>So, I have a 14 year old son. We’ve been to Disney many times in the last few years and with the fact that he is at the age where he doesn’t want to hang out with us, there are times when he doesn’t want to go to the Parks or Downtown Disney. So, there is some Unknown Magic that is for him and others when they become “true teenagers”.

The first two are found right in your Resort, no matter where you are staying. One is the Resort Arcade; every one of the Disney Resorts has an Arcade someplace on site. There aren’t many games and they usually aren’t very big, but kids can get their video game fix, if they don’t bring their own system with them, (Most of the time we let my son bring his PS3 with him. It doesn’t take much room in the truck and in the mornings before we go out and in the afternoon while we are taking a break from the park, he has down time that he can relax.) Even if they don’t need a video game fix, it is a place where they can go and get away from Mom and Dad and you can still feel at ease knowing that it is a “kid” place where they are hanging out.

The other place at the Resort that you can let your older kids go and not worry so much about them is the pool. All the Resort Pools have enough chairs and tables around them that your teenagers can go and hang out and catch some rays. (Don’t forget to make sure you buy your Resort Refillable mugs when you first get to the Resort. They cost under $15 and you get free refills throughout your stay.) The refillable mugs are great to bring to the pool, because all of the pool bars will refill them for the kids. So now they are at the Pool hanging out- getting free drinks and loving life (probably texting away) and getting their break from you. Which is actually a good thing, because they need a break from all the stimulation just like the little ones do, if not you are in for a grumpy evening, just like with a little one.

The other place that we go to once in awhile depending on the trip and if we are in the mood is DisneyQuest, according to Disney, DisneyQuest is an “Indoor Interactive theme park… a one-of-a-kind gaming experience in the Downtown Disney area … 5 floors of cutting-edge technology, virtual reality and 3D encounters fueled by Disney innovation and imagination.” This place is a kid’s dream.

DisneyQuest does have an entrance fee, but once you are inside, almost all the activities and games are free. There is one small section of games, like Skee-ball that do cost a little money, but other than that everything is included with the Admission price. (If you have teenagers or are going when rain is expected you may want to add the Water Park Fun & More** Option, to your park hopper ticket, which works out to pay for itself if you visit either the Water Parks or DisneyQuest twice during your stay.)

DisneyQuest is pretty neat, but my limit is about 2 hours, then I start getting tired of it, but that’s okay, because on the 3rd floor there is the Wonderland Internet Café, which used to be a Cheesecake factory location, but has since changed hands. It still has Cheesecake and other sweets, as well as coffee. So while my wife and I are enjoying a snack, our son can enjoy his games for another hour or so, while we check our e-mail, send some notes out and just catch up on the news. And all this saves us some teenage angst, and actually leads to a Magical Experience for everyone.

So, now that you know, you can give your teenager little time to themselves and maybe even a Magical Experience, while enjoying your family vacation.