Changes coming to minimum age requirement for park entry

[WDW1974]

How do you get that?

Very simple.

Disney is pushing for greater access to children's private info. That is a major concern of MM+ and has been brought up by Congressman Markey. Disney has had no issue with younger kids being on their own in 58 years of running theme parks. Hell, Disney has no problem calling 9-year-olds adults to gouge parents on ticket prices (there was a time when you had Children's tickets for 3-11, Junior tickets for 12-17 and Adult Tix for ... well, adults). They know that many kids in Anaheim have APs and visit after school with no one over 14 (wait, there will be battle out there). There is only one reason that makes sense for this to be happening now.

I am not getting into another endless WWIII battle with you over Disney, COPPA, and technology.

But if you believe that this decision by them has nothing to do with MM+, then I'm just going to let you believe that ... I know techonology is our friend and savior and Disney has proven recently they can easily handle protecting private info.

 

[WDW1974]

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.

Nope. Depending on the child, I absolutely do NOT believe that 7 is too young to be alone at WDW. Although I would guess that very rarely does that ever occur. You may have a group with two 12-year-olds, a 10-year old and a 7-year-old. But I just haven't seen many kids by themselves of any age at WDW. They are with family or friends.

 

[WDW1974]

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!

congrats!!! And Happy Belated B-Day.

Freedom is a great gift for a parent to give ...

 

[Goofyernmost]

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.

My comment doesn't have anything to do with showing or grabbing. It has to do with social consciousness and the general behavior tendencies of children under or near a certain age. It is about being world wise and knowledgeable of their surroundings. It's about being knowledgeable and sensitive to the expectations of the rest of the people in their immediate space.

I don't care how worldly you are at 7 years of age no one should expect a child to be "independent". In my experience, both being a child and having a couple and now seeing my grandchildren, I am very aware that although when I was a kid, life was a lot less complicated, I think we were more mature then the current crop of young kids. They are more informed and in many instances have more knowledge of things then we ever did, what they do lack is the ability to know what to do with that knowledge. The 7 year old is the first part of the story as we move toward the maturity level of preteen and early teen in today's world, it is pitiful. If I had ever acted the way some teens do today when I was that age, I'd still be grounded!

Kid get most of their education on behavior and limits from their parents or from someone that they respect and, OK I'll say it, fear. Not fear of physical harm, fear of losing respect and approval from the only people that they know intimately and trust. I don't think either comes about when you are dropped off and basically told to sink or swim at that young an age. Sure most make it through the experience but I'm not convinced that they are better people for it.

That's last thing was a slight departure from the point of this though, the point was that it is not the kids that are in any danger, unless they do something really stupid, it is about the comfort and enjoyment of others around them. I have been in line and watched some kid climbing on narrow walls, on the verge of falling WITH THEIR PARENTS LOOKING AT THEIR CELLPHONES. As a parent, my enjoyment level diminished immensely because I was tied up internally worrying that something bad was going to happen to that child. The possibilities of them doing their Evil Knievel imitations without ADULT supervision multiplies by massive degrees.

You show children how to be not afraid of the world by showing them how to live within it safely. Not throwing them into it with no real ammunition or experience and saying swim kids the waters fine.

 

[flynnibus]

There is only one reason that makes sense for this to be happening now.

A correlation - but one that does not hold up to scrutiny nor demonstrate any logical connections.

It's like saying My House is burning down... so lets install some planters! The 'fix' doesn't address the problem. Nothing about allowing someone over 14 accompany a minor gets you over any COPPA requirements, and allowing a minor in the park does not introduce any new COPPA risks as long as the minor can't obtain their own ticket media on their own.

So if this change in policy is motivated by reducing COPPA problems - they are a bunch of morons.

Up next... all guest must wear turn signals in the park... because FL law requires all drivers signal before changing lanes!

 

[Darth Sidious]

A correlation - but one that does not hold up to scrutiny nor demonstrate any logical connections.

It's like saying My House is burning down... so lets install some planters! The 'fix' doesn't address the problem. Nothing about allowing someone over 14 accompany a minor gets you over any COPPA requirements, and allowing a minor in the park does not introduce any new COPPA risks as long as the minor can't obtain their own ticket media on their own.

So if this change in policy is motivated by reducing COPPA problems - they are a bunch of morons.

Up next... all guest must wear turn signals in the park... because FL law requires all drivers signal before changing lanes!

If they have someone over 14 then they can be tied together via MM+, which to my understanding was a loophole with COPPA. Obviously this move doesn't do anything but what the rule explicitly states. However, it does seem to be positioning themselves to avoid COPPA issues when MM+ gets launched.

 

[flynnibus]

If they have someone over 14 then they can be tied together via MM+, which to my understanding was a loophole with COPPA

COPPA does not outlaw handling of information on children - it requires disclosure and pre-approval. Things that would be addressed when the user's account is setup - not when they enter the gate. The point of interest is when the minor's account is setup.. so either at reservation or at time of purchase. Nothing to do with their actual 'consumption' of the service.. aka.. entering the park or activity in the park.

