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

[westjones]

I would do it if I was dining at the same resort.

 

[DopeyDame]

The reason she's too old for the never land club is because the vast
Majority of kids her age are plenty old enough to handle themselves in a hotel room alone for a few hours. I wouldn't hesitate to let her stay.

In addition to having your cell phone, remind her she can always call the front desk if she needs any help at all.

Have a great trip!

 

[Traveler Steve]

I would say go ahead. Staying put in a properly locked room for a few hours seems to me pretty darn safe.

Just to show how things change... back in the mid 70s, when both the World and myself were young, I decided to go alone from the Contemporary to the Polynesian via monorail because the game room at the Poly was better. I was either 6 or 7 at the time.

To be fair, when I casually mentioned this later to my parents when I returned to our hotel room, my meandering travels were severely restricted! (I couldn't understand their distress, of course. Never got back to the Poly that trip, either...)

 

[mnrose]

Yes, I would leave my kids. They are 13, and since they were 11.5, I've left them alone quite often. They are responsible, and know the rules of what to do when they are home alone. It really does depend on the child. But, if the child is like most 12 year olds, I don't see the issue. Heck, I was babysitting INFANTS at that age.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

This is what I was thinking. My DD12 could stay in the hotel room alone but would not enjoy it on vacation!

My DD12 would love time alone during a vacation with the whole family and little time alone.

and to add, we have done this on our last two trips. One, DS was 13, DD was 10, one DS was 14, dd was 11. Everything was fine. We left the cell phone and a few ground rules.

 

[phorsenuf]

How does she feel about it?

 

[bethy]

Yes, i definitely would be comfortable with that. Of course, I just recently let my 11 year old have the run of Disneyland by herself while i was stuck in our onsite hotel room with her very sick sister. So i am very liberal about this sort of thing.

(A 12 year old will be learning how to drive in three short years, you know . . . )

 

[Sparkly]

On our 2008 trip I was left alone in the villa (a whole HOUSE in somewhere I didn't know! Shock horror!) for a couple of hours whilst everyone else went off and was fine. I knew not to go into the pool alone and spent the time on the PC and raiding mum's supply of M&Ms. All that happened was the result of eating too much candy. I was 14.

I don't see the issue of leaving a 12 year old at all, I was left alone at home at that age in the summer holidays.

 

[JDX4]

I don't see a problem with it at all.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

I wouldn't leave a 12 yr old alone in a hotel room while sibs were having fun at the kid's club and mom and dad were out having a fun date night. Seems like banishment to me. I think my 12 yr old would prob be upset she didn't get to go to the kid's club or out to dinner with mom and dad.

I am curious do parents not get enough date nights at home that you have to find a way to have one while in another state on vacation? Just curious.

I think I would cancel date night and do an activity with the whole family like Hoop Dee Doo or the Luau.

 

[shortbun]

The chances are slim that anything would go wrong. Slim isn't a good risk, as far as I'm concerned. Alone, without help, in a strange town. Someone could knock on your door, some kid could pull the fire alarm and she'd have to vacate-alone...
I just don't think a 'date' is worth the risk. Find a way to leave her with her siblings.

 

[Patience]

I wouldn't leave a 12 yr old alone in a hotel room while sibs were having fun at the kid's club and mom and dad were out having a fun date night. Seems like banishment to me. I think my 12 yr old would prob be upset she didn't get to go to the kid's club or out to dinner with mom and dad.

I am curious do parents not get enough date nights at home that you have to find a way to have one while in another state on vacation? Just curious.

I think I would cancel date night and do an activity with the whole family like Hoop Dee Doo or the Luau.

I agree, I can't imagine that our daughter would have wanted to be left alone at that age in a hotel room on our family vacation. When we are on a family vacation, it's because we want to spend fun time together as a family. If my husband and I wanted alone time, we would take an adult weekend trip and leave the kids home (with grandma when our oldest was younger). That's just us. When we were going to WDW in October, 2011, I posted a question asking about experiences for our then 17 year old daughter and a lot of posters suggested that we give her time alone. So I asked her if she would like some time alone and she looked at me like I was nuts. No way did she want to stay at the hotel or go around the parks by herself. If she had a friend with her, then yes, she would have, but on vacation and by herself? She said no way.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Other then making sure it would be a fun night for her (provide a new book she has been wanting, or a klutz set, or let her get a pay per view movie, etc), just like it will be for you and your siblings, I would not think twice about it.

Other than checking that he had his phone on him (and still had power on it), did not think twice about my 13 year old getting tired and heading back to Wilderness Lodge early while the rest of us stayed at EPCOT for Illuminations.

You're traveling to a different city in a different state to a resort cram packed with strangers and you want to have a date and leave your 12-year old, who (I guarantee) has the mind of a child, alone. I say No. I would not, ever. What if someone knocks on the door and says they're a manager? What if the fire alarm goes off? What if your child decides (despite what you have told them) they can sneak down to the vending machine, but they forget to take a key? What if, what if? Just because it's Disney doesn't make it safe.

If someone knocks on the door, they call me on the cell and/or call the front desk to ask if someone was sent up and if so why and then call me to ask about it before letting them in. And if there is a valid reason to let them in, they stay on the phone with me while they do and then head down to the lobby while the person is in the room.

If the fire alarm went off they would do the same thing they would do if I were there-leave the room and go out via stairs and then follow cast member directions on where to go.

They would not have to sneak to the vending machine--I would allow that. If they forgot their key, they would go to the front desk and obtain a new one--just like I would.

