13 y.o. ? teen club?

[Tab2Disney]

We are going on a 7 day cruise in Sept. I have seen the WDW Vacation Video, read stuff online and I've been on this board. (thanks for the info!!)
But something that I have seen different views on is where a 13 year old would be able to go. On the DVD that we received from Disney, he should have no problem going with his sister (17) to the "Stack" the teen club. But I have read a few posts either here or on another board that on their cruise 13yo's were not aloud with the teen group that it started at 14. If this happens on our cruise, my kids will be devastated. They have planned a lot together.
Has anyone been recently that can help me out with this.
Thanks

 

[kcashner]

On the Wonder, a 13 year old would be in Aloft. On the Magic, a 13 year old would be in Ocean Quest. The Stack is for 14-17 year olds and 18s who have not finished high school yet.

That said, DCL has become very flexible lately with allowing families to stay together if desired, etc. However, think carefully....there's a huge maturity gap between a 13 year old and a 17/18 year old.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

The magic changed awhile back in dry dock- it's not different "views" on where they'd be, it's that they changed things and added ocean quest which is for 11-13yr olds and it's basically a "younger" teen stack in that it's similar- it's less structured than the club/lab (just like the teen stack) and you can't have any children there with a pager and like "disallow" them sign in/out privileges (in other words they can all just leave at will, in and out).

You MAY be able to beg your child into the teen stack but like Tab said- it's something you have to think about considering even 18yr olds are in the teen stack- but it's also something THEY will consider.. if it's a cruise with a lot of older teens they are less likely to allow a younger child in- if they ever do. I mean they might if a 13yr old is "almost" 14 and has an older sibling they want to be with and they don't have a lot of older teens in the stack--- but that's a lo of "ifs". I think you should start preparing your children that they now have different age groups and the teen stack is now 14yrs old and up. Your kids can still do a lot of stuff together. What stuff have they planned together? Most likely they can still do all that stuff "planned" together but just not hang out in the stack together?

 

[Principessa]

The magic changed awhile back in dry dock- it's not different "views" on where they'd be, it's that they changed things and added ocean quest which is for 11-13yr olds and it's basically a "younger" teen stack in that it's similar- it's less structured than the club/lab (just like the teen stack) and you can't have any children there with a pager and like "disallow" them sign in/out privileges (in other words they can all just leave at will, in and out). .......

I'm actually glad to hear this. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of my DS13 being in the fully high school teen area. I hope there will be some direction about how to find ocean quest - hours -etc on board?

 

[disneydreamer82]

When we cruised in Nov/Dec 08 my 13 year old nephew had no problem getting into the stack! He had a blast! I don't know how strictly DCL enforces that policy, but it may have been b/c he was going to be 14 on Dec 31st, so I don't know if that had any play in it or not. In any event he was 13 and had no issues, he is also a very mature kid so maybe it depends on the child, and the CM's impression of them. Good Luck! He'll have a blast no matter what!

 

[MrR]

Oddly, I came on here today to ask this same question - in the new edition of the Passporters guide, it states that The Stack is for 14 - 17 year-olds, but on the Disney Cruise website, it says it's 13 - 17.

I'm more inclined to believe the official Disney word, but if anyone has some up-to-date, first-hand info on this, I'd love to know it. My 13 and 16 year-olds were hoping to stay together (at least initially).

 

[Morgey24]

Ditto. My DD (13) but mature will be interested in finding out what the deal is... I think that it is also going to matter to her based on the friends she meets on board.

 

[inlovewithnolan]

My son turns 13 in November of this year and we are are going on the Wonder in May of 2010. I have mixed feeling of him being with 17/18 yr olds also. It sounds like he would have so much fun hanging out at all the teen areas, but again I am a little leary about him being with the older crowd. He does'nt have siblings that will be going so it would just be him. Has anyone else had one child at a younger age going in the teen area by him/herself? How did it turn out? Thanks!!

 

[lbgraves]

Oddly, I came on here today to ask this same question - in the new edition of the Passporters guide, it states that The Stack is for 14 - 17 year-olds, but on the Disney Cruise website, it says it's 13 - 17.

I'm more inclined to believe the official Disney word, but if anyone has some up-to-date, first-hand info on this, I'd love to know it. My 13 and 16 year-olds were hoping to stay together (at least initially).

This change was made in May 2008 so along with some other things listed on the DCL site, their information is out of date. You can look up the navigators from the Magic starting last May to see the programing information that has actually been happening on the ship as well as information posted here on the DIS.