Any issues with who is allowed to approve on behalf of the minor need to be addressed at those points of contact - not when the minor uses the product. 'someone over 14' is not allowed to approve for a minor - it must be a parent.

The rules for COPPA would impact who can buy tickets and who can setup accounts. Not who needs to be supervised or not. That is a gross misapplication of the law.

Issues include
- how do I allow only parents to create minor accounts.. and not just anyone over 14?
- how do I establish a verifiable parental consent?

But again.. these have to do with the setup of the user's profile -- nothing to do with 'time of use' or physical presence. And since you can't get into the park, nor have data collected about you in the park without tickets... the point of interest is when the minor's account is setup or when they secure tickets.

 

[Susan Savia]

Sounds good! Perhaps it should be age 16 tho. Then again, would a CM stop a single 12 year old from riding the merry go round?

 

[JenniferS]

Sounds good! Perhaps it should be age 16 tho. Then again, would a CM stop a single 12 year old from riding the merry go round?

The new rule will not prohibit a 12 year old from being let loose once through the gates, it just means that he/she must ENTER the park with someone 14 years of age or older.

 

[cinderellafan6]

I dont agree with the age change but I do think it is because of the new mm+. It should be younger then 14 years old. I remember when I was 10 and I took my two younger sisters into the park by ourselves. But I knew Disney inside and out as I had already been there about 30 times by that age. Now if you have a immature child who doesnt know the parks inside and out then by all means dont let them go by themself. I have a daughter now and I would let her go to the park by herself when she is older.

 

[freediverdude]

I think they're going to get some problems and complaints about this when they have some, say 11 and 12 year olds trying to enter the park to meet their parents and whatnot. I can just see something like a family heading into Epcot, and the 11 year old kid saying they have to use the restroom right there next to the bus stops, and they agree to meet back up in the line for Spaceship Earth. Then all of sudden the kid can't get into the park, and has to call the parents (hopefully has his/her own cell phone!), and then you've got angry parents coming back to the front of the park just to let the kid in. I can totally see stuff like this happening, and causing headaches at guest relations.

 

[jklakeview]

Some parents are not 21.

I don't think you're understanding the new policy. If you are under 14, you need to be there with someone over 14. Therefore if you're a parent over the age of 14 (which I would hope you're not a parent under the age of 14) you can bring in your kids. So a parent under 21 but over 14 can still bring in their kids. If I'm a 15 year old father, I can still bring in my child. I think that the policy is better for keeping kids that are younger teens out of the parks by themselves. A 12 year old now needs to have a parent with them. I think that's a good thing!

 

[jklakeview]

Why?

I couldn't disagree more.

Kids have been on their own at WDW since I was a kid (ancient times). I don't see kids getting into trouble at WDW ... well, unless they are doing so with mom and dad standing right there and totally oblivious.

This is all COPPA related. Take it to the bank. And it's BAD policy.

Why does a child under the age of 14 need to ENTER a park by themselves. I cannot see a scenario where my 11 year old son needs to get on a Disney bus from our hotel, take it to Hollywood Studios, and then enter that park by themselves, and stay there without any supervision. I wouldn't even drop off my 11 year old at the mall alone. At 14 (roughly 9th grade) I would be a little more likely to drop him/her off at the mall, bowling, theater, or skating rink. I cant see why anyone would argue this is a bad policy. It's not even saying that you cant move around the park alone. I can sort of see my 12 year old saying I'm going to go to space mountain while you take my little brother onto Buzz Lightyear. Disney isn't saying that you cant do that, they just want parents responsible for their kids in the park. GOOD POLICY!

 

[disneyeater]

I don't think you're understanding the new policy. If you are under 14, you need to be there with someone over 14. Therefore if you're a parent over the age of 14 (which I would hope you're not a parent under the age of 14) you can bring in your kids. So a parent under 21 but over 14 can still bring in their kids. If I'm a 15 year old father, I can still bring in my child. I think that the policy is better for keeping kids that are younger teens out of the parks by themselves. A 12 year old now needs to have a parent with them. I think that's a good thing!

The response you quoted is to someone who suggested that they raise the age to 18 or 21.

 

[McDiane]

Those of us vacationing at WDW probably won't be affected by this change, however "locals" probably will - I suspect there have been problems with local "tweens" using WDW (particularly the water parks) as hang-outs and babysitters, much as our children do at local public pools or malls - Lots of these kids probably have season passes -

 

[WDW1974]

Why does a child under the age of 14 need to ENTER a park by themselves. I cannot see a scenario where my 11 year old son needs to get on a Disney bus from our hotel, take it to Hollywood Studios, and then enter that park by themselves, and stay there without any supervision. I wouldn't even drop off my 11 year old at the mall alone. At 14 (roughly 9th grade) I would be a little more likely to drop him/her off at the mall, bowling, theater, or skating rink. I cant see why anyone would argue this is a bad policy. It's not even saying that you cant move around the park alone. I can sort of see my 12 year old saying I'm going to go to space mountain while you take my little brother onto Buzz Lightyear. Disney isn't saying that you cant do that, they just want parents responsible for their kids in the park. GOOD POLICY!

