Kids Club 1st Night

[BuzzNutt]

Is it true that the parents have to stay with the kids on the first night? I have seen that it is true and that it is not true. Anyone out there Really know what happens on the first night?
Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[lbgraves]

It does happen like this on the Magic. It does not happen on the Wonder. This has created the confussion on the boards. If you look at the kid's club navigators you will see that this is done on the Magic.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/Photos/DCL-Navigator-Eastern-Dec/pages/469113-4_1.htm

 

[fcrouch]

We were on the March 11 Magic Western itinerary. If you had Palo reservations, you could leave your child in the club while you went to dinner. We had already fed our daughter dinner before we went to the club. Our daughter (her third Disney cruise) had no dedsire to leave the club to go to dinner with us. Since I learned that the kids with "blue wrist bands" were there without parents, i.e. parents in Palos, I asked one of the counselors if our daughter could also stay. We were first told no; then when I raised the fact that other kids were there without parents (i.e., the ones at Palos), the counselor did admit that was the case. I then explained this was our daughter's third Disney cruise, there were no separation issues, she'd already had dinner - and brought her over and asked her what her choice would be....the counselor then agreed she could stay while we went to dinner...as long as we came right back after dinner. In fact we came back, picked up our daughter before dessert and took her to the dining room for dessert so as to meet the "curfew" time....and at that time, about 9:30 - there were less than a handful of kids left....so the family time is pretty much over by the time late seating starts it seems to me. It seemed a crucial fact that I knew and could point out to the counselors kids who were in the club but whose parents had gone to Palos. It also helped that our daughter was an experienced cruiser and preferred to stay in the club. When we picked her up, she was having some one on one time with one of the couselors playing on one of the video screens.

I think the kids club should offer the regular programming on the first night - and simply make it possible early on for the parents to participate (as we did on this cruise) in games, etc. Then about 9 or so, it can simply be movie time for the kids while the parents go to late dinner, the adult only areas - even if they want to close down a bit early on Saturday rather than the usual midnight. As always we were very pleased with the kids club experience for our daughter, but think the "opening night family night" is too restrictive and not the type of entertainment we are expecting (and sort of feel we are paying for). It is also my understanding that parents are welcome to be in the club with their children anytime (and from a security perspective, on Saturday night there wasn't the normal check - in check out procedure - so I thought that a little lax, and moreover, you have all these adults in there with all these kids....and frankly, those adults haven't had background checks like the counselors and when it was as crowded as it was from time to time in the club I think that is a security risk).

 

[DisneyCruiseFansMc]

The OP didn't mention the ages of the kids. Both my kids (12 & 9) had sign in/sign out privelages & we were NOT required to go the first night. THANK GOODNESS, b/c both kids had ants in their pants right after dessert to rush off to go. While DH & I finished our dinner in peace .Then they met up w/ us after to go to the show. SO many variables in this case.

 

[cindalu]

I agree with you. I think they should go back to the way it was before. I have three girls and two will be together and one will be separate. What am I supposed to do. This will be our second cruise in Nov.

I also think it could be a security risk with some of the parents being in there.

I hope they change it back between now and Nov.

My girls will not have a problem with leaving them there. My oldest will be 10 and I am not sure if I will allow her to have sign out privleges or not.

 

[BuzzNutt]

My son will be 5 at the time so sign out priveledges will not be available. He has just already started aksing to have dinner on the verandah the first night and to goto the club. If the club is open normally on the first night on the Wonder, we should be all set.
Thank you for the info.