At what age do you allow kids to be in the parks by themselves?

karenh27

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jul 6, 2014
For our next trip, our kids will be 15 and 13 (9th and 8th grades). We were thinking of letting them hang out in Epcot by themselves for a couple of hours while my husband and I went to the Food and Wine Festival. Would you be comfortable doing that? They would both have phones and would be instructed to stay together. It would be their 5th trip to WDW, so they are very familiar with all of it. They're typically good kids, with the usual kid propensity for making dumb decisions sometimes.

Typing that all out, it seems silly to me that I'm even asking. It's fine, right? I wouldn't bat an eye at them doing it at that age at our local (very large, very popular with tourists) amusement park. I don't know why it's giving me pause for Disney. Heck, now that I think about it, my high school band went to Disney when I was in 9th grade and I toured around with just my friends all day long.

Thanks for any responses/insight you might have! :mickeyjum
 
If you trust them then it will he fine. I *think* you have to be 14 to enter the park without an adult but splitting off once inside should be absolutely fine, especially if the kids already are familiar with the parks.
 
For our next trip, our kids will be 15 and 13 (9th and 8th grades). We were thinking of letting them hang out in Epcot by themselves for a couple of hours while my husband and I went to the Food and Wine Festival. Would you be comfortable doing that? They would both have phones and would be instructed to stay together. It would be their 5th trip to WDW, so they are very familiar with all of it. They're typically good kids, with the usual kid propensity for making dumb decisions sometimes.

Typing that all out, it seems silly to me that I'm even asking. It's fine, right? I wouldn't bat an eye at them doing it at that age at our local (very large, very popular with tourists) amusement park. I don't know why it's giving me pause for Disney. Heck, now that I think about it, my high school band went to Disney when I was in 9th grade and I toured around with just my friends all day long.

Thanks for any responses/insight you might have! :mickeyjum
I am pretty sure kids have to be at least 14 without an adult. But I could be wrong about that. I know there is an age limit.
 
For our next trip, our kids will be 15 and 13 (9th and 8th grades). We were thinking of letting them hang out in Epcot by themselves for a couple of hours while my husband and I went to the Food and Wine Festival. Would you be comfortable doing that? They would both have phones and would be instructed to stay together. It would be their 5th trip to WDW, so they are very familiar with all of it. They're typically good kids, with the usual kid propensity for making dumb decisions sometimes.

Typing that all out, it seems silly to me that I'm even asking. It's fine, right? I wouldn't bat an eye at them doing it at that age at our local (very large, very popular with tourists) amusement park. I don't know why it's giving me pause for Disney. Heck, now that I think about it, my high school band went to Disney when I was in 9th grade and I toured around with just my friends all day long.

Thanks for any responses/insight you might have! :mickeyjum
it sounds like your kids do this in other parks so how has it gone there? even with phones I would have a planned time and meet spot in case either of you no reception. this is how we did it with our girls at age before phones. I would go for it
 
That really depends on you and your kids. Since we've spent so much time in WDW, my kids know their way around. We started letting them go on their own a little bit last year, when they were 13, 9, 9. We stayed in the same park, but they went and did rides on their own for 2 or 3 hours. DW texted with them pretty often as I would get them new FP+ after FP+. This year, at 14, 10, 10 they're looking forward to spending time exploring on their own.
 
t

to enter the parks yes 14 but can ride by self at 7 without adult even in line
I’m quite sure a 7 year old cannot be unsupervised at Disney parks. I think the point of the rule is that they should be with someone 14 or older at all times. Not just at the gate. I would not leave a 7 year old alone in any theme park, even Disney
 


I’m quite sure a 7 year old cannot be unsupervised at Disney parks. I think the point of the rule is that they should be with someone 14 or older at all times. Not just at the gate. I would not leave a 7 year old alone in any theme park, even Disney
I know grandsons 7 were allowed in line for rides that I could not go in because younger brother could not go in because of his height
 
I think it's fine. The week I turned 13, my parents let me take the monorail from the Poly to MK, spend the evening there, and monorail back. This was back before the days of cell phones (and the 14 year old rule). It was one of the best nights ever!
 
