DisneyChik17
Well-Known Member
Very well said!!
I agree. One month doesn't mean that much. Go on your tour. Enjoy it. Don't feel guilty.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Why the Age Limit
- Thread starter Disneyfan2000
- Start date
- Status
Very well said!!
I agree. One month doesn't mean that much. Go on your tour. Enjoy it. Don't feel guilty.
darthjohnny
Active Member
I had the exact same problem. I never understood the age limit either.
In reality, Disney is more strict on restricting the age on the phone when you make a reservation, then when you check-in on the day of your tour.
If you ask if you can take a younger child on a tour that has a high age limit, the people on the phone will tell you outright no. Sometimes, they'll even say that if you do bring the child on the day of the tour, they won't let them go on the tour, nor will they give you a reason.
But if you lie to the operator, and then show up on the day of the tour, the cast members will hardly give you a second look.
They might be a little adamant about I.D., however. Just bring a school I.D., or your parents can bring a copy of your birth certificate, and fudge the date. They won't care.
I think there are a couple reasons for raising the age restriction.
One thing is that the tours might ruin the magic of Disney.
Another thing is that younger kids might run off and get into restricted backstage area and get away from the tour. (I bet they have had some problems in the past.)
Also, the tours are usually 3 or 4 hours long. The Backstage Magic tour, especially, is somewhere around 7 hours.
A lot of kids might not be able to pay attention for that long, and get easily bored, especially if they are not constantly seeing the characters or going on rides. Some kids might not even care about the tour at that age unless they are hardcore Disney fans (especially if their parents are the real ones who wanted to do the tour. :lol
The age limit does stink though. I can't believe backstage tours have 16 year old age limit, but SCUBA diving tours in the Living Seas only have a limit of 8 years old, which in reality can be somewhat dangerous. :shrug:
In reality, Disney is more strict on restricting the age on the phone when you make a reservation, then when you check-in on the day of your tour.
If you ask if you can take a younger child on a tour that has a high age limit, the people on the phone will tell you outright no. Sometimes, they'll even say that if you do bring the child on the day of the tour, they won't let them go on the tour, nor will they give you a reason.
But if you lie to the operator, and then show up on the day of the tour, the cast members will hardly give you a second look.
They might be a little adamant about I.D., however. Just bring a school I.D., or your parents can bring a copy of your birth certificate, and fudge the date. They won't care.
I think there are a couple reasons for raising the age restriction.
One thing is that the tours might ruin the magic of Disney.
Another thing is that younger kids might run off and get into restricted backstage area and get away from the tour. (I bet they have had some problems in the past.)
Also, the tours are usually 3 or 4 hours long. The Backstage Magic tour, especially, is somewhere around 7 hours.
A lot of kids might not be able to pay attention for that long, and get easily bored, especially if they are not constantly seeing the characters or going on rides. Some kids might not even care about the tour at that age unless they are hardcore Disney fans (especially if their parents are the real ones who wanted to do the tour. :lol
The age limit does stink though. I can't believe backstage tours have 16 year old age limit, but SCUBA diving tours in the Living Seas only have a limit of 8 years old, which in reality can be somewhat dangerous. :shrug:
disnyfan89
Well-Known Member
The reason the age limit is 16 is because it goes backstage. All programs that go backstage have an age limit of 16. They do check ID but they just need to make sure you are who you are. It's for security reasons but not to verify age.
angelfaerie52
New Member
When I went on the Backstage Magic Tour, everyone had to have an ID to get on. One person did not and they weren't allowed on the tour.
Now, since you are 15 (16), it's completely logical that you don't have an ID with an age on it yet. But I guess make sure you have a school ID with a picture on it and no date... some people used Passports, but that would hurt you here... or just wait out. The tours are expensive and if they wind up not letting you on, I doubt your family would go ahead, and you'd lose the money on the whole experience....
drp4video
Well-Known Member
IT seems like raising the age from 10 to 16 is a huge jump, and I just wonder why they increased the age restriction by so much. A ten year old and a 15 year old are completely differenct people.
