AIBU to not let my 12 year old go to Alton towers

61 replies

GeorgieTK · 19/05/2025 17:29

With her 13 year old friend alone? No parent there, just dropped off and picked up at the end of the day.
For a bit of context she doesn't do really big rides, she's done wicker man, thirteen amd galactica but gets very scared despite wanting to do them so that's one concern. Another is peer pressure to do the bigger rides when she'd have a panic in the queue. And another just generally is she too young?!

OP posts:

Snorlaxo · 19/05/2025 17:41

Her age is fine but being easily talked into scarier rides that she can cope with is a big issue.

lifemakeover · 19/05/2025 17:41

My DS went to Thorpe Park with school last year when he was in year 7 - he'd have just turned 12 - and they were left to it all day (although obviously staff were on site).

2BrownDogs · 19/05/2025 17:40

YABU.
School trips in highschool from yr 7 to Alton Towers and thats exactly what happens, they all go off and meet at end of the day.

Does she have a phone?

Theres lots of staff
She will be fine.

Readytohealnow · 19/05/2025 17:39

Sounds a bit controlling
Do you think they will get lost 🤣

Bundleflower · 19/05/2025 17:39

She’s not too young.
Peer pressure is really quite normal and it’s not like she’s being pressured into anything dangerous.
If she didn’t want to ride the rides she wouldn’t be wanting to go.
Stop wrapping her up in cotton wool and let her go and have a good time. She’ll be full of stories - especially if she does end up being egged on to go on a bigger ride!

Honon · 19/05/2025 17:38

I think you're being unreasonable about the fear aspect, she'll have to figure that out for herself, she'll be peer pressured into them or not go on them, not the end of the world either way.

I get she seems young to be roaming all day but it's a closed site, there's staff everywhere and limited scope for getting into trouble. It's a very normal thing to do at this age, as pp said if she went with her school they'd be letting them go off to do their own thing, not much difference.

Tiswa · 19/05/2025 17:37

it seems the right age - we love further south so Dd has done Chessington by herself at that age and school trips to Thorpe Park.

She is growing up she needs to start managing that herself with the rides

ExtraOnions · 19/05/2025 17:37

We went in Y6 .. All headed off in our own groups, met back at the coach

Wrecsam · 19/05/2025 17:37

I don’t think 12 is too young. Mine were fine to do this at 12/13.
The thing that might be a problem for me is that there’s only two of them. Mine have always been in bigger groups until they were happy to go in everything. It all depends on how much you trust her friend not to get fed up if your DD decides she doesn’t want to ride or how your DD would react if her friend rides and she doesn’t.

FourLeafedToadstool · 19/05/2025 17:37

Depends how far away an adult will be. We went with school around that age, and were allowed to go off in groups. But there were teachers there on site. Undecided!

minnienono · 19/05/2025 17:35

My kids school took them at 12. Can’t see the issue myself

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