Age for kids to be on their own...?

[grwoolf]

I agree with most of the other posters that it really depends on the kid and situation. My boys (now 11 and 12) know the parks very well and webhave given them some selective independence at WDW probably since they were around 9 and 10. While we have never let them have free reign for extended periods, we do let them do mini excursions, such as running to get fast passes, doing a single ride, etc. without any walkie talkies or cell phones. We do make sure that we have plan in place in case if there is a problem. We actually let my 12 yr old (who is very responsible) off by himself a couple time this year (to grab food or fast passes). WDW is a very safe place compared to your typical public "mob" situation such as a sporting event or concert. There are CM's everywhere, few points of entry and exit, and good processes in place to deal with kids that are seperated from their parents.

[MickeyMousse]

I have a DS12 and wouldn't let him roam the park alone, even with a cell phone/walkie talkie.
Not sure when I will allow my kids to walk around by themselves. I mean, we are in Disney, it's a family vacation so in my opinion we should all stick together regardless of age!!!

[Sam&Alex&Josh'sMOM]

When they can pay for their own trip, they can go off alone.

[beksy]

We always stayed together on our trips unless it was because my sister was too little to do something. It was a family vacation and we're close to our parents and never really wanted to go off alone. At 16 my parents let me take a friend along and let the two of us and my 10 year old sister go off alone when we wanted to do something different. I'm really mature and over-protective of my sister (who is not at all mature!) so my parents felt safe. Plus we'd been there enough to know our way around. I think that those ages are probably too young for a lot of freedom but they could have some and feel mature without wandering all over the park. Maybe let them explore one land on their own at the MK or go to a different CS restaurant in the same area of the park as you are going. That way you can be close while still letting them feel alone. Make sure to put some family time in there though--as other threads have said these vacations end much too soon. My sister and I travel on our own now but still together for the most part (I'm still the mature one in charge!)

[Disneymamaof5]

Well, Thank you all for all of your opinions...

It makes a lot of sense, on many levels! I must have been hyped up on medication yesterday when i was talking about sending them off to do a particular area of rides alone.

Oh and boy....When DH saw the responses his response was "SEE!!!??!?!"

ha.

Thanks again!

[ayeckley]

We allow our DD12 to go off independantly, but there are some ground rules:

1. She must have her cell phone with her (we use a pre-paid approach).

2. She must tell us where she plans on going.

3. Outside of the parks, she's limited to resorts along the monorail loops and WL. Inside the parks she's typically allowed anywhere, but not to leave the park. She's not allowed to travel to Downtown Disney.

4. At the resort we're staying at, she's typically allowed free reign to explore.

5. She only gets about 90 minutes of independance in any one lump, and those generally occur before sundown.

6. DD6 must stay with Mom and I.

7. Any kind of recent irresponsible behavior (within weeks of the vacation) and her independance is revoked.

She's been to WDW about eight times, and knows the layout and transportation system very well. She tends not to trust folks (including other kids) that she doesn't know.

We have some family friends that are also WDW people, and their approach is essentially the same with their DS (now 13).

I know this is more freedom than most folks allow their kids, but it works for us. We wouldn't allow it if it were her first trip. In general, she's got more freedom at WDW than she does at home. She's also got a much shorter leash at Cedar Point and other amusement parks.

[Insanity Clause]

My own personal opinion on the matter is that 12 is just too young to be going off in this day and age. I would let mine until they are maybe 14 and 15 and even then a group. You just never know and better safe...

[Celestria]

i was allowed to go arround when i was 16. i would always leave my parents in the dust when walking around the park so they just let me go. maybe i was 15.... but 12?? cast members would ask if they are lost.

[wire0monkey]

If you give the kids a cell phone, they should be fine.

My parents allowed my brothers to go alone in the parks at WDW when they were 10 and 14.

My youngest brother was allowed to go alone at Silver Dollar City in Branson when he was 8.He was very independent and capable.

I was allowed to wander Six Flags over Mid-America alone when I was 12. My cousin was with me and she was 10.

My parents were in the park with us. We had to meet my parents at a designated spot every three hours. If anyone missed a check-in by more than 15 minutes, they couldn't go alone for the rest of the day. We also had to eat lunch and dinner as a family.

It was completely fine. We were independent kid who were used to being free range.

[Mousemates]

While we stay together for the most part during our visits to the parks...we began giving them an hour or two of solo flight when they became teenagers. Our daughter (16) loves to pick through the shops...which to my son (14)is about as much fun as poison ivy...he would much prefer to use that time to hit his favorite ride a second or third or fourth time.

So on our trips we will have an evening or two where we turn them loose for a couple of hours in the park (usually while we eat a nice leisurely meal in a more upscale restaurant where our meat and potatoes son is not interested in going) and then meet back up for fireworks.

Funny thing is that instead of asking for an extension of the solo time, they invariably end up calling or texting us and wanting to reconnect early. The brief time apart lets them a have the breathing room they need and give us some time to enjoy a date...it works well for us.

[ddcrna]

What age do you think is an appropriate age for children to go off "on their own"? With Walkie Talkie, of course!

Yes, those walkie talkies will keep the pervs away

[SBETigg]

It depends on the kids. I will say that a lot of parents obviously think they know their kids, let them go off on their own, and then would probably be surprised by how their supposedly well-behaved, wonderful, mature-for-their-age kids act when they're away from mom and dad. I've been in line with these kids. I'm never happy about it. Parental supervision is usually appreciated by other park attendees.

Still, I think twelve may be okay, depending, but not if you're leaving them in charge of younger kids. Twelve with older kids, maybe. I wouldn't let a kid go off totally alone until the later teen years.

[PrettyMinnie]

Maybe another year. Cell phone?

[joonyer]

As I stated earlier. I allow my 13 yr old to go around in a Disney theme park by himself so long as he has a walkie talkie or phone, but only when I am in the same park somewhere.

And that's just in a theme park. No way would I let him go off in a city by himself, other than the small town where we live. Even that makes me nervous nowadays. Even though I grew up there and my parents never locked the door, day or night for 20 years. It was just about inconceivable then that somebody we didn't know would come into our house without our knowledge. Times have changed.

That being said, I feel relatively safe with my kids roaming around in the Disney parks with their security. The boys have understood since they were 6 that if they got separated from us the first thing to do was find a Cast Member to help them and we trained them how to ID a cast member by their name badges/uniforms.

[Mickey91]

I really feel this is an individual decision. I personally think 12 is as young as you should go as far as letting your child go off by his/herself. And then, not all 12, 13, 14, or even 15 year olds can handle such a responsibility. You know what you can expect from your child. For myself, and although my daughter won't think it fair, she probably won't gain that priviledge as soon as my son did. Not because I can't trust her, but because young women have more safety/preditor issues than young men do. You have to do what you feel comfortable with. Just because someone else let their kids go at eight years old doesn't mean you should feel guilty if child is fourteen and you don't yet feel comfortable.

We started allowing our son the priviledge of going on a few rides alone by first walking with him and waiting. Then letting him go to one ride alone and having a time and place to meet back that we felt should cover the length of wait and riding times. Now, he has a cell and he calls when he gets in line and again when he gets off. At that time we decide if there is time to ride something else or if we need to meet up for a meal or family time.

Hope this helps some! Have fun!