Just tell them that life begins at conception and you got the 16 years in
...:lol:
Seriously, just take a high school id. and tell them you don't drive yet...I understand that rules are rules, but as pointed out, this is different as Disney will make money in this case, not lose it, and who knows when this person will be back again to WDW. It is not like people go every year (coughorsomedont'scough), so who knows when they will get back there again. I say make the reservation and enjoy.
Just tell them that life begins at conception and you got the 16 years in
...:lol:
Seriously, just take a high school id. and tell them you don't drive yet...I understand that rules are rules, but as pointed out, this is different as Disney will make money in this case, not lose it, and who knows when this person will be back again to WDW. It is not like people go every year (coughorsomedont'scough), so who knows when they will get back there again. I say make the reservation and enjoy.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
I am interested that there are folks here that will call it immoral to lie about one's age by 1 month. It would be very difficult to get through life without telling many white lies. Many times, that is the nice thing to do or the best thing to do (like explaining to your 3-year old how their dog is now gone without necessarily explaining that he was hit by a car and died). Give the kid a break. I would be very impressed, indeed, at the parent who has never told a white lie. I certainly hope you tell your 3-year olds that Mickey Mouse is a person in a costume, nothing on the rides other than Kilimanjaro Safaris is actually alive, and the "magic" is done by machines. And even with these fantastic instances of leading-by-example, your kids will still likely drive over the speed limit, drink their first beer before their 21st birthday, and tell their kids that Santa Claus is real.
If you want to go on the tour, go on the tour. I certainly would, and I don't consider myself a particularly immoral person.
If you want to go on the tour, go on the tour. I certainly would, and I don't consider myself a particularly immoral person.
I'm about to walk over to Yale and shake your hand. Couldn't have said it any better.
A school ID is not a vaild ID they will make you have a real valid ID
ChipmunkStar
Member
Could a possible reason for the age limit be due to legal issues? Liability? Insurance policies? The truth of the matter is, Disney doens't just make these rules for the hell of it. There is almost always a reason behind the decisions that are made (be it due to safety, legalities, etc.).
I'm sure if Disney REALLY wanted the extra money, they would let anybody go on the tour. Until you're actually 16, just wait. Backstage REALLY isn't all it's cracked up to be. And it smells.... bad.
I'm sure if Disney REALLY wanted the extra money, they would let anybody go on the tour. Until you're actually 16, just wait. Backstage REALLY isn't all it's cracked up to be. And it smells.... bad.
mousermerf
Account Suspended
They do check ID, I don't know why people say they don't.
Seen it checked, seen a 15yo rejected, seen it checked other times and had it checked when I've gone on tours.
If you lie and then go and get checked you'll lose the money you paid for the tour. Simple as that.
Seen it checked, seen a 15yo rejected, seen it checked other times and had it checked when I've gone on tours.
If you lie and then go and get checked you'll lose the money you paid for the tour. Simple as that.
wdwishes2005
New Member
Because SOOO many 15 year olds think Santa is real, and have absolutely no idea that GASP, the park doesn't run on pixie dust....I took Keys to the Kingdom right around the time they changed the age limit - and I was 10. My dad had signed us up while the age was still 10. But when we got there the CMs were very hesitant to let me go as the age had been raised to 16, but because at the time of our reservation, I had been the right age, they had to let me go anyway.
They explained that because you go to places that are not as "magical" they found it was ruining the Disney experience for little kids. You might see Mickey smoking, or the unthemed backside of Splash Mountain, which can really upset little kids. I was fine with it, but I guess some 10 year olds just couldn't handle it. So they raised it to 16.
Since they can't do a case-by-case basis for letting people on a tour, they had to make a general rule. But the tours are well worth the extra wait.
RedFoxRunner
Member
yep
Ha ha..wow.. this is really getting uptight.
I consider myself a conservative person, but its getting a little ridiculous. If someone was to lie about their kid's age by a few years to get them on the tour it might be reasonable to say it's "wrong." But to deny a 15 (& 11 month) y/o to go on the tour is fairly stupid.
"I'm sorry, you're not mature enough yet for this, let's wait a month until you're grown up enough to handle this graphic backstage experience."
