Unsupervised kids at DL - what age?

[PeterPansPixie]

For this trip, it will be me, DH, DS and DS's friend. I am wondering at what age you have let your kids wander the park alone. The boys will be 14 and 15 when we take our trip. They are on the smaller side but have pretty good common sense. We don't have a problem with them going on rides by themselves but aren't sure how to handle their requests to go it alone.

How long should their free time be? Is it safe to allow them to walk to and from the park by themselves from Tropicana (daylight hours only)?

 

[XTinabell]

For this trip, it will be me, DH, DS and DS's friend. I am wondering at what age you have let your kids wander the park alone. The boys will be 14 and 15 when we take our trip. They are on the smaller side but have pretty good common sense. We don't have a problem with them going on rides by themselves but aren't sure how to handle their requests to go it alone.

How long should their free time be? Is it safe to allow them to walk to and from the park by themselves from Tropicana (daylight hours only)?

When I was 16 I was with my family at Disneyland for the first time. I was with my friend 15 and my brother 17. We were a little bit older than your boys but not by much. We were allowed off on our own for a few hours each day and let me tell I was so greatful. There is nothing worse than being a teenager and having to stick to your family while at Disneyland. I personally think your boys are old enough, just make a plan. Find a place to meet at a specific time and tell them if they're late once they're not allowed to off by themselves for the rest of the trip(that's what my parents did and it worked). Have them decide a place as well, if they get seperated, to meet up. Usually somewhere on mainstreet is good. And I do think it is safe for them to by themselves especially since they're boys. My friend and I went to McDonalds quite late one night just the two of us and had no problems so they won't have any issues going to the park from the Tropicana during daylight.

 

[dizzyami]

I told DH last night that if my DD5 is too chicken to ride the rides she is on her own!!! (at least she will be 6 by then)



Ok, I really wouldn't...

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

When we were in DL I noticed tons of kids on their own (in groups) ranging from age 10 and up.
Then there was the teacup boys as I call them....a group of 3 brothers (all looked the same!), and I would put them age 6, 8, 10 - ON THEIR OWN!! No parents in sight, and they were being little jerks (to put it mildly). I finally said to the oldest one 'Calm down or I am getting a cast member to take you to the lost children center!'. They froze and stood up straight and behaved. LOL!

 

[Zoemakes5]

I went when I was 12, and was allowed about 2 hours on my own. While there are generally more risks now than there were then, there is also more technology to help out. You can use walkie talkies or cel phones to keep in touch in ways that we weren't able to when I was younger.
My boys are 10 & 12, and while I don't think this year we'll let them truly go off on their own yet, I will let them, say go on tea cups while we're in toon town or something and then come back.
The only issue I'd have with my 14 year old isn't the going back or forth from the hotel room, it would be them being alone in the hotel room.

 

[sameyeyam]

I let DD & her best friend (14) be on their own at WDW last year. They had a cell phone, a watch and we met up a few times a day and most importantly I threatened them within an inch of their lives if they didn't show up on time! I actually told them they would have to spend the next day in Fantasyland with DS & I if they didn't show up when they were supposed to. Worked like a charm!

Now I know it's another day & age, but when I was a kid (about age 10 and up) my grandmother used to drop me & my little sister off at Disney (she lived in Anaheim). We always had to meet her at the Disneyland Hotel for dinner & to check in. Then we went back to the park until closing and my grandpa would pick us up out front. We always had a blast and did that about once a week all summer long. Thinking back now my grandma must have been crazy! Nowadays the child welfare authorities would take the kids away something like that! Our biggest worry, those were the days when you had coupon books and we had to make sure we stretched them out to last all day & all night! Ahhh... the Good Ol Days!

 

[Pirate-Emery]

I'm nearly 18 and I love doing Disneyland with the family, and couldn't imagine doing it all by myself.

Then again, I probably will be doing exactly that in April...

 

[Mtnman44]

I'm thirty-something and I should not be left unsupervised. I would spend way too much money at the shops and restaurants!

 

[abby]

they should be old enough, make sure they have a cell phone. I'd start by giving them a few hours, then having them meet you in person, if that goes well and they are responsible and on time, more time the next go around. As for the hotel an back, wait till you are there and check it out, but it is probably ok if they are responsible kids.

 

[MATTERHORN]

I agree, they are old enough as long as you think their maturity level can handle it! The first time I went off alone I was 15 and my best friend was with me who was 16. We were there all day alone (my Dad had to stay at the hotel and watch Hockey, Red Wings were going for the Stanley Cup) and we even went to/from the hotel on our own on the shuttle (it was not on Harbor!)

We were fine, and I think they will be able to handle it and really appreciate it! Even if you only do it while you are in the same park, that's alright too. But I personally think they could handle the way back to Tropicana, especially during the day. There is so many people around walking back!!


Andrea

 

[PeterPansPixie]

Thanks for all the replies!

We are thinking that we will spend the morning together, then they can go on their own for the afternoon and we can meet back at the hotel (we want to rest for a little bit before going back for the evening).

Of course, they will have a cell phone and will be threatened within an inch of their lives!

 

[MATTERHORN]

Threatening is good!! Also tell them they will have to wear pink mouse ears for the rest of the trip if they are late even one time!!


Andrea

 

[Pirate-Emery]

Threatening is good!! Also tell them they will have to wear pink mouse ears for the rest of the trip if they are late even one time!!


Andrea

"Didn't you want to go off alone?"

"Nah, didn't want to risk it..."

 

[Albort]

i remember doing Disneyland with a friend at 12. It was fun... i only remember eating pizza port for lunch AND dinner... i just love pizza... in fact, im eating pizza right now! hahahaha!

 

[darph nader]

I'm thirty-something and I should not be left unsupervised. I would spend way too much money at the shops and restaurants!

Do you know my wife????

 

[Albort]

Do you know my wife????

that reminds me, a couple came up to my cart around 9:45PM, wanting to buy a turkey leg, somehowe we started to talk about being tired and they said their kids already gone back to sleep and they plan to stay till 12AM

 

[melmacd]

First time I went, I was 16 and by Day 3, I had had almost all the non-stop family fun time that I could handle! That said, I was going through the "I-don't-have-parents-I-was-hatched-from-an-egg" syndrom.

~mel

 

[PeterPansPixie]

Threatening is good!! Also tell them they will have to wear pink mouse ears for the rest of the trip if they are late even one time!!

That is great! I just told him that and he said, "Are you serious?!" I told him yes and he wanted to know if we would have our cell phones with us then. If you only knew how cool he thinks he is then you would know how serious that threat is.

 

[MATTERHORN]

That is great! I just told him that and he said, "Are you serious?!" I told him yes and he wanted to know if we would have our cell phones with us then. If you only knew how cool he thinks he is then you would know how serious that threat is.

I figured that would be a good one for and way cool teenage boy!! Hope it works out for you, he should be VERY on time now!! Heck he'll probably beat you to the meeting spot!!!


Andrea

 

[mrs.beast]

If he is 15 he is almost old enough to drive. So, he should be able to handle a theme park with a friend (unless he is very immature.) It is a good place to let him try some independence. Having been a camp counselor/teacher for years, we took groups of jr. high school kids to marine world, great america, the boardwalk where they were allowed to travel without a leader (only about 10 yrs ago ) and 99% of the kids were fine off in groups on their own with check ins of every 2 hrs. He will soon be able to go anywhere without you, so show him you trust him, and hopefully when he has the freedom, he will use it wisely.