15yo on Keys to the Kingdom tour?

[eclipseSD]

Hey all,

Interesting question has come up recently in my family, and of others I know going to WDW.

15.5 year old boy really wants to go on the KTTK tour. Looks mature. Acts mature. Has photo I.D. proving he was born in 1988 and attends high school. As we all know, you have to be 16 to officially be on the tour. But is there any leeway here?

Question: Will he be kicked off the tour because of that .5 year?

Anyone here tried this or heard of anyone who has tried this? What does Disney generally do regarding teens who just miss the cutoff for tours?

Not trying to start a debate. Not planning on lying or getting angry if permission is denied. Just curious of Disney's policy.

 

[zen1]

On the site it says you have to be 16 or older to do the Keys to the Kingdom tour.

Here is the web site that tells you more about the Keys to the Kingdom tour:

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/tourDetail?id=KeystotheKingdomTourPage

 

[chicknoodle99]

We did Keys to the Kingdom Tour a few years ago and it was wonderful. They did, however, check ID from everyone to make sure they were 16yrs old. If ID says 1988 maybe they wont figure out hes just short of 16, but from what I understand they are pretty strict. Good luck!

 

[SnackyStacky]

Rather than all the supposition, I'd reccomend you call Disney and ask them directly. Good luck! I hope they give you some leeway!

 

[Timon@BWV]

We went on the tour last June, my son was a couple of months short of sixteen and they never asked for ID's so it worked out.

Now I have seen in more recent posts that people are getting ID's checked all the time. I guess I was lucky!

 

[maryann4086]

I just booked one last week for August, and I was told three times by the woman that my just turned 16 year old daughter must have ID with her. Hope that helps. if they actually check I don't know, but would hate to pay for it, then be turned away when the time comes.

 

[eclipseSD]

Questions/Concerns :

Is the I.D. check just to prove that the teen is who he says he is, or is it to show proof of age? I mean, if the kid looks 12 that is one thing, but if the kid looks 15-17, wouldn't they really just be checking to see if the name and face match the name on the list?

What exactly is photo ID anyway? A just turned 16 yo wouldn't have a junior license that quickly in many cases. Most (American) people don't really have/take passports with them to WDW. Then the only solution is High School I.D. Now, some high school I.D.'s only list name, class, and school as well as provide a photo. Would Disney then require as much as a birth certificate? According to the website, it basically says "Photo ID required" not birth certificate, "proof of age," or "junior license."

See where I'm getting here, now? If my conclusions are true (which they might not be), a 15.5 year old who passes for 16 could conceivably be allowed on the tour with just a high school I.D. with no date of birth listed.

Can anyone directly counter this based on tour experiences, not "Disney policy?" (ie-15yo w/HS photo ID rejected by the tour guide)

 

[Mercy]

Just wondering why they are so strict with the age requirements?

 

[chicknoodle99]

Mercy,

When we did the tour our guide told us that children under 16 are not permitted because some of the areas and the things that we learn can take away the "magic" for younger ones. I see their point but would think that parents should be the judge of that...

 

[DebbieB]

They got sued one time because a 12 year old was taken backstage as a shortcut for some reason. He was "tramatized" by seeing characters without their heads.

I also think they want to keep younger teens out who tend to "goof off" during the tour.

 

[eclipseSD]

But I don't think a .5 year age gap is going to make a real difference in the maturity/belief in "magic" of a teen, which is really the point here.

When you start talking 12 year olds, its a whole different ballgame.

 

[DebbieB]

It may come down to they have to draw a line somewhere.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by DebbieB
It may come down to they have to draw a line somewhere.

Agreed.

To the OP: You can plead your case here all you want, but it isn't going to do you much good at WDW. Our opinions don't mean a whole lot.

Call the tour reservation line and ask. I'm sure it won't be the first time they have been asked what form of ID is expected. If you don't get the answer you want to hear, and try to book the tour anyway, then just be aware of the risk that you are taking. If you aren't able to talk your way onto the tour, have a plan for dealing with the 15 yo for the next 5 hours.

And, if you are rebuffed, at least have the decency to NOT ruin the day of a Cast Member just trying to do his / her job.

 

[Calcio]

This discussion has appeared from time to time. The replies fall into 2 camps; the letter of the law folks, and the spirit of the law folks (where I reside).

My experience with my daughter, age 15 years, 10 months when we took the tour (a couple of years ago) was positive. Yes, when making the reservation we were told 16 was the age cutoff for all the reasons discussed. As her father, I know her better than anyone and (1) she didn't cry when she saw Tiggr carrying his head in the tunnels, and (2) she didn't make a scene during the tour.

Remember that 90% of all teens will not have any photo id with birthdate on it until the get their driving learners permit, which is well past 16 now in most states. If ids are checked every time, the age limit effectively becomes 16.5 or 17, since anyone younger will not have one.

By the way, no one in our group was checked for id, and everyone in the group behave appropriately throughout the tour.

But yes, if your teen is not allowed on the tour due to no id, chalk it up to experience and move on.

 

[n2mm]

Here is Disney's official wording on this tour. You decide:

Restrictions: Guests must be at least 16 years old to attend this program. Please advise guests this is an outdoor walking program. Guests are required to have a photo ID in their possession during the program. Large bags and cameras are NOT permitted.


BTW: My 10 year old grandson would absolutely love doing the Backstage Safari. I only wish that they would have some tours for the 10-16 year old age group.

ALSO: My 10 year old grandson has carried a picture ID issued through DMV since he was 6 years old. It has his name, picture and date of birth on it. It is an official ID and is accepted at the airport whenever he travels with us. I insist that he has an ID. It cost $10 and expires every 2 years and cost $5 to renew. Since he is an AP holder and AP holders must have a picture ID when buying pins there is never any question or doubt that he is who the ID or AP says. So please don't think that everyone under 16 does not have an ID. My state, WV, issues under 16 IDs and I can't believe that other states do not.

 

[DHSsenior007]

My 16th b-day is in September. I took the tour this past February. They NEVER asked for my ID. The tour guide asked me, "How old are you? 17, 18?" I told her I was 16, so yeah.

I would say go ahead and book it. Like the last poster said, you have to have the ID on you, but that doesn't meant that you'll have to show it. Since you said that your DS looks mature and acts mature, then you shouldn't have any problem.

By the way, I really enjoyed the Keys to the Kingdom tour.

 

[Aisling]

I can't imagine a CM turning a 15.5 yo away because the min. age is 16. If the ID just has the birth year, and I was asked how old my child is, I'd just say 16.

We're doing the Imagineer Lunch, and the min. age is 14. My son is 12.5, looks 14, and has no ID. He'll be 14 that day, if asked.

 

[MrsToad]

DH and I did two tours recently and were asked to show ID for both.

For what it's worth, Connecticut also issues official IDs, complete with pictures and birth dates, to kids too young for drivers licenses.