Maximizing the Fun on Orlando Vacations with Teenagers

You love your teenager, and you’re excited to go head out on a magical trip to Orlando with them. However, there’s no question that sometimes their attitudes and moods can be unpredictable. We recently ran across a great article called Traveling With Teens – Less Angst, More Thanks, and it has some excellent tips. Check out our favorites below!

Give them their space and they’ll thank you for it

One of the simplest things you can do will have the biggest impact: give your teens some space! Rent an Orlando vacation home with several bedrooms and let them enjoy their privacy. This will prevent everyone from getting on each other’s nerves after days touring local Orlando attractions, will give parents a chance to spend time with one another, and will give teens the opportunity to recharge and reconnect when the time is right.

Make them a part of the planning process

Teenagers can become sulky when they believe they’re being forced to do something – even if it’s something they want to do! An easy way to avoid this problem is to get them involved in the planning process. Show them the various parks you could visit, check out the homes you could rent, and let them have a say. Once you’ve made the main plans, put them in charge of one aspect of your trip. It could be dining, it could be which parks to visit on which days – whatever it is, they’ll be more excited about the trip if they’re more involved.

 

Let your kids have some time alone in the world

Your teen will love the freedom of exploring Orlando on their own! Of course this doesn’t mean you just hand them the keys to the car and wish them well. You might give them an afternoon or evening to explore the World Showcase or Magic Kingdom on their own, or perhaps you can give them an allowance and drop them off at Downtown Disney for a few hours. You’ll obviously make sure you have your typical safety protocol in place, but giving them this chance to explore on their own can make a big difference in the quality of their trip – and their attitude!

Be willing to make concessions for sleeping in

Veterans of theme parks know that one of the key ways to avoid lines and the hottest times of day is to get to the parks when they open. While this will certainly save you time and hassle, keep in mind that it may come at a price with teens. They need their sleep – it’s not just a preference, it’s biology! If sleeping in for a few extra hours means happier teens all day long, then it may be well worth it.