When you’ve got a couple teens on your hand, planning a trip to Disney World can be a very different experience than it is when planning a trip for the younger ones. Their interests may be different, their eating habits have likely changed, and their stamina is likely much higher. Check out these five helpful tips to help you design the perfect family trip with teens.
1. Give everyone plenty of privacy
When your kids were younger you may have had plenty of success putting two kids in one bed. Now that they’re teens, this arrangement simply won’t do. The good news is that you have tons of options. For example, Orlando vacation homes start at just $99. Rent a home with several bedrooms and both kids and parents will get plenty of privacy.
2. Stock up on gift cards
It’s likely that your teens are going to want to spend some time exploring on their own. If you trust them at home, try trusting them at Disney World! It’s a great chance for them to build lifelong memories with their siblings. However, it’s best not to send them off with a ton of cash, and you don’t want to give them free rein to your credit card. The perfect solution? Disney gift cards! All food and merchandise shops take them, as well as the vast majority of food carts.
3. Let them take charge of planning
If your teens have been to Disney before, then they likely have a few must-dos. Let them make a list of the restaurants they want to eat at, which rides they’re interested in, and more! If they’ve never visited before, get them involved! Let them check out websites that review food, watch videos of rides together, and let them have a say in which hotel or home you stay in. They’ll be much more excited about their trip if they feel they’ve played a role in this process.
4. Don’t make assumptions
It’s a common mistake that parents of teens will assume they’re too old to enjoy some of the features of the parks geared toward younger visitors. For example, you may assume that they don’t care a lick about character meals. The reality is that Disney World is a place where everyone can feel young at heart. Make sure you’re discussing your teens preferences to make sure everyone’s on the same page.
5. Be clear about screen time
One of the biggest complaints parents have is that their teens spent more time texting, checking social media, and otherwise glued to their phones than they did spending time with the family. You may want to set limits on screen time, you may want to prohibit them from taking their phones into the parks. Whatever you decide, make sure they know before you begin your trip.
