What age do you let your kids roam the parks?

[Hannathy]

At home, my now 18 year old drives himself places and has more freedom.

My Goodness I would hope so!!!

 

[Mickeygolf]

My Goodness I would hope so!!!

Was that necessary? Some of your replies are just downright out of this world. As she said everyone is different. You have no idea why they raise their kids the way they do and frankly it's really none of your business. You seem to be the definition of pot stirrer!!!

My kids are 11, 11, and 13 and we'll have no problem letting them check out the parks on their own but I sure don't harbor any ill will opinion who does it differently.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My kids know the parks well and I trust them. They also have cell phones.

I told my son when he was 13 that he could go off alone if he wanted. He didn't but it was nice for him to have that option.

 

[mjkacmom]

I'd say 12. Dd15 has flown alone, and has taken public transportation with friends to NYC and the beach with her friends. I do like the buddy system. I went to the MK alone in the 5th grade on the monorail, and it was fun! And unlike most places, there are CM's everywhere.

 

[WillAustin]

This past trip we let our 9 year old son cross the parks to grab fastpasses and then meet up with us several times. He's usually quite responsible and had no trouble. If he had a problem he would have known what to do.

 

[GrumpyBelle]

DS was 15 (almost 16) when we let him go. Our niece was with him (also 15). He had been to the parks several times and was familiar with how to navigate the parks as well as how to navigate Disney Transportation. Both had cell phones and the had to stay together. They were rules about checking in from time to time.

Really, it depends on maturity level and what you are comfortable with.

 

[kristie64063]

...without a parent/adult? I know this is very subjective...and might even vary from park to park, but I am curious at what age you are comfortable with letting kids or teens go and do their own thing? Planning a trip this fall, and my 16 year old is on the fence about coming on the trip
So I get it...he doesn't want to hang with me the whole time. But we will be there with my sisters family, which includes my sons cousins, the oldest, being 13. Would you let a 16 and 13 year old go off to ride some rides by themselves? Why or why not? The cousins are girls, if that makes a difference.

I'd definitely do it, if there were at least 2 of them or more. My son is almost 14, and I'd be comfortable with him and a buddy / cousin by themselves. Don't they all have phones these days? lol!!

I think it just depends how responsible / mature your kids are. My son has been somewhat of a latchkey kid, because I was a single mom for a long time, and he is very responsible because he's had to be. A more sheltered, never left on their own at home, etc., type of kids probably wouldn't be ok in that situation.

 

[nessz79]

I don't know for sure yet; I just know they haven't gotten there yet! My oldest DS is 9 and he's a trustworthy kid, but there's just too much going on at Disney and he is easily overwhelmed and a bit on the anxious side.

Even when they are old enough to go off on their own, I think it will just be for limited times/places, because I want to spend time together as a family. I could see a couple hours at a time when the oldest is around 15 or so (15 because the youngest is only a year and a half behind, but he's much less mature and they would probably want to go together).

 

[Tigger's ally]

We gave our kids the following-

held their hand till they were three- (miss those days)
let them walk beside us till 12
let them be free in the park that we were at until 14
let them use disney transportation and go to the park(s) of choice after that.

But, having gone as often as we have, it never ever was scary. Just being able to explain to them the definition of a CM is really all they need to know. If there is any problems at all, find one and explain the situation.

Now then my wife, she has to have adult supervision or else she spends entirely too much money in the shops! And she says I need it or else I would always be at R&C having another half and half

 

[tmarquez]

They will be fine. DD(9) does it all the time with a buddy. She has a phone. Sorry but I am just too old to ride Space Mountain 32 times in a row...I'll meet you later.

 

[nessz79]

maybe it's my job (l.e.) but I feel like a really over protective mother. I wont let my 12 and 10 year olds go off too far on their own, they are both pretty mature for their ages and follow the rules when they stay home by themselves (for just a few hours). Would I let them ride a ride by themselves? sure I would but I would probably be waiting for them close to the exit. I know that they will eventually want to go out on their own but right now I am still enjoying the fact that they are not too "cool" for us and want to spend time with us.

Yes, you said it better than me.

 

[AlohaAnnie]

I also agree that it depends on the child and how familiar they are with the parks.

We went last year for our first trip and my DS was 17. I refused to let him stay in the parks by himself after we left. He wanted me to let me then 12 yo dd stay with him and I said NO.

