Walt Disney Trip Questions

[disneyguy4512]

My 17 year old son plans on going to Disney with a few friends for a "senior trip" I guess you could say. He plans on doing this next year and he will still be 17. Firstly, will Disney allow a 17 year old to stay on property without an adult and secondly do you think I should allow him? He is a responsible teenager although I know that sounds like a oxymoron, so I don't see quite a problem with it but some insight from other parents might help.
Thanks!!

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

You must have someone 18 or older in the room.

Pam

 

[smk]

My 17 year old son plans on going to Disney with a few friends for a "senior trip" I guess you could say. He plans on doing this next year and he will still be 17. Firstly, will Disney allow a 17 year old to stay on property without an adult and secondly do you think I should allow him? He is a responsible teenager although I know that sounds like a oxymoron, so I don't see quite a problem with it but some insight from other parents might help.
Thanks!!

We took three senior trips to Disney with our kids and they all stayed in seperate rooms under our names. We felt it was a safe way to go on a trip with their friends yet still be in an enviorment we approved of. We went along because we are could not let anyone go to WDW without us, family that is! We had them check in once or twice a day, they had no car (and barely any extra money so a cab somewhere would have been difficult) and only Disney transportation to get around. They all had a good time and so did we. Twice they had rooms right next to ours and once they had a campsite at FW while we had a cabin with other family memebers.

I don't know about him staying by himself, others can answer that question. We felt it was a safe place and our kids are very responsible so everything went well.

 

[disneyguy4512]

I believe I may look into going with my daughter along with them and letting them get there separate rooms as they wanted. I truly trust my son and his decisions though so I don't think I would see a huge problem with letting him go once he turns 18 (Late December) if he wanted to do that also. He has a lot of freedom and usually stays out of trouble. He actually has a lot of money though from his new job so the cab thing is a bit troubling but like I said I believe he should be fine. I'll let him know about the no adult no go deal though and see what he thinks about wanting to go with us or when he's 18. Either way we're going as a family in April so he's in for a Disney filled year!

 

[smk]

Our youngest was 17 at the time we went with her, the other two had both turned 18 by their spring breaks. They all took friends, 3 for the oldest, 4 for the middle one and just one for the youngest one. The middle child took four of his best friends (five years later and they are all still best buds) and one of them had parents staying at their condo in Orlando for the week as well, so we had extra parents around if we needed them. His parents took the boys out for dinner twice that week and to the coast for a day so all their time was very planned out. We barely even saw them. The 2 girls spent more time with us for various reasons, mostly food and spending money! If you can go and be in the same area/hotel as them it should work fine. If not let me know and I'll go! I've had plenty of experience with anything a teenager can throw at me so I would be fine! I prefer younger kids but they all seems to grow up no matter how much I wish they wouldn't!

 

[Carolyn1717]

You must have someone 18 or older in the room.

Pam

Not sure if that accurate Pam. I believe if they are under 17, the parents are sent a form to fill out making them responsible for any damages that may occur, but I don't think they have to be 18. If the are all 17, 1 is listed as the adult, but again their are forms the parents have to sign to do this. You can have the forms sent by Guest Services in the res center.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Our youngest was 17 at the time we went with her, the other two had both turned 18 by their spring breaks. They all took friends, 3 for the oldest, 4 for the middle one and just one for the youngest one. The middle child took four of his best friends (five years later and they are all still best buds) and one of them had parents staying at their condo in Orlando for the week as well, so we had extra parents around if we needed them. His parents took the boys out for dinner twice that week and to the coast for a day so all their time was very planned out. We barely even saw them. The 2 girls spent more time with us for various reasons, mostly food and spending money! If you can go and be in the same area/hotel as them it should work fine. If not let me know and I'll go! I've had plenty of experience with anything a teenager can throw at me so I would be fine! I prefer younger kids but they all seems to grow up no matter how much I wish they wouldn't!

**sigh**

I know. My 12 year old has been full of questions lately about "adult" things. Then when we were shifting things around in our mini-storage yesterday we came across a sweet little 2-tooth photo of him when he was a baby and it was so hard not to cry. I swear, ya blink a few times and the years just ~~wooooosh~~ right past ya...then you're standing in your mini-storage wondering what happened.

As for the OP, I think going along in a separate room would be the best idea. Make sure before the trip you go over stuff with your teen about protecting himself, tho. WDW seems all safe because of the magic-factor. There are thieves who know the tourists with their brains immersed in the magic are easier targets. They are there even if you don't know it. Make sure to point out the little things like pulling the hotel room door all the way shut and checking it before walking away, if you're in a darker area at night make sure you are aware of everything around you including behind you, etc. I guess just basically make sure he's aware that he still needs to have his guard up even in WDW.

I think this sort of senior trip is a great one. I hope to do this with my boys someday. Even if they don't hang out with me I'd want to be available in case something happens and they need an adult to make decisions that they wouldn't be as experienced in making (ie. someone get's food-poisoning, falls and breaks a limb, loses a wallet, has money stolen, flu, etc.). Ya know? I'd just feel more safe that way.

 

[DisneyPirate85]

I would agree with Sweetpea,
As a Law Enforcement officer kids alone scare the hell out of me! Unfortunately in this world we all live in ANYTHING can happen and will happen and criminals just seem to have the ability to know when kids are alone ESPECIALLY at Disney. Just remind him to stay with his group, pull his door shut and never carry all his money with him at once, better yet travelers checks they can be replaced. I try not to let my job interfer with rasing my children but that being said I'm am more extreme with asking questions and checking up on them.
I like the idea of you going and just staying somewhere else, at least your there SHOULD something happen and look at the bright side YOUR IN DISNEY:wave:
My kids love to be independent until something happens and they need Dad, like @ 2:54 in the morning and it is storming and she flee's her apt to come home cause of a severe storm warning and drags fiance with her so they can sleep in the basement...:lol:, happened last week and she is 19. *sigh* nice to know dad is still needed.....

 

[eroyee]

I agree about you going along and staying separate. Instead of travelers checks for the kids, though, how about disney gift cards? You can keep adding on them and they shouldnt need hardly any cash. My grandson wants to go with us next time and hes 16 and I will be worried all the time where he is at, etc.!! ha.ha. have a magical trip.........

 

[DizneyPryncess]

I am 26 now, but I went to WDW at 18, 19 and 20 for my spring breaks. My friends & I sound like your son....we were pretty responsible & just wanted to go somewhere fun that wasn't out of control. For teenagers to pick Disney as their Spring Break destination rather than Cancun or Daytona speaks volumes about us, haha

As long as you talk to him beforehand and discuss how he's going to get around, make sure he has the money to do it, help him sketch out a plan for his trip, he should be fine.

 

[TowerOfTerp]

I see no reason to be any more worried about this at age 17 than age 18, especially when all transportation is provided by Disney. Good thing he didn't ask to go to Cancun.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

You can definitely go and get a second room if you want for your son. As long as they are traveling with an adult.

Pam

 

[smk]

I see no reason to be any more worried about this at age 17 than age 18, especially when all transportation is provided by Disney. Good thing he didn't ask to go to Cancun.

LOL. My son and his best friends did "announce" to us parents that they were going to Cancun because "all" their friends were going there for spring break. Of course, this was very early in their senior year and things changed drastically as soon as the parents got wind of their so called plans. No way would I ever let my son (certainly not my daughters) go to Cancun at that age. Foriegn country, 18 year old drinking age....makes for heartache, worry and trouble. Once he understood Cancun was a dream that was never going to happen he settled down. As we got closer to making plans it turns no one went to Cancun (suprise!) and quite a few ended up with their parents in Florida. Funny how that works.