4 Things to Remember When Taking Your Teens to Disney World

Even if you’ve taken your kids to Disney World a dozen times, their first trip as a teenager will be a different beast entirely. The folks at All Ears wrote an interesting article that includes 7 great points about a teen’s trip to Disney. It also inspired us to write our own article on teens visiting Disney World and Magic Kingdom. 

1.         Staying in larger accommodations can make a huge difference

Taking younger kids to Disney World is often a reason parents choose to rent vacation homes near Disney World, as they allow them to put the kids to bed and then stay up watching TV and relaxing without fear of keeping the kids up. These large accommodations are just as important with teens, but for a different reason – teens need their privacy. If you are looking to get a hotel room many Disney Good neighbor hotels have joining rooms which is nice. The only problem with getting two hotel rooms is that you will usually spend more money on these room than you would getting a four or five bedroom vacation home.

2.         Don’t assume older kids will want to go on scarier rides

If you’ve taken your kids to Disney World before and they’ve been afraid of the scarier rides, don’t assume that just because they’re older they’ll like them all. Likewise, if you’ve never taken your kids before, remember that they may indeed be afraid of some of the thrill rides. It’s always a good idea to encourage them to try something new, but there’s no need to push the issue if they’re not comfortable.

3.         Don’t discount bribes

You may not use bribes in your day-to-day parenting style, but they can be an effective tool when you’re on vacation. Parents especially find success with this method when it comes to getting teens to go on “kiddie” rides. Some of the vintage, classic rides may elicit an eye-roll from teens, but once they’re in the queue they’re likely to be enchanted. Promise them extra time by the pool or a Mickey premium bar if they go along with the touring plan for the day.

4.         Consider letting the kids venture out on their own

Your kids are going to want to venture out on their own. This can be a complicated situation that you’ll have to carefully consider. Do you let them go off on their own at home? If so, then it’s likely reasonable to let them do so at Disney World. With so many people around, and so many Cast Members with their eyes on what’s going on, it’s a relatively safe place. 

A little hint: If you do not add the park hopper option to your Walt Disney World tickets, then you and your kids will be in the same park. This allows them to feel like they have the freedom to roam as they please but also giving you the peace of mind that you are close enough to them should something unusual happen.

That said, it likely shouldn’t be their first experience going off on their own. Use your best judgment, but remember that even though you want to have a family trip with shared memories, it’s OK to let them go off on their own once in a while.