One of the nice things about visiting Disney with our teens is when they want to either go to the parks early or late, we can send them on their own. It is definitely a perk for them and us because well we tire out well before they do and since we stay on property, we aren’t too far away. Below are a few questions I have received about teens and tweens visiting Disney on their own. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to leave a comment at the end of this post!
What Are The Best Disney Parks For Teenagers?
I feel like our teens really love all Disney Parks but let’s break them down as far as what rides are a bit more thrilling for teens at each park.
Disney’s Hollywood Studio –
This park has a couple of the more thrilling rides available at Disney World; Rock Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror. It also has Star Tours which is a favorite for all Star Wars fans. Along with the rides, there is a fun Indiana Jones stunt show that happens that is exciting for all ages and the First Order does a march through the park.
Epcot is home to Test Track where cars race on an open track of an average of 60 miles an hour! Soarin Around the World is a virtual ride that takes you through the sites and smells around the world! There are also some classics like Mission Space and Spaceship Earth.
Animal Kingdom –
This is where Pandora; World of Avatar is and is definitely a favorite for teens. The Flight of Passage is a ride like no other where you can virtually fly on a Banshee throughout Pandora. This ride can get a wait of up to 4 hours, it’s that good! There are some other favorites here like Everest and Dinosaur. Plus, you can take a safari through Africa and see animals like lions and elephants!
Magic Kingdom –
This park is a classic and honestly, my teens love all the rides here. As far as the more thrilling rides, this is home to Space Mountain, Thunder Mountain, and Splash Mountain. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is also here which yes also takes you through a mountain (funny how they are all mountain rides). Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise are classics that my teens love. How Old Should Kids Be To Visit Disney Parks By Themselves?
While I feel strongly that parents should evaluate this for themselves based off of their child’s own maturity, I would say 12/13 would be a good baseline to consider. If you want to start them off on a small endeavor as a trial run, go enjoy a nice lunch with your spouse in the same park that your kids will be at. That way you are still close!
Should You Stay at a Disney Property?
I always advocate for staying at a Disney property but if you plan on having your kids go off on their own, I would definitely recommend this. When you stay at the parks they can just stick with the Disney transportation and it will make it easier for everyone (and in my opinion, safer).
Tips for Having Teens Venture Out into The Disney Parks Alone
- Have a plan, make sure you are clear on times of when you will meet back up as a family.
- Teach your kids how to use the transportation. Systems that are available for the parks.
- Make sure they have a phone charger – you can purchase a small charger that can easily be kept in their pockets for $10-$15 via Amazon.com. If you forget one, there is a charging system in the parks where you can purchase a portable charger for $30 and continuously trade it in for a charged device.
- Enable location services on cell phones. Each phone is different, we use androids and utilize the Google maps sharing option.
- Quiz your teens. Make sure they understand your expectations before departing!
- Be sure to give them money or access to purchases through their Magic Bands.
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