What age would you let your DD [Archive]

MarkC

09-30-2007, 08:07 PM

I guess to properly answer I would like some more information. By "unattended", do you mean completely alone or with other friends/family? You also have to look at his/her maturity level, for how long, and what they will be doing. Will you be available via cell phone in case of trouble? Does he/she have a cell phone as well? I saw in a travel magazine that a Mom gave her kids wristbands with her name and number on the inside of it. How familiar are they with the parks? How crowded is when they are there? Have you left them alone before in other places away from home? Sorry to bog you down with more questions but this isn't a situation where I just respond with a number. Thanks.

IloveDisney71

09-30-2007, 08:08 PM

My DD's were 16 before I let them go to parks without me. They had to be with at least one other person their age. Most of the time we were in the same park but they were off "on their own". A few times I let them ride the monorail or a bus to a different park and then I would meet up with them a little later. They both had their own cell phones and are very responsible. They have also visited the parks multiple times and are very comfortable with the surroundings. I didn't feel comfortable letting them go without me before then.

J.T.Toad

09-30-2007, 08:17 PM

I guess to properly answer I would like some more information. By "unattended", do you mean completely alone or with other friends/family?

With another family member

You also have to look at his/her maturity level

Very Mature and Responsible

for how long, and what they will be doing.

A couple of hours before checking in

D
oes he/she have a cell phone as well?

Yes

How familiar are they with the parks?

Very

H
ow crowded is when they are there?

Moderate

H
Have you left them alone before in other places away from home?

School and Church

Sorry to bog you down with more questions but this isn't a situation where I just respond with a number. Thanks.

These are my Children I was refering to you and your children

JT

Iluvpooh

09-30-2007, 08:26 PM

I said 15. As long as they were with another child the same age or older(NOT YOUNGER).

I went on a school trip when I was 11 and we were allowed in groups of 4 to wander around. Coming out of Maelstrom in Norway-I stopped to watch the movie. I was the only one. I lost my group. I was unfamiliar with EPCOT-especially at night and thought I would just go to the bus and meet them there. DUH!! There were like 100 buses outside. Luckily a VERY nice bus driver took me back to the entrance to a cast member(where I had already been reported missing) This was over 15 years ago. Now a days an 11 year old girl lost in a parking lot is much more likely to be picked up and hauled off.

Just remember bad people are everywhere.

J.T.Toad

09-30-2007, 08:27 PM

Another thing I failed to mention is that I would be at the Park as well

jray21

09-30-2007, 08:55 PM

I might allow Monorail resorts if 14, all parks 16. When I get to that situation though it will probably be "never alone".

crltkcagle

09-30-2007, 08:58 PM

i think 16 is a good age to cut the apron string as long as your in the park and they stay at that park. ok I am one of those overprotective moms. LOL But it is such a big place and there are so many weirdos running around.

amorillo

09-30-2007, 09:43 PM

It would definitely depend on how mature & responsible my DD is when she reaches that age... but I said 15. Of course, then she would also have to be with someone her age or older & have a cell phone.

GrumpyFan

09-30-2007, 10:36 PM

I voted 13/14, but this is a tough question to answer based solely on age. There are too many other things to consider.

In case you didn't see it, you might want to see the following message thread I posted a couple of weeks ago.

Letting kids go alone in parks? Consider this! (http://www.intercot.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=115515)

hubbyofadisneyholic

09-30-2007, 10:42 PM

Hmmm...my daughter is almost 18, extremely mature and we've been to WDW more than 20 times.
So, I figure it should be OK to let her go to a park alone by the time she's 23 or so. ;)

RALPH

10-01-2007, 06:53 AM

We are just approaching this with our DS. I said 15. He will be 15 1/2 when we next attend. We are bringing one of his classmates if the parents agree. We told him we would give him limited freedom.

By that, we would let them be in one part of the park, while we were in another part. Or While staying at the BC we would let him take the boat to MGM and ride TOT/RnR while we were in Epcot.

He has been to WDW 10 times and knows his way around. Responsibility however is not his strong suite, but he is not reckless either. I think he would look out for his friend. His friend seems very responsible. His parents would also have something to say about this, as we would have to see what they are comfortable with.

irish1967

10-01-2007, 08:10 AM

I didn't vote - I think that when we reach that point, maturity level will be more of a consideration than actual age...

