Teens and the parks

[familyofgoofies]

Any concerns or bad experiences with your teens doing the parks on their own? I'll be letting my 15 and 13 1/2 year old boys have some time without parents. Thanks for your comments.

 

[DVC Jen]

I do this with my teen DDs as well. Kinda nice to have the alone time in such a magical place for you and your spouse.

As long as your boys are polite and mindful of others - go for it and enjoy it.

 

[familyofgoofies]

I agree about being polite. NO spoiling the experience for little ones especially in MK.

 

[cybrkitn]

I don't see why not. Just have a meeting time and place set up.

I went to Dis when I was 14, 19 and 22. The first time my brother (who was 12) and I stayed with our parents since none of us had ever been before. The second time we went off on our own and met up with our parents at a designated place. Of course all three times were pre-cell phone era.

 

[marciemi]

Interested in the response too. We'll be there next summer with our 3 boys who will be 15, just 14, and 12. DH & I would like to do the Keys to the Kingdom tour and I read on another post about parents doing this tour and letting the kids just do MK at the same time. Might be kind of cool for my kids to have some time alone and do their own thing. We were considering either this tour or the Segway tour at Epcot, either of which none of them are old enough to do.

My first concern is what if we're in the tour and something happens. Seems a little more challenging than just splitting up, but I guess as long as we all have cell phones and we're in the same park, it shouldn't be too bad. Maybe my concern is losing the money if we have to interrupt the tour because loving DS's lost their little brother!

Second (and this is just me since I'm obsessive!) my concern is how much time they would waste. If this was at opening, I would want them using all the DIS/TGM/UG strategies to do all the big rides they want while getting FP's for others to make the most of their time. Unfortunately, I think their strategy would be along the lines of going on Buzz Lightyear 5 times in a row and then playing in the arcade or going in the gift shops or eating snacks somewhere! Hard for me to let go and not micromanage their time too!

I think with your (and my) kids' ages, and the fact that there are two of them, nothing major should happen. As long as one has a cell phone, either could use it if anything did happen (I'm thinking more along the lines of "I don't feel well", "I lost my brother", "Can we leave now?"). In an actual emergency, I feel confident that CM's would help them and one could still contact you.

I guess I would strongly have to remind them about being polite. I can't imagine them bothering little kids, but could see them messing around in line and bumping people or being loud ("Stop!", "No, YOU stop! I was here first!"). I have to believe they only act this way when we're around to referee and would be better on their own, but I guess you never know. Can't hurt to reinforce ground rules!

When are you going? We don't go until late July. If you go before then, please let us know how it goes!

 

[disneyfan61]

In April we let our DS's 17 & 13 go to all the parks & ride their favs while my DH & I went thru WS. We had the cell phones & met up with them for dinner. They
had a ball & did what they wanted & we had our time. We will be doing this
again next April.

 

[sPaRkLeSpAz]

.. [= I'm 18, and I've always liked doing the family thing in the parks.. I don't know, it might sound corn-bally but I've always liked spending time with my family while at Disney World.. [=

 

[goofy4tink]

We'll be in WDW in two days....celebrating dd's 13th birthday with another mom and her dd who turns 13 the day after we get home. My dd is a veteran of about 10 trips to WDW in 7 years, so she knows her way around the parks pretty well. The other girl has been twice. This will be the first time my dd has been allowed to head off on her own...both girls are really looking forward to this time alone. They will have cell phones and we will set meet-up times after 2 hrs or so. They will be reminded of the importance of good manners...they should just imagine the moms are right behind them at all times, and behave accordingly!!!

 

[EricaLovesMickey]

.. [= I'm 18, and I've always liked doing the family thing in the parks.. I don't know, it might sound corn-bally but I've always liked spending time with my family while at Disney World.. [=

I don't think you sound "Cornbally" at all. I think it's nice that you want to spend time with your family.

I have thought about letting our 15 yr. old dds go on their own, but I don't want to experience the trip without them. I figure we only have a few family vacations left with them. We do let them go to the pool alone which a nice break not having to go swimming after a long day in the park.

 

[CathrynRose]

This past trip - my 15 y/o was pretty much on his own.

He didnt want to get up early - he'd meet us at the park later. Then he'd get there, usually stay for our table-service meal, and head out again.

