First cruise night - going to The Edge?

[aqmom]

For all of you experienced cruisers....I would appreciate a little help. I have read that I should get my pre-teen to The Edge on the first night so she can make friends. We have early dining and I read that The Edge opens at 6pm. Will we be missing a big show if I take her to The Edge after we finish eating? Do they do dining the first night or just buffet style?? Thanks a bunch for any input!

 

[kcashner]

There is regular sit down dining and a show on the first night, but that's not when she needs to be at The Edge.

There will be a welcome session about 10 pm (consult the Navigator). It will have a cutesy name like "Get the 411" or something similar. Bottom line--it's a time to hear the rules, meet the gang, and make plans for the week. It will not interfere with either the show or the dining regardless of which dining time you are attending,

 

[aqmom]

There is regular sit down dining and a show on the first night, but that's not when she needs to be at The Edge.

There will be a welcome session about 10 pm (consult the Navigator). It will have a cutesy name like "Get the 411" or something similar. Bottom line--it's a time to hear the rules, meet the gang, and make plans for the week. It will not interfere with either the show or the dining regardless of which dining time you are attending,

That was quick and helpful!!!! Phew! I will just be sure to wire us with dessert to be up late Such good news!!!

 

[helenb]

10 pm? Really? That seems awfully late! My kids are usually in bed by then... I'm not sure I want my DD going to Edge that late, especially on our first night.

 

[KristiMc]

On a school night my kids 11 & 8 are in bed by 9:00 but on vacation they seem to be able to go-go-go. They were in the clubs till midnight most nights. This will be the first time my older son will be in the Edge. We have second seating dining so he will head to the Edge after to get to know the other tweens.

 

[crafty91]

Also make sure they go to the Edge "open house" and hang for awhile when you hit the ship! Thats where my DD and DS meet their buddies for the week. Then they went back that night to help plan the week's activities.

 

[DisneyOHFan]

Also make sure they go to the Edge "open house" and hang for awhile when you hit the ship! Thats where my DD and DS meet their buddies for the week. Then they went back that night to help plan the week's activities.

I agree. My son had already knew a bunch of kids by the time we got to dinner.

 

[123Dis4Me]

For our last cruise, some of us parents got a cruise meet together for our same aged kids. The girls facebooked a little before the cruise and met up quite a few times, starting in the cruise terminal and throughout the cruise. It was really great for her

 

[aqmom]

For our last cruise, some of us parents got a cruise meet together for our same aged kids. The girls facebooked a little before the cruise and met up quite a few times, starting in the cruise terminal and throughout the cruise. It was really great for her

What a great idea! Did you do this through the cruise meet link?

 

[bajadahl]

For our last cruise, some of us parents got a cruise meet together for our same aged kids. The girls facebooked a little before the cruise and met up quite a few times, starting in the cruise terminal and throughout the cruise. It was really great for her

We have an email thread for all the kids in our meet up group for our June cruise. My girls are having a blast getting to know all the other kids well in advance of the actual vacation. It's like extending the vacation for them and making the wait a bit more bearable.

 

[bmahokie]

Last year they had an "open house" during the afternoon of embarkation day, where tweens and parents could check out the Edge. Then later in evening (10 pm sounds right) they had a "Choose Your Cruise" or something like that, where the kids voted on activities for the rest of the week. My son (12 at the time) loved it. He liked helping to choose what to do, he liked being out late, he liked meeting others that he could hang with for the rest of the week, and he liked the independence of being able to come and go as he pleased. We put some pretty strict parameters on him in terms of knowing where he was and where he was allowed and not allowed to go without permission, but he REALLY enjoyed the Edge. I would highly recommend having your child go that first night - the CM's do a great job with some ice breaker type activities that helps get everyone involved and comfortable.