But, we went to WDW with a large group (25 of us) in June. The ages of the children ranged from 7 (my younger DS) to 15 (the oldest cousin and her friend). The 15 year olds were expected to go to the park with the group and then were given the freedom to roam within the park until it was time to leave. There were specific guidelines as to checking in and what-not throughout the day.

The funny thing is, by the end of the second day, they decided that it was more fun to be with the bigger group and declined to go off on their own most of the time! They probably spent less than an hour a day by themselves for much of the trip! :mickey:

CaptainSad

10-01-2007, 09:20 AM

8-13 no way for obvious reasons. Way to young and not mature enough. 14-15 maybe with certain guidelines. 16 and older, I think would be fine.

Don't get me wrong. But letting 8&9's run around the parks would be insane with today's world. Can you say shoot the parents?

martinfamily5

10-01-2007, 10:38 AM

This question has been out there before and my answer is always the same, never. For me, it is not an age or a maturity thing. The reason we take a "family" vacation to Disney, is to spend great times as a family. We spend to much and sacrifice a lot in order to go. We expect to create wonderful family memories together. I will say too, this has never been an issue, because our kids (DD17, DD14, and DS11) have never asked to separate from us. I call our time together FFF (Forced Family Fun). They will be gone from home all to soon and I want every second that I can have with them.

Diznee4Me

10-01-2007, 10:55 AM

It's funny you ask this question - my DD asked us the same thing last night.

Our upcoming trip is only the three of us - her friend backed out. The DD asked if we would let her go to another park by herself - she is sixteen. I think she is responsible enough and she has a cell phone but I still see where problems could arise - unfortunately there are mean people out there.

Had her friend come along I probably would have let them travel to a different area of the same park but her being alone in a nother park - I don't feel comfortable with that yet. Besides as another post stated - this is family time and we want her to do stuff with us.

Bottom line I said never! :D I know the day will come when she will fly the nest :( but for now I want her around Mama and Papa bird.:)

ibelieveindisneymagic

10-01-2007, 11:38 AM

This was harder than I thought!

For my DD, it will probably be when she is 15...that is the age that I was allowed to go on my own (not at Disney, but the local Paramount park, etc). Old enough to be responsible!

Now, when it actually comes down to it, we go to Disney for a family vacation, and I will probably encourage her to stay with the group, but if she wants to go and do a few rides on her own, that will be OK.

jrpersinger

10-01-2007, 12:02 PM

I am not really sure yet. I guess when it "feels" right. We may go with how my momma did me....

I was turned loose at 13 as long as I wasn't alone. But I was never allowed to leave the park we were in and had to check in every other hour. Same went at any theme park we went to. This was before cells phones were everywhere too. I was a very responsible teenager, so it worked for me and my momma. She gave me a 15 min grace period if I didn't make it back exactly on time... you know, incase we were stuck in line or on a ride... sometimes you just can't prevent the unexpected. But I knew if I didn't make it within that time, we would be leaving. So I made sure I was back on time.

Figgyluv03

10-01-2007, 12:35 PM

I was 18 on my senior trip when I didn't have any parents there. Of course we had chaperons, but they really were there for emergencies. Alot of my friends were 17, so I think that's about a good age.

ncscgirl2005

10-01-2007, 02:00 PM

Hmmmm...I'm thinking like 18. DH says 21.

thrillme

10-01-2007, 04:00 PM

Tough call. IF she had someone else with her a friend/boyfriend etc there with her that was her age then 16 is old enough to drive,hold job...IF she was "trustworthy" to follow ordinary guidelines...then 16/17 would be fine.

HOWEVER...being that it's a family vacation I really don't like the idea of seperating...but then my DS and I ride everything together. My new boyfriend loves riding all the stuff too so there's not an issue there. IF we were a family who liked certian stuff while the other didn't...then maybe there'd be reason to seperate.

Seperation is fine as long as she's not alone. Alone time shouldn't come till you are fully an adult and living on your own ANYWAY.

kmo84

10-01-2007, 04:08 PM

I was interested to read the responses here. Back in high school I remember going to Disney for a day with a few friends, male and female.

Of course, that was LONG ago. But now that I have two DD of my own, I am not sure when I would be comfortable letting them be by themselves.

