OT - Skateboarding???

[luvthatdisney]

Hi guys,

We are planning a trip for the second week in August - it looks like we are going to be staying at the CR. My question is about my ds (15) and his friend (14) that will be with us and they love to skateboard. Does anyone know of a place around WDW or Orlando that is a good place to take them to skate? I know that we will be in the parks most of the time, but for the down times I know that they will want to skate and will try to do so at the resorts - so I will have to keep my eyes on them at all times. I would like to be able to take them somewhere so they can get a skateboarding fix

Has anyone else had this problem - this is the first time we will be going to WDW since my ds has gotten into skateboarding and I am not sure where to go?

 

[can'tgetenufofwdw]

Their is a van's skatepark in Festival Bay. That is the newest "mall" up on the north end of I drive. It looks pretty nice. It's all indoors.

 

[Disney Fool]

Skateboarding is not allowed anywhere on Disney property.

 

[luvthatdisney]

Thanks DisneyFool - that I why I asked if anyone knew of somewhere I could take them. Most public/private places do not allow skateboarding.

If your kids arent into skateboarding be glad!! Even though it is great exercise for them, there is a stigma placed on these kids that they are "slackers" or "juvenille deliquents" and that is not fair. All kids want to have fun with their friends regardless if they are skateboarders, football players or cheerleaders (players on our HS Varsity Football team has gotten in trouble several times this year)!!!. My ds is almost 15 and the police follow them around just waiting for his group to do something wrong. There are a few - not really my ds's friends- that try to hang out with them that cause problems. My ds has never been in trouble (at school or anywhere else) - knock on wood! I wish there were more public/free skateparks they could go to. There is one about 20 minutes from our house that we frequent so they will not be skating on the streets. You guys that have young boys and think you will never let your kids go out and ramble in town (we live in a small southern town) dont be fooled like I was. They want independence and if we dont give a little I fear much worse could happen (gangs, drugs, etc). However, with his limited independence I still know where he is at all times and he does carry a cell phone in case of a problem or accident. There are several Mom's that check on them frequently - they have an abandoned lot they skate in daily (so they are technically not in the street) - but to get there they sometimes walk.

Thanks for letting me vent - this is a very sore subject around here as the police have started writing tickets for loitering for any kid they see on the street with a skateboard ($50 fine). Just the skateboarders - not the kids that hang outside of the pool hall or ride their bikes in the street. The the old saying " a few can ruin it for everyone" I guess that is true in this case.