I think some are forgetting by 15 many teens have potentially worked for a year or two in a job, have been able to drive, have probably been exposed to "naughty" words, drugs, alcohol, and high school in general. :brick:
When I was younger my parents would rarely lie about my age if I was on the border. Whether it was to save some money or let me in with the rest of the family on a tour. My family didn't go on Disney vacations with $10,000 on hand.... anything to help reduce an already inflated park price was okay in my book.
I wasn't "taught to lie".. and I certainly don't lead the life or career of a criminal.
Let's step out of our sheltered bubbles and join society for a moment. :lol:
Ha ha..wow.. this is really getting uptight.
I consider myself a conservative person, but its getting a little ridiculous. If someone was to lie about their kid's age by a few years to get them on the tour it might be reasonable to say it's "wrong." But to deny a 15 (& 11 month) y/o to go on the tour is fairly stupid.
"I'm sorry, you're not mature enough yet for this, let's wait a month until you're grown up enough to handle this graphic backstage experience."
I think some are forgetting by 15 many teens have potentially worked for a year or two in a job, have been able to drive, have probably been exposed to "naughty" words, drugs, alcohol, and high school in general. :brick:
When I was younger my parents would rarely lie about my age if I was on the border. Whether it was to save some money or let me in with the rest of the family on a tour. My family didn't go on Disney vacations with $10,000 on hand.... anything to help reduce an already inflated park price was okay in my book.
I wasn't "taught to lie".. and I certainly don't lead the life or career of a criminal.
Let's step out of our sheltered bubbles and join society for a moment. :lol:
I hate to sound flip in the face of so many moral debates, but I have to say
just tell them your daughter is 16. I think 15 and 11 months is more than reasonable.
I can see honoring restrictions where someone may be put at risk. But this is hardly the case--like one month would make a difference. So go for it. Let us know how it goes. I would be surprised if they expected an ID for all 16 years olds, since not everyone gets licenses right at 16.
just tell them your daughter is 16. I think 15 and 11 months is more than reasonable.
I can see honoring restrictions where someone may be put at risk. But this is hardly the case--like one month would make a difference. So go for it. Let us know how it goes. I would be surprised if they expected an ID for all 16 years olds, since not everyone gets licenses right at 16.
ChipmunkStar
Member
Just a quick repost as I'm sure my reply is being overlooked (being the last post on the second page and all...)
"Could a possible reason for the age limit be due to legal issues? Liability? Insurance policies? The truth of the matter is, Disney doesn't just make these rules for the hell of it. There is almost always a reason behind the decisions that are made (be it due to safety, legalities, etc.).
I'm sure if Disney REALLY wanted the extra money, they would let anybody go on the tour. Until you're actually 16, just wait. Backstage REALLY isn't all it's cracked up to be. And it smells.... bad."
"Could a possible reason for the age limit be due to legal issues? Liability? Insurance policies? The truth of the matter is, Disney doesn't just make these rules for the hell of it. There is almost always a reason behind the decisions that are made (be it due to safety, legalities, etc.).
I'm sure if Disney REALLY wanted the extra money, they would let anybody go on the tour. Until you're actually 16, just wait. Backstage REALLY isn't all it's cracked up to be. And it smells.... bad."
FatBoy976
New Member
Wouldn't lying about your age be considered fraud and, therefore, illegal?
I know from personal experience that it's very hard to deny your child something he/she really wants to do, especially if you believe he/she is quite capable of doing it, strictly because of an age restriction.
I've seen The Daughter in tears when her best friend, who was only 4 weeks older, went off to kindergarten, but she wasn't old enough. They both had the same interests, the same maturity level, etc but one was old enough, the other wasn't.
I also had to watch her cry when she was not allowed to audition for The Nutcracker because she wouldn't be old enough until a WEEK after the auditions.
So I understand how hard it is to follow an abitrary (in a parent's mind) age restriction. It just doesn't seem fair. I know my daughter was light years ahead in both maturity and behavior than that boy sitting next to her in HS, but he was able to get a driver's license while she wasn't old enough.
My point is that we have all faced what we perceive to be unfairness when confronting age restrictions.
But think about it. If my daughter had been allowed to start school 4 weeks early, or audition a week early, someone else would come along and say "My child is only 5 weeks too young, or 2 weeks too young. You bent the rules for her; how dare you turn around and deny my child?"
