Teens traveling to wdw later

[drinkme]

HAs anyone had their teenager meet them at wdw a few days later? I wanted to plan a trip and get to wdw early in the week. The teens can't take off that much school so I was thinking they could fly out on Thursday or Friday. The kids will be 14 & almost 16 at the time of the trip. They have flown by themselves before. They have taken DME with me many times. I'm sure they would have no problem at the airport.

I wanted to hear any first hand experiences.

 

[Gracie09]

I think you have to be 16 or 18 to ride magic express without an adult (although 18 is an adult).

 

[happymommy]

Personally, I plan our family vacations around my kids' school schedule right now, so if it were me I'd wait and all travel together.

I also wouldn't let them stay home alone overnight until they were older (they never have done so yet). If I had to be away, I'd have an older person stay in the house with them (I have a friend that has done so, as well as when I was home after surgery to help with them).

 

[drinkme]

Personally, I plan our family vacations around my kids' school schedule right now, so if it were me I'd wait and all travel together. I also wouldn't let them stay home alone overnight until they were older (they never have done so yet). If I had to be away, I'd have an older person stay in the house with them (I have a friend that has done so, as well as when I was home after surgery to help with them).

My dh will be home. He doesn't go to wdw. Not his happy place. I know, he's crazy! I would be going to wdw early with my oldest dd & her kids. Her children are very young still.

 

[Lynne G]

At Christmas time, we had our kids, 12 and 16 fly down together to meet us already in FLA a few days before. We met them at baggage claim and they were fine. They had been traveling with me many times before, so we were pretty confident they could fly and meet us in the airport.

I took a quick look at the ME online. Only thing they say is that a person over 18 must make the reservations. I would call and try to make the reservation noting the kids' ages. Otherwise, can an adult meet them at the airport and ride the ME with the kids?

 

[canadianmom2three]

My three kids age 16, 14 and 11 flew down to Florida over the march break and were fine. They had no problems on the flight or navigating the airport on landing. They were picked up at the airport but I would feel fine about having them take the ME from what I recall it is very easy to find.

 

[canadianmom2three]

Also fwiw I think you need to trust your own judgement regarding your kids AND if your kids feel comfortable with the idea as well. For me, I felt very comfortable and so did the kids but if they hadn't we wouldn't have made the same decision. The kids also stay home alone (together) overnight and are pretty independent overall so this didn't seem like a big deal. What's right for some families is different than what feels right for others...

 

[drinkme]

Also fwiw I think you need to trust your own judgement regarding your kids AND if your kids feel comfortable with the idea as well. For me, I felt very comfortable and so did the kids but if they hadn't we wouldn't have made the same decision. The kids also stay home alone (together) overnight and are pretty independent overall so this didn't seem like a big deal. What's right for some families is different than what feels right for others...

Yes I agree. If it was ds13 by himself I don't know if I would let him do that all alone. Fly alone, yes. But I would have to have someone walk him to his gate & someone to pick him up at the gate. Dd15 just flew by herself last month. The 2 kids together would be fine. They flew alone together last year.

Dd15 will be traveling into the city by herself on a train everyday over the summer. Navigating her way downtown and figuring out everything. I think flying into Orlando & taking the DME is much simpler. I have a phone number for DME that I think I will call and ask.

 

[happymommy]

If your DH is home with them, then I don't see any issues. I'm sure they would be perfectly fine finding the DME bus and get to the resort!

Have fun!