Would you leave your 12-year old alone in hotel room?

[lemondog]

We are booking our trip for WDW next July and we are in a bit of a dilemna. My husband and I always do a "date night" while there and we send our kids to the Neverland Club. This trip, however, our oldest will be 12 and so she is too old to go, I believe. We will be staying at the Poly...wondering if you would leave your 12 year old in the room for a couple of hours while we send the 9yo twins to the Neverland Club??? (The 1yo, FYI, will be staying home with her grandparents).

DD is currently in the 6th grade and she does babysit her younger sisters for short amounts of time already (up to 2 hours) so she is definitely responsible, I am just not sure how appropriate it would be. We would leave her with my cell phone so she could reach us at any time on my husband's phone. And we would be dining at a resort restaurant which we would drive to in our car so we could get back to her fairly quickly if need be.

What would you do?

 

[LongLiveDisney]

Years ago, my very large family and I went on vacation and we couldn't fit in one room. My parents and baby brother went in one room, and me, age 10, my younger sister, and older cousins stayed in a different room down the hall. We were completely fine.

 

[kimblebee]

I would do it without a second thought, especially since you let her babysit other children.

 

[Minnesota!]

Yes, I would. I would rent a movie for her, get her some pizza, and have her bring some books/iPhone, etc. to play with.

I wouldn't like it if she was planning to go swimming or such, but hanging out in the room or wandering around the resort? Not a big deal.

 

[kathie859]

We are booking our trip for WDW next July and we are in a bit of a dilemna. My husband and I always do a "date night" while there and we send our kids to the Neverland Club. This trip, however, our oldest will be 12 and so she is too old to go, I believe. We will be staying at the Poly...wondering if you would leave your 12 year old in the room for a couple of hours while we send the 9yo twins to the Neverland Club??? (The 1yo, FYI, will be staying home with her grandparents).

DD is currently in the 6th grade and she does babysit her younger sisters for short amounts of time already (up to 2 hours) so she is definitely responsible, I am just not sure how appropriate it would be. We would leave her with my cell phone so she could reach us at any time on my husband's phone. And we would be dining at a resort restaurant which we would drive to in our car so we could get back to her fairly quickly if need be.

What would you do?

I wouldn't be comfortable leaving my 12 yr old alone in a strange place. Home is one thing--a resort hotel is another. Why don't you call and ask if the Neverland Club would accomodate you by allowing the 12 yr old to stay with her sibs? OR you could arrange an in-room sitter for all 3.

 

[wiigirl]

I would say yes.

With cell phones and phone in the room (and strict instructions not to open the door) I think I would be comfortable doing that for a few hours.

 

[Meriweather]

I would let her stay in the room only.........no wandering around.

 

[Piglets Mommy]

I thought the Neverland club was for ages 4-12...I think she can still go.

If she can't...I don't know.....I think I would be comfortable if I was eating at a restaurant at the Poly, but not sure if I would go to another resort. I know the chances of something happening are slilm to none, but I would worry the whole time and not enjoy my date. That's just me though...and I have left my 12 yo at home alone, but they have a neighbor to call if there is an emergency. In a hotel full of strangers, I would worry more.

 

[Mickeypooh99]

I would leave my 12 year old in the room alone without a second thought. However, I wouldn't leave my 12 year old, and his almost 11 year old brother in the room together. Someone would be hurt by the time we got back.

 

[ChitownFamily]

I wouldn't be comfortable leaving my 12 yr old alone in a strange place. Home is one thing--a resort hotel is another. Why don't you call and ask if the Neverland Club would accomodate you by allowing the 12 yr old to stay with her sibs? OR you could arrange an in-room sitter for all 3.

Yep my thoughts.its the all by herself part that makes me uncomfortable.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

If she's mature enough to watch her siblings, then I think she's old enough to stay by herself in a resort room. Put up the "Do not disturb" sign, and nobody will bother her. She'll probably enjoy a little alone time. As a little bonus, maybe you can let her order something from room service for dinner before you guys leave (to be delivered before you go)

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I would say she'll be fine.

I wouldn't have a problem leaving my 13 year old alone in the hotel room - I'd tell her to flip the deadbolt lock but don't fall asleep so we can get in when we get back. My DD likes her alone time so she would be happy with that.

 

[married2mm]

I would not be comfortable leaving a child of 12 in a hotel room alone.
what if there was a fire drill or she was scared or she decided to leave the room of her own accord?

even though she maybe sensible and reliable ordinarily, you never know..

 

[sam_gordon]

By the time my oldest DD was 12 she had been staying home by herself all day for a summer and home after school for the year. I'd have no problems. I wouldn't let her go swimming, but depending on distance from the room to the lobby, maybe go hang out in the lobby?

I suggest getting her used to the layout of the Poly in the days ahead. Let HER get you guys from your room to the monorail, to the busses, to the beach/pool. That will help make her more comfortable.

 

[Wendy31]

For our next trip to WDW, DD will be 13 & older DS will be 12.

We plan to stay at the Contemporary, & DH & I are talking about having our 1st ever "date night" in Disney World. We'd like to leave the kids in our hotel room & have dinner at the California Grill.

DD & older DS stay home by themselves w/ younger DS (who will be 4) when I run errands. I'm not worried at all about DD & older DS, but I am a tad bit worried about leaving younger DS w/ them in the hotel room because I don't know how obedient he'll be for them. I could see him jumping on the bed & falling & cracking his head on the nightstand.

However, I'm not worried about their safety/security - especially since we'd be eating at the resort & they'd have a cell phone. (And we'd tell them to stay in the room.)

So, in your case, no, I wouldn't hesitate at all to leave my 12 year old DD in the room.

 

[BillSears]

In the hotel room? Sure, no doubt about it.

I might even be willing to let her monorail over to the MK for a bit. Nope, not a joke. I know I let my kid wander around many "safe" places alone at 12. She even was flying cross-country unescorted at 12.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

If she's mature enough to watch her siblings, then I think she's old enough to stay by herself in a resort room. Put up the "Do not disturb" sign, and nobody will bother her. She'll probably enjoy a little alone time. As a little bonus, maybe you can let her order something from room service for dinner before you guys leave (to be delivered before you go)

This. Absolutely she is old enough. I also agree with the PP who said to get her a pizza and a movie. She will be fine.

 

[Mickeynutty]

On a trip to WDW a couple of years ago, we were in your situation. Disney will definitely take a 12 year old and in our case, treated DD like a special " helper". Our DD loved it and had a great evening! So did we.

 

[eliza61]

Heck yes, but my kids grew up in NYC so they were taking the train at 13 and they were flying toEurope solo a few years after. One time we signed them up for the kid club but after that they enjoyed chilling in the room. As previous poster mentioned we got them pizza and a movie

 

[clh2]

I wouldn't have thought twice about letting DD do that at the age of 12. DD was babysitting a family with 3 boys - the youngest was 6 months old when she was 11 1/2.

I will add - you are the one that knows your child the best, and what they are/are not comfortable with. If you asked your DD, and she said "no way", then I would take that as a NO WAY would I leave her alone. If she was OK with the situation - I would be OK with leaving her there alone. I would not, however, let her "roam" the resort by herself - but that is just me.