Is a 15 &11 month old that much more mature than a 15 & 10 month old? Or a 15 & 3 month old? Eventually, WDW would have to lower it to 15, when they would start getting 14 & 11 month olds asking why THEY aren't old enough.
And so on, and so. I'm sure when it was age 10, they had 9 year olds trying to get in.
The fact of the matter is that WDW doesn't HAVE to allow anyone on these tours, but have found that they are a good way to make extra money. However, I'm sure they have very logical reasons (even though it doesn't appear that way to us) to put specific age restrictions in place.
For all we know, they may have wanted to raise the age requirement to 18, and 15 (which is generally when a child starts HS) is a compromise.
I've seen The Daughter in tears when her best friend, who was only 4 weeks older, went off to kindergarten, but she wasn't old enough. They both had the same interests, the same maturity level, etc but one was old enough, the other wasn't.
I also had to watch her cry when she was not allowed to audition for The Nutcracker because she wouldn't be old enough until a WEEK after the auditions.
So I understand how hard it is to follow an abitrary (in a parent's mind) age restriction. It just doesn't seem fair. I know my daughter was light years ahead in both maturity and behavior than that boy sitting next to her in HS, but he was able to get a driver's license while she wasn't old enough.
My point is that we have all faced what we perceive to be unfairness when confronting age restrictions.
But think about it. If my daughter had been allowed to start school 4 weeks early, or audition a week early, someone else would come along and say "My child is only 5 weeks too young, or 2 weeks too young. You bent the rules for her; how dare you turn around and deny my child?"
Is a 15 &11 month old that much more mature than a 15 & 10 month old? Or a 15 & 3 month old? Eventually, WDW would have to lower it to 15, when they would start getting 14 & 11 month olds asking why THEY aren't old enough.
And so on, and so. I'm sure when it was age 10, they had 9 year olds trying to get in.
The fact of the matter is that WDW doesn't HAVE to allow anyone on these tours, but have found that they are a good way to make extra money. However, I'm sure they have very logical reasons (even though it doesn't appear that way to us) to put specific age restrictions in place.
For all we know, they may have wanted to raise the age requirement to 18, and 15 (which is generally when a child starts HS) is a compromise.
beachclubbasics
New Member
LOL you are right about that. One of the best experiences and one of the most depressing I ever had at WDW was the Dolphin discovery tour with my 18 year old daughter (marine biology student). When you go backstage you really get to see the areas that are not exactly magical. As one of our tour guides on DD said "Diseney certainly doesn't spend a whole lot of money on their backstage areas because no-one is supposed to see them" and believe me, it's evident..bare plywood covering the ceilings etc....
That's also a reason why you aren'y usually allowed to take pictures on tours like these.
darthjohnny
Active Member
No.
A school ID is definately a very valid form of identification. I used a school ID to enter the tour. I used a school ID as one of my IDs to get my learner's permit. I used it to check into my SAT tests.
Not everyone, especially teens around 15/16 don't have licenses, or from places where the legal driving age is 18.
I don't think it is for liability so much, because the SCUBA diving tour in EPCOT only has an age limit of 8.
As I said before, I think the real reason for the age limit is: the idea of destroying the magic, little kids might run away and get into restricted areas, and some younger kids couldn't sit and pay attention for the duration of those 5+ hours.:wave:
JikoMarie
New Member
There are probably a variety of reasons why WDW doesn't allow you behind the scenes if you are 16. I agree with the poster who said it was probably for liability reasons.
As far as lying goes, I wouldn't do it.
And a couple of off topic remarks:
You wouldn't explain death to your child in an age appropriate way? I know this has nothing to do with the topic at hand but this really through me off.
I really don't see how an ID without a date of birth would be a valid proof of age.
Also, where in the world is the legal driving age 18? I've never heard of this in North America.
As far as lying goes, I wouldn't do it.
And a couple of off topic remarks:
You wouldn't explain death to your child in an age appropriate way? I know this has nothing to do with the topic at hand but this really through me off.
I really don't see how an ID without a date of birth would be a valid proof of age.
Also, where in the world is the legal driving age 18? I've never heard of this in North America.
- Status