15yo Son & Disney

My 15yo son is concerned that he will be embarrassed among the little children. He is 8-10 yrs older than his little siblings. any advice on how to encourage him to soak it up and enjoy himself!? This Is our first trip as a whole fam. 15yo son, then 7yo, and dh went when our daughter was 1, I stayed back with her. So it's their 2nd trip in the past 8 years. Obviously a lot has changed over the years. So, teenagers...where's that manual regarding teens??

to the DIS. Teenagers are a mysterious creature, aren't they? Perhaps you should ask him if he would like to help with the planning, maybe choosing restaurants or which park to go to. That might make him feel as though you are treating him like an adult in this, rather than a child. Try not to force him into doing anything he really doesn't want to (rides, shows, character meets) as he is old enough to wait by himself while others do. Without knowing your son's personality, it is hard to say whether he will be able to relax and enjoy himself once there, but maybe be prepared to let him stay back in the room or at the pool one afternoon if he really doesn't want to do something (this approach worked well for me recently, on a trip to Seattle with our son - he didn't want to do any more sightseeing and, knowing he would just ruin the afternoon if he came, I told him he could stay in the room, got him some snacks and he was happy as Larry. Not only that but he realised he was a little bit bored and was more than happy to come out with us again the next morning). Other than that, I have no real advice to offer - I wish you luck and a great trip

Is he into thrill rides? If so, you may be able to help him get pumped about rides like ToT, Rockin Roller Coaster, and Space Mountain. He's going to see a LOT of teens while he is there on school trips and with their families, so hopefully that will make him feel better! I went three years in a row when I was around his age and I do remember the first time feeling like I might feels left out or awkward, but one of the best things about Disney is that it can make everyone feel included! Just remember when making a plan for the day to sprinkle in things that are just for him- like thrill rides and cool places to eat. He may enjoy Disney springs or the mini golf courses as well. Maybe Disney Quest if it's still open when you go? if he's into sports, you could spend some time at ESPN zone or eat at Sci Fi or Yak & Yeti is he likes Asian cuisine. Make sure to work in all of the coasters and thrill rides, even if your younger ones don't want to ride them, because he will probably love them! Like the above poster said, maybe let him help with the planning and choose a few places himself. Have a great time, and tell him not to worry- if you look in any direction at Disney you'll see teens EVERYWHERE.

Mine is 14 and we took him to both WDW and DL this summer. He has a band trip to WDW in the spring and we just booked a cruise!

I think he was more embarrassed when he was around 10yo, but now he's such a great sport. Hope he loves the cruise without the attraction of rides to make up for the character stuff!

When we went last October, our oldest (who was able to make it) was 17 at the time, and his younger siblings were 10 and 9. True to his "teenager" form, he never seemed to get excited during the planning. He still seemed to need some "me" time in the room, but they all had a blast while at the parks. We made sure that we spent time doing things he wanted to do - such as visit he shops in Japan in Epcot. He is very into Animé, and sadly the Bijutsu-kan Gallery was closed for refurb when we were there. We also discussed as a group what we were all interested in doing, and made sure what was the most important for each person happened. He is pretty laid back in his demeanor, so while I knew he had a great time, it wasn't as "obvious" as it is with the younger ones. I really only knew how much he enjoyed it by reading something he had to write for school, and he wrote about the trip. I know some things seem like they're for younger kids or "beneath" the teenagers, but I think everyone gets sucked into the magic that is Disney and enjoys themselves.

We're actually planning to go back in January! This was a big surprise that we didn't think we'd be able to do. This time our oldest will be able to make the trip too!