You can "what if" everything. Me? I know my kids are smart and capable and also that they need to grow and gain skills along the way. I know the odds of bad things happening are quite small and in reality they are safer in that hotel full of strangers with a little common sense than they were in the car with me driving to the airport. As much as I would like to think that I am the super hero they thought I was when they were toddlers, the truth is my meere presence does not make most situations any safer for them and as often as not they are as capable, or more so, than I am of handling what life throws at them.

I wouldn't leave a 12 yr old alone in a hotel room while sibs were having fun at the kid's club and mom and dad were out having a fun date night. Seems like banishment to me. I think my 12 yr old would prob be upset she didn't get to go to the kid's club or out to dinner with mom and dad.

I am curious do parents not get enough date nights at home that you have to find a way to have one while in another state on vacation? Just curious.

I think I would cancel date night and do an activity with the whole family like Hoop Dee Doo or the Luau.

I cannot answer for the OP--but in our case, for several years DH traveled 40 weeks a year for work. When he was home, he did as much as he could to be there for the kids, read to them every night, go to dance recitals and karate belt tests, etc. A vacation, where we were all finally getting lots of time together, was a rare chance to have met the kids' needs well and then still have time for maybe one night of one on one adult time. Parents need to take care of their relationships too. I think it is kind of laughable to say that the kids are not getting enough for them on a DISNEY vacation, if the parents take one evening out alone.

I agree, I can't imagine that our daughter would have wanted to be left alone at that age in a hotel room on our family vacation. When we are on a family vacation, it's because we want to spend fun time together as a family. If my husband and I wanted alone time, we would take an adult weekend trip and leave the kids home with grandma.

Well, if you have weekends available and family near by that is great. Not everyone does though. Sometimes you have to try to fit in everyone's needs and balance them out in one trip.

 

[Bungle]

Absolutely. Snacks and something to keep her occupied and strict instructions on what to do in an emergency and I wouldn't think twice about it. Have a good dinner

 

[aprilgail2]

I wouldn't leave a 12 yr old alone in a hotel room while sibs were having fun at the kid's club and mom and dad were out having a fun date night. Seems like banishment to me. I think my 12 yr old would prob be upset she didn't get to go to the kid's club or out to dinner with mom and dad.

I am curious do parents not get enough date nights at home that you have to find a way to have one while in another state on vacation? Just curious.

I think I would cancel date night and do an activity with the whole family like Hoop Dee Doo or the Luau.

I would and have left my 12 year old in the hotel room alone but it was a night of doing laundry not off on a date night! I don't see the need to have a date night while on a family vacation though-that can be done at home anytime!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I wouldn't leave a 12 yr old alone in a hotel room while sibs were having fun at the kid's club and mom and dad were out having a fun date night. Seems like banishment to me. I think my 12 yr old would prob be upset she didn't get to go to the kid's club or out to dinner with mom and dad.

I am curious do parents not get enough date nights at home that you have to find a way to have one while in another state on vacation? Just curious.

I think I would cancel date night and do an activity with the whole family like Hoop Dee Doo or the Luau.

Now see my dd's would not care. They throw us out to go on a "date".

Frankly having a date at Disney is great. YMMV

 

[mhsjax]

I would and have left my 12 year old in the hotel room alone but it was a night of doing laundry not off on a date night! I don't see the need to have a date night while on a family vacation though-that can be done at home anytime!

Yep. We have left out kids to do laundry or even to go to the gift shop for a few minutes while the laundry was being done. For us, it is a family vacation, I don't see a need for date night.

Well, we did do Palo on DCL, but the kids were in the club. Now the oldest is 16, so it isn't a big deal.

Also I look at my 13 year old and there is no way I would or could ever let her go back to a hotel alone at night. I really can't figure out how that could be ok in any circumstance. OH well, call me over protective, I am ok with that.

 

[shoney]

I wouldn't have a problem with it as long as your child is fine with it.

Mine would be. there is no way at 12 my son would have wanted to go to a kids club.

Our last trip was in Feb and the boys were 10 and 12. We left the parks early to have a little pool time and get ready for dinner at Sanaa. Well, everyone was tired and didn't want to leave POR.

There was no way I was eating dinner at the food court (not a fan!). That is where the kids wanted to go. We decided as a family to split up. We went to Boatwrights (which was very good) and they went to the food court. Afterwards, they went to the arcade and eventually back to the room.

When we got back after dinner, they were happy little campers on their Ipads chit chatting with friends from home.

It was a perfect night for all.

In our family, being stuck like glue isn't always the best for everyone. Do whatever works for your family!

 

[sissy_ib]

Yep. We have left out kids to do laundry or even to go to the gift shop for a few minutes while the laundry was being done. For us, it is a family vacation, I don't see a need for date night.

Well, we did do Palo on DCL, but the kids were in the club. Now the oldest is 16, so it isn't a big deal.

Also I look at my 13 year old and there is no way I would or could ever let her go back to a hotel alone at night. I really can't figure out how that could be ok in any circumstance. OH well, call me over protective, I am ok with that.

So, family vacation is family time no date nights, unless you want to have a date night. Got it.

 

[mhsjax]

So, family vacation is family time no date nights, unless you want to have a date night. Got it.

Well lets put it this way, I did admit that we had one, but I can tell you this, we used to go to WDW around 4-5 times a year. My kids never saw their father because of his work schedule, and we didn't do date night.

We took a cruise and figured we wouldn't be back, so yeah, we did go to Palo, plus they had friends they were with. So yeah, with that exception. Got it? I think if you counted up all the times we have been with the kids, you would say that yeah, we really don't believe in date night. We started when the oldest was 3 and he is now 16, at 4-5 times a year, well you do the math.