responsible party requirement

[AZBeth]

I am confused on this new policy and hope someone can clarify this...

the new policy says a child under 7 has to ride with a responsible party 14 years or older...

I am taking my 6 and 9 year old on a trip this October... with the new policy does this mean that if all 3 of us can't fit in one car, we can't ride or can my 2 children ride together in one car and me in the other?

I've tried calling Disneyland but can't get a "live" person to answer.

If this policy will prevent me from riding in a seperate car then there won't be any reason for us to go...

Thanks

 

[Kittyskyfish]

It means a small child can't do the ride alone - while everyone else sits on a bench because they would rather be there than on the ride.

 

[starshine514]

They will tell you at each ride. However, even if the 6-yr-old needs to ride with you, then 9-yr-old can ride by themselves. My 4 and 6-yr-old sat in front of DH and I on a few FL rides (though technically neither of them was old enough to ride alone), we each rode beside them on gadget's go coaster, all of us rode in a single car for the Haunted Mansion, etc.

You'll be fine, just prep the 9-yr-old that at times s/he may have to ride in a separate seat. I would put the kids together in general and let the CMs inform you if the younger one needs to sit with you.

 

[HydroGuy]

I am confused on this new policy and hope someone can clarify this...

the new policy says a child under 7 has to ride with a responsible party 14 years or older...

I am taking my 6 and 9 year old on a trip this October... with the new policy does this mean that if all 3 of us can't fit in one car, we can't ride or can my 2 children ride together in one car and me in the other?

I've tried calling Disneyland but can't get a "live" person to answer.

If this policy will prevent me from riding in a seperate car then there won't be any reason for us to go...

Thanks

With two kids, one of which is 9 and tall enough to ride alone, this will not impact you. Although it will impact others.

See Mouseplanet's parl update this morning
http://www.mouseplanet.com/9683/Disneyland_Resort_Update#news2

 

[skiingfast]

In your case it will be fine. You ride with 6yo, the 9yo can ride alone, he/she is over 7.

 

[jenpace]

I wonder what prompted them to make this change?

 

[cyclenut]

I am confused on this new policy and hope someone can clarify this...

the new policy says a child under 7 has to ride with a responsible party 14 years or older...

I am taking my 6 and 9 year old on a trip this October... with the new policy does this mean that if all 3 of us can't fit in one car, we can't ride or can my 2 children ride together in one car and me in the other?

I've tried calling Disneyland but can't get a "live" person to answer.

If this policy will prevent me from riding in a seperate car then there won't be any reason for us to go...

Thanks

As the PPs pointed out, you should be OK as long as your 9yo is willing to ride alone on occasion. Depending on the ride and your proximity to the 6yo, they might even let the 6 and 9 ride together with you in a "nearby" car. Several rides are large enough that all three of you should be able to ride together.

Something else to keep in mind is that there is nobody checking age at any attraction. It is still going to be a judgement call by the CM. If your 6yo is nearly 7 or big for his/her age, then there will likely be little question by a CM if the two of them ride together.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I wonder what prompted them to make this change?

Irresponsible parents is my guess. What bites is OP's situation isn't something that would fall into irresponsibility IMO. But I bet DL is sick of 7 year olds watching 3 year olds or something...

 

[starshine514]

Irresponsible parents is my guess. What bites is OP's situation isn't something that would fall into irresponsibility IMO. But I bet DL is sick of 7 year olds watching 3 year olds or something...

Or, people dropping off their 10 and 4 year olds at the park alone. Before, the 10 year old could watch the 4 year old all day, but no more.

In the article, it mentioned an example with rider swap not working w/ 2 6 yr olds and an 11 yr old (with parent). I'm assuming people could still do this, as long as they didn't try to use the actual rider swap. I mean, if the whole incident hadn't happened and the 11 and one of the 6 year olds had been sitting on a bench somewhere else, there is no way the CM would have realized that the 6 year old wasn't with a person at least 14 yrs old - because they wouldn't have even known that the child existed! They would have only seen the parent and the one child.

 

[HydroGuy]

Or, people dropping off their 10 and 4 year olds at the park alone. Before, the 10 year old could watch the 4 year old all day, but no more.

For the record, I have never heard of this happening. And never observed anything myself that looked like it. Could it happen? Yes, of course. Like lots of things...

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

LOL Yeah but you also never hear the reasons that they put silly warnings on products..but you KNOW people have done it.

 

[cougarfan84]

LOL Yeah but you also never hear the reasons that they put silly warnings on products..but you KNOW people have done it.

Here's your sign . . .

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Here's your sign . . .

Exactly

 

[ConnieB]

For the record, I have never heard of this happening. And never observed anything myself that looked like it. Could it happen? Yes, of course. Like lots of things...

