Welcome back to Disney Parks Moms Panel, Barbara!
We have brought our teens to
Walt Disney World, too, and I can say that yours is an excellent plan for one and all! I also travel to the parks each year as a chaperone for 300+ high school students, so I know that teens appreciate some time exploring on their own. They just may need a little support.
First, take a look at the must-dos in each park, and determine if there are any that the teens might like to try on their own, then plan your day around that. We'll typically start our day together, then give the teens a few hours to have fun without their parents/chaperones watching. Any combination of park entertainment options and attractions could give them the freedom they crave--while perfectly safe--as you enjoy some adult time as well.
Once we've determined where and when the kids will have fun together, we make an
Advanced Dining Reservation for all of us at a favorite restaurant in that same park later in the day or early evening. This cuts out the complication of navigating transportation to your rendezvous, helping ensure that they'll get to that meeting point with ease. As you dine, enjoy catching up on the fun they had while touring solo, then either spend the rest of the day together or break back into separate groups until it's time to leave the park.
For me, a few hours of independence in the same park I'm visiting gives them freedom and me peace of mind; if they need anything, I'm on it. (Lost their ticket? I can help them get it reprinted. Forgot to bring money for snacks? I'll be right there. Broke your backpack strap?...yes, that has happened...I've got heavy-duty safety pins. I've got this.)
Another great option for teens is to head to a
Walt Disney World Water Park, where you can set up camp in the sand, then send the teens off for some pretty intense fun. Both
Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and
Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park feature some super-intense fun, including the crazy-cool
Typhoon Lagoon Surf Pool and
Summit Plummet at Blizzard Beach. Those parks close a bit earlier than the four theme parks, giving you time to head back to your resort to shower, change, (and rest?) before heading to dinner together.
Any combination of these will be sure to be a hit with your teens, Barbara, and each will give you some time to chat with the adults in your group...from a safe and convenient distance.
Have so much fun planning your trip; be sure to send us more questions as you think of them, too. We love to help!
Andrea