When did you let your kids roam the parks alone?

[Jedi Mouse]

So we've been to the parks more than ever this year and my kids, who are 9 and 10 are now very familiar with the parks. We let them lead the way while navigating from attraction to attraction and have started letting them go on a few nearby attractions while we sit down and enjoy a snack or finish a meal at a nearby restaurant. This new found freedom has led to them pushing for more.

My kids are well behaved, know the parks and I feel they are very safe, but I still think they are a bit too young. To be honest my biggest hold up is they are both known for leaving things like backpacks and pin lanyards on ride vehicles and I don't trust them to not lose a phone or something else. We've told them that when they're 11 and 12 we can start turning them loose for an hour or two at a time, but I'm starting to think we can move that up a bit.

I know this is highly dependent on the kids involved, but when did you start giving your kids more freedom in the parks?

 

[Kerriowl]

I haven't let my kids go off on their own yet (nor have they asked - 9 and 7), but my friend and I were allowed 1-2 hours when we were 9 and 10 respectively. I can still remember the first time was in Magic Kingdom. They gave us 2 hours. We rode Space Mountain about 7 times (it was November in the 80s) and sprinted to the tea cups to meet our parents at the appointed time. But, back then, the only things we could lose were much easier replaced than a smart phone, magic band, or park tickets. We didn't have to carry anything with us.

 

[Malcon10t]

I let my older 3 start roaming the park when my daughter was 10 (making brothers 11 and 8.) But my 10yo was born 35yo. This was also 20 years ago. The rules were they had to stay inside the park, they had to be on time to the meeting spot, and we usually met up every 3 hours or so. She did have a cell phone in case of emergency.

 

[ChloroformSdxn]

I think the average kid would be ok at that age. They're old enough to walk to school on their own by about 6 years old, which, I realize is slightly different and familiar, but if they're familiar with the park and are able to tell time (do they have a wristwatch?), I would have no issues.

Also, at that age, they're old enough to be able to find a CM if they get lost/have questions. You can start pointing out the green awnings throughout the park as a place to ask questions.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

DD14 has gone the last three years with her middle school's band program. I volunteered each time to go along as a chaperone (tough duty, I know, but somebody has to do it!). As a sixth grader (11-12 year olds they were required to have an adult chaperone with their smaller park group. The 7th-8th (12-14 year olds) graders were allowed to wander on their own as long as they a) remained in a group of three and b) checked in at all check-in times in a timely manner. They were also all required to carry a working cellphone with them. These kids are all in a pretty rigiourous academic program and are just pretty good kids in general, so it was a nice introduction to me to see how some structured freedom worked.

On a recent 4-day mother-daughter trip with DD11 (while DH and DD14 were on an 8th grade Washington DC trip), there came times when letting my 11-year old have some brief moments of freedom was just practical. We had a mutual goal to do every single ride in the parks (and met our goal!!!), but by day three some repeats weren't appealing to both of us or it was practical to have one of us run to get Fastpasses while the other stopped for a bathroom break. (I sure wish Maxpass had been ready by our trip!). I felt pretty comfortable when she rode Goofy's Flight School by herself while I waited at a nearby table, but felt a few more qualms when meeting back after we did separate rides (e.g., Haunted Mansion and Splash). We had a very definite meeting place, but I always felt better after we met up again.


But you know what? She LOVED that small amount of independence! It's one of the first things she told her dad and sister about when we all met up again. When our whole family goes again in October, I can totally see DH and myself finding a spot to hang out and listen to music and let the girls go do some rides!

Edited for grammar. Oops!

 

[Winnowill]

Heck, my DD (not quite 9 at the time) left the pouch containing her phone (my husband's old iPhone, disconnected and wi-fi only) and all of her money in the Space Mountain restrooms when we were there in April. It never did turn up. Kids are careless.

We do let her go on Silly Symphony Swings and Goofy by herself, but one of us is always in the seating areas close by. Those are really the only ones she wants to do that neither adult cares for, and, as an only child, she'd be by herself which isn't much fun for her. We'll see next March when we do our girls' trip with our friends (mom and daughter of close age) whether we can let them go off on their own for a bit.

 

[lalasmama]

Our youngest is 13, and a bit immature. We were going to let her have some independent time this last trip (a month ago), but she was having a hard time with basic rules (just being oblivious to where we were walking, walking into people, walking through churro lines instead of walking around, not paying attention to advancing ride lines), so we decided to delay it until her next trip. She's also a bit forgetful, and she has a new-ish iPhone, so we didn't want that thing left in a ride pocket!

 

[Sergio S]

My mom and sis just told (more like complained to) me that they let my youngest brother (13 now) have alone time to wander around on his own a few weeks ago, do you know what he did? Sat on a bench near the castle and played on his phone the entrie 2 hours he had free to himself!

