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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

12 year old alone at EuroDisney

32 replies

Reallyunsure12 · 04/08/2012 18:21

My ex husband is taking my DS to Eurodisney next week for a few days. They have regular contact and I get on ok with ex. My concern is that ex husband thinks our, just turned, 12 year old son is old enough to go round the park on his own. I am not happy with this mainly because it's his first time there, he could get lost, hurt himself, etc. I also think it would be pretty lonely. Ex says it is just so he can have a lie in and he would meet up with him later at park. I think they should both go later in the day although DS seems to quite like idea of going on own. Should I say no or AIBU? They will be staying at hotel outside park.

OP posts:

Virgil · 04/08/2012 18:22

Absolutely no way. It's large and extremely busy. No way.

NorbertDentressangle · 04/08/2012 18:24

No YANBU.

They probably wouldn't let a 12yo in unaccompanied anyway would they?

valiumredhead · 04/08/2012 18:24

No, not unless he is with a mate.

fridayfreedom · 04/08/2012 18:24

no 12 is too young , ex is just being lazy!!! he should be enjoying the time with his son!!!

JeezyPeeps · 04/08/2012 18:25

My son went recently on a school trip. All the kids were older than 12 (13-15). They had to be in groups of no less than three, one of which had to have a mobile phone with the teachers number saved on it.

YANBU.

OldGreyWiffleTest · 04/08/2012 18:25

Not in a million years.

Uppermid · 04/08/2012 18:26

No fucking way!

SamuelWestsMistress · 04/08/2012 18:27

I'm sure a responsible 12 year old could find their way around easily enough. It's not like they'd get lost there forever and even my 7 year old managed to read the maps and know where we were. But it is very busy at times.

However I think more than anything it would be bloody mean to not bother getting your lazy arse out of bed for the sake of a "lie in". Disney is all about the kids, and if you don't like the thought of it don't go!

exexpat · 04/08/2012 18:27

No, not if it's his first time there and your ex won't even be in the park. I now let the DCs go and do rides without me, but I am still close by. I would also be very surprised if they would let an unaccompanied 12yo in - have you checked the rules on the website?

Tee2072 · 04/08/2012 18:28

At 12...iffy. It depends on the 12 year old I think. Some are very mature and would be fine, my older niece, for example.

My younger niece, if she's the same at 12 that she is at 9? Not on your life!

squeakytoy · 04/08/2012 18:28

I probably wouldnt mind depending on the maturity of the 12yo. I would have been fine being on my own there at that age. I was walking to school alone, going to the shops alone, and off out with mates too. Being on my own in a theme park would not faze me at 12.

sancerreity · 04/08/2012 18:38

Is this a wind up? A 12 yr old isn't ok alone at a theme park? My DC have been to lots of school trips in Y7/8 eg Port Aventura , Beamish Yorkshire show and just done their own thing.In the holidays I drop my Dc at the gate of a theme park and then pick them up at 5 o clock.Lets face it Euro disney is child friendly ( well as friendly as the French get ) and there are plenty of staff about
I presume your DS has a mobile phone in case of emergency anyway

BartletForTeamGB · 04/08/2012 19:42

I've got no problems with 12 year olds going round on their own, but to go to a theme park completely on your own? Surely part of the fun is to share the experience with someone?

Windsock · 04/08/2012 19:44

It's just really sad. Can't he take a mate?

lljkk · 04/08/2012 19:46

I would let the 12yo decide, only insist on phones that work for contact, & a bit of planning about what to do if phone fails or gets lost.

I am 99% that my 12yos would not want to go alone, though.

usualsuspect · 04/08/2012 19:47

I wouldn't be worried about him getting lost etc.I would be bothered about him being lonely though.

ZZZenAgain · 04/08/2012 19:49

bit overwhelming for a 12 year old on his own IMO

MyinnergoddessisatLidl · 04/08/2012 19:49

I think it would depend on your child's maturity. However I'd be more angry at your ex being so bloody selfish. So DS has to get up, get dressed and then go for breakfast on his own every morning?

I went for a corporate event and we had two silly bugger 40 year olds who went on Space mountain about 5 times in a row and one was throwing up on the travelator.
Is he staying in the Disney Hotel at the gates? If not, he'd have to get a bus in aswell wouldn't he?

I would agree if he was willing to stump up and pay for one of your Ds's mates to go with him too, and he either provided a mobile phone or some credit.

BrianButterfield · 04/08/2012 19:50

I teach 12 year olds and tbh most of them would be fine on their own in a theme park. I don't think any of them would enjoy it alone though - friends/family to share it with is part of the experience. You wouldn't have to be a particularly sensitive child to feel lonely surrounded by happy families.

edam · 04/08/2012 19:51

It'd be miserable on your own, wouldn't it? What's he going to do in the queues with no-one to talk to?

Your ex is hugely lazy and if I were you I'd tell him NO!

Enfyshedd · 04/08/2012 19:51

We went to EuroDisney last year when DSS1 was 12 - he was certainly physically big enough, but totally immature to go around the park on his own. He also has an awful sense of timekeeping. A couple of months before the holiday, DP's DM was down to visit and we'd booked a table for sunday dinner. DSS1 wanted to go out on his bike with his mates, so he was made to wear his watch and take his phone with him, and was told to be home by 12.30 as the table was booked for 1pm (restaurant a 15-20min walk from house). By 12.40, DSS1 hadn't turned up and wasn't answering his phone so we set off anyway. DSS1 finally turned up at home at 4.30pm asking when we were going out for dinner. Boy, did the sh*t hit the fan...

Depends on your DS though really - my parents might have let me go around on my own at 12 as long as I arranged to meet them at regular intervals, but there was no way DSS1 was going to be let loose on his own which means that I still feel nauseous after being dragged onto the Indiana Jones rollercoaster .

Floggingmolly · 04/08/2012 19:52

Absolutely not. Also, apart from anything else, what fun is it going to a theme park on your own? .
Why is your ex bothering if he doesn't actually want to spend time with your son?

cocolepew · 04/08/2012 19:52

Sancerreity, your DCs weren't on their own though, they had company.

invicta · 04/08/2012 19:53

I have no problem with a 12 years old wandering around himself. My 12 year old ds would certainly be fine, although it may be a bit lonely by himself. I'd have issues of getting to Eurodisney, unless it is one of the hotels on the periphery of the park.

Enfyshedd · 04/08/2012 19:54

Don't forget, mobile phone credit will evaporate when making calls abroad as well, even if he did only call his DF. And how many 12 y/o's would you trust to only use the credit for "essential" calls/texts?

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