Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel, Autumn!
I just returned from an amazing week at the Walt Disney World Resort with a large extended family group, where we were celebrating my brother’s milestone birthday with a big, magical party! One of the extended family members I ended up spending a lot of time with was my brother’s 13-year-old nephew, who I called my third Mouseketeer for the week. I loved seeing the parks from his perspective, and really appreciated that, while I was responsible for him, he was also pretty responsible himself and I could count on him to stay with me when I was chasing my younger guy around. He told me he got really good at recognizing the back of my head, which I thought was hilarious!
I’m also the mom of a tween daughter, so I totally understand the “too old for a babysitter, but too young for total independence at a very large, well-populated resort” perspective. AND I’m totally supportive of a
Disney date night for the adults – my husband and I did that last year, and we really enjoyed it. Let’s see what kinds of magic we can make for you.
Autumn, since you say your son is a “young teen,” I’m going to assume he’s older than 12. The only official “kids club” type activity at the Walt Disney World Resort right now for his age demographic is
The Unsolved Mysteries of Barefoot Bay, which takes place at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. It is currently scheduled Thursdays from 8:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m., and costs $39 per person, including a snack (date, time, and cost are subject to change). This is an evening cruise where the Guests aboard participate in a scavenger hunt to solve a pirate-themed mystery, and I’ve heard really positive reviews. You could make a reservation for dinner and drinks at
Sebastian’s Bistro while your son sails on his cruise.
When we scheduled my Mousketeers for a kids club experience last year, my daughter had MAJOR reservations about younger kids being there and it being baby-ish, but she had a totally great time and is looking forward to cruising on Barefoot Bay on our spring visit.
If that doesn’t work with your plans, I recommend calling
Kids Nite Out and seeing if they can accommodate a slightly older child or if they can refer you to a service for older kids. Several of my friends and fellow Panelists have used this service and recommend it, and I’ve heard that with older kids, the sitters are pretty laid back. If you could find someone who could accompany your teen to your resort’s arcade or food court and get some snacks or play cards, watch the movie on the lawn at the hotel, or even just watch a movie in the room, that might be a good fit for him.
One last thought: keep an eye on the
Disney Parks Blog, as they announce new experience and offerings all the time. If there's something new in the works that will be a perfect fit for your son, they'll be the ones to share the news!
I hope your family has the best time on your upcoming visit, Autumn! Please come back and see us if you have any further questions as you plan and dream.
Wishing you a magical vacation,
Robyn