The Teenager!

[sweetpee_1993]

My boys are 16 & 14. Both still love going on adventures with us. We've encouraged them to do things at WDW without us which at first they were a little hesitant about. Especially my oldest but he tends to be a very cautious kid overall. Last trip he made himself a solo dinner reservation last minute and treated himself to the Cape May Clam Bake. He told us all about how well his server took care of him and how good it felt to leave that person a little extra in the tip. It was neat.

I don't know what the secret is, really, or if it's some trick we accidentally performed. The boys like to go places with us and appreciate all things Disney. I don't think we're your typical family, tho. We're very close and address life from a consider yourself and the world around you standpoint. It's not the little impulsive things, it's the bigger picture. They seem to sorta get that. Family time is everything and being able to travel or have the silly moments are the blessings you aren't entitled to so you should bask in them when they are there. It's hard to explain.

Maybe encourage some level of involvement and/or independance all within the adventure. Ya know?

 

[ShookieJones]

It sounds like you're a "Disney" family like 99 percent of us here...So if you've been going on a regular basis since 2004 -
Then I think you have a pretty good chance of never having him say
"I've had enough"

I've got a 16 year old daughter and a 12 year old son..

We've always been a "do as much as we can together" type family.

Although it gets increasingly hard to keep doing things "as a family" ----- things like TV time together has dropped off to only a show here and there and hardly ever a movie that we all like.... There are 2 things we never have trouble with:

1.Sitting down to the supper table together
2.Going to Disney.

I think you'll be just fine.

 

[vcstr]

I was 2 years old when my parents took me for the first time, and this year will be our ninth trip - I'm 21. I still get just as excited as I did as a little kid. Part of that might be because I consider it great bonding time with my 17 year-old sister. As has been mentioned, we get a chance to spend time together just the two of us doing our own thing which lets my parents spends time together and gives my sister and I the chance to catch up and make memories together (especially since I'm away at school most of the year).

 

[DisneyBeatles]

Sadly, my brothers who are 19 and 13 have had it.... the 19yr old hasnt been back since 09 and doesnt plan on it. My little bro ALWAYS ends up having a good time, but its getting him there thats the issue. I am still OBSESSED with disney (i'm 14) and i will ALWAYS be obsessed

 

[Lisalyn]

Sadly, my 13 year old daughter...chose not to go with me last year. That is why I had my first solo trip. I am also going this year 11/24 for a week and she said "she is not ready to go back yet". She told me 3 years in a row burned her out....huh??? :shrug: Hopefully 2013 will be the year where she'll decide..ok it has been 2 years without...let's head to the World. But who knows. She is afterall - A TEENAGER! lol :ROFLOL:

 

[YuggYuggWDW94]

I guess it depends on the person... If he likes it now I don't see that changing

I'm 17! To be honest, I always loved Disney, but when I was 13 I truly fell in love. Not that I didn't love it before then..but after that trip I became a fanatic. I wouldn't worry too much!

 

[Raychul]

My parents have been taking me to Disney World since I was 2 years old. Every year my dad would say "This might be our last trip to WDW together. Next year you might think you're too old for it and find it boring." To which I would always reply that's not possible.

Here I am, 26 years old and I still adore Disney World. I have gone at least once a year, if not more, every single year of my life since my first trip. And even though I live on the other side of the country from my parents, we still get together every year for our family Disney trip.

All in all, I believe that once you are a Disney kid (no matter what your real age is) you always will be one.

 

[real mad hatter]

brilliant.

When my son hit "those troubling teenage years" we found that the biggest problem came from his wanting independence "from the parents". It wasn't cool to be seen with us, didn't want to go on certain rides, watch parades, etc. So we solved it by allowing him to set his own schedule, make his trip his own but he always had to spend at least an hour with us in the morning and an hour in the evening, share meal time with us, and answer his cell phone when we contacted him. He was always a trustworthy kid so we really had little worries that he would get in trouble with this freedom. After a while we found him spending more time with us as the time went on.
Now that he's in his 20's he asks every year = When's our Disney trip being scheduled?

Cheers,love it.:wave:

 

[real mad hatter]

Awesome.

My parents have been taking me to Disney World since I was 2 years old. Every year my dad would say "This might be our last trip to WDW together. Next year you might think you're too old for it and find it boring." To which I would always reply that's not possible.

