Would you let your 15 and 13 year old...

[NeuroCindy]

Yes! I started my first job at my 16th birthday, so visiting an amusement park at 15? No big deal. I would put the rule that they have to stay together.

ETA: As for the whole "there's evil people out there!" thing... we're safer now than ever. You're also sending them to a place where there's a ton of security, CMs, and people around! It's not hard to get help if you need it.

 

[DisHmsklMom]

Yes. Just make sure they understand your resort layout along with the resort bus stops. The only thing my kids said they had a tough time with was navigating the resort at night after returning from the park. We were staying at POR that trip.

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

My parents allowed me to do this when I was 16, with my sister (14) and my brother (12). The rules were that we had to send them texts every hour updating how/ what we were doing, and we could only stay in the park that we told them we would be at. They felt comfortable because we knew the parks well & were generally responsible kids. Everything went fine!

 

[mjkacmom]

My parents actually let me do this alone at 10 in the 70's, taking the monorail. It was great!

 

[marcyleecorgan]

IN the Disney Bubble? Oh sure. Just keep communication open. If they want to Park Hop to EPCOT from the MK, better have them send a text or a quick call!

From off-property? ehhhhh it depends on how many street smarts your kids have at home. Do they use Uber or hail cabs? Do they have jobs and spending money? Do they know to avoid adults who "need their help?" Do they have phone numbers memorized? Do they know how to read a map and get from Point A to Point B?

 

[Hikergirl]

Yes at those ages I wouldn't even second guess it.

 

[momimouse27]

I agree that you know your kids best, so if you think they are responsible enough, then yes. I started letting my kids take the bus from our resort at about 15 or 16, but then we've been so many times my oldest knows the parks like the back of her hand. It is tough to let your kids start getting independent, but to me Disney is one of the more safe places to allow that.

I would make certain they both had cell phones to communicate with you and each other, though.

 

[DisneyOma]

IN the Disney Bubble? Oh sure. Just keep communication open. If they want to Park Hop to EPCOT from the MK, better have them send a text or a quick call!

From off-property? ehhhhh it depends on how many street smarts your kids have at home. Do they use Uber or hail cabs? Do they have jobs and spending money? Do they know to avoid adults who "need their help?" Do they have phone numbers memorized? Do they know how to read a map and get from Point A to Point B?

Off-property hotels and motels usually have shuttle service. Not a problem to get to the parks and back again at all.

 

[Dakota731]

I wouldn't let them hike alone in a national park but in an amusement park surrounded by thousands of people, I'd have no problem with it. My brother and I were alone in amusement parks starting when we were ten years old and we had a fabulous time. Heck when I was twelve I'd take the kids I babysat to the public pool alone all summer long. Our generation is not doing our kids any favors by babying them into adulthood!

 

[KristinU]

Yep, I would. But I guess it depends on the kids and their knowledge of the lay of the land as well as their independence and everyone's comfort level.

As for us, our 13 year old DS is an old soul and pretty fiercely independent. We recently traveled to Washington DC and DS didn't want to continue on with our next stop and asked to head back early to the hotel on the Metro on his own. Neither DH nor I were ready for that yet, but it made us wonder if we lived in the area if we'd be letting him ride the Metro on his own with friends by now. At home we let him ride his bike to 7-11 with friends. However, I also know kids his age that would never even think to want to split up from their parents in a big public area.

Anyway, at WDW he's not old enough to enter on his own yet, but after entry we will let he and his friend split up from us in the same park as long as we can check in and they meet us at the time we set. And in fact, DS and I took a trip on our own in January and we split up to do different rides one afternoon for about an hour. For us it is about letting the leash out little by little so total independence isn't a huge leap in a handful of years, and WDW is like a second hometown for DS so he knows his way around the parks like the back of his hand. It is a nice place to allow him a little independence.

BTW, some CMs do ask age at the gate. Last year at 12 DS and his friend went to another set of tapstyles from us and the CM made them point us out.