Why the hell not?

They've been doing so for decades. ... Just because someone doesn't have kids mature enough to go places on their own, doesn't mean that all kids are like that. ... And, again, for the most part the issue isn't generally one child going alone, but a group. And Disney is not having any problems, any rise in issues with unaccompanied minors etc. If three 11-year-olds want to go to the Studios while their folks are enjoying a nice lunch at DD, why shouldn't they be able to? ... Because some folks here don't trust their kids or WDW to keep them safe?

This is all somehow connected (and, no, I don't know how but I'm savvy enough to see it) to COPPA.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Why the hell not?

They've been doing so for decades. ... Just because someone doesn't have kids mature enough to go places on their own, doesn't mean that all kids are like that. ... And, again, for the most part the issue isn't generally one child going alone, but a group. And Disney is not having any problems, any rise in issues with unaccompanied minors etc. If three 11-year-olds want to go to the Studios while their folks are enjoying a nice lunch at DD, why shouldn't they be able to? ... Because some folks here don't trust their kids or WDW to keep them safe?

This is all somehow connected (and, no, I don't know how but I'm savvy enough to see it) to COPPA.

Because many of today's kids are irresponsible little twerps. That are a pain in the butt to everyone even when their parents are with them, because, their parents want to be their friend and not their parent. Things and times have changed and not for the better. For heavens sake, you are one of the most vocal on that point.

This, instead of the convenient yet highly paranoid thought that they are trying to capture them and exploit them via NextGen, could have come about strictly because of the way those little snots have been acting while on their own. CM's cannot touch them, because they will end up fired or in jail or both. They can only get any control by having a direct link to someone that is supposed to be responsible for their behavior. With that said, 14 isn't even old enough to be considered a responsible adult.

You are a savvy Spirit, but sometimes your savvyness is burdened by layers of stuff that you are trying to sell.

 

[WDW1974]

Because many of today's kids are irresponsible little twerps. That are a pain in the butt to everyone even when their parents are with them, because, their parents want to be their friend and not their parent. Things and times have changed and not for the better. For heavens sake, you are one of the most vocal on that point.

This, instead of the convenient yet highly paranoid thought that they are trying to capture them and exploit them via NextGen, could have come about strictly because of the way those little snots have been acting while on their own. CM's cannot touch them, because they will end up fired or in jail or both. They can only get any control by having a direct link to someone that is supposed to be responsible for their behavior. With that said, 14 isn't even old enough to be considered a responsible adult.

You are a savvy Spirit, but somethings your savvyness is burdened by layers of stuff that you are trying to sell.

It's not an issue, you old fart!!! I have NEVER in my countless visits to WDW or DLR had an issue with kids on their own. I have had issues with kids with their folks standing INCHES away. It is a non-issue. Believe me, if it were one, you would hear me ranting on it.

 

[rnese]

I think they should go to a system like they have at roller skating rinks or public pools! Have Mickey announce over the PA "Ha ha, ok folks. It's adult time!" All kids under 21 have to sit on the benches while adults walk and visit attractions. Then "Ha, ha, ok folks now it's time for couples!" Then everyone has to hold hands, or sit on the bench. Finally, "Ha, ha, ok folks. Time for all skate!" Then everyone's free to enjoy!

 

[fosse76]

Nothing about allowing someone over 14 accompany a minor gets you over any COPPA requirements, and allowing a minor in the park does not introduce any new COPPA risks as long as the minor can't obtain their own ticket media on their own.

So if this change in policy is motivated by reducing COPPA problems - they are a bunch of morons.[/COPPA]

If you honestly believe it has nothing to do with COPPA, you are mistaken. Anyone under the age of 13 is cosidered a child under COPPA, and therefore parental consent is required with regards to collection of data. This is absolutely why they will not allow anyone under the age of 14 in by themselves. The Magic Bands/RFID-enabled media is absolutely collecting data and tying it to the information provided on the My Disney Experience site. The presence of an adult in the park is required to have defacto consent for Disney to collect the "in park" information. If the child enters alone, Disney violates COPPA by collecting the in-park data, since a child is incapable of consenting under the law. Registration on the website is not enough for consent for the in park data collection.

As to why they allow them to be with 14 year olds, I presume it is because COPPA deams anyone 13 and over to be an adult (it doesn't explicitly say that...however, it defines a child as "an individual under the age of 13," which means anyone 13 and over is an adult). The presence of an "adult" would create the defacto consent for the data collection required under the law. And while the law specifically states parent (guardian)...there CAN be a parent who is as young as 14, and this covers that allowance.

Anyone who thinks it has anything to do with the age and responsibility of children under 14 are just deluding theselves. Contrary to what many may believe, children are no worse now than 20, 30, 40 years ago. The world isn't much different either. Technology has changed, but it isn't going to make someone kidnap or harm a child moreso today than 30 years ago.