Touring plan strategy - teenage boys

[Quinn222]

I could use some advice. This is the first trip I'm planning with kids involved, my nephews. They are very different personalities. Young teens (12-13) One is going to want to ride lots of thrills (none of the rest of us will) and he can make himself pretty obnoxious to get his way. His brother is a much quieter and doesn't go for the thrill rides. I want to make sure that both boys get to do at least some of what they want.

We're only going for three days but we're getting them annual passes so they will be going again. One night is MNSSHP. I've asked both boys (and the adults going on the trip) to make lists of the things that they most want to do and I'm going to try and plan around that. The thing is I have been warned that the more assertive child is really going to push for his way and will get panicky that he's missing the things he wants to do and the quieter one probably will not speak up to assert what he wants to do.

Help! I need some strategies for dealing with these two very different children! How do you get your families to follow the plan without coming across like Sherman marching through Georgia?

 

[mom2isaac&ella]

The website for the Unofficial Guide to WDW. touringplans.com has many different touring plans that are not listed in the book. There is one (maybe called Happy Family) that includes ideas for teens to split up & ride a few thrill rides while the the younger ones enjoy kiddie rides. They also have some plans for "tweens". I am going with my kiddos 2 & 4 along with my little brother who is 12, so I understand your desire to make everyone happy. To join touringplan is around $7 & I think mousesavers.com had a discount bringing it down to $5 something. I have always followed their touring plans & find them very useful.

 

[rlovew]

I would make sure they know that at least one thing off their lists will be done each day and let the one who tends to act up know that he will not get to ride what he wants if you have a problem with him and then stick to your guns. If you allow his obnoxious behavior to influence the decisions you make then he will continue it, if you tell him in no uncertain terms that the behavior will not be tolerated and the plans for including his favorites and wants will be taken out if the behavior continues then he will stop. Children continue to act in ways that best benefit him. You can go as far as to reward the other with something special (an ice cream bar or such) for not acting up.

If only one person wants to ride thrill rides then utilize eeveryone's FP to help them get through those rides quickly, although here again you may want to space them a bit throughout the day to keep down any problems.My DH doesn't ride any of the thrill rides and when we get to Splash and Thunder we each get 1 FP and then as the times open up I ride them both while he does something else. It makes the wait for each of them seem to go down because many times when I get off of one I can get on the other and during that time my DH can ride the Pirates and have an ice cream. When you go with a group that plans on staying together everyone has to agree to choose only their most important 1 or 2 things in each park and then be happy with everyone elses if there is more time than you can hit the 3rd most important to each person.

 

[Quinn222]

Thanks, both of those offer good advice. I actually belong to Touring Plans but I forgot about it. I'll have a look there and I think a sit down ahead of time to go over the plans and point out that this is a trip for five and we all have a say might also really help.