At what age?

[TheMartellFamily]

At what age do you allow you kids to go their own way? There will be a 19, a 15, a 11, and 11 years of age and my DS has been 8 times so far. If we are at the parks do you think he is old enough to go with the older kids?

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

Yes, as long as they stay together I don't see a problem letting an 11 year old go into the parks without a parent.

[Mousemates]

if your talking about being turned loose in the same park you are also in, most teens will certainly be old enough...the eleven year old might be a bit iffy. However, if your talking about being turned loose to "roam the world" then there is a bit more to consider...because the environment is little more random (and potentially more dangerous) when you leave the confines of a single park. In the park chances are the worse thing they will have to deal with would be a rude guest, being fussed at by a cast member having a bad day or perhaps tripping and falling and getting a bit banged up...teens can generally handle those kinds of things...outside the parks you have more risks of encountering issues where a bit more maturity might be needed.

By the way...be ready for folks who will be appalled at the thought of being separated even for a minute from the family (i.e we go on vacation to spend time TOGETHER)...for whatever reason this question sometimes gets emotional for some folks...but if it works out good for your family and folks need a little space occasionally...go for it.

[DVC2004]

I think it's fine as long as they stay together. 11 is fine with the older kids. And I am sure they will love the independence.

[sisterslovindisney]

As long as the younger one will listen to the older ones then I don't see a problem. 19 years old is an adult and if he/she is responsible then it should be fine. You know your kids better than anyone here so do what you think is best. I know my kids (15 & 12) are looking forward to being able to walk around at the park by themselves for a while. We let them walk around at a local amusement park, the Mall, and fairs so a Disney park shouldn't be any different. Cell phones and meeting times help a lot and really make things a lot easier.

[jillluvsdisney]

If your 11 year knows he has to stay with his older siblings (and vice versa), has to listen to them and if they will have him then I think it would be fine.

[divinedi]

I agree with the above posters, and to me the main concern would be if they all got along, they listened to each other and respected your wishes to stay together. When my oldest was 17 (she's 23 now) and we went to DW, the other two girls were 15 and 14, and they went to DTD (Marketplace) themselves, but I was very comfortable knowing they would stay together and look out for each other. So, you know your children, and how responsible they are, and that's what you should base your decision on:thumbsup:. Good luck and enjoy your vacation:mickey:!!

[DisneyFr33k]

I agree with the posts above. My oldest is 12 and she is pretty independent as it is. Once the time comes that she will be able to "roam" (only within the same park as us), we'll insist her cell phone be charged and on. And, we won't allow either of our children to roam alone.

Also a good idea for families with children of any age is to have a meeting place in each park in case someone gets lost. We found this out in Hollywood Studios last year. Good thing our DS (then 9) froze where he was and waiting for us to back track to find him. Had he wandered off trying to find us, we would have lost him for sure!

[magicofdisney]

Disney allows guests 7 and older to ride on rides by themselves, barring any height restrictions. I think it would be fine for a well behaved 11 year old to roam freely within a park. :mickey:

[TheMartellFamily]

My 11 year old has been to WDW 8 times in his life. He is more mature than others his age. He is the one that can show the others the ropes and the lay of the lands. He carries a cell phone in which he paid for and pays for the bills on it. I think in some ways he is ready for the independence of it, in other ways I still remember his first visit where he was learning to walk at the age of 13 months and can not let him grow old. The 19, and other 11 year old have never been on any vacations and the 14 year old has not been to WDW since he was 9. I know times have changed in the few short years but I am just asking.

[wdwfansince75]

Even within our family, we don't always agree....As I recall, we allowed our kids to go off as a group when the oldest was about 15....MK was the only park then...DD's were 12 and 10, and we let the two of them head to certain rides together, while we waited at a designated place, usually The Tomorrowland Terrace or Sleepy Hollow...And at that age, when we stayed at the CR, they were allowed to go to the Food and Fun Center together....a year or so later, the girls were allowed to go to the pool together, as they were allowed to walk to the community pool at home....IMHO, if you would let them go to a school event, the community pool or center,or the Mall as a group, or on their own, they are ready....

[bruin1344]

11 yr old should be fine especially since you are all regulars at WDW so they know there way around. I assume at 11 years old, s/he is able to ride all the thrill rides. If not, this maybe a nuisance to the 19 yr old.

My advice is unless they dont have cell phone, designate a spot the parks to meet if they get lost.

[BigRedDad]

If they stay together and in one park only, then they will be fine. It has been a long time since I was that age and WDW was very different. From 4PM to 7PM, all kids in our group were banished from Fort Wilderness camp grounds. We were sent elsewhere in FW, to the Contemporary or back to the park so the adults could have their Happy Hour. This was in the mid to late 70s and I was not even 10 yet. Much different environment now.

My recommendation is to lay out the ground rules. If they do not follow them, tell them they will have to stay with you the rest of the trip. That will keep them in check.