 

[kkmcan]

We started letting our kids go to Bugs Land while we had a glass of wine at the Wine tasting terrace when they were 12 and 9. I really wanted my oldest to be this age before I let them go. Then my dd went in high school every year for the fine arts trip. She was given full reign of the parks without an adult. They did tour about in small groups of friends and they had to visually check in with their teacher 3-4 times throughout the day.

 

[my*gracie*girl]

My dd says she was 10 when we let her go off on her own. I have NO memory. I do know it changed my life. We started with her just going to get fastpasses for us. I was the fp runner prior and I was so glad when she was old enough and she LOVED doing it....probably mostly because she felt grown up going off on her own. She is also an only so has spent a lot of time riding on her own. I think 10 was when she was actively going on single rider by herself as well so the two probably went hand in hand. I do remember worrying and I still do (she's 15), but we have been 5 times in the past 2 years and she now spends long chunks of time on her....yesterday she returned to DCA and rode Screamin twice and Goofy's and then did several hours of Animation Academy while dh and I were in DL. We will also go to Carthay Circle lounge while she goes off and does her own thing. I think 10 is a great age to start small....send them to get fastpasses or let them take their fastpasses and go ride while you wait in a certain location.

 

[NannyBeBe]

It totally depends on the child and how responsible he or she is. I personally do not think kids younger than high school should be going around DLR alone.

 

[mom2rtk]

It totally depends on the child and how responsible he or she is. I personally do not think kids younger than high school should be going around DLR alone.

Good luck with that. They have to be 14 to enter the park alone, which is not high school. Plus, lots of middle school age kids separate from parents once they enter the park. I think Disney is a great place to let kids spread their wings a bit at an age when I probably wouldn't let them at home at the local mall or theater yet.

 

[MamaBelle4]

I think Disney is a great place to let kids spread their wings a bit at an age when I probably wouldn't let them at home at the local mall or theater yet.

See, this is something I don't understand.

I am overly protective, I freely admit that. And not saying that you've said the following but whenever a thread turns up about something being stolen in the parks, many posters inevitably say, "Disney isn't safe, there are thousands of visitors there each day, don't leave your guard down!"

But then when one of these threads come up, you get comments like, "She probably still takes her 12 yo son to the bathroom with her!" etc when you acknowledge you wouldn't feel comfortable with a preteen wandering the park on their own.

I mean, either there IS a reasonable expectation of security on Disney property where you can relax your guard a bit or there isn't and your guard should be up like any other public place.

To answer OP, my eldest is exceptionally responsible. I will not let her wander the parks alone until she is 13/14, just because that is an age we feel comfortable with. To each their own though.

 

[mom2rtk]

See, this is something I don't understand.

I am overly protective, I freely admit that. And not saying that you've said the following but whenever a thread turns up about something being stolen in the parks, many posters inevitably say, "Disney isn't safe, there are thousands of visitors there each day, don't leave your guard down!"

But then when one of these threads come up, you get comments like, "She probably still takes her 12 yo son to the bathroom with her!" etc when you acknowledge you wouldn't feel comfortable with a preteen wandering the park on their own.

I mean, either there IS a reasonable expectation of security on Disney property where you can relax your guard a hit or there isn't and your guard should be up like any other public place.

To answer OP, my eldest is exceptionally responsible. I will not let her wander the parks alone until she is 13/14, just because that is an age we feel comfortable with. To each their own though.

To me the biggest thing is that at the mall there are all sorts of exits, and anyone wanting to abduct a kid can have a car waiting mere yards away. Disney has limited entry and exit, and there's not going to be a running car waiting close by.

I think it's pretty easy to swipe someone's phone or even purse and hide in the park. Much harder to abduct a child and not attract attention between the scene of the crime and the getaway.

Plus, I like hanging out at Disney (and I hate the mall). At Disney I'm going to be there in the park as well. Not so much at the mall.

 

[MamaBelle4]

To me the biggest thing is that at the mall there are all sorts of exits, and anyone wanting to abduct a kid can have a car waiting mere yards away. Disney has limited entry and exit, and there's not going to be a running car waiting close by.

I think it's pretty easy to swipe someone's phone or even purse and hide in the park. Much harder to abduct a child and not attract attention between the scene of the crime and the getaway.

Plus, I like hanging out at Disney (and I hate the mall). At Disney I'm going to be there in the park as well. Not so much at the mall.

I totally get all of that. I just don't understand when the thread inevitably deteriorates to insulting parents who don't let their kids roam free until they are older.

