Hi Lorie,
Welcome to planDisney!
As a mom of two 17-year olds, your question made me smile. As you suspect, your teens will definitely want to do some attractions in the parks. Our girls love to eat a quick breakfast with us and then head to the parks on their own. My husband and I will then meet up with them later in the day. They enjoy having their own mini-photo shoots around the park, especially at EPCOT. Of course, they like to shop. So, they stop in to check out the latest merchandise at a few stores in the theme parks and we always visit Disney Springs.
At the resort hotel, they enjoy spending time at the pool or doing the resort activities. When we arrive, one of us always takes a photo of the activities board at the resort hotel. And, if you are at a resort hotel with access to
Walt Disney World® Monorail Transportation, your teens could do some resort hopping to visit the stores at each resort hotel that has access to the monorail. We often stay at Disney's Contemporary Resort and our girls enjoy going to the fitness center. Our favorite activity, however, is watching the fireworks. So, be sure to check the schedule for
Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom and
Luminous The Symphony of Us at EPCOT.
Lorie, if your teens are anything like mine, they might also enjoy a few special experiences from the
Enchanting Extras Collection. Our girls really liked
Up Close with Rhinos and
Caring for Giants. Honestly, we are still learning this new pace at the parks with teenagers. It's different, but special. I love that they are independent, yet their eyes still light up when they see the characters! So, we still make at least one advanced dining reservation for a
character meal. Sprinkling a little extra touch of pixie dust trusting that you will find your pace!
Magic and memories,
Donyell