He's been going since he was a wee-one, so knows the parks like he knows our neighborhood. He'd take the bus to wherever he wanted to go - The Virgin Megastore was a popular destination with him.

I even found out, after leaving us at EPCOT one Sunday - he headed to ESPN restaurant at Boardwalk to "watch football"

So yeah - I paid for him to show up, eat and go watch football.

BUT - he had fun. Go figure.

 

[Whosemom]

I can't imagine when I will feel ok about letting mine loose. At 5, 8, and 11, its hard to picture ever letting go

BUT

If you do let them go, and they want to ride buzz light year 5 times in a row, I wouldn't consider it a waste, just the joy of splitting up. Their chance to do exactly what they want.

Two, I can see. the poster with three might have troubles. seems like there's always an odd-man-out around here.

 

[nhpooh]

.. [= I'm 18, and I've always liked doing the family thing in the parks.. I don't know, it might sound corn-bally but I've always liked spending time with my family while at Disney World.. [=

I don't think you sound cornbally at all. It's very nice that you want to spend time with your family, I know as a parent I would love it. My DD(17) does the same thing. And I love that she spends the time with us.

 

[MichelleVW]

My girls were 12 and 14 the last time we went and they went off on their own alot. We all would start out together but then we would want to do different things, so they would take off one way and DH and I would take off the other way. It was nice, we still spent alot of time together, but not every waking moment.

The girls know Disney very well, are both responsible and know how to get around Disney. So we even trusted them to get back to the hotel by themselves, and never had any problems. The rule was to stick together at all times, and of course they had a cell phone with them.

 

[schmitty]

15 and 13.5 are plenty old to walk around the park on there own. I was doing it when I was 11 or 12. I would go do my own thing and meet up with my mom for lunch and dinner. My mom would usually ride the smaller rides with my brothers and I got to do what I wanted. This was before I had a cell phone so if they had a phone it should be even easier for them to go out on there own.

 

[cybrkitn]

.. [= I'm 18, and I've always liked doing the family thing in the parks.. I don't know, it might sound corn-bally but I've always liked spending time with my family while at Disney World.. [=

Nothing wrong with that at all. My brother and I stayed with our parents the first time and we had a blast! I have my pictures to look back on and the memories. Wouldn't want to trade those for anything

 

[familyofgoofies]

I do appreciate the response to this thread. I absolutely treasure the moments I have shared with my boys on two previous trips and look forward to every moment we have together on our upcoming trip. BUT...I want them to have some freedom from their parents. I am not worried about them bumping little ones in MK, I was more thinking along the lines of "don't go through it's a small world voicing scarcasm and ruining the experience for others". I am thinking while DH and I stroll slowly through World Showcase, they would rather be doing Mission Space and Test Track one more time. DH and I love the thrill rides but just once. They could go over and over and over and over...There were lots of times on our last trip, especially in AK that I just wanted to sit and enjoy a shady spot and admire the landscape. My boys don't like to sit, unless they are eating. We will find a compromise and have a great time no doubt!

 

[SnowWitch]

Our trip this past summer our boys were 15 and 13. They had a ball having their independance. We had our 14 month old daughter with us and the boys would do some touring with us and then go off on their own. We had the water parks added to their AP's and that along with DQ was the highlights of their trip.

We always met for sit down meals, they had their cell phones, and it was agreed ahead of time when and where we would meet back up. It was well understood that if at any time they would be late for a meet up then they would call before the time we had agreed on or it would be the tea cups and dumbo for the rest of the trip for them. With this incentive they were very responsible about promptness!

My Best friend on the other hand barely let her 15 yr old leave her side the whole trip. I felt bad for the kid.

 

[mattsdragon]

My cousins and I did it when we were 12, 13, and 16. We weren't rude to anyone, we generally just had fun and made sure we were polite.

But we sure weren't good.

What a blast.

 

[resol37]

My brother and I were 10 and 13 the first time we went. Since we had never been before there wasn't any wandering off - we didn't know where anything was!

On subsequent trips (13/15 & 15/17) we went off on our own a couple times including an entire day at Studios by ourselves (1 ride on Star Tours, 2 on RnR and 15 on ToT - time well spent!).

 

[tink1978]

As long as they are polite and not overly loud and obnoxious, it will be fine. Just review the rules with them before you let them go.