The rule says they must be 14 to enter a park alone, not that they must be with an adult at all times. They will be just fine. They are in the same park as you. Our family rule was 13 to go off without an adult. With cell phones of course.
 
I’m quite sure a 7 year old cannot be unsupervised at Disney parks. I think the point of the rule is that they should be with someone 14 or older at all times. Not just at the gate. I would not leave a 7 year old alone in any theme park, even Disney
That isn't what the poster said. They said a 7 year old can ride an attraction on their own which is correct.
 
Thank you all for your responses! I do think they will be fine, once we enter the park with them to meet that requirement (that you have to be 14 to enter a park without an adult). We'll set check-in times and they'll have their phones. And I can have a few drinks to ease my nerves. :drinking1:)

Parenting. Not for the faint of heart! Thanks! :)
 
We started to let our kids go off in the parks around age 12. But when DS was 12, our twins were 10 and we were also frequently with nephews and niece who, when DS was 12, were 11, 14 and 16. My kids only ever wanted to go off when they were with nephews/niece. We didn't let them go around WDW without us, like to a different park or on buses, until about age 14. They are all in college now so I am not sure if the age restriction (14 to enter park without adult) was a thing then.
 
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Thank you all for your responses! I do think they will be fine, once we enter the park with them to meet that requirement (that you have to be 14 to enter a park without an adult). We'll set check-in times and they'll have their phones. And I can have a few drinks to ease my nerves. :drinking1:)

Parenting. Not for the faint of heart! Thanks! :)

You are fine. Technically your 15 year old could take the 13 year old in to the park without you. My kids started going to Disney with their teams at 14 and they were all in the parks with their friends, texting coaches who were in the park somewhere every couple hours.
 
You are fine. Technically your 15 year old could take the 13 year old in to the park without you. My kids started going to Disney with their teams at 14 and they were all in the parks with their friends, texting coaches who were in the park somewhere every couple hours.
No, you have to be with an adult to get in if you under 14. Not another teen.
 
No, you have to be with an adult to get in if you under 14. Not another teen.

That is incorrect.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/parks/minimum-age/


Disney Theme Parks & Water Parks – Frequently Asked Questions

Q.

What is the minimum age requirement for unaccompanied children to enter Walt Disney World theme parks, water parks and other locations?

A.

Children under age 14 must be accompanied by a Guest age 14 or older to enter the following Walt Disney World parks and locations:

 
Ha, I’m wrong! I could swear it was an adult.
Well, it should be anyways. I always see kids in the park who CLEARLY lack the maturity and discipline to be on their own in the theme park. My girls roll their eyes, but every time we see a kid/teen doing something totally disrespectful or inappropriate I make a point to tell them that if I ever catch them doing that their AP is cancelled! I remember being a teen frequently in the park with friends, and managed to control myself lol.
 
Ha, I’m wrong! I could swear it was an adult.
Well, it should be anyways. I always see kids in the park who CLEARLY lack the maturity and discipline to be on their own in the theme park. My girls roll their eyes, but every time we see a kid/teen doing something totally disrespectful or inappropriate I make a point to tell them that if I ever catch them doing that their AP is cancelled! I remember being a teen frequently in the park with friends, and managed to control myself lol.
this was before cell phones but I remember telling our girls it would be a long hot wait at the car if you got kicked out of park without the air running. never had them do anything wrong and if ever late to a meet up you spent next time doing what we wanted not what they wanted.
 
this was before cell phones but I remember telling our girls it would be a long hot wait at the car if you got kicked out of park without the air running. never had them do anything wrong and if ever late to a meet up you spent next time doing what we wanted not what they wanted.
Haha! I remember when I was a teen, Disney security wore trench coats and stared us down if we were without adults. They scared the pants off of us! It worked!
 

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