When you hear the words Walt Disney World, you probably think about little kids running up to their favorite Disney characters, such as Cinderella or Mickey Mouse, for a hug. Many people don’t picture a family with teenagers thoroughly enjoying the park. But think again: A trip to Walt Disney World can be as fun for older kids as it is for younger ones. With a few adjustments to your itinerary, you can make the most of your Walt Disney World vacation with your teenager.
Explore Epcot and Hollywood Studios
Image via Flickr by Kinchan1
Once you have your brochures gathered and research completed, get your older kids involved in the planning of all the day-to-day activities. With four theme parks to choose from, the choices are endless, and your teens or tweens may want to spend more time at one park and skip another altogether.
The two theme parks you should make time to explore are Epcot and Hollywood Studios, two places where you’ll find movie-themed attractions and rides that are geared more toward older kids and adults. Keeping your kids involved in the planning stages will ensure that they will be as excited about the trip as younger children.
Use the Disney FastPass+ for Space Mountain and Test Track
What is worse than planning a day at Walt Disney World and spending most of it waiting in lines? We know it’s hard for little kids to wait, but it can be a mood killer for teens as well. Grabbing a FastPass+ ahead of time for the more popular attractions, such as Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom theme park and the Test Track at Epcot, will be one of the best decisions you make. You can use a FastPass+ to reserve great seats at nighttime spectaculars.
Take in the Fireworks and Night Shows
Teenagers love sleep, and waking them up can feel like an impossible task. Why not compromise with your teens and allow them to sleep in during your vacation? While many Walt Disney World visitors want to get an early start to their days, starting later in the day means you can close down the park and enjoy the fireworks and night shows without crashing before the activity ends. Why would you want to drag tired, sullen teens through the park when they would probably enjoy the trip more simply by starting the day later and enjoying more at night?
Planning a trip can be stressful with many decisions to make, and adding teenagers to the mix can only make the planning harder when you’re trying to make sure everyone is happy. The three experiences above offer great ways to keep your teenagers involved and happy throughout the trip. Remember, teenagers may not want to go, go, and go all day, so be sure to schedule some rest time or time to explore on their own. Walt Disney World isn’t only for kids younger than 10. Kids of all ages can have an awesome and entertaining Disney experience.
