What age would you let your teen?

[MommySue]

What age would you allow your teenager go off by themselves on thier own in DisneyWorld, unsupervised? 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19? We are going in October. Thank you!~

 

[mmeads4]

You will all be there in Disney World together and you want to know what age she can go off and explore IN THE SAME park as you? I've never been to WDW before but we practically grew up in Disneyland. My mom would let me go off with my sister (who is 4 years younger) when I was 13 and RESPONSIBLE to watch her, and give us a set time to meet mom and dad back at a certain place. Usually about 2 hours at a time. Occasionally, she would let me go off and catch a ride elsewhere in the park on my own and then I would meet them back at a certain location.
I don't think I would let me teen go to a different park on her own but give her a long enough leash and see how she handles the responsibility of meeting you back at certain times....my children are 4 and 2 and they are so much more smarter than I remember most kids at that age years ago. Good Luck.

 

[AllyGirlie]

I think it would depend upon how mature your kids are. My mom still doesn't completely trust me to go off by myself and I'm 18. If I do she calls me on my cell about once every half hour. But seriously, I think the first time I got to go off by myself I was 14. I was allowed to walk from the hotel (Yacht Club) to Epcot and do whatever I wanted for an hour until I had to meet up with my aunt. Whoop-de-doo a whole hour by myself, but at that time, I'd take what I could get. Keep in mind that I was pretty much raised in Disney World and we go every year so I know my way around the parks like the back of my hand, how things work (i.e. what to do/what not to do), and where to go for help if I should need it.

If you trust your kids enough to let them go off by themselves, lay out some strict rules and if they have a cell, call them every now and then to check up on them. They may not like being checked in on and having rules (I know I didn't and still don't) but you can't trust everyone out there, even at Disney World and I've kind of learned to appreciate it. Also show them where the lost person/first aid/information office(s) are located.

I know I kind of strayed from the what age thing, but it really depends on you. I mean no one knows there kids better than their mom..

 

[Moodyzblu]

I'd say around 16, depends on the kid though, if they are more responsible at a younger age, then maybe younger.

 

[MuNkY]

I wouldn't let my child go off until they were about 18, and even then I would be checking up on them every 15 minutes or something.

 

[Lil_Tink]

Im 14 and do it..But my parents are in another section of the park and I have my cell phone on and so do they.

 

[TheBellhop]

It all comes down to how you trust your kid. You know your child better than all of us at the DIS do. That said, I'd say a responsible age would be 14+.

 

[EeyoreFan1]

16, so they can drive.

 

[Captain Brain]

I'm 14 and my mother doesn't trust me to be in Wal-Mart by myself. I'm the firstborn, she worries that I might get kidnapped. I already know police manuevers, and I carry pepperspray.

 

[EeyoreFan1]

I'm 14 and my mother doesn't trust me to be in Wal-Mart by myself. I'm the firstborn, she worries that I might get kidnapped. I already know police manuevers, and I carry pepperspray.

Billy,Billy,billy.. <sighs> Well better be safe then sorry I guess!

 

[polysisterchick]

well when i was 13 my mom let me go off with my older brother (who was 16) in the same park she and my father were in and we had to stick together at all times and call her every 30 minutes. but she trusts us.

So basically it depends on the maturity, responsibilty and trusting factor.

 

[EeyoreFan1]

well when i was 13 my mom let me go off with my older brother (who was 16) in the same park she and my father were in and we had to stick together at all times and call her every 30 minutes. but she trusts us.

So basically it depends on the maturity, responsibilty and trusting factor.

 

[MyHappyEnding_]

Well, I'm 15 and I'm going to Disney in August. (I'll almost be 16 in Sept but whatever) My mom is letting my friend and I go on our own as much as we want. But I do know my way around the parks extremely well. I'd say 16 is a good age.

 

[VolleyballQt07]

i agree on the maturity part! i mean (as most of u found out from my mom) i am a new teenager but i am very mature for my age. hard to believe yes, but it is true. i'm sure she'd let me go off by myself but i really don't like going off by myself in big places for different reasons. it all depends on if you can "TRUST" your kids. if your think your kids are old enough to handle being off on their own, then it really doesn't matter wut age. i would think you'd want them to be a late 13, early 14+ to go off on their own but that's just my opinion. and really, i don't have much say in life.

 

[tashasKraz4WDW]

shoot idk im 18 and my mom still wont let me go to far alone.... sad i kno

 

[Darth Sidious]

my parents let me when i was 13 i believe. they didn't care where i was, just so long as i was in the same park as them. 2 or 3 years ago they let me and my friend and his brother go to mgm for a few hours while everyone was in mk, but this is when i was 16 or so. my parents feel very comfortable with me going by myself

 

[caitlin]

My mom let me when I was 14

 

[Taliesin]

At the moment I'm 18, but my parents started to let me go off on my own when I was 14. They let me go to different parks, but I always had a cell phone and some back up money for a pay phone. Disney World is a huge place and there is a lot of places to get lost, so I believe 15 or 16 is a good age. Some obvious pointers are make sure both parties (child alone and parents) have a cell phone each. And make sure the child has money to get drinks and snacks because as we all know it can get tiring walking around. For the first couple of days give your child a shorter time limit (1 or 2 hours alone), then if he/she is comfortable extend if necessary. But its alway's fun to have a lot of time with your family too. (cept me, I can go for days without seeing my family)(shh..i didnt tell anyone that).

Overall, make your trip an experience your children will never forget.

Now that this novel is done, have fun and good luck. lol

 

[elphie]

I'd say about 13 if she was responsible & had a cellphone with her & you.
also check in by calling every so often, and meet up after an hour or 2
also definitely in the same park, and possibly in the same section (i.e fantasy land, africa, international section, whatever)

 

[2HOT2touch]

well, I'm 15 and i like being with my mom in the parks. Probably because I dont have anyone else to hang out with. but I am turning 16 this summer and I am bringing my best friend with me, who is a year younger so she is 15 and I will be turning 16 that trip and my mom is letting us go where ever we want by ourselves during the day but when it gets dark we have to be with her. But we dont have to be in the same park as her...