What's everyone's thoughts on this.....

We'll be going again (to WDW) in January. Ours boys will be well into 10 and 8 at that time. Now - Eric and I have a "one roller coaster per day" tolerance:D !!!! #1 son LOVES the roller coasters as does #2 son. Worse yet - they like to go on the tea cups!

YUCK!

Anyway - what's everyone's experience been with letting the kids go by themselves? My thought was that if the kid is old enough/tall enough to ride the ride - okay. But I don't want to just abandon them to a line and say see you when you get out. So I figured we could just wait in line with them, see them safely onto the ride, and be waiting for them as they get off the ride.

Thanks for your thoughts - suggestions.

Leslie

That sounds ok. Kinda like a parent swap!:) I have been thinking about this too, on our next trip DD will be either 10 or 11 y/o and DS will be 7 or 8 y/o.

You know your children best, do you need to remind them of safety issues everytime you board an attraction? Do they automatically follow the safety spiels? I think that your plan of waiting til boarding and then meeting them at the exit is a sound one for kids of that age, most CM's will appreciate the supervision and if it's possible would let you pass thru to the exit area from the load area, or you could tag team it and have mom wait with and dad be at the exit (I'm not familiar with WDW at all just thinking of several DLR attractions where the entrance/load and exit are significantly further apart)...but it does sound like a reasonable way to start letting them be a little independent.

Ok, first off, Leslie, You know I like you so I'm going to trust that you don't take anything I post as a flame :)

You know your kids. My oldest isn't 10 yet, he's 7. I wouldn't let my 7-year-old on a roller coaster without an adult because even though he's very responsible when he's with us on rides, he still has lapses of good judgement in general. Especially when he's given a chance for some independence for some reason.

Now, I haven't been to WDW :crying: but base on what I've heard about how they work rider switch, if you and your husband can still go through line with them and watch them at load the car and so they still know you're there, I would probably feel more comfortable if it were my sons.

My concern wouldn't even just be that they would do something silly but that they would do something without thinking about it. (My 7-y/o definitely would. ) The boy who lost half his foot on Thunder Mountain immediately comes to mind anytime I think of this issue. He was just sort of sticking his foot on the doorway of the ride when it was caught. That's not a 'naughty' or 'silly' accident as much as a "just not really thinking about it" kind of thing.

I think it really mostly comes down to your children's personalities and abilities. Maybe you could "test" them on a smaller ride that you can supervise better and go from there.

Adrienne

but it does sound like a reasonable way to start letting them be a little independent.

I would have to agree with this statement.

And a huge agreement with the line of thinking that you know your kids best and would have a better idea of how they would react in different situations.

10 seems old enough to me, 8 would worry me but that is just me thinking back to my three kids at that age (a looooooonnnng time ago ;) ). Not to mention, my older two, I could see my self allowing to ride alone and while my youngest I would have had to be more careful. Just a difference in their personality and reaction to situations.

Have a wonderful time! :)

Ok, first off, Leslie, You know I like you so I'm going to trust that you don't take anything I post as a flame :)

You know your kids. My oldest isn't 10 yet, he's 7. I wouldn't let my 7-year-old on a <a style='text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 3px double;' href="http://www.serverlogic3.com/lm/rtl3.asp?si=22&k=roller%20coaster" onmouseover="window.status='roller coaster'; return true;" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true;">roller coaster</a> without an adult because even though he's very responsible when he's with us on rides, he still has lapses of good judgement in general. Especially when he's given a chance for some independence for some reason.

Now, I haven't been to WDW :crying: but base on what I've heard about how they work rider switch, if you and your husband can still go through line with them and watch them at load the car and so they still know you're there, I would probably feel more comfortable if it were my sons.

My concern wouldn't even just be that they would do something silly but that they would do something without thinking about it. (My 7-y/o definitely would. ) The boy who lost half his foot on Thunder Mountain immediately comes to mind anytime I think of this issue. He was just sort of sticking his foot on the doorway of the ride when it was caught. That's not a 'naughty' or 'silly' accident as much as a "just not really thinking about it" kind of thing.

I think it really mostly comes down to your children's personalities and abilities. Maybe you could "test" them on a smaller ride that you can supervise better and go from there.

Adrienne


no no no...no flames here! I was hoping for ideas, opinions. bouncing ideas back and forth. That kinda thing.

Testing on a smaller ride is a good idea, I think we will try that. The boys are "generally" good:cool: however, we are talking about the kids who tied a snow sled to the back of the golf cart and drug each other up the paved driveway and across the lawn over the summer:rolleyes:

ahhhh boys!!!!!

Thanks everyone!

As long as I can remember, we were always allowed to go on rides by ourselves. Trust me between me and my brothers and sister, we have never really acted like little ladies and gentelman when we were alone. It always made us feel like we were grown up and more independant. Disney is probably one of the safest places you can allow your children to feel this way. Especialy on rides like the tea cups where you can watch them the entire time. When we were about the age of your sons, our parents would watch us get on line and then wait next to the exit till we got off.
The only thing that was ever a problem was when the rides "broke" down. We were on the Tower of Terror once and got stuck for almost an hour. My parents had asked around and found out easily what had happened to us.
I would sugest if you are a bit nervous about letting your boys go alone, possibly get them walkie talkies so you can talk to them and check up on them in line. This way they can also tell you when they are about to board the ride, so you have a clear idea of when they should be getting off. Another idea is to keep a mental note of who was in front and behind your children in line. this way you can have a visual idea of when they should be exiting the ride.
If you are really nervous try the easier outdoor rides first. Maybe let them ride the tea cups and the speed way. Then gradually let them ff on their own to ride. Oh and I almost forgot! Make sure you set up a place for them to meet you when they get off the ride in case you decide to browse through the shops or get a snack. This way noone is wandering all around Tomorrowland looking for anyone. (obviously this has happened on too many times to me.)

Hey, Les
I'll chime in, too. You know your kids and what they're up for. It depends on the child, not necessarily their age. I would have one adult with them in line up to the loading area. And not just to keep an eye on the kids to make sure they take off okay but to make sure some pushy idiot doesn't cause any problems. Let the CM know what you're doing at the loading area - I'd think they'd appreciate the supervision. The other adult can be waiting at the exit, to make sure all the bases are covered. At Splash and BTMR, that person can get a good picture and still make it back to snare the kids from the exit line.

My experience, though extremely limited to one princess, is that kids don't want to screw up at WDW -- they might not be taken back! But kids often can't look ahead, as mentioned above by the experts, to see what the consequences of their actions will be. I think that after you try it once or twice, you'll have a much better feeling for how it'll work for your kids. They might surprise you and not want to keep doing the solo thing, ya never know.

I was thinking that I would definitely do the one parent in line with them, one at the exit think any time I could not see the whole line for myself. So rides like Splash Mtn, PoTC, and Space Mtn, they would have to have a parent wait in line with them.

On the other hand, I could see letting my kid(s) wait in line for Dumbo, Tea Cups or Alice by themselves because those are lines where you can really see pretty much the whole line. It would give them a chance to show you they can be trusted, but you would also be able to keep an eye on them.

I would start them off on a small ride. Watch them carefully to make sure they behave and proceed from there. I'd also go through the line with them and see them safely on and strapped in.
You sound like you have it together. Good luck! (I'm so with you on those Tea Cups! They are about the only ride I can't go on!)