I can say that my teenagers and I have stood in line and talked with quite a few kids that were not yet teenagers that were there ALONE. "Mom dropped us off" or "my parents went back to the hotel" are what we have been told. I just smile because of course it's not my place to judge other parents......but both my kids have commented that they can't imagine being alone in the park at that age.

Makes me glad my girls are teens, but makes me think years from now how this will impact my going alone with those grandkids I am looking forward to introducing to Disney!

Obviously I don't know what happened to make Disney change this, but my feeling is that if the parent is on the same ride, then the ages shouldn't matter......this type of rule makes more sense for parents who do NOT ride the ride with their children but instead are warming a bench or worse, sleeping in at the hotel.

I'm guessing this is going to shake out over the next several months as Disney weighs their concerns about safety with scenarios like OP. If OP is riding in the seat behind her kids, is that really a safety issue? It hasn't been for all these decades. But the new seems to be that the parent isn't anywhere to be seen....THAT might warrant some changes. I hope it shakes out to be more reasonable for solo but responsible parents.

 

[HappyHaunt]

When my hubby was a kid he used to run around alone with his siblings at DL. None of them were teens, maybe 10, 8, and DH 5. That's why he had NEVER been on FL rides until he met me. So it happens, been happening a long time. Sad that they have to make these kinds of rules, but some people just don't get it!

 

[AZBeth]

thanks everyone for helping to put my concerns at ease...

I'm sure we will still have a great time..

Can't recall but do Space and Thunder hold an 1 adult and 2 children in one car?

 

[HydroGuy]

I can say that my teenagers and I have stood in line and talked with quite a few kids that were not yet teenagers that were there ALONE. "Mom dropped us off" or "my parents went back to the hotel" are what we have been told. I just smile because of course it's not my place to judge other parents......but both my kids have commented that they can't imagine being alone in the park at that age.

When my hubby was a kid he used to run around alone with his siblings at DL. None of them were teens, maybe 10, 8, and DH 5. That's why he had NEVER been on FL rides until he met me. So it happens, been happening a long time. Sad that they have to make these kinds of rules, but some people just don't get it!

What I responded to was the hypothetical situation of a 10-year-old and 4-year-old dropped off by a parent at the parks and the parent leaving. To me that is very different from kids going with older siblings while parents are elsewhere in the park.

And long those lines, even then I have a hard time remembering seeing a 4-year-old with a 10-year-old. Alone.

Having younger kids (maybe 8?) with 12-14 year-olds? Yes, I have seen this. I can't remember when we started letting our kids go off alone with siblings but it was definitely not at 4. Maybe at 8 but it was probably closer to 10.

Haunt mentioned her DH going with siblings who were 10 and 5. I guess it happens then although I really cannot recall ever seeing it myself.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I'm guessing this is going to shake out over the next several months as Disney weighs their concerns about safety with scenarios like OP. If OP is riding in the seat behind her kids, is that really a safety issue? It hasn't been for all these decades. But the new seems to be that the parent isn't anywhere to be seen....THAT might warrant some changes. I hope it shakes out to be more reasonable for solo but responsible parents.

I agree. I took my 4 to DLR for the day by myself and my then 8 year old was allowed to ride with my then 5 year old, while I rode in the next car with my 1 and 2 year olds (Mr. Toad, Dumbo). I see a problem coming up on something like Space Mountain where I could ride with my 9, 6 and 4 year old while DH stays with the 2 year old....but would they let my 9 and 6 year old sit together? If not, my oldest would always have to sit alone and one kid would have to stay with dad to do rider swap

 

[SpaceMania]

thanks everyone for helping to put my concerns at ease...

I'm sure we will still have a great time..

Can't recall but do Space and Thunder hold an 1 adult and 2 children in one car?

Thunder you could probably fit 3 on one car... i did with my cousins. our ages at the time were 16 14 and 11... it wasn't comfortable AT ALL. we couldnt move. but obviously your kids are smaller so it shouldnt be a problem.

Space it has 2 seats per car. so only 2 can ride per car, no exceptions. :/

 

[HydroGuy]

I agree. I took my 4 to DLR for the day by myself and my then 8 year old was allowed to ride with my then 5 year old, while I rode in the next car with my 1 and 2 year olds (Mr. Toad, Dumbo). I see a problem coming up on something like Space Mountain where I could ride with my 9, 6 and 4 year old while DH stays with the 2 year old....but would they let my 9 and 6 year old sit together? If not, my oldest would always have to sit alone and one kid would have to stay with dad to do rider swap

I don't think Space Mtn is the right comparison because the parent is there in the car. So the rule does not apply. It is on rides with only two people in a vehicle - like the link I gave about Silly Symphony Swings.