Access into/out of kids club

[cherryblossom55]

My daughter is 3 and we're sailing on the Wonder next week. We've never been on a Disney cruise before. She's very curious and I'm worried she's going to wander out of the kids club (irrational, I know). What is access into/out of the club like? I assume there are measures in place to prevent this from happening? Thanks!

 

[Saimaeve]

Access is tight. She wouldn't be able to get out. For one, they can track the kids in the area.

For two, the front is always manned.

For three, the gates are locked.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

My daughter is 3 and we're sailing on the Wonder next week. We've never been on a Disney cruise before. She's very curious and I'm worried she's going to wander out of the kids club (irrational, I know). What is access into/out of the club like? I assume there are measures in place to prevent this from happening? Thanks!

There's no chance she could just wander out of the kids club. The front gates are locked and there are always CMs at the front to check kids in and out. Every child wears a magic band which is how they check in and out of the club. For someone to pick up a child, they must provide a password or phrase which is set up during registration.

 

[bumbershoot]

It can't happen. Once you're there you will see.

My tall then-10 year old cousin wanted to leave but his parents weren't answering their wave phones. He was just standing there at the gates. We had come to get our son (because when cousin decided to go my son wanted to go...they had cooked up a plan that by not staying the whole time we had asked them to stay that they would be rewarded with arcade and minigolf...didn't happen for our kid!) but had no authority to get the cousin. He would have had to literally leap over the gates to get out. And that would be noticed. By the CMs but also by the parents that are always in the area, in line or waiting until their kids want to come out etc.

No chance for a 3 year old to do it.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I've never felt as safe leaving my child anywhere knowing they couldn't get out.

 

[aksearaven]

My daughter is 3 and we're sailing on the Wonder next week. We've never been on a Disney cruise before. She's very curious and I'm worried she's going to wander out of the kids club (irrational, I know). What is access into/out of the club like? I assume there are measures in place to prevent this from happening? Thanks!

We did Our first cruise on the Wonder in 2014, and you have nothing to worry about. The two areas on the 5th floor are very closely watched, gates are locked and manned. If a kid wants to go across the hall to the club or lab they actually use a passage behind a wall that connects the two areas. And they are scanned when they go between the two clubs so if you show up at one room and you child is across they hall they can tell you.

 

[Growingupisoptional]

My daughter is 3 and we're sailing on the Wonder next week. We've never been on a Disney cruise before. She's very curious and I'm worried she's going to wander out of the kids club (irrational, I know). What is access into/out of the club like? I assume there are measures in place to prevent this from happening? Thanks!

You are t alone we go the week after you and I have constant visions of my 6. Year old boy getting out and going overboard-- my partner thinks I'm nuts- I say better to think of these things and be extra interested in security measures lol

 

[apathetic]

Not to mention that no 3 year old will want to wander out. The place is awesome. Occasionally I've seen older kids standing waiting for the parents. But most kids are engaged in the club and usually don't want to leave. For a 3 year old, that will be the biggest problem; getting them to leave.

 

[disboardlover]

Yes, your 3 year old will be safe and will probably never want to leave. Still, do make sure that you have a charged Wave phone from your stateroom with you at all times. If your daughter does want you, or if a crew member needs to get a hold of you for any reason, they will call or text that Wave phone.

 

[bumbershoot]

You are t alone we go the week after you and I have constant visions of my 6. Year old boy getting out and going overboard-- my partner thinks I'm nuts- I say better to think of these things and be extra interested in security measures lol

Unless you're in the Yao Ming height range, accidentally falling overboard is really not possible.

 

[cherryblossom55]

Thank you for all of your responses. I feel much better now She loves making new friends so I have a feeling that some of y'all are correct and I'm going to have a hard time convincing her to leave!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Thank you for all of your responses. I feel much better now She loves making new friends so I have a feeling that some of y'all are correct and I'm going to have a hard time convincing her to leave!

I distinctly remember one night on our last cruise, begging my 5yo to leave the lab...at 11:30pm(!!!) because she was having too much fun to leave!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Also, if it helps a quick overview from what I remember when picking my DD up on the Fantasy in 2014 was:
- show up at the club saying I wanted to sign my DD out
- Scanned my KTTW card and possibly had to confirm the name of who I was picking up even though they could see my pic and her name on their computer (that I could not see)
- I was then given a bright lanyard to wear and was granted access into the clubs and identified me as a parent picking up their child
and I had to go directly there
- at that time the hardest part came when I had to convince my dd to leave!
- we walked back to the front (stopping for her to wash her hands in the cool hand washing station one more time because she didn't want to pass up an opportunity to do that)
- at the front I scanned my card again and her wrist band was scanned
- both of our pictures then appeared on their screen but before leaving I had to tell them our secret password before the gates were unlocked for us to leave

VERY secure!!

 

[bumbershoot]

- at that time the hardest part came when I had to convince my dd to leave!

And when they are older it's almost harder. (not as easy to pick them up LOL)

My son was, hmm, 9ish? And he's a dancer, so he was having lots of fun on the Dream's lightup dance floor. The 7 or so girls with him were also having lots of fun. (hint to all boys: DANCE. the girls will love you!)

DH went in (with the lanyard) to get him half hour before closing time. DS was reluctant but semi-willing to go. But the girls all ganged up on DH and begged him to let DS stay.

DH, who is somewhat jealous of DS's easy ability to befriend girls and hang out with them like it's no big deal, acquiesced immediately and went back out, turned in the lanyard, and sat to wait out the last half hour of the lab being open.

 

[scrappinginontario]

acquiesced immediately and went back out, turned in the lanyard, and sat to wait out the last half hour of the lab being open.

I quickly learned to take a book with me when it came time to pick up my DD. She often needed 'prep time' to leave and I can't say I blame her one little bit! Just because I had completed what I was doing, didn't mean that she would automatically be ready when I arrived. It was easier on both of us for me to let her know I was there and would be coming back for her in 15 mins, and let her finish up what she was doing. I'd happily sit outside the club and read in one of the beautiful port holes. Often she would come to the front before I went back in to get her a second time but this method worked well for both of us. I often wish I could hang out in the clubs when I hear all the neat stuff my DD does!!

 

[SpaceSquirrel]

I'm a super freak about my kids, I worry about thing other people don't typically worry about (seems like maybe you do too?) but I'm telling you as soon as you see the set up you'll be comfortable w/ your kids being there. One word of warning tho, they won't want to leave and they'll beg to go back.
We use the clubs for about 1-1/2 hrs a day and it is all my child wants to do

 

[bumbershoot]

One word of warning tho, they won't want to leave and they'll beg to go back.

Now I will reverse myself a bit because there are some kids who just don't want to be there. My cousins thought both of their kids would love it, especially their younger one who is extroverted and not autistic like her brother. But she hated it on their first cruise. Not sure why not sure did.

Second cruise they brought grandma as a backup to get daughter so cousins and hubby could have private time. Daughter tolerated it better but still didn't love it.

(And that's why young cousin's parents weren't answering in my first post in this thread; they were relying on grandma for pickups but daughter had already left the club and was napping in the stateroom when older brother wanted to leave... Grandma didn't know what to do.)

(If you're traveling with a group give others in the group permission and the password to pick up the kid if you might be indisposed at some point. We would have loved to take our boy-cousin from the club when he wanted to leave, but we weren't on his account to do so)