Teens alone in the parks

[Muffy]

My 15 y/o DD is bringing a friend with us to WDW this year. We have no problem letting them tour the parks alone during the day. My question is, should we let them go to the parks alone at night? We will be staying at the Swan. My DH thinks it would be fine but I'm still debating weather or not I want to offer this kind of freedom to them. It would be ok to go to Epcot alone to see Illuminations etc. but I'm not so sure about extra magic evening parks. I do trust them. I'm just protective! I would appreciate any comments. TIA

Muffy

 

[liveforthemagic]

I'm protective too. Now, take this with a grain of salt cause my DD is only 7 and I haven't had to start letting go at all....so this may be a conservative reply. But I really don't think I would let 2 15 year old girls be alone after dark no matter where they were. I know--very old fashioned. But better safe than sorry!

 

[disneyfan581]

It's fine to let them go alone I would say. My parents let me go with 2 friends for graduation down to Disney for a week by our selves this past summer for July 4th. Then again we are all 18 and I know Disney World like the back of my hand. That is one thing that was to our advantage and that is also why the other set of parents let their kid go with me. But like i said, we are 18 and its a little different. I think at age 15 your daughter should be responsible enough to go alone at night. Plus you will be in Disney with them so I don't think its that big of a deal. Disney is a very safe place, don't worry about it. Hope that helped a little in your decision.

 

[AJKMOM]

Well, you could try the first day to see if they can get back to the resort by letting them make all the decisions with you there. If so, they should be fine. If you have a cell phone, let them use it while they aren't with you.

 

[ElleBelle]

I think it really depends on the individual child. Not all 15yo's are of equal maturity/ etc. Truthfully, I don't think there would be a problem with it. In all of my times at WDW I have never felt "unsafe"- even at night. Most areas are so full of other people that you never have that "alone with someone spooky" feeling. Just tell the girls to use the buddy system. Tell them to do EVERYTHING together- right down to going into the restrooms together. You can also make sure they have a way to contact you- like cell phones, or 2-way radios are really quick and easy. (Just make sure they are long-range, and multiple channels- some can go as far as 12miles.) Hope this helped!

 

[Muffy]

Yes, we both have cell phones. I'm still leaning against letting them go to the parks alone at night. Although I may let them go to Epcot alone to see Illuminations. Epcot is close to the Swan. I'm uneasy about letting them go to MK at night for EMH alone.

 

[tar heel]

One of the things I like best at WDW is that I have no qualms about letting teens out on their own. None of my kids, however, go off all day. For our family, people sometimes do different things during the afternoon break -- some going to another park, some swimming and sometimes my oldest to Downtown Disney. Since you're staying at the Swan, you might limit their territory to Epcot, MGM, Boardwalk and the resort.

 

[BYC]

My daughter will be 15 on our next trip. I plan to let her go to the park at night...but she will be with her 17 year old brother. I do think I would let her go with another 15 year old girl (as long as I knew and trusted the friend) I am pretty conservative, too, and I will not let my daughter go to the mall without me. But, at Disney, I feel she is safe. She would have a cell phone, though...and I would ask her to check in occasionally.

 

[TiggerXx]

I was 14 last year and went with my best friend. We went alone and we were perfectly fine. And my mom trusted us too.

 

[hezreck]

I think if you go to the same park they are going to that would be fine. I would not stay at the hotel and let them go off by themselves to a park. You could be at the park and let them go by themselves and meet up every 2 hours just to check up and let them go again.

 

[mickeyfan2]

What does the friend's parents think of the idea?

 

[PrincessAurora]

What do the parents of the other girl say? Remember you are responsible for the safety of their child. I personally would never let 2 15 year old girls out on their own after dark. To me it isn't a matter of not trusting them, its a matter of not trusting the other people out there and just because its Disney does not mean there are not bad people out there that pray on naive young girls.

I would ask all the adults to think way back to when we were teenagers and what stupid things we did or the situations we stumbled into.

