Bored teen on trip

[Unofficial627]

Just let him do whatever he wants at the parks. That way he can do what HE wants when he wants. Just give him times to meet you or a way to keep in contact (cell phone works great). If you do that, he may go on stuff that he wouldn't go on arond the parents, stuff that he may really enjoy, just feels baby-ish riding in the presence of parents.

 

[BrerMom]

Originally posted by snwarf
Amazingly enough, our 15 year old is trying to be joe cool about Disney World in October. ... HOW do I make him catch the magic of Disney?

Disney Quest and Cirque.

 

[Earstou]

We went in May with our 18 yr old DD. She announced before the trip that she was going to go shopping off property by herself. While I wasn't happy about this, I decided not to say much because she wasn't complaining about the trip! I just told her she had to figure out how to get there ahead of time, giving us all the details.
We allowed her to sleep in and meet up with us when she wanted. She also could go to the waterparks or DQ when she wanted, always letting us know of her plans ahead of time. She slept in 2 days, and then I think she realized how much she was missing, because she went everywhere with us after that without a complaint!
She also meet a boy at the pool and we let her go to BW with him while we lingered at the pool. Try to allow some freedom, depending on their age and abilities.
Try to find things that might appeal to a teen, such as the water sprites you can rent, and see if he is interested in that. Other trips we have taken have been saved by doing something "exciting" (water sprites, snorkeling, helicopter ride) that they can look forward to.
My DD never did go shopping off property. But I think the fact that she was given permission to made all the difference in her attitude.

 

[sneezy1956]

I e-mailed Natalie, but let me share a story. I've raised 3 kids now. The youngest is now 17 and loves the magic. But, how I got him to love it as much as I do is introduce him to pin trading.

After he went to one night at the Contemporary he was hooked. Of course he enjoyed the pins before, but once he saw what the other folks had he was totally in love.

We now try to go once a yr and I can see him continuing to go with me or by himself for yrs to come.

I think a lot of dealing with a teen is to find something they are interested in. Also let them feel like adults. If they want to go to the park they go to one of the parks. But, if they don't want to don't force it.

Let them help with the planning and have a say in the planning is also very important.

 

[kitnrose]

snwarf, your son sounds soooo much like me as a teen! My family discovered WDW right after I started those inhuman years. It's a wonder they went back a second time (and third, and fourth..), especially with me. Like your son, I felt too old for the disney magic stuff and DEFINATELY too mature to hang out with my parents (horrors) but also too shy to head off on my own. So I spent a few miserable trips hating having to stay with them and hating my own shyness that kept me in the family group. My advice? First, of course (as if you haven't done this already!) is to talk to him but be prepared to totally read into everything he says. Chances are he doesn't know himself why he's so determined to be miserable. Second is to do a bit of teen-friendly planning. You're going to be there five days, you don't have to be at the parks when they open all of those days. There was little that could have made my WDW days start off worse than my mom's annoyingly cheerful voice getting me up hours before I was ready! Third, if there are any younger sibs, especially under 8 ones, let him and them have an hour or so by themselves, especially in a place faaar from IASM. Maybe HISTK playground area. Having another family member around will keep him from being lonely and perhaps the magic of dis from the perspective of small eyes will help. Besides, it's fun to chase after a small kid in that playground! Ok, so this was a long post. Hopefully it'll help at least a little!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

We are pass holders to WDW & Universal (as well as Floridians who go every 6 weeks or so). I have 3 kids...son will be 17 in Sept, daughter will be 15 in Aug & daughter 10 1/2. My teens hate going now. They are Parked out! I still make them come up with me, but I let them stay at the hotel (only if I am on property), or roam the parks by themselves. More than 1/2 the time they dont' even stay with each other. I do have them bring friends, when they can. Yes they try to make my trip misrible so I will not bring them back. I keep trying to tell them it isn't working LOL. The more they bother me, the more trips I will book!

 

[veraletta]

I think your son will be just fine after your're there, he sounds like a good kid. You said he was shy, but that you thought he would go to the pool or arcade to play some games by his self.

I think he will end up going with you to the park, he may make it clear, he wished, he was esle where, but in side he may really enjoy it more than he will let on.

Teens are funny, who knows what they are thinking, or what they like or hate, I for one thing think they like to complain.

Its to bad you cant bring some one with him, have you tried to talk to any of his friends, as maybe some one can go with him.
Its best not to take his cousin if you feel it would be hard on you, to be around him. I for one. I have to first off, like someone a whole lot to be able to ask them, to be around me for a whole week.

your rent a kid was way to funny for me. LOL .
it would be a great ideal for parents, that have to bring kids to disney, that will not have a friend along. I would rent one..LOL
Great new business to think about.

