Received letter regarding kid's club changes on the Wonder?

[KSandbergFL]

We received a letter from DCL today, regarding changes to the Youth Activities program... apparently only on the Wonder?

Beginning in mid-December aboard the Wonder, children in the kid's clubs will be able to select only the events and activities they would like to participate in, without being restricted by age group.... Kids are free to select activities based on their interests, regardless of age. Also, if you have multiple children and they want to participate in the same activity together -- that's possible too!....

...Kids will be able to select their own adventures, from the daily Personal Navigator, just like adults.

This sounds like great news to us -- we only used the kids club once (in 4 cruises), because we didn't like the "one size fits all" structure. This might tempt us to use the kids clubs again on our next cruise (Jan 2010 - 63 days, yay!). We'll see how it works out.

Anyone else have any insight into the changes?

[tjbaggott]

I think this would be a very postive change! We were just on the Wonder a few weeks ago. I have a 12 year old who was in the Oceanears Lab, and a 6 year old who was in the Oceanears Club. We first took my 6 year old on a tour of his club, and he thought it would be great. But then we all went and took the 12 year old on a tour of his club, and thats when the disappointment began for my 6 year old. His brothers club LOOKED MUCH COOLER than the "Baby" Club as he now named his club. Just the way Oceanears lab is set up is very much appealing to the 6 year old. The computer games, the Wii, ALL activities he LOVES, but weren't over in his club, at least not on that first tour as NOTHING was out. Thankfully, while in his club, the CM's Often took the 5 to 7 year olds over to the Lab. I found sometimes when I went to pick him up, he was having a great time and didn't want to leave, and other times, he looked miserable and was SO glad I came to pick him up. I think it all depended on the activities taking place. I think he would have loved to pick some the what was typicaly the older kids activities to do. Your right, one size does not fit all, I'm very happy to hear of these changes.
It would have been a better experience if we had told DS6 that if he wanted to leave, to just tell a CM "I want my mommy/daddy". But we never told him he could do that. I had just assumed he would go ask for us if he wanted to. But I just asked him, and he said he thought he had to stay there till a parent came to pick him up. Well, yah, that parts true, but he didn't know he could have us come for him sooner. My learning lesson for next time, LOL.

[HallsofVA]

Curious as to how this will work logistically. If the kids are in the club while we're at dinner, and there's an activity in the club they want to do first, and then there is an activity in the lab they want to do next, will there be CMs to take them from one to the other?

Also, with a 3 yr old who'll be using the club for the 2nd time by the time we cruise the Wonder in January, I have to think there can't be completely free choice for kids, since I imagine there will be activities that a 3yr old can't do (or that none of the bigger kids would want them trying to do!)

[bridget]

Interesting!
I would imagine when the activity is over, they go back to their specific room.

I know when we were on the magic, my 11 year old neice would have LOVED to have gone to some of the science stuff with my daughter.

[kkmcan]

Oh this is so exciting!!! We cruise 12/20 and my dd was saying how she really loved the Kim Possible activity a few years back. It was for the 7-9 year olds at the time. She'd be able to do that if they still offer it!!

Also we are traveling with their cousins 5, 7 and 9. My kids could pick activities and be able to do them with their cousins! Yee Haw! They'll be so excited and mom and dad might get some kid-free time after all!

I wonder where I could look this up and find out some more.

Thanks for the heads up!

[KSandbergFL]

Originally Posted by kkmcan

Also we are traveling with their cousins 5, 7 and 9. My kids could pick activities and be able to do them with their cousins! Yee Haw! They'll be so excited and mom and dad might get some kid-free time after all!

yes, i think that is the biggest benefit of the changes... siblings/relatives can stick together for the kids stuff, instead of being split up by age.

I'm surprised there's not more buzz about it yet on this forum -- am I the only one who received this letter from DCL?

[poohs4me]

I am not so sure I like this. One reason for us is something that happened to our DD (12) with Ocean Quest. If not enough people showed interest in the activity it was just canceled. Very frustating!!

The second reason is I am not so sure I want my nephew 4 with much older kids. The 4 year old will need much more attention with some activities then the older kids. I am not sure how they will handle that one. Also I have a similar concern about older kids mixing with younger kids - Similar to the old debate about the teen club age range. Not trying to rehash the argument - just pointing out my concern.

