phone calls home.