I have a 13 year old son. And with his cell phone we have let him go on one ride while we are on another. But we know where he is and we have specific meet up times.

This is a tough call. It definately would depend on their maturity level and who they were with.

jrpersinger

10-01-2007, 04:22 PM

Just another thought...

I know most schools do a 5th-6th grade trip, also they do cheerleading, band, choir, etc trips to amusment parks along with historical or educational places. When they go, they let the kids go off on their own with specific check in times. That means they are starting to go off on their own at 11/12, sometimes even earlier.

SAHDad

10-01-2007, 06:11 PM

My wife said that she was 10ish when she and her older sisters (the eldest would have been 13 at the time) were allowed to wander the same park as their parents. In this age of cell phones, I'd be inclined toward early teens (13 or 14), for short periods of a couple hours. Older teens would probably have a "Stay in the park, check in every couple hours or so, and plan on meeting us for lunch and dinner. Have fun, but remember that your room keys don't have charging privileges."

(Downtown Disney, due to it's open access nature, would be another story; I'd be more restrictive there.)

I'm not worried about abduction, really - NISMART indicated that there are actuallly very few stereotypical kidnapping/nonfamily abductions every year (like 115 or so). Part of the concern, I think, is for so many of those stories to make the national media. As a rule of thumb, however, if a kid is missing, they've either run away, or the noncustodial parent is probably to blame, and that's where law enforcement usually starts looking.

Imakejessicarabbitjelous

10-01-2007, 06:24 PM

well my mam and dad let me and 2 friends go off when we were 14 only bcoz they had given us a time n place where 2 meet them every hour or so.

BigRedDad

10-01-2007, 09:14 PM

It is different now than when I was a kid. too many freaks out there. With that said, there are a lot of assumptions. Completely by herself, 16. If she was with a group of friends and I was in the same park, 10. However, until she is near that age, I don't have to worry about it. By then, they will have GPS for your kids, so I can track her from my cell phone.

tinksmom02

10-01-2007, 09:33 PM

I voted never mostly because if she's going to Disney, I want to go, too! :blush:

But I really think it all depends on the maturity level of your child and the friends (if any) she would be traveling with.

mouseketeer mom

10-01-2007, 09:42 PM

Both my girls (13 1/2 and 11 1/2 at the time of our next trip) are very mature. They are good kids that are always together and look out for one another. With both of them having a cell phone, and also walkie talkies, we have let them go off in whatever park we happen to be in, MK mainly. They've been to the world many times and know it well, know their way around. They haven't been in the park without us being in the same park. They initate contact via walkie talkie whenever they are on the move. I also allow them the freedom to roam the resort (which they know well too). My son is 8, and he has no freedoms yet! For obvious reasons, he is 8, and a young 8 at that. My girls know they must stick together, and never once, even at home, broke that rule. I think they would be too freaked out to be anywhere on their own without their sis.

DisneyDreams09

10-01-2007, 09:43 PM

Well, I put 14, but as with everything else, there are certain stipulations, I would have to say with preferablly at least 2 other people, and of course their maturity level has to be considered, and I would probably only let them alone for a half-day or a bit longer, somewhere around there. Cell-phones are a must, but I think 14 is ok, oh yeah probably not on a weekend or peak season...:mickey:

MickeyandTink

10-02-2007, 07:55 PM

I said 12, based on a couple of conditions.

First, they were not really alone, just with another family member (i.e. older cousin) or adult guardian
Second, I was also in the same park

I probably would let her go off alone for a couple of hours or so at 15 IF she had a cell phone and I was also in the park.

Completely on her own at 18 (although I'd hate for her to go to Disney without me):blush:

Kenny1113

10-02-2007, 08:15 PM

They will be gone from home all to soon and I want every second that I can have with them.
Too true :(

This is a tough one. I went semi-alone in middle school ( chaparones to check in with at certain times). Now as a mother I would not be comfortable with my child going at middle school age without me. In today's world. Good luck with your tough decision though:thumbsup:

animalkingdomguy

10-22-2007, 09:03 AM

Unattended is not quite the case with our family. We all would be in WDW. I would let her go off to TL but we would be in one of the other lands.

TBY2225

10-22-2007, 09:49 AM

I say 16 now, but that could change, DD is only 5 right now! She would have to be with a group though. I don't think I would let her go by herself even then!

