DD 17 and friends (18) staying at different resort than parents?

[Luv Bunnies]

We sent our son, who was 18 at the time, on a road trip with his best friend after they graduated this summer. They drove to a Six Flags park about six hours away, stayed in a hotel, and went to the park for two days. The biggest challenge was finding a hotel that would allow 18-year olds to check in with debit cards (rather than credit cards). We found a place that said it was fine, so off they went. They were good about checking in with us and the friend's parents everyday. Both of these boys were moving into dorms in other states about a month after their trip. If we couldn't trust them to be on their own for a few days, we certainly couldn't trust them to go to college. They were fine and had a great time.

 

[Lvsdisney]

My senior class trip was to WDW and although there were chaperones at the resort (we stayed at ASSp) we didn't have them baby sit us while we were there. though occasionally we would see them at the bus stop and they'd hand out FPs (ah the paper days!!) so that was incentive to look for them.

Also, not WDW, but myself and 4 best friends drove from PA to MA and stayed at my parent's summer house for a week by ourselves. We were a mix of 17-18 years old. Not exactly the same, but we had to grocery shop and cook meals and we also planned our days and went out sightseeing. We were perfectly capable!

 

[lovin'fl]

So, my daughter and several of her friends are going to Disney for their hs graduation trip. My husband and I said we would pay for their rooms and the girls want to stay at Pop Century, my daughter's favorite resort. My husband and I are going with them to celebrate our 20th anniversary, but will be staying at Beach and Yacht Club. We figured we would just combine the trips for the same time so that the girls aren't at the airport and traveling alone since some have never flown before. Also that way we are there if they need us for anything, but pretty much they will be doing their own thing other than us taking them out to dinner one night. (DD has been there so many times she can find her way around blindfolded so I am not worried about leaving them on their own.) Has anyone done this before? Most of them will be 18, except of course our daughter who doesn't turn 18 til the following week. I know I have to book it under the lead name of an 18 year old and that won't be a problem. Just wondered if anyone did anything like this before and if I should expect any issues?

@dfularz .... I did this exact thing this past May. My twins graduated and wanted to do Disney for senior trip. We are DVC so I asked them which resort they wanted me to try for and they chose BCV. Right at 7 months, I booked a studio for just 4 nights. They invited a friend. My mom's birthday was then too and she had mentioned wanting to stay at AKV so I booked a studio for her and I there. I too wanted to tag along to fly them down and back.

Their friend's mom paid for her airfare and park tickets (got the 4 day 4 parks deal). I paid for all their dining. I let my DDs pick a dinner ADR each night and they did Beaches and Cream and Be Our Guest lunches as well. All other meals were charged on their MB and I paid that. I paid for tickets and airfare for my DDs and my mom (paid for most of the meals my mom and I had, she insisted a couple times). The last night we all did an Ohana dinner together. The other three nights we ate separately. The three others they chose were 50s Prime Time, Yak and Yeti and Biergarten. They did a room service breakfast which dropped my jaw. So pricey. They selected FP. They did their own thing. We texted at night (and during the day too) to see when they were settling in for the night...which, surprisingly, was earlier than I expected (like 11 pm). They did zero pool time. Chose BCV and didn't go to pool at all. Ugghhhh. But we just did four nights so there wasn't a lot of time. If you have any questions ask.

 

[Momoftwins+1]

They are old enough to travel on their own, so staying in a separate hotel room is fine and checking in isn't necessary but not a big deal. Many of us were off to college at 17, heck my oldest will graduate at 16 and he traveled Europe with a group of kids at 12 where the chaperones didn't stay in their rooms.

But, I do know some parents struggle with letting their young birds fly solo and that's ok, we all do things differently.

DH was in the military by their age, doing far more dangerous things than hanging out at Disney World.

 

[J and R's mom]

How FUN and EXCITING for them!!!

It's a great idea and good practice for them for the upcoming months when they set out on their own at college.

ENJOY!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Plan a meal together with the girls to celebrate their graduation (leave your anniversary out of that meal). We took our son and eight of his friends to Chef Mickey's for graduation (I bought them Mickey graduation ears to wear at breakfast and for the photo together). Plan it maybe midway through the trip and you can casually ask how things are going. Plus your daughter will probably contact you if there is a problem with the other girls.

 

[texasmomoftwins]

What an awesome idea! I would totally do it.

 

[Nettester]

Pop Century is place I would trust to be safe, and it sounds like your daughter is already familiar. If you would trust your daughter with this group otherwise, I would have no problems with it. If she needs anything, you will be close by. We'll be at Pop this year for Spring Break with our girls, 18 and 15. My 15 year old learned how to navigate the Disney transportation system by herself last year when just she and I went. I expect there will be a number of times we'll be splitting up again, and our teens will come back to eat/swim when we are at other Disney locations.

 

[cdnusagurl]

Having kids that are in their 40s now and grandchildren 21and 16, and having been a teenager, I can say without hesitation that I would never allow a group of teens to stay in a hotel without an adult checking in on them frequently..on premises and in person,not over phone or via text.

As someone who took their first plane ride alone two months after turning 18 and continued to travel extensively around the US for the next year before travelling to Canada alone and then moving there permanently two years later, I have to say that this is crazy. As long as they are responsible young adults (because at 18 you are legally an adult) there is nothing you should be worried about. It isn't like they'll be able to go to Epcot and get blacked out drunk or be partying Spring Break style with Micky and Minnie.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If there's an 18 year old in the group, the room will have to be booked in their name. Nothing else is required.

On the Disney Cruise Line, if you're under 18 you have to have someone 21 and older in your room also...but not at the hotels. Whether or not one wants the teens monitored is up to the parents but not a legal imperative.