Would you let your teens explore Disney alone?

[shadle8]

We are leaving in 4 weeks for our first trip to Disney. I have a 16, 14, 13, two 12 year olds and a 6 year old. What are your ideas on letting them split up into smaller groups and explore the parks alone as long as they have a cell phone per group? I know the older ones are not going to want to do the same things as the 6 yr old.

 

[badblackpug]

Oh I would definitely let the 14 and 16 go. I guess 12 and 13 would depend on maturity levels.........

 

[Cyndiu]

Last summer we took our two children who were 13 and 16 and they both took a friend. While at MK on our 1st day, we let them go separate and had meeting times at specific places. The two 16s were absolutely fine. The two 13s got separated and upset with each other, so although we met up at the restaurant at lunch time, and everyone was fine, we kept the youngers with us for the rest of the day.

The rest of the week the 16s were separate (mostly) and the 13s were with us.

 

[toocooltobeMom]

That's our initial plan too. Have the boys explore the park on their own as long as we are in the same park. Who knows what might happen once we hit the parks! Maybe DH and I can't shake off the boys

 

[Hannathy]

The older ones I'd let go anywhere on Disney they wanted by themselves. The 12 yr olds I'd keep to staying with in the park you were in but going on their own if they wanted. We let our 12 yr old daughter go by herself to different things in the same park when we were there and if she had a friend with her I would have left them go themselves.

 

[MickeyNicki]

In 2000 we went with a bunch of friends and kids, age 15 to 18 and they all went off on their own but they each had a cell phone and they had to stay in the same park as we did...we all had to go together and leave together but once we entered the park they could do what they wanted...it worked out fine....the parents told the kids they all had to stay together within their group....no more splitting up

 

[flminivanmama]

when I was a youth director we led middle school & high school groups all the time. we made the kids keep meeting up with us at predetermined spots and times.

 

[Tink561]

We let our sons go without off without us but they stay together.

 

[halld6479]

this summer we took grand kids ages 15 & 14 boy and girl both had cell phones and we stayed in contact in fact we were staying on site and several times we tired before they did and left to go back to the resort and they came together when they were ready it was nice to not chase then all over the park,