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<p>I’d be grateful. You’re a truly amazing human being, you know that?</p>
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Wow. She just mentioned Pleasure Island to me tonight and I didn’t know what it was. I sincerely can not thank you enough for taking the time to post. I will certainly heed your advice and do so with gratitude.</p>
<p>Zoosermom, you crack me up. I love your posts. They’re always intelligent and wonderfully self-depricating!</p>
<p>Thanks VeryHappy.<br>
Bottom line is I’m a wreck, but I KNOW I’m a wreck so we can all laugh at me together. Even my kids do, but they are very sensitive to my propensity to overprotect.</p>
<p>No, Zoosermom, you are doing what is necessary as their mother, and I can see that you do a super job!</p>
<p>Thanks Northeastmom. That’s awfully nice to hear.</p>
<p>You need to take a deep breath, because you are going to make yourself and those around you nuts 
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<p>They will be fine and if anything goes wrong, they don’t pay attention to the time, ignore advice, isn’t disneyland the best place for it to happen? </p>
<p>Surrounded by families, and guards, and nice weather and her friends?</p>
<p>Young adults can be pretty resourceful when they need to be, and I am sure your daughter and her friends will be okay and have a great time.</p>
<p>So, go put your feet up and let go. Your D is ready for you to do that. </p>
<p>You need to let her do this and she needs to see that you know she can handle it and take care of herself. You have done your job and now its time to let go of the bike.</p>
<p>Zoosermom, I don’t blame you for being concerned. Lots of good advice here about all of the warning, info and advice to give ZG. You let her know what’s out there and then cross your fingers. Can’t make them listen, and who knows how they will react if a particular situation arises.</p>
<p>As far as off site hotels with shuttles, up until a few years ago , that is all we did. With 5 kids, DW was on a tight budget which meant cheap hotels and shuttles on a package deal or rent a van which we also did. When we split up (older kids vs younger ones with parents), the boys took shuttles. Did not give it a thought though we gave them the standard cautions and precautions speech that we always do when they go off on their own. </p>
<p>I hope they have a safe, good time, and that you can breathe easily during their trip. We all worry when our kids are off doing things with risks.</p>
<p>I’m going to suggest ZM that YOU get the guidebook and read it … and then hand it to your D before she leaves. You’ll be more up to speed with it – and I do think that having a guidebook to Orlando is very good prep for an expensive trip.</p>
<p>I seem to go to Orlando a lot. In 2006 I was there 3 times and only got to a park 3 days out of the 10 days total! I will be going to Disney in September for a trade show. I’ve stayed both onsite and off … there are a lot of advantages to staying onsite, but I have also enjoyed staying off. Depends how long I am going for and what the purpose of the trip is …</p>
<p>Hopefuly most posters have assuaged your angst about the perils of getting around Disney. I’d suggest you look at a map of all the Disney related opportunities in the Orlando-Kissimmee-Buena Vista area. As others have mentioned, there are areas that the kids might plan to go to in the evening hours (the boardwalk area near the Swan and Dolphin Hotels, all the activity in the downtown Disney areas, etc . Here ya go – take a look [Map</a> of Walt Disney World Resort - wdwinfo.com](<a href=“http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/propertymap.htm]Map”>http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/propertymap.htm) You’ll see (not to make you feel worse) that there is a lot to do allaround the area that is Disney-related. My point is that they do try to make it easy for tourists without cars. Your daughter will be fine. Are there adults (parents) going with them? I’d bet, in a pinch, several Orlando- based cc’ers will be happy to help you out.</p>
<p>Here’s another map–to give you an idea of how the area is laid out. <a href=“http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/media/wdw/images2003/languagespecific/eng/nontheme/moremagic/golf/maps/wdwmap.pdf[/url]”>http://adisneyworld.disney.go.com/media/wdw/images2003/languagespecific/eng/nontheme/moremagic/golf/maps/wdwmap.pdf</a>
This may scare you more at first, but really, they do make transportation a priority there. Take a deep breath and tell her to have fun, but to be careful. My mantra-- “be proud, but don’t be stupid”</p>
<p>I would second the advice about asking the driver about the actual pick up times.</p>
