Did your tween-boy enjoy the Edge?

[PoeticMoe]

Hello everyone! I've booked the Dream for me and my DS-13 for Spring Break next year. I wanted to know how your tween son enjoyed the Edge, or not enjoyed the Edge, for whatever reason. This will be my son's first time on a Disney cruise, and he really likes to get involved with the tween club activities and make new friends on cruises. Can anyone tell me what type of activities they have in the Edge for tweens and if your tween-age boys enjoyed this program?

We just got off Allure of the Seas and my son didn't like their teen program, because they grouped ALL of the 12 - 17 yr olds together. He felt out of place and couldn't connect with the older teens. I ended up putting him in their 9 - 11 yr old group, and he was ok with that. He's 12 now, but will be 13 by the time we cruise on the Dream in April, 2014. I know the ages for Edge on Disney are 11 - 14, which would be a perfect mix of ages for him.

My DS-13 is not excited to cruise on DCL, because he thinks it's going to be too 'babyish'. However, I'm truly excited to cruise DCL! How can I convince him that Disney has a tween club that's 'cool' for boys his age? Help please! Thanks!

 

[amylia403]

My sons both liked the Edge on the Dream very much. They were a little board with the Edge on the Magic. On the Dream they said there were more video games, there was a virtual news studio which they liked a lot. Our oldest son is into sports so he found other kids that wanted to play basketball and they headed out to do that on their own. My youngest son is really into video games so he more stuck to those types of things.

 

[loudisneyfan]

We never saw our sons except for dinners because they both liked it so much! They had all kinds of activities for them: scavenger hunts all over the ship, a green screen to make videos, character greets (stitch), trivia, etc. They also met on Castaway Cay and did activites and went back early to the ship so they could use the Vibe when the teenagers weren't there.

 

[quickcat]

My son is 12 and he wouldnt go for the 'hanging out time' but he'd check the schedule and go to the dodgeball, scavenger hunts, ghost stories, trivia, and the making smoothies. He isnt a very social, outgoing kid so I was surprised he went to as much as he did!
I think your son will be surprised, they really try to keep them busy. At Castaway he met with them again and they played sand soccer which he said was fun too.

 

[PoeticMoe]

This makes me feel so much better! It's Disney after all, and they know kids and how to keep them entertained. So its nice to know that your tween-age boys enjoyed the Edge. As long as my son can connect with boys his own age, he'll be a happy camper.

Is there anywhere I can view a sample Navigator for the Edge activities? We're going on the Dream 4-night cruise.

 

[crafty91]

I'll echo what all the PP said, my DS 12 as of our March 2013 sailing LOVES the Edge. All the stuff they do is very age appropriate and fun for the tweens. He enjoyed hanging out with the group that he hooked up with and they were inseparable! I will say to make sure he goes to the open house stuff the first day, since thats when a lot of friendships are formed. They also vote on some of the stuff they do during that cruise so its customized to an extend by who is on board at the time. I have no worry about saying he will quite enjoy himself! My DS is still texting, skyping, etc all the friends he made in March!

 

[JoiseyMom]

My DS12 loved the edge this past August (he was 11), he also loved the clubs when he was younger also. He can't wait for this coming August for his first time on The Fantasy. I am sure I will only see him at dinner or on the Aquaduck!

 

[moosecrouse]

Will be doing my 3rd DCL cruise with my nephews. Youngest will be 9 & oldest is 14. It will be oue first time on a "new" ship and all 3 are really excited. On our 8 day out of NYC they were going the entire time. They were often first ones out of cabin in morning & last ones in at night. Surprisingly the 14 yr old one is really excited and talking about it the most. He is a typical teenage boy who doesnt get excited by anything but he has a calendar counting down the days. I dont think any of the 3 would consider it babyish and all three love being waited on by the mdr servers. As a matter of fact this 42 yr old uncle is pretty excited and counting down the days also. Lol

 

[SeeDisney]

When my eldest was 12, we went on a disney cruise a few years ago and he too thought it would be "babyish". He went to the Edge club and he HAD A BLAST. There's organized games activities like ghost stories, basketball, trivia stuff. He instantly made 4 or 5 friends and was with them the entire time. He only had dinner and the theatre with us, the family.

He said actually prefer disney cruise over the disney parks at Orlando too.