Here I am, 26 years old and I still adore Disney World. I have gone at least once a year, if not more, every single year of my life since my first trip. And even though I live on the other side of the country from my parents, we still get together every year for our family Disney trip.

All in all, I believe that once you are a Disney kid (no matter what your real age is) you always will be one.

These replys are awesome,went to visit DW sister who lives in L.A. in 2001 and visited Disneyland,hooked ever since.:wave:

 

[real mad hatter]

Cheers.

I guess it depends on the person... If he likes it now I don't see that changing

I'm 17! To be honest, I always loved Disney, but when I was 13 I truly fell in love. Not that I didn't love it before then..but after that trip I became a fanatic. I wouldn't worry too much!

Many thanks,I will sleep tonight.:wave:

 

[Nemo14]

My "kids" are 26 and 22 and are still disneyholics. DD married into a family of Disney fans this past summer, so I figure my future grandchildren are destined to be fans too, and DS is engaged to a Disney noobie, who loves everything about it.

As others have said, the secret with teens is to give them more freedom as they get older, and don't assume that they'll love everything that you love. We never forced either kid to go on a ride they didn't like when they were younger, so they would go through the queues with us then exit through the "chicken" doors. Then by the time they were 14 or 15 or so, we let them go wherever they chose as long as they agreed to meet back with us for lunch or dinner, and that they stayed together. They (and we) enjoyed the vacations, and we still had family time.

 

[DizMagic]

I'm 24 and loved disney throughout my teenage years. I did go with friends a couple times during that time period to keep it fresh.

 

[yeti]

I'm still loving it- plan to as long as I live.

 

[PlutoGoof9122]

I am 23 and just returned from a trip last week with my girlfriend for Spring Break, which was probably my 15th time going since being 15 or 16. My mom got me hooked on this place. I still love it just as much as I did the first time I went and I get giddy like a little kid on Christmas day when the trip is nearly approaching. I love the sight of walking down Main Street the first time you get in on your trip, seeing the castle lit up at night, walking around all the parks at night, hearing por favour montagensie alejado de las peurtas ( yea, I probably butchered that one) and of course, a nice 10$ turkey leg to enjoy strolling through magic kingdom. I love this place so much, I am starting to apply for jobs with them since I recently graduated college. I come home from Disney and I feel like I made the wrong decision leaving. It's where I want to be and I think I would even be content with just going around being a janitor in the parks, because I would be where I want to be, and would be happy their.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

I'm 30, and my parents have taken me to Disney since I was in diapers. Well, now they don't take me, but we go together. We just went together last May to celebrate my first pregnancy. And we're now planning my daughter's first trip. I agree that there is no formula to it - some people just keep the interest, some don't. Some lose interest, and regain it again. And some simply just have enough of it.

In high school I went through a stage where I didn't go to WDW for years, and didn't think much about it. But I came back around. I think the thing about it was that it wasn't shoved down my throat. My parents didn't push princess things on me my whole life. We went to places other than Disney too. They let me choose what I liked, and Disney happened to be it.

My daughter on the other hand....haha....well, I wouldn't be surprised if her first word is Tink. I am having a hard time not pushing Disney!

 

[Raven66]

The trip we are hopefully taking in June 2013 will be for our daughter's 16th birthday. She is very excited to be going. We are also taking her best friend with us and she will also be 16. She has never been so it's going to be fun showing her everything. Both girls are excited about wandering around themselves, without the parents hanging around. I just hope there will be no 16 year old boys walking around by themselves.

 

[real mad hatter]

Thanks To All.

Many thanks for everyone's input,like people have said in most cases it's snout giving your teenager space and let him do his/her own thing,long may the magic be in his heart.

 

[real mad hatter]

Oops.

Many thanks for everyone's input,like people have said in most cases it's snout giving your teenager space and let him do his/her own thing,long may the magic be in his heart.

Spelling error! The word snout should be about. Where's my specs?:lookaroun

 

[Minnie1976]

I don't ever remember my boys as teenagers ever saying that is enough. They are now in their 30's and still haven't said enough. A few years back my youngest son was with someone who had never been to Disney World. They were in Fantasyland and the person wanted to know why they were going on the children's rides. My son replied, "What do you mean? These aren't children's rides." HA! HA!

 

[Susan Savia]

My son is 26 and still 'tags' along on our annual Disney trips. He wouldn't have it any other way! (nor would we)