 

[kangaand2roos]

Timely question for me too. My daughter turns 15 during our next trip, in December, and my son will be a few weeks short of 13. I had already pretty much decided that I would let them go on their own because I don't do nighttime very well. They have both been to each park dozens of times and we will be staying at resorts that only have single bus stops. Both have cell phones and will have magic bands. They will need to stay together. They will also need to check in regularly with my husband, who won't be with us, in case I fall asleep. They are responsible and smart and both of them know WDW better than they do our hometown!

I also remember taking the monorail from the Contemporary when I was 14 or 15! Good memories! And that was back in the early eighties!

Seriously. Regardless of your "feelings", they are not "facts". It is much safer now than it was when we were kids! However, that does not mean that parents need to let their kids do things before they (parents or kids) are ready. Just know that the more incrementally they get their freedoms, the more likely they are not to be overwhelmed by them.

 

[jbcheerchick93]

My parents let my brother and I do this when we were 16 and 13.

We were familiar with the parks and transportation service. We always met our parents back at the hotel for a mid day rest and then continued together for the second part of the day. Having a cellphone helps with communication and constant contact.

I'm also hyper vigilant about my brother (even now that he's 19!) so my mom probably knew I wouldn't let him out of my sight .

 

[Carrie in AZ]

I am about as strict and cautious as they come. Ok, I am downright overprotective. Yes, I would allow this and be very comfortable with it. Both my girls have phones, we have teackers on their phones, if they got separated they could text each other or check-in with us.

Maybe as a total back-up plan they could pick a place to meet in case they happen to get separated and one of them loses their phone, they can't get service or whatever.

Bottom line, they should know they can approach a CM if they encounter any issue.

I feel like the buses are safe and the parks are safe, and the key is to always stick together and never ever ever leave with a stranger or allow themselves to be forced to leave with a stranger.

They have so much fun! We will allow our girls to go around on their own on our next visit. They are now old enough and they are excited about this independence.

 

[Suzanne74]

We just let my 15yr old DD take our 7yr old DD to the park one day while we went to dinner. They have been to Disney multiple times and it was also the end of our trip so they had no issue. My 7yr old knew all the bus stop numbers for our hotel before I did

So yes, absolutely I would let two teens do the transportation and parks on their own. It will be a great memory for them and it is a perfect safe place for testing their independence.

 

[DisneyOma]

My daughters went down to WDW by themselves, with a friend, when they were 17 and 20. I got a call at work - "mom, make sister stop bugging me" LOL! My response "Put your sister on the phone - don't make me have to come down there and straighten you both out "

 

[maryj11]

I don't think I would since I have watched this about the sexual predators at Disney.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Yes I would. I offered it to my 15 year old and 9 year old last trip. They didn't want to. I also left them in the pool alone while we got dressed for a night at Epcot. I made them come back to the room before we left for the evening.

At 15 I was staying home alone while my mom did weekend trips and I'm not that old. I also had a part time job at McDonald's at 15. I think for a lot of kids if you give them the chance they can show they are actually more mature than you think.

 

[Klayfish]

Not only would I let them, I'm downright encouraging it. DS just turned 13 and my twins are 9 (will be nearly 10 by time our trip comes around). DW and I are strongly encouraging them to spend time exploring on their own. We're going to plan a night or two where they get to pick their own FP+ and DW and I will pick our own. We'll be in the same park, but let them do their thing and we'll do ours. We started doing it a little last summer...the kids went to SM while DW and I did Buzz, and a few other things like that. They've been in the parks so many times, they know their way around...all 3 of them do. So if they get separated, they all have phones, and we designate a meeting spot if anyone gets lost.

I'm not sure who's looking forward to it more...us or the kids.

 

[Jennasis]

Absolutely

 

[RFrendt]

I remember very fondly the first time my parents to let me go into the MK by myself (at age 13) on the last morning of our trip. Walking around on my own in the park for the first time is one of my favorite Disney memories.