What age freedom?

[Mississippian]

I'm just curious at what age people feel comfortable letting their children go off on their own or in a small group? (I know, 65!)

The pool rules are no children under 12 without an adult. Do you feel comfortable with your 12-year-old at the pool by himself? What about with a group of friends?

Do you feel comfortable about a group of older 12-year-olds (rising seventh graders) walking to a theme park by themselves, say from BWV to EPCOT or DHS? What about taking the bus to one of the other parks? (Each child would have a cell phone).

I must say we live in a more protective society today. When I was a child, my seventh birthday meant I could walk the one mile to town each Saturday to buy ice cream, go to the dime store and the picture show on my own. Today we parents seem to hover more.

Anyway, I'm just curious about what some of you have done.

 

[hellerjw]

I'm wrestling with the same questions as my children start hitting the teenage years.

I remember the good 'ole days of leaving the house as a young kid first thing Saturday morning, running all over the place and not returning until dusk without my parents ever really knowing exactly where I was. I wouldn't be comfortable allowing my kids to be that out of touch these days but at the same time I don't want to smother them either.

For some reason the age of 15 sounds comfortable to me, maybe because its the beginning of the high school years, I don't really know. However, it really depends on how mature the child is and what your experience has been with giving them other freedoms and how they reacted to the responsibilites. I would feel more comfortable allowing them some freedoms at WDW that I wouldn't allow other places.

 

[cvjw]

We have 2 sons, ages 15 and 11. Both are honor students, never been in trouble at school/sports, very responsible and reliable, and we won't let them go to a theme park by themselves. These 2 have grown up at Disney, and could get back to our resort blindfolded if needed - they know the layout of every park and how to use all Disney transportation! We will let them go to the pool by themselves - but only after a lengthy reminder from Mom about all of the things that could go wrong!

 

[goofy4tink]

My dd was allowed to go off with a friend when she turned 13. She has been to WDW many, many times so is comfortable there. I think that's a good age to go off for bits of time.

 

[WDWDad]

I agree with Tink. Our children also grew up at Disney and know all the in and outs of the parks, and transportation. We let them start exploring on their own at 13. No issues since then what so ever.

At 8 our kids were guiding their totally lost Grandparents around the world.

 

[PEANUT1]

I think 12-13 is a good place to start..unless the child was very immature

 

[jngwright]

I agree with Tink. Our children also grew up at Disney and know all the in and outs of the parks, and transportation. We let them start exploring on their own at 13. No issues since then what so ever.

At 8 our kids were guiding their totally lost Grandparents around the world.

 

[chiclet]

Our daughter will be 14 next week. She has been going to Disney since she was 6 and knows her way around the parks, the resorts and the Disney transportation system. On our last 2 trips we let her go off on her own for a bit. She has taken her 9 year old brother on rides with just the 2 of them as well. It all depends on the child and their maturity level.

 

[Disneypirate85]

Well we let our DD's go off on there own and even stay at the Parks after us old folks came back tuckered out at 16 and 18 (was there 1st trips together) our boys 15 and 13 but we stay in the Parks and use cells or 2 way radios. Shawn

 

[BEASLYBOO]

When my son and his friends were 12/13 I was comfortable allowing them some freedom away from us while we all were at the same park together for short periods of time. Now at 14 (DS is 6'4"), being responsible, being DVC/Disney/bus experts (been doing it since he was 3)we are comfortable allowing them to go to other parks without us. We make a game plan in the morning (they can't deter from it without calling), we require them to check in with us troughout the day and they do meet up with us for dinner. They all have cell phones, they are in a group of 3 or 4, they must stay together, so it's not totally worry free but it's doable. At the waterparks however, I'm there from begining to end. Luckily, though they do enjoy the freedom but they still like being with us too!

 

[DenLo]

I think not only is it important as to how mature the child is, but whether the child is directionally challenged. If the kid can't read a map and doesn't really know their way around the parks then until they can demonstrate those abilities I can't imagine letting them go off. Also if they are easily influenced by other kids. Perhaps you trust your child on their own but if they bring a friend and the friend is irresponsible and sometimes leads your child astray then letting them go off on their own would be a bad idea.

Whatever age the child is, I would think it would be very important that they have a phone so they call you just in case. Perhaps for a child just becoming independent, even setting a requirement that the child calls you every hour on the hour. And explain that if they are going to be on a ride at the time they need to call you to call before they go on the ride instead.

 

[Mississippian]

Well, based on the comments here, I feel pretty good about letting three or four almost-13s walk to an adjacent theme park. On my 15th birthday I got my driver's license and could go wherever I wanted, so it's hard for me to deal with all this hovering!

