What is Disney like with Tweens?

[Zoesmama03]

I went the first time at age 10 and loved it. Just been a lifetime love of Disney now. As a young teen I checked out trip guides at the library it helped me contain excitements, I guess.

I definitely think involving the tween in planning and such will help them build up for it. Not all tweens will love it but most probably will. Get guide books for sure. Watch POV videos of rides or help them research secret facts or lesser known ones. They get interested in stuff like that as they lose interest in characters on a whole but they enjoy learning interesting facts. Maybe make a photo scavenger hunt and get them an inexpensive digital camera or waterproof disposables and let them find stuff to qualify as they go then they can build their own album or scrapbook of pictures to adore later.

 

[boltfan]

We've gone every other year since our youngest was 5, and this trip she'll be 15! They still love going, and there are some arguments every time, but the good memories outweigh any little issues that arise.

 

[Grendalynn]

I feel that WDW is a different experience each time we go because the ages & stages of each child changes....

At first when the kids are little, you stick to the smaller, younger attractions, typically eat dinner earlier, and take breaks back at the resort during the day. As the kids get older, you can park hop more easily, stay later for shows and fireworks and experience more things with less bathroom/nap breaks, melt downs and such.

Now, as our boys get older - we are able to stay in the park(s) from start to finish, eat at different times and even split off for small amount of time. Soon, all the boys will be big/old enough to go to one park, while we go to another. I am looking forwar to browsing the stores, exibits and such as the boys get older, just as much as I will miss the excitment and surprise of them seeing their favorite (or any) character!

But most importanlty, we all still love Disney! DH just turnd 40, our oldest is 15 and our youngest is soon to be 8. And each of us cant wait to go back!

 

[SEA333]

I had three in the "tween" range last year (13, 9, and 8) and they LOVED it. I mean, seriously....sitting at home or being in Disney World? What is the debate?

As the mom, I loved it, too. They were old enough to walk out to the quiet pool outside our door at POR while DH and I packed and watched out the window. They were old enough to walk to the bathroom, stores, and rides themselves. They were able to decide what they did and didn't want to do, and old enough not to complain about it if they had to wait. No emergency potty breaks, no whinefests, and no reason to have to worry about them seeing over people for parades, hoisting them on shounders, or carrying them out of the park at the end of the night. Disney with tweens is the best!!