Changes coming to minimum age requirement for park entry

[SirLink]

The cast members aren't allowed to touch anyone. But they could have threatened not to let them ride. Just...stupid. Not that I was there to see the situation, but it seems to me that they should have been able to do something. I've seen Cast Members instruct kids before if parents aren't there.

I'm tired of talking about this in the thread PM me if you want to continue this conversation.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I'm tired of talking about this in the thread PM me if you want to continue this conversation.

Nevermind, just a stupid situation. Sorry you got into it.

 

[openendedsky]

I think this rule has less to do about creeps and pedophiles and more to do with responsibility. I have an 11-year-old brother, and I can say from experience that there is no way we would EVER let him into the parks without one of my parents. There's too much that could happen. They could get lost, lose their pass, lose their cell phone, lose their room key, etc. By age 14, many have gained enough responsibility in order to handle themselves accordingly in a park. Disney is one of the safest places around, but those 13 and under are notoriously irresponsible. I'm not speaking from experience (okay, yes I am, do you know how many room keys I've lost? I managed to stop doing that at age 15, but still).

I think this is pretty much the reason why I can support a policy like this.

 

[openendedsky]

But still, if the kid was kicking you...that's not acceptable. They wouldn't let an adult get away with that kind of behavior. Why should they let a kid do that?

There will always be idiots at Disney, teen age or otherwise, and unfortunately, making it so that anyone under 14 has to be accompanied by an 18 year old won't change that...

I've had kids smack the back of my legs while in line to get into the park, with their parents right there and the parents didn't say anything. Like, bro. Keep your children off of me.

 

[ratherbeinwdw]

I have no issue with the policy, but telling a school group booked since last July just 12 days before we arrive is unacceptable.

I agree with that.

 

[doctornick]

I was shocked to see the original rule that children 7 years old could enter the park without supervision. As a teacher, sometimes I have trouble letting some of the 7 year olds go to the bathroom by themselves. I can't imagine letting them roam around a theme park.

Yeah, it seems insane to me that a 7 or 8 year old was previously allowed to enter a Disney park on his/her own. I know there is plenty of variation, but it seems far too young to even consider it.

We can argue about what the "right" age should be to enter without supervision (the age of 14 seems to have been picked for Coppa more than anything else), but 7 is IMHO far too young. I think probably 12 would have been reasonable/still okay and 10 would be the absolute youngest that could be considered, though I think that would still be too young.

 

[juniorthomas]

"Four of them are three years old." I guess he had nothing else to do that year...

 

[unkadug]

"Four of them are three years old." I guess he had nothing else to do that year...

I'm more interested in how the mother managed that feat....there's not enough months in the year for that.

 

[doctornick]

Can we all at least agree that 7 was far too young an age to be allowed in the park unaccompanied? Regardless of why the change was made and the specifics of what was decided, I think increasing it from 7 to somewhere in the double digits is the right decision.

Does anyone disagree with that or are there folks who think that 7 is old enough to be dropped off at the MK and enter the park by oneself? I'm pretty shocked that it was anywhere near that young.

 

[juniorthomas]

I'm more interested in how the mother managed that feat....there's not enough months in the year for that.

Not the same mother. As of 2012, there were 8 different mom's.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

Can we all at least agree that 7 was far too young an age to be allowed in the park unaccompanied? Regardless of why the change was made and the specifics of what was decided, I think increasing it from 7 to somewhere in the double digits is the right decision.

Does anyone disagree with that or are there folks who think that 7 is old enough to be dropped off at the MK and enter the park by oneself? I'm pretty shocked that it was anywhere near that young.

I agree with ya. Although I think it should be age 16 or 18 instead of age 14 for both but I'll take it. Why in the bloody h would a 7 year old be in any of the parks by oneself?

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Can we all at least agree that 7 was far too young an age to be allowed in the park unaccompanied? Regardless of why the change was made and the specifics of what was decided, I think increasing it from 7 to somewhere in the double digits is the right decision.

Does anyone disagree with that or are there folks who think that 7 is old enough to be dropped off at the MK and enter the park by oneself? I'm pretty shocked that it was anywhere near that young.

No, we agree! Seven is too young!

 

[disney fan 13]

This is nothing but an invisible leash for kids...........

Pretty much, I went into the parks at 14 with my brother who was seven, parents wanted to sleep in so they let us go ahead and we had a great (trouble free) time. I think some here all just have a thing for stereotyping (Brazilians, WDW regular guests, etc...)

 

[disney fan 13]

No, we agree! Seven is too young!

Depends on how the seven year old was raised.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Depends on how the seven year old was raised.

To go into the park by his or herself...just no. We wouldn't let my 11-year-old brother go by himself. Seven maybe to go off and ride Dumbo while your parents are on Barnstormer. Not in the park by yourself entirely.

 

[disney fan 13]

To go into the park by his or herself...just no. We wouldn't let my 11-year-old brother go by himself. Seven maybe to go off and ride Dumbo while your parents are on Barnstormer. Not in the park by yourself entirely.

Sorry, misunderstood your comment, I thought you said with an older person, not by himself, in that case I totally agree.

 

[Darth Sidious]

I'm more interested in how the mothers managed that feat....there's not enough months in the year for that.

Fixed that for you... to answer the question

 

[All Disney All The Time]

It's fine if the 14 year old is a babysitter at someone's home (or at a hotel room; I babysat my brother and a friend's daughter once at Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort without issue when I was 14. I took them to the pool, though I made sure the lifeguard was out there). It's not so great if they are responsible for a seven year old in Magic Kingdom. That's just...not smart.

I meant in a theme park.

 

[WDW1974]

You really should have gone to lunch first. These people do exist! Is it likely that they would be visiting Disney. Heck, I don't know, it's possible and if you bother to read social news, this situation is not limited to "crazy hillbilly's". However, it was only meant to be a small question, but to me seems to ask more questions then it answers. Truth be known, if a parent allows their 7 year old into a park by themselves, they should be put against a wall and shot. But as you are so fond of saying...that's another thread!

No, they shouldn't.

I sometimes wonder what alternate realities some people live in. There are kids in cities that age that take subways and buses and walk great distances just to go to school or after-school activities.

it certainly depends on the child. But by age 11 I was quite adept at going around the MK with my 8-year-old brother for a few hours and meeting our folks at a certain time and place. No one tried to show us their privates or grab ours. And we didn't have smart phones like every child has today (not to mention RFID tracking on tix).

You need to teach kids responsibility and to not be afraid of the world (no matter how scary it can be) and WDW is one of the best and safest places to do so IF the kids are mature and know what to do if they need you/help.

 

[WondersOfLife]

I'm fine with this.. Considering I just turned 15 feb. 23rd. So... GOOD MOVE DISNEY C:

I've been getting into parks by myself where my parents just dropped me off at the gate ever since I was 10!