TheRustyScupper

10-22-2007, 11:58 AM

1) Our daughters and granddaughters were alone between 10-12 years old.
2) I see no problem with this at all, with all of us in the same park.
3) As long as they knew where to meet us.
4) They just had check-in times every 2-3 hours.

NOTE: OK, let's hear the flames . . . I am not paranoid about the girls in the parks. How many of you have heard of an incident at Disney? Besides, 10-12 years olds are on their own a lot more in their home towns (malls, neighborhoods, before/after school, etc), which is infinitely more dangerous.

Marker

10-22-2007, 12:57 PM

I guess I can't vote for this one. It's not so much about age, as it is about maturity.

I don't think there is a magic age that could ever apply to everyone. An individual's maturity, self-reliance, awareness of suroundings varies from person to person.

disneymom2000

10-22-2007, 01:03 PM

I said 16. Considering they know the park and they are going to be with someone else actually, I would be very comfortable with my answer. I agree, there are a lot of weirdo's around but if I will let them drive to school by themselves at this age, there can't be much worse to consider at WDW.

Ian

10-22-2007, 01:15 PM

Boy and I thought I was a tough Dad! I voted for 17, but then I saw some people (10 to be exact) actually voted never!

That's too funny ... I picture this grown woman with a family of her own dragging her Mom and Dad along behind her yelling, "Don't go where I can't see you, sweetie!!"

Anyway, I said 17 but it would really depend on the situation. If she was with a friend who was reliable and mature enough, and they had cell phones so I could keep in touch if need be, and we had periodic check-ins, I might consider doing it as young as 14 or 15.

But that's unlikely ;)

goofynmd

10-22-2007, 01:41 PM

I say 14 only because when I was in high school we went to WDW for band competitions. Freshman through Seniors went and we were allowed to go off on our own without adult supervision. The chaperones were in the same park as us and we had to stay in the same park the entire day.

However, that was 15 plus years ago. Times have changed. I don't remember hearing about kidnapping and other horrific crimes back them, like you hear about today.

Thankfully I have a 2 year old and won't have to worry about this for sometime!

Ian

10-22-2007, 02:44 PM

However, that was 15 plus years ago. Times have changed. I don't remember hearing about kidnapping and other horrific crimes back them, like you hear about today.It's funny, but I think the last sentence you wrote is actually pretty telling ...

Statistics say it's only that we hear about these crimes a lot more today. There is absolutely no statistical evidence at all that crimes against children are up.

In fact, most experts agree the opposite is probably true since those crimes are reported as crimes far more frequently these days than they used to be. In the past, police departments adopted much more of a hands-off approach to missing children, but today they all get reported quickly, Amber Alerts are issued, etc.

I think it's just the instant communication and broad-based access to information that we have today courtesy of the Internet that makes us all think our kids are in jeopardy at every moment of the day.

If you're interested in more on this, you may want to check out Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv.

hubbyofadisneyholic

10-22-2007, 09:09 PM

That's too funny ... I picture this grown woman with a family of her own dragging her Mom and Dad along behind her yelling, "Don't go where I can't see you, sweetie!!"

But my wife and I would say it fairly softly...:blush:

prprincess

10-22-2007, 09:13 PM

I'd say 18. Only because it's the first time I ever went "alone" for my senior class trip. I think I'd be okay with my kids doing the same.

Narawen

10-22-2007, 09:35 PM

Well, when I was 15 my mom let me go on a trip to Disney without her with a friend my age and her family. My friend had a younger 4 yr old brother, so he couldn't do most of the things we wanted to. We would ride with her family to the parks and split up, her parents going with her younger brother and me and her going off together. Neither of us was ever totally alone, and we would always meet her family for dinner because they had ADRs. We both had cell phones but never had to use them. At dinner, we would arrange to meet for a nighttime show or at closing time. We were both mature for our age, and I think I would do the same for my DD/DS. Maybe at 14, because that's a freshman in high school but no earlier.

mickeymousedabomb

10-23-2007, 07:39 AM

I voted 16. But...............I would not let her go alone, alone at that age. If she ever went down with a friend and her family I would give permission for her to go around with her friend if it was okay both ways, or, if we ever went and she brought a friend I would allow them only if it was okay with the other's mom. So I say 16, with a but in there:blush:

llamaface

10-23-2007, 07:44 AM