<p>Most of the hotels post the hours that their shuttles run. They might even have little brochures with the drop of/pick up times and locations</p>
<p>You guys are good. I can’t thank you enough.</p>
<p>No adults are going, but the ladies are all competent adults. At least armed with this info (and maps) my daughter can plan and prepare.</p>
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<p>Again, it is very important to figure out the transportation BEFORE leaving. Transportation works well and is well designed. However, it is extremely important to understand where the transportation does NOT go and how the returnto the hotel after the parks’ closings might be different. Witnessing the dismay of foreign tourists expecting their bus to drop them at the gate of DW and realizing they are at another tarnsportation center is not all that amusing. In the same vein, it is best to “practice” a return to the hotel during the DAY as opposed to trying to figure it out minutes after the park’s closing when tens of thousands are running around hoping to find to the appropriate “cattle” separating pen. </p>
<p>It’s not difficult but it can be confusing for someone who expects to learn while trying.</p>
<p>Speaking from one anxious mom to another… suggest your DD write some of the friend’s phone numbers and other relevant numbers on a scrap of paper and tuck in pocket. Cell phones are GREAT - but the result is that most of us have NO clue what anybody’s phone number is anymore. We call people by selecting their names in our cell phone directory, and if cell phone doesn’t work or runs out of power, we don’t know the phone numbers to call! Sounds silly, but it can be very useful to have a “print” copy of phone numbers. ;)</p>
<p>Good point anxiousmom! </p>
<p>When we went on vacation this past winter, our 2 s’s each brought a friend. We made sure (well, no-- I made sure… they all made light of it) that we all had a piece of paper with each other’s cellphone #s (note: we were out of the country and on loaner phones with prepaid minutes). It made me and the other mothers more comfortable with the #s written down.</p>
<p>As for tourists, yes I always feel bad when a foreign tourist who may or may not speak the local language well is obviously distressed or confused (once there was a gentleman in the ladies bathroom at the airport was amusing-- he didnt get what people were trying to tell him…) but it shouldn’t be so confusing for your girls, ZM, especially if any of them have visited the majic kingdom before. Do thell them to read up on the “hidden Mickeys”. Makes the trip a lot more fun!</p>
<p>When my D went to senior week at the beach this year, it dawned on me after she was there that none of her friends had our home number or my cell number with them. They only knew her cell number. If something happened there would be a delay in contacting me. I called her and asked her to put my number in a couple of her friends’ phones. She thought it was a good idea.</p>
<p>I’ve gone to Disney world many times stayed on site and off site with kids of all age groups. The points I would emphasize are deciding on a meeting place WITHIN the park or venue they wind up in at the closing hour. don’t leave the premises until all meet up at that point. Be somewhat more specific than Cinderella’s Castle.There will be many people meeting at a place like that. For instance theres a statue of Walt and Mickey near the Castle…that would be a more specific spot.Have them find the spot when they enter the park or venue (like Pleasure Island or Downtown disney). Agree on a time to meet if they are seperating.
Also, the budget might not allow for taxi’s all the time but a little bit tucked away from each girl for the chance of an emergency ride if necessary would be smart.A 20$ bill each should cover them more than adequately.If need be they could sacrifice one less overpriced Disney keepsake!
Last shuttle departure time and location (departure locale could differ from arrival locale) should be confirmed with the hotel and shuttle driver.
They can easily ask any Disney employee for assistance.All are “armed” with walkie talkie devices and as you can imagine are trained to help anyone in any situation.Don’t forget, everyone there is a visitor/tourist.
If your kid survives in NY,Disney will be a piece of cake.My NY born and bred kids were traipsing all over the Kingdom.</p>
<p>If she has a cell phone with an alarm on it, she should be able to meet any time schedule. If you make sure she sets her alarm in time to get to the bus, she should be able to make it.</p>
<p>Or you could find out the schedule and call her to remind her to get on the bus. </p>
<p>Of course this all assumes she charges her cell phone.</p>