[IWannaBeAMousketeer]

I wonder if they will put recommended ages on the activities as a guideline. Overall, I think this will be positive, although I can't imagine my 3 year old hanging with 10 year olds! I'm sure they wouldn't be interested in the same activities, anyway. There were several times on our latest cruise that DD7 was jealous of DD3's activities (such as Do Si Do with Snow White) and freaked out by her own activity (anything with Stitch visiting the Club!). This is probably a trial run and if it works it will be implemented on the Magic and eventually the Dream.

[lbuher]

I just got this letter today, too. It does say that they will continue to recommend activities for specific age groups as a guide, but "it's completely up to you and your child what activities to participate in".

I have mixed feelings. I know my 5 year old would be much more likely to stay and participate if she knew she could be with her 9yo brother, but the likelihood that there would be something that they BOTH would be interested in would be slim to none anyway. My main concern is the wide mixture of ages for the same activity - how they could possibly accomodate really young ones mixed with the older kids - how they could tailor the activity to such a wide age range and how they make sure there is appropriate supervision for such a wide age range. The comments I have read fairly recently on here about concerns re:the supervision/care/concern of the staff already had me a little bit hesitant to leave my 5yo. Knowing that there could be 10-11yos with her makes me even a little more hesitant.....

Not real sure yet how I feel about it.....

[BoogasMom]

Oh I hope they are doing this when we are on the Wonder starting December 17th! Just the other night, my two sons (ages 6 and 9) were looking at the different clubs on the Wonder on Disney's website. My 9yo was really excited about "his" club while my 6yo wasn't so excited about "his". I really believe he will be more excited if he can choose to hang with the bigger kids and with his big brother if he wants to! I am keeping my fingers crossed and saying a prayer that I have that letter in my mailbox when I get home from work today!!!!

[AnnMarBill]

Received my letter today! I guess this is to let family members/siblings stay together in the clubs! My daughter is an only child so it won't really help us. When I told her about the change she asked if that meant there would be alot of little kids doing her activities - that is a tween for ya! Wish they would have made the tween club when the Wonder was in dry dock! Now that would have made her happy!

[FLPrincessMom]

Interesting. I think this could be a problem for the older kids in the lab. They aren't going to want the younger ones around. I just can't imagine having 3 - 12 year olds together! There is no way their interests are the same and if the little ones go just to be with siblings what happens to the activity? Will there just be a lot of time babysitting the little ones?

[KSandbergFL]

In the kids clubs, my son (DS8) only enjoys playing the computer games (he doesn't get to play computer games at home, so it's a HUGE treat for him). He doesn't like the group activities, like Flubber, at all. However, because he was under a certain age, he could only play the games when his age group was assigned to the computer game room (which was "hardly ever")... and even then, the schedule didn't jive with our dinner times, etc... If the lab was "closed" to his age group, the DCL staff would let him play the computer games, ONLY if me or mommy stayed with him, to supervise (which of course, meant me and mommy had NO kid-free time, with each other). So, after a disappointing first cruise, we didn't use the kids clubs again, on our last 3 cruises.

Our son still asks if he can go play the computer games, and there is always some conflict... either it's our dinner time, or the computer room is assigned to the older kids, etc. etc. It's been frustrating to keep disappointing him like that. As a result, he spends a lot more time in the room, just watching cartoons or playing with toys that we bring.

It seemed "too simple" to me -- why not just assign a Disney staff member (or 2) to the computer game room, and let kids (regardless of age) come play "anytime" they could fit it into their schedule? This letter makes it seem like perhaps that might actually be possible on our next cruise!

I have hopes that this new system will fit better with our schedule and our son's interests, so me and mommy can "finally" enjoy some kid-free time on our next cruise (Jan 21,2010).

[Homemom]

I received my letter today. I too have mixed feelings about younger kids with older kids.

[disney1990]

I really don't think it will be that big of an issue.

I think that maybe an 8 year old may want to do something that a 10 year old does.

But, I can't see a 4 year old wanting to do something that a 10 year old does.

I think the cross-over will only be within a couple years of age.

I know that my 9 year old and 11 year old granddaughters are technically in 2 different groups and I can see them wanting to do things together.