Of course, I'll have to observe my son's friends. And we're not just going to set them loose on the World!

 

[WDWMom]

For some reason I believe that it is stated somewhere you must be 14 to go into the parks without an adult. Of course I have no idea where I read that or ifit is a figment of my imagination, but I think it is real.

That said, we normally go into the parks as a family. I think DD was in 9th grade and brought a friend. We let them wander through the parks alone. But we have let the kids go to DTD and hang out at the resort without us since DD was about 13. Even gone to Jellyrolls many times and left her in charge as we would do that at home.

I think last year was the first time we let DS13 use WDW transportation all by himself. He met us for dinner and DS15 didn't want to come. DH and I were out and about. We have also let them go into innovations and hang out while we toured EPCOT. I think they were 10-12?????

 

[RLRDA]

I've enjoyed reading everyone's responses since our 2 older DS will be 14 and 12 when we take our next trip. I probably would not have an issue with them going off together to a different ride/attraction while we are spending the day at one of the parks. My own comfort level wouldn't allow me to let them head to a park by themselves though - I never thought of myself as a hoverer but I probably am !! OP, you're right about things that we were allowed to do as kids that seem out of the question now. It's the world we live in today.

Of course, I'll have to observe my son's friends.

This is definitely something to consider since groups of friends might tend to act differently (less maturely ) when they get together - especially at a fun place like WDW.

 

[Mississippian]

This is hijacking my own thread, but we took a RCCL cruise a few years back, and they asked if we wanted to allow my then-6 son permission to sign himself out of the kid's club if he wished and go back to our cabin. I couldn't believe they would allow or encourage 6-year-olds to be unsupervised around the ship.

Also, to me there just seems to be a difference in letting a child staying at BWV or BCV walk to EPCOT or DHS versus taking a bus to another park. If they were to call me, I could be there in a flash.

 

[Sunshine22]

My 15 yr. DD is bringing 2 friends and my 13 yr. DD is brining one friend on our upcoming trip. My DDs have been to Disney many times and know the parks and the transportation well. I'm planning to take them to the parks and let them be on their own for most of the day with frequent text updates to me. I may let the 15 yr DDs travel to/from a park alone, but prefer to escort the 13 yr olds. All will be allowed to go to the pools without us.

 

[jmatias]

Last trip we allowed our 13 and 11 year old to leave Epcot before us and take the bus back to our resort. They had been to WDW many times before, knew the bus system, responsible, had cell phones, etc. We met back up with them 1 hour later.

They really appreciated that they didn't have to follow their little sister around all day and that we gave them a bit of freedom.

Really depends on the child and situation.

 

[quirty30]

At the parks, DD9 and DS12 regularly go off on a ride by themselves while I wait on a bench or in a store. They have been to WDW over 5 times in the last 2 years and I have no issues with this. And they always have a cell phone if we somehow get really separated. If we were staying at Beach Club or Boardwalk, I would probably be ok with them walking over to Epcot during the day, but not at night. I am not yet comfortable with them taking Disney transportation by themselves. It'll be a few more years before I'd allow that. And I would never let them go off to the pool without me - there's an added element of danger with a swimming pool. When we are at SAB, I obviously can't watch over them like hawks, but I do like for them to check in with me every so often.

In the end, there are different levels of freedom, and only you know your own kids and how responsible (or irresponsible) they are.

 

[OurDogCisco]

If you let your kid go to the Mall by themselves or with friends then, I really don't think the parks are any different.

My issue is that I trust my dd but not other people. I remember in early 80s my parents would drop us off at Great America in San Jose, CA and we'd spend the day there. I was a good kid. However, one day I must have looked at someone's boyfriend or something and after the ride the girl wanted to beat me up. I wasn't looking at her boyfriend at all. But now looking back on it, she was either on drugs or had some mental issues. My friends & I had no idea what to do so, we ran towards a nearby employee and just hung out near them until she left. Anyways, I think, people should be talking more to their kids about other people. You really don't know everyone's mental state. I think, these types of situations scare me more than getting loss in the park, etc... I'm more afraid of who they will meet. You know how some of those parade people can be

P.S. I haven't allowed my 13 year old to go to the mall by herself yet. My comfort level is not there with society.

 

[starbox]

Annual passes say under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.

We allowed our kids freedom with limits (stay together, use cell phones, meet up in 2hours) when we were in the same park at 11 and 13. 12 and 14 and they could be in a park when we were not.

I was at WDW all on my own at 14 - school trip. One chaperone to 20 kids, we were just let loose.