When my kids were teens, I really thought their job was to make me miserable,.
Now that I look back on those years, I really think that they enjoyed complaining and looked for things to complain about.

 

[katj]

hmmm...im 17 and the most excited in our family about or upcoming Disney trip...am i a complete anomaly!?

maybe it's different for girls, but trust me, ill be squealing with the kids at the characters and grinning all the way through "Its a small world" (in an ironic way....of course...ahem)

my 15 year old brother is a different story, but he likes the rides, and he likes to make fun of me when i get in one of my Disney-moods so im sure that will keep him happy!

 

[crazymomof4]

If WDW is SOOOO uncool and boring for teens then why is it the destination of so many senior class trips and spring breakers? My guess is that WDW with parents is what is so uncool. So........get some good quality 2 way radios and let him wander the park seperate from "the 'rents" and maybe meet up for lunch and/or dinner.

I guess I'm getting in just under the wire. My oldest DS just turned 14 and he is looking forward to Disney. We have anticipated him getting bored, esp. in the MK so we plan on splitting up (using the 2 ways) w/ DH going on the big rides with our 2 oldest while I take the 2 youngest on Small World and Winnie the Pooh, etc. With this plan I hope my teen will not balk at meeting up for meals and some of the other attractions like Pirates of Carribean, etc.

 

[cpl100]

Originally posted by Trinity721
That is tough... The last time I went with my family in 99, it was my parents, me at 19, brother at 15, brother at 10 and two cousins 9 and 10. Of course DB and I didn't want to be around the little kids so my parents let us go off on our own. We always made a meeting time and place and we did some things all together. I guess it's different b/c I had my brother but I had a great time. Plus I really don't mind being with the parents there, but just the little kids were too much for me sometimes.

I think if I were you, I would sit him down and just ask him what his issues are, that you are willing to be understanding. Even to compromise. If 2 days is not enough for him in Universal then maybe offer him more days there without you guys if you are comfortable with that. Also encourage him perhaps to check out these boards, the teens board especially. Maybe he'll find that Disney is a fun place after all I understand you can't find any of his friends, but maybe if he has a close cousin you can ask to join you that would help a lot. Of course, if he does go off on his own make sure you have a way to communicate... cel phones are a great idea, a family plan is good. Sprint has good free mobile-to-mobile plans. Just ask him what would be something that would make this trip fun for him. I think sometimes if you just sit down and make the effort to ask him what he wants, he might even be surprised to see that hey, this trip isn't just for mom and dad. It's for me too! And remind him, hello!there are lots of cute girls at Disney this time of year

Trinity, that song was sung by Johnny Mathis. It's actually before my time, but I remember my parents playing it and I actually like the song too.

 

[ducklite]

By him an annual pass for Disney Quest (pays for itself after three visits) and let him go there every night, sleep in every day, and meet up with you for lunch. This is what we've been doing woth DS 17 for a couple of years now, and it's working great.

Anne

 

[cpl100]

I feel lucky that my teen boys (14/16) are not doing any pre-trip complaining at all. We are going to have a family week and then another family is coming down to meet us for the second week (they, too, have teens (13/14/16). We are doing all the parks and not one issue has arisen. Thank heavens!

I wish you luck, though, as I've had other days when it's been nothing but complaints! When they are unhappy with my plans, I offer them the alternative of staying home and doing chores but I realize this won't work on vacation!

 

[KittieKat]

it almost seems wrong for someone, let alone a teenager, to be mad about going to disney!! lol..im 16, and i love it!!!! like everyone said i'd let him do what he wants..id either leave him alone at the hotel, or id make him come to the parks and then set him free...depending on the situations. That is a hard thing...it might not be his favorite thing in the world..but hopefully he'll have an ok time.

 

[bz8bls]

We started going to DW when our oldest DD was 9 and the youngest was 5. They looked forward to going to DW every year or every other year. When our oldest DD was fifteen, she was not interested in going (and yes, she tried to make our 1st time driving to DW miserable); however we stayed at the OKW (first year that DVC was offered) and we let her stay back. To our suprise she cooked lunch for us a couple of times. She then went to the parks with her sister and cousin (age 10) (by themselves). That made her feel that she was responsible for them (and she was). I think that trip ended up being one of the best trips to DW for ur oldest DD.

We have not attended DW with our DDs since, because our youngest DD started playing BB and got involved with AAU and our vacation destinies were wherever she was playing AAU (my DH and I went two years ago and we are going back in August)

The youngest DD is in her last year of college; she wants to go to DW with us (and bring one of her girlfriends to hang out with in PI in the evening) and the oldest DD is married and has a five month old DS. I have heard her tell her DH what fun she had going to DW s a kid and she wants to start taking her DS and guess what......she is now 26 years old (the magic really never goes away, they appreciate it later)