 

[SeeDisney]

And be sure to go to the Edge the first night and find out what time is their "meet and greet". That's when they'll have ice-breakers games and such and initially meet everyone upfront.

He'll have fun!

 

[PoeticMoe]

Great! Thanks again for all the tips. Now we have to play the waiting game...

Oh, what times does the programming in the Edge end at night?

 

[MikeAndNick]

I am like a lot of the parents are saying, I never seen my son; he is 16 now and I still never see him except for dinner.

 

[kddlm]

My DD 13 Loved Edge on our March Fantasy cruise....only saw her at dinner...she made many friends, including quite a few boys and stills keeps in touch with many! I am sure your DS will love it!

 

[momof2n2]

Is Edge club on Magic same as Edge club on Dream?

Also - my boys will be 11 & 13 on cruise - they are both able to do Edge, correct?

 

[quickcat]

Great! Thanks again for all the tips. Now we have to play the waiting game...

Oh, what times does the programming in the Edge end at night?

Way to late in my opinion! Usually around 1:00 am they had things scheduled until.

 

[KristiMc]

Great! Thanks again for all the tips. Now we have to play the waiting game...

Oh, what times does the programming in the Edge end at night?

Most nights they went till 12:00. There were a couple of nights that my son was there till 1:00.

 

[PoeticMoe]

Way to late in my opinion! Usually around 1:00 am they had things scheduled until.

Wow, that is late! My DS-13 is really going to think he's something staying out that late. Lol

 

[lbgraves]

DS14 liked going to the Edge on the Fantasy last month more than the Vibe for the same reason your son didn't like the other ship's age grouping. The kids in the Vibe were 16-17 and he didn't connect with them. He has enjoyed the Edge for the last four years on the Fantasy, Magic & Wonder.

The Edge on the Dream/Fantasy is different than the Magic/Wonder. The classics have it on deck 2 instead of in a stack with windows. Still lots of computers, couches to watch movies on a big screen TV as well as play Wii games, and tables for crafts. Oh, and the Magic has the ship simulator in the Edge.

 

[maryliz]

Anyone have experience with their kids missing the first night "meet and greet" in Edge or Vibe because they have late-dinner seating? I want the kids with us at dinner that first night ... but it appears that the fun stuff starts at 9 or 9:30 - we'll still be in the MDR.

DD will be 16 on our cruise this summer, and will have 2 best friends on the ship with her -- so if they miss a few things that first night, no biggie because they will likely hang together anyway. But DS will be 13 so he will be by himself in Edge. I just worry that if he misses that first night or is late because of dinner, he's going to miss out making the friends for the week. He's a very sociable kid ... but I don't know how comfortable he will be "walking in in the middle of activities and trying to find a group to join". Do the CM's try and remedy situations like this?

We don't have experience with the clubs because we've only done a 4 night Dream cruise ... DD didn't go to Edge at all, and DS only went to the kids club twice with a friend that was travelling with us. Neither one minded not doing clubs because there wasn't much time. But on our 7 day Eastern, there are 3 full sea days so I just want them to have fun !

TIA for any advice !

 

[KristiMc]

Anyone have experience with their kids missing the first night "meet and greet" in Edge or Vibe because they have late-dinner seating? I want the kids with us at dinner that first night ... but it appears that the fun stuff starts at 9 or 9:30 - we'll still be in the MDR.

DD will be 16 on our cruise this summer, and will have 2 best friends on the ship with her -- so if they miss a few things that first night, no biggie because they will likely hang together anyway. But DS will be 13 so he will be by himself in Edge. I just worry that if he misses that first night or is late because of dinner, he's going to miss out making the friends for the week. He's a very sociable kid ... but I don't know how comfortable he will be "walking in in the middle of activities and trying to find a group to join". Do the CM's try and remedy situations like this?

We don't have experience with the clubs because we've only done a 4 night Dream cruise ... DD didn't go to Edge at all, and DS only went to the kids club twice with a friend that was travelling with us. Neither one minded not doing clubs because there wasn't much time. But on our 7 day Eastern, there are 3 full sea days so I just want them to have fun !

TIA for any advice !

The main activity where they talk about what they are going to do during the week usually doesn't happen until 10-10:15. You should be done by dinner by then or close to it. I think our son quickly ate his dessert and then left.