As far as I know, 14 year olds still go to the stack, but they can also go to Oceaneer's Quest. We're hoping our 13 yr old DS will spend most of his time with his younger brother and/or Oceaneer's Quest on the 2nd floor. We're going to sign him up for the stack and let him go the first night, but we don't want him (nor do I think he will want to) hanging out with older teens. It seems that there will be a lot of 13 year olds on the cruise, so hopefully, he'll make some friends with those closer to his age.
I thought what they were saying is the rumor is after May the 13-14yr olds CANNOT go in the stack anymore? *confused* but I guess we'll ahve to wait and see what they decide to do.
Sorry i have to differ....You should see what the 14 yo's are doing around here. They "do" talk about boys and sex.... Maybe a 14 yo boy would be ok with 10 yo's but I've have to side with allowing DD to hang with the older ones. And i'd hate to have one of the 14 (or even 13 yo girls) have "womenly" issues and have to worry about silly little 10 yo's making fun of them... 10yo just aren't grown up.
And the lack of activities...Just look at the navigators from a recent 7 day. Quest group only has maybe one activity each night (nothing during the day)
Yeah ...I'm placing my cash (what's left of it) of the marauding packs of 13-14, and maybe just turned 15 yo's roaming the ship and hanging out in rooms and hallways because the doing bead crafts or waiting in line for the docking simulator that doesn't work half the time ain't going to keep them occupied.
Well I think we disagree on some points and agree on some.
I, for one, also do NOT want my 14yr old wandering around with nothing to do! I don't like the idea of her being with 18yr olds at all- but I'd take her being in the stack and doing activities with older kids before just wandering around with nothing to do for sure!
Our experience with the ocean quest last time was that there were a lot of times the younger groups were in there- if 13/14yr olds aren't allowed in stack but only ocean quest- what are they gonna do during the times the lab kids are in the OQ? that's what I'm wondering.
However we'll have to disagree on the rest. Not ALL 14yr olds are like you are describing and I don't think 13/14yr olds are grown up either! If you're worried about what 13/14yr olds would be like around your 10yr old, then you should understand why I wouldn't want my 14yr old 8th grader hanging out with EIGHTEEEN YEAR OLDS cause I just read they allow 18yr olds in the stack if they are still in highschool or something like that. That's crazy... 13/14yr olds are not grownup enough to be with those older kids. I witnessed with my own eyes (while out writing in my journal late one night while the family was asleep already) what a "dancing in the stars" stack activity was like- and I want my daughter to have NO PART in stuff like that- let me tell you. Very inappropriate for a child that age.
I don't know what you mean about "maybe just turned 15"- just turned 15yr olds aren't 13/14yr olds like they are talking about not having in the stack anymore- they are 15.. not 13 or 14. Doesn't matter if they just turned 15 or not- they are 15 not 13 or 14.
Anyway, not all 14yr olds are like you describe. Some of them come are not like that at all. My daughter was 12 on the last cruise and really enjoyed the kiddy activities more than anything. She hasn't matured much since then either and I knew she was gonna be bored in the stack now plus didn't want her around 17/18yr olds. She's not grown up yet either! far from it.
My DD can't join us (She starts High School and can not miss two weeks of school), but I do hope they have a plan for the 13-14 year olds. We went on a Holland America Cruise at Thanksgiving. DD (13) was in the same group as DS (17). She did not fit in very well at all. Even though she is with girls 3 to 4 years older than herself every night at Gymnastics and gets along great with them, her interests are just too different from the older kids. I ended up being "her friend" for the week. This was fine, but was not what I was envisioning for my vacation. It would make a lot more sense to put the 12 - 14 year olds together and the 15-17 year olds together. Physically, emotionally, and socially, they are just too far a part. (OK - Off my soap box). I am sure part of the problem on the HA Cruise was that the group was predominatly 16 & 17 year olds. Most of the younger teens just did not come back after the first night. Lisa went a few more times before giving up.
I agree 12-14yr olds would be better together and the 15-18yr olds together. or maybe even 12-15 and 16-18. something like that. I agree that 13/14 yr olds are too far apart from 15-18yr olds in too many ways to have them hanging together for a long cruise. don't like it at all.
I agree. I'll have a 10yo, almost 4th grader. I don't want him hanging out with 14yo high school kids! Heck, I don't necessarily want him hanging out with a bunch of other 10yos sometimes...you know the whole younger kids in the family know more stuff thing.
Well my 10yr old is in 4th grade now- will be going into 5th grade next year- which is only one year away from being in our middle school with 6-8th graders anyway, and my eldest is an 8th grader. so maybe that's why I think they are "closer" in many ways than my just turned 14yr old eight grader is with 17/18yr olds! SO many things change between those ages. She's not there yet just because she's 14... not by a long shot. She's not a highschool kid yet either.. btw. And she won't be until AFTER this cruise. just wanted to clarify that... repeat: my daughter is not a highschool kid till after this cruise. I don't want people thinking I wanted a highschool kid with 10yr olds. I really think there needs to be an "in between". There are a lot of differences between 10yr olds and 13/14yr olds but there is just as much differences- and important ones.. things I don't want my kids learning/experiencing/seeing.. between 13/14yr olds and 17/18yr olds. Both fears/opinions are valid- yours related to 10yr olds with 14yr olds and mine with 14yr olds with 17/18yr olds. yanno?
I have sent off an email to
dcl.guest.communications@disneycruise.com
Asking if they have any plans on upping the current 10-12 yr old activities in the lab if the proposed change to Ocean Quest will actually take effect on May 10, 2008.
I think kids that are used to being in OQ in that age group will be very unhappy if they aren't allowed in there anymore and have to make due with the current activities that are in the lab. My DS 11 would be. DD will be 13 by the time we sail
Anyone not happy with the proposed change please email
DCL to let them know your thoughts
In our experience the 10-12yr old group didn't spend that much time in OQ anyway- they had times throughout every day that the younger groups were in there. If the 13/14yr olds are not allowed in the stack but you have issues with the OQ being used for that age group- where are they supposed to go? Currently the 1-12yr olds are in the lab- they need TWO places and leave 13/14yr olds with no place to go? I disagree with that. I don't think that's making do... the OQ used to not be there until a few years go anyway- they made do just fine before that... they can now too (and keep in mind I will have a child in the 10-12yr old group so I'm not just biased against that age group. My son can "make do" -as you say- in the lab if it means my eldest has a place to go (OQ) instead of roaming the ship or hanging out with 17/18yr olds.
Where do you want your 13yr old to go? in the stack with the kids up to/thru age 18???????? for real? You would prefer your 13yr old with 17/18yr olds rather than have your 10-12yr old lose some access to OQ when the 10-12yr olds have the lab?
On our cruise they had scheduled times for younger kids (club/lab) to go to OQ. couldn't they still do this during times that the 13/14yr olds have scheduled activities elsewhere? You would think so... it shouldn't have to be either/or... it should be rather easy I would think to work the schedule where anytime the 13/14yr olds are doing activities elsewhere that the 10-12yr olds can have access time to OQ. right? Is the proposed changes supposed to be OQ only for 13-14yr olds and no one else in there ever?
) and he's cleared for sports. No football until the summer, but he can play baseball now.
And I got a Squirrel Monkey for my 7th birthday.
Just think - people won't have to worry about excursions here - personal tour guide - cheap......(where the heck did that come from?
), I am currently missing 1 toenail and I have been afraid to take a shower for 2 days. I honestly do not think I have looked worse in recent history. Thank God I work from home!!!!!
My face broke out too!!!
Go figure
Mello Yello!
The ground is all covered in white again from the snow tonight!!
this one !!