 

[curlz2tite]

No one knows your DD like you do . I have a DD who is 16. With a friend I also trusted I would let them go on their own. I would make sure they also had the number to where you are staying if they needed you or to leave a message.

 

[DizBelle]

What do the parents of the other girl say? Remember you are responsible for the safety of their child. I personally would never let 2 15 year old girls out on their own after dark. To me it isn't a matter of not trusting them, its a matter of not trusting the other people out there and just because its Disney does not mean there are not bad people out there that pray on naive young girls.

I would ask all the adults to think way back to when we were teenagers and what stupid things we did or the situations we stumbled into.

Bad people are out there during the day too. If you're ok with letting them go out alone during the day. Letting them out at night should be ok too.

 

[EEYOREMAMA]

My 15 y/o DD is bringing a friend with us to WDW this year. We have no problem letting them tour the parks alone during the day. My question is, should we let them go to the parks alone at night? We will be staying at the Swan. My DH thinks it would be fine but I'm still debating weather or not I want to offer this kind of freedom to them. It would be ok to go to Epcot alone to see Illuminations etc. but I'm not so sure about extra magic evening parks. I do trust them. I'm just protective! I would appreciate any comments. TIA

Muffy

That's a tough call. I have 2 boys 12 and 13. They have literally grown up in Disney and I still worry.

DH and I have given them each cell phones and allow them to go off "together." I am very protective, but realize that they can handle this responsibility as long as we are connected via phones. I panic when I call and there is no answer, but a reassuring voice lets me know "Mom we were on a ride and missed your call."

I'm not too sure about nights. I still don't let my boys go off at night, because while I trust mine, the crowds change from families to more teens, who I do not trust as much. My guys are still a bit too young to handle uncomfortable situations.

I think as long as you're staying at a resort that is right next to EPCOT, it's pretty safe to try it out one step at a time. Set ground rules, and try it in baby steps. Good luck!

 

[Dopey Sharon]

I would let them go, but I would first find out if it's ok with the friend's parents.

I'm sure you let her out, when you're home, with her friends, don't you?

 

[paladin]

I'm sure you let her out, when you're home, with her friends, don't you?

That was my thought also. Do you allow her to go out places with friends when she is home? If so, I can't see why you wouldn't do it here - just arrange meeting places or times to be back at the room - just as you would set up rules at home.

 

[Muffy]

I would let them go, but I would first find out if it's ok with the friend's parents.

I'm sure you let her out, when you're home, with her friends, don't you?

She does not go out alone at night at home. I will ask the parents of the other child. They have never been to WDW. This is the friends first visit to disney. I have no problem with them touring the parks alone during the day. As for after dark, I'm not so sure.

Thank you everyone for all the comments. I appreciate all the feedback.

 

[Muffy]

That was my thought also. Do you allow her to go out places with friends when she is home? If so, I can't see why you wouldn't do it here - just arrange meeting places or times to be back at the room - just as you would set up rules at home.

She goes to movies with friends and school dances with friends, etc. She does not go to the mall alone. Most of the time she has friends over or she goes over friends homes.

 

[skent10]

My 15 y/o DD is bringing a friend with us to WDW this year. We have no problem letting them tour the parks alone during the day. My question is, should we let them go to the parks alone at night? We will be staying at the Swan. My DH thinks it would be fine but I'm still debating weather or not I want to offer this kind of freedom to them. It would be ok to go to Epcot alone to see Illuminations etc. but I'm not so sure about extra magic evening parks. I do trust them. I'm just protective! I would appreciate any comments. TIA

Muffy

I agree with the idea you need to check with the other girl's parents first off, but if they don't have a problem with it, can you compromise? Perhaps be at the same park with them in the evening, but let them go off for an hour or two and meet up again? I know my OMS (Overprotective Mother Syndrome)wouldn't let them be at the park while I was back at the resort--the possible transportation mixups alone would give me fits --but I would, rationally or irrationally, feel better knowing I was at least in the same park with them and would be closer in case of an emergency. And definitely have either cell phones or walkie talkies--my OMS could handle that.