This year is a little different. We are going back in November again and my DS s now 18. We will have two neices (22 and 26). I will let me son go off with them. I will NOT let the 13, 11, and 8 year olds go off by themselves.

I know it's a family park but there can still be creepers anywhere. After spending 10 years with a local police departmen as a CSI, I saw alot of things that happen in the best of places, so I may be a little more cautious then some but I'll be happier knowing they're safe.

I should add to my post that it's not my kids I don't trust. It's the strangers we don't know. Yes, my kids have all been trained to look out for strangers and what to do. My thoughts are more outside the parks and riding the transportation back to the hotel. There are ALWAYS opportunities for bad things to happen. So, I, as a parent, want to avoid them while on vacation. We go as a family and will stick together.

At home, my now 18 year old drives himself places and has more freedom. My 13 year old is NOT allowed to hang out at the mall.

But please remember, that everyone is different and while some are completely fine with letting their kids go off and have more freedom, it does not make the rest of us wrong.

I completely agree, I always tell my kids that I trust them and I do! It is the strangers that we do not know that I do not trust. There are some crazy creepy people out there even at Disney World. I would rather protect my kids from those people than regret later that I did nothing to protect them.

 

[msmith07101]

Those of you that said it is the "strangers", the other people you don't trust...not your kids that you don't trust...that's kind of where I am. I feel like in the parks they'd be pretty safe at their age. of course you never know, but I feel like there are so many people around, that if anyone were to try anything funny...it would not go unnoticed. I am a lot less comfortable with them riding the busses....but really, as long as they get on the right one, there shouldnt be any issues even with that.
I think I am pretty much OK with them being in the parks on their own. I may need to convince my sister that they can do it...we will see!!

 

[mjallemand]

PROTIP: FOR IPHONE USERS

If your entire group has iPhones, download the app called "Find My Friends". It's made by Apple themselves and allows you to track other phones that you have set as your "friends".

That way you can actually see via map/GPS where they are in the park.

 

[dgagnon519]

I am actually getting my kids the iphones for Christmas specifically for that reason. It gives me peace of mind. My daughter will be almost 13 on our next trip and she is extremely responsible so no worries there, but I am a mom I always worry. I also know that I need to give her freedom a little at a time. I have seen what not allowing any freedom does to a kid when they turn 18 or 21.
She has not asked to go off on her own in the parks really, but on our last trip one of the cousins was with us. Me and DH went to dinner and we let the girls hang out at the community center which they enjoyed. I am nervous she might ask on the next trip and just want to be prepared with a well thought out answer.
I agree every child and every parent is different and you have to go with your gut and what you feel comfortable with.

 

[KimK2006]

I would have been fine with DD going off with friend at 10. I would be fine with her taking DS with her when they were 12 and 8. My DS isn't as mature, so it would probably be 12 by the time I let him venture off alone. I would have been fine with her taking the bus alone or with DS when she was 12 or 13....with cell phone, of course....

All kids have different maturity levels. WDW is a great place to give start testing the waters of giving them a little independence!

 

[smidgy]

On the other hand, like someone said...you want to spend time together on your family vacation...so that is an issue too. !

ah! now here's the other side of the coin. just becausethey are mature enough to be on their own doesn't mean they should have a total sep. vacation from you!
"ok mom and dad, I'll see you at the magical express stop in a week!"
after all, you are paying for a family vacation.

years ago, we let our sons go off on their own sometimes. we knew they were safe, but we still wanted them to spend most of their time with us!

 

[MrsDuck]

I was allowed to roam the parks when I was probably 14. That said, I was a mature 14yo.

All depends on the kids, IMO.

 

[BlovesC]

My first visit to WDW occurred during a business trip that brought my dad to FL. My mom and I hit MK for one day, but my mom was very sickly at the time and couldn't get around the park very easily. So she'd find a spot to sit in one of the lands and I'd leave to run off and do whatever rides I could there, then go back to her, and we'd slowly move on to the next land and repeat. I was 11 at the time. That was my mom's first and last trip to Disney, and I would have loved to be able to experience more in the parks WITH her, so I'm kind of amazed to read how many kids can't wait to ditch their parents' side in Disney. 15 and 16 I could understand, but 9 and 10, really?

 

[WantToGoNow]

When my oldest dd was 15 I let her take a friend with us - it was the last trip before her siblings started arriving. Not only did they tour the parks alone the used the buses and went to Blizzard Beach.