If you would like to see pictures and other information about the OQ area, you can find a link to this in the DIS DCL FAQ thread which is about 6 threads down from the top of this forum. This change was the result of many guests telling DCL that the did not like their 13 yos being in the same group as the 18yos. It is located on deck 2 midship where the conference rooms used to be. The Wonder does not have this area, which is why the age groups are different on the Wonder.

 

[kcashner]

I'm actually glad to hear this. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of my DS13 being in the fully high school teen area. I hope there will be some direction about how to find ocean quest - hours -etc on board?

OQ hours will be listed in the Navigator---it is basically all day every day the same as other kid programming. It is deck 2 midship--originally the library area, then conference rooms, now Ocean Quest.

The Disney site is out of date. 11-13 is OQ, 14-17 is The Stack on the Magic. The "rule" has always been that if you were within 30 days of the birthday that would allow you to move up in programming, you can do the older group. More than 30 days is only with staff permission on an individual basis. Policy aside, DD freely admits that younger kids "crash" The Stack...and that the kids who are the appropriate age don't like it. They ignore the younger kids at best, and can be ugly at worst.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

My daughter was 12 last year and was in the 11-13 group. She found some of it not really suited to her (she is a mature kid). She was happy with about half of the activities.
Next year she will be 'almost' 14 when we cruise, and she plans to go to the Stack. There is no way she would be happy in the 11-13 group at that point.
I think it just depends on the kid.

 

[lbgraves]

My son turns 13 in November of this year and we are are going on the Wonder in May of 2010. I have mixed feeling of him being with 17/18 yr olds also. It sounds like he would have so much fun hanging out at all the teen areas, but again I am a little leary about him being with the older crowd. He does'nt have siblings that will be going so it would just be him. Has anyone else had one child at a younger age going in the teen area by him/herself? How did it turn out? Thanks!!

We have always found people on the meets thread for our cruise with kids the same ages. They email before the cruise and already have a friend to hang out with on the ship when they board and sometimes even before if we are able to meet up at the park or hotel.

 

[frdeb1999]

I think you are deffinately correct about it having to do alot with the kids maturity level and what they're used to. My dd absolutely loved OQ in Dec and just turned 13 at the time. DCL is fairly flexible with allowing them to bump down a level....not as much so when going up one. Unless they are within 30 days of their bdays. It is normally up to the counselors in the end.

 

[elovell]

Do they go by looks or do they have to show their room key or something? My son is very mature and will be 13 in July. He is 5'6" and weighs 120lbs. I know he would be bored out of his mind at the kids club, but if it goes off of looks he looks older and could probably get by.

 

[lbgraves]

Their age is coded into their room key information.

 

[SnowWhite2]

When DD was 13 and the Stack was from 13-17, she wanted to be in the lab with the 10-12 yo and pop into OceanQuest when it was open. There were kids from previous cruises that were 12 and she wanted to hang with them.

When the same DD was 14, the kids in the Stack on that cruise were older and did not want to hang out with the younger kids. My DD was NEVER with us and always in the kids programming previously but on the last cruise she never went to the Stack but once or twice and spent most of the time with us or in the cabin.

The best advice I can give you is to send the kids to their clubs on the first night or the first full day so they can make friends in their age group. It is more difficult when they are older and they don't find a clique to hang with right away.

 

[Tab2Disney]

Their age is coded into their room key information.

Does it just show their age (13) or the Birthday Month/ Day /Year?
So that it is obvious that it will only be two months until he turns 14.

Do they scan the cards each time they go into the club?
Or just the first time?

Thanks for all of the input from everyone who have previously been on cruises with teens this age!

 

[MrR]

Thanks for the info, although it's not wholly good news for us, as we booked believing that our two daughters would be able to stay together. I'm not impressed that Disney's official info is out of date.

And I'm not sure how being split up will go down with my two teenage DDs - 13 and 16 - as they were very much looking forward to going to The Stack together on that first day...

 

[mkdreams]

What are the hours for Ocean Quest are they the same as Oceaneer Lab? Also if Oceaneer lab has a late night say 1:00 am does Ocean Quest also stay open to 1:00 am?

 

[Andrea_loves_Disney]

Thanks for the info, although it's not wholly good news for us, as we booked believing that our two daughters would be able to stay together. I'm not impressed that Disney's official info is out of date.

And I'm not sure how being split up will go down with my two teenage DDs - 13 and 16 - as they were very much looking forward to going to The Stack together on that first day...

According to what I have heard from other people who have cruised (we have not) with 13 year olds...there is no official sign up for The Stack...correct me if I am wrong anyone... but the advice I have been given for my 13 year old is that she should just go to the Stack on the first day and plan to be in that group. In your case especially - since she has a sister!