new blog: Magical Express Age Limit Changes: A Parent's & Teacher's Perspective

[LeahZ]

Recently, Walt Disney World announced that the minimum age to ride a Disney’s Magical Express motor coach unaccompanied by an adult changed from 16 to 12. That’s quite a difference in age requirements. Four years in the life of a teenager is quite a difference in maturity and responsibility.

Read more:

http://blog.wdwinfo.com/2014/07/20/...limit-changes-a-parents-teachers-perspective/

 

[minnie mum]

Some kids are veteran travelers at an early age. Others are not. Its up to the parents to decide if their child can do this safely. I can't imagine that there are hoards of unaccompanied minors traveling to and from WDW.

 

[Howellsy]

I can't imagine that this affects a great amount of people. Under what circumstances would a 12 year old be transferring solo?

For what it's worth I agree with the PP. Some children would be mature enough and their parents would surely know them best.

 

[MaleficentRN]

Some kids are veteran travelers at an early age. Others are not. Its up to the parents to decide if their child can do this safely. I can't imagine that there are hoards of unaccompanied minors traveling to and from WDW.

Agreed.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I see no problem with it.

 

[shepd]

As a parent and a teacher (I homeschool) I disagree with both the parent's and the teacher's points of view. 12 years old is plenty old enough to ride a bus unaccompanied.

Outside the USA/Canada, children often take *shock* public transportation to go to school, and they are certainly in the thick of using it at age 12. Heck, even where I am, in Canada, many students that age choose not to have a 3 mile hike uphill to school and also use the city bus system.

In the end, this only benefits those who feel their children will be able to handle the ride alone, and causes no issue for parents who feel their children are not prepared. If your 12 year old shouldn't be on the bus, in your opinion, the answer is no and you go on with your life. If the answer is yes, and Disney says no, well, now you'll need to get them a taxi. I think I'd rather they ride the bus.

 

[Crl1817]

My ds is 11. I would not let him fly alone or be on that kind of airport transportation alone. Part of my criteria is him being able to handle it if something goes wrong--delayed flight, flight forced to land unexpectedly, etc, etc. He would not be able to do that yet. I imagine other kids his age might be able to as he is very responsible for his age but not a great problem solver.

This is a nice prompt for me though that we really need to start teaching him how to get through airports and such on his own so that he will be ready to do this kind of thing someday. He has flown with us a lot but I have never made an effort to show him how we do the check in, find our gate, etc. Past time to start doing that.

 

[mousefan73]

Most domestic airlines allow minors age 12-17 to travel alone as adults. I can see them doing this to be inline with the airlines.. I am sure there were plenty who argued, if my kid can fly alone, why cant they ride the bus alone..





Don't assume there are no reasons for kids to travel alone on the MDE..
There are many divorced families where kids live not near a parent, or grandparents... Though I personally would plan it that my kid (If so were the case) who lived out of state would fly and meet me same day and we take the bus together...

but anyways.... maybe a set of grandparents book 2 weeks and the grandkids then get out of school and fly to meet up with them...

cases like this I can see happening...


Again, Disney is just matching the airlines.

 

[asmit4]

I can only speak for myself- at 12 I was a veteran traveler....I'd have had no issues at all taking disney transport alone. If there was an issue- I'd have a cell phone. I can see sending a child at 13 or so- down to disney to meet a divorced parent or grandparent, taking the disney transport and being just fine.

With that said- I agree with the others. Every kid is different. Some kids who are 12 are very mature---others are not.

 

[rosebery]

My oldest was travelling unaccompanied internationally (to and from non-English-speaking countries) when she was 12. She'd been travelling with us since she was an infant, so she knew her way around airports and train stations and what to do in the event of an emergency (missed connection, lost luggage, etc.) better than many adults would.

We were also living in Europe at the time, where you saw school-aged kids taking the buses, streetcars, and trains all the time without any adult in attendance.

Presumably, if a parent did not think their child mature enough, they would not be letting their child travel unaccompanied. But there are plenty of children who are mature enough. Thank you, Disney, for accommodating them.

 

[asmit4]

I'm from the US and frankly? I think we coddle kids here far far too much. I hear reports of people not wanting their 8yo sons to go pee for 2 minutes in a disney restroom. Yes- bad things happen but 99.9% of the time they do NOT.

We have a group of college aged kids who can often barely tie their shoes- let alone deal with real adult issues.