 

[mom2rtk]

I totally get all of that. I just don't understand when the thread inevitably deteriorates to insulting parents who don't let their kids roam free until they are older.

I think some just don't understand how different kids can be. I was blessed with 3 very different kids. I totally get how different kids can be. As in "night and day" different. I think some just think all kids are like their own.

 

[Butterfly123]

I think there is also a difference between letting them off on their own, or letting them off with a sibling or friend, just without an adult. I would feel much better about a nine or ten year old being with a friend or sibling than a nine or ten year old off on their own. That would be my preference.

 

[lalasmama]

To me the biggest thing is that at the mall there are all sorts of exits, and anyone wanting to abduct a kid can have a car waiting mere yards away. Disney has limited entry and exit, and there's not going to be a running car waiting close by.

I think it's pretty easy to swipe someone's phone or even purse and hide in the park. Much harder to abduct a child and not attract attention between the scene of the crime and the getaway.

Plus, I like hanging out at Disney (and I hate the mall). At Disney I'm going to be there in the park as well. Not so much at the mall.

This is my general thought too... In the case of our local mall, there's 4 anchor stores. Each of those stores has upper and lower exits, either to a sky bridge, on-street parking, or a parking garage. Then there's multiple exits on the "hallway" parts of the mall on each section. There's nothing keeping anyone out, save the 2 uniformed security guards trying to cover 100 stores and who knows how many square feet. And, at our mall at least, there's a 50% chance one of those guards is past retirement age and couldn't run if needed... Furthermore, there's no security checks, no metal detectors, etc at our local mall.

Disneyland has 20 entrances, and 15 exits, give or take, all lined up in one row, with many visible security guards throughout the property. Bags are at least minimally checked, and (usually) almost everyone goes through a metal detector. If there was something appearing nefarious in a bag, I'm sure something would be said. Heck, I had to explain every day why the heck I had an 8-inch pool noodle with a cut in it (had an elbow condition that would cause horrid pain if I hit it, so I had to put the noodle on any handle near that elbow to protect it). If I had been trying to get through with something "bad" I believe they would notice it. Because of the general cost of going to Disneyland (even a local payment plan is like $30-40 a month, I believe, and I haven't looked at the prices for a few years), it discourages some people from going. Is a stranger trying to kidnap a child going to go some place they have to pay $30/month to get into, or a mall without an entrance cost? They are used to finding missing children, and I have no doubt rogue teens not appearing at check-in time is frequent issue they deal with. There's too many people in bathrooms to attempt to kidnap and molest a child in there. Not that it has *never* happened, but it's not a common thing at all... but stranger kidnapping and stranger molestation aren't as common as the news would like us to believe.

So, I'm "slightly" more likely to let my teen roam Disneyland without me, assuming she's having a good day (teenager testing limits, a bit immature for her age, easily distracted, but of course, some days are better than others!)... She and her best buddy do roam the mall without us now (at 13 and 14 years old). However, our mall has clear sections to it, and so we draw the roaming limit at crossing the bridges, and they generally check in 15 minutes before the check-in time in an effort to not lose the privilege

 

[beachdreamr1229]

I was allowed to roam on my own with parameters at 10. Like, I could pick 1 land and have 2 hours to explore. I wasn't allowed to completely roam until I was 14+. At 16, we went to WDW and my parents left me to do whatever I wanted since they didn't have as much stamina as me. Times have changed, but I think as long as they stick together, 9 and 10 should be fine (I'm assuming yours are very mature; I don't think my 7-year-old will be ready for that as early). Just make sure they know where to meet you, where to meet each other if they get separated, and any other important parameters. If you give them money for lunch, also make sure they understand how much food and drinks cost as I remember more than once going to an amusement park with my friends and blowing our money on sugary snacks instead of real food.

 

[Malcon10t]

I think it really depends on maturity of the child and how often/well they know the park. My older daughter was very mature for her age. Younger daughter, not so much. My granddaughter is quite mature for her age. She has an excellent memory (too good...) and we have had her direct us thru the park many times. I find it interesting we have taught her to approach a cast member, and her language isn't that she is lost, but that "we got separated". She says lost makes her sound like a book. She has been able to navigate to a green umbrella and let them know "we were separated" and can you please call .... so we can get back together. She is now 6. Since we generally travel with a 13, 15 and 16yo, she has companions. And those 3 have been running the parks since they were 10-12.

You know your child best. If they don't visit often enough to know their way around when areas go down for the parade/fireworks/Fantasmic!, you might want to limit them to areas first and see how they do. Also, are they confident enough to go to a cast member if something goes wrong? That is a big question. We have trained the 15yo enough she can get a table, get the car from valet, call the bellman on her own (and tip). Still teaching the 13 and 16yo these things!