Activities for 13 year olds

[Dreamsoftravel]

Just went to www.disneycruise.com and FAQ still says Aloft and The Stack is 13-17. Just wondering what I am missing.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

It's changed- I think the website hasn't been updated. Only the magic is different now with OQ for 11-13. On Wonder I guess it's still the same for aloft since they don't have an OQ to divide it up like that.

 

[Dreamsoftravel]

It's changed- I think the website hasn't been updated. Only the magic is different now with OQ for 11-13. On Wonder I guess it's still the same for aloft since they don't have an OQ to divide it up like that.

What about the "Teen only" excursions that are available? Are they now 14 as well?

Thanks for the update.

 

[nzdisneymom]

We will be on the Magic and from the way it sounds, she will be in the kids club (she is not going to like this at all). I have a feeling that she will be spending most her time with us.

I was hoping that she could have someplace where she could hang out, possibly watch a movie or something and not have to participate in group activities.

OQ is for 11 - 13 y.o.'s and they don't HAVE to participate in the planned activities if they don't want to. It's set up with a seating / hanging out area, then a table area for games, crafts, etc., the Bridge simulator, and then a bank of computers / video games - some to play as groups and some to play individually. I think the mix of the kids sailing sets the tone for how things go in OQ. We sailed over Christmas and my guys (11 and 12) had a great time - totally different kids - my 11 y.o. is more social, and my 12 y.o. would just as soon be on his own - and they both found plenty to do. The counselors really get to know the kids, so it's great to take them by the first day to introduce them - it's not nearly as crazy as the Lab was in our previous experiences.

Our 12 y.o. also enjoyed just hanging out in the cabin watching movies on the stateroom tv. Of course DH enjoyed hanging out on the verandah reading

 

[dizmomof2]

My DD's went to OQ and The Stack. The younger one didn't like OQ because there wasn't much to do for her. It was mostly "hanging out". She loves the planned activities. There were usually only four activities per day for this age group. There was always a councilor that stayed in the OQ for kids that just wanted to hang out and not participate.

As far as youger kids in the group, there was only a couple of 11 years olds. Mostly the group was 12 and 13 year olds.

My older DD went to the stack and hung out with the teens. Some of their activities were really more for older teens (16+). I think they need to make two teen groups, younger and older.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

What about the "Teen only" excursions that are available? Are they now 14 as well?

Thanks for the update.

I'm sorry I really don't know. I think they probably state the ages for this (like maybe look up the teen wild side for castaway cay and see if it states ages?) but I'm not sure because the only time we've booked my teen for teen excursions was when she was already 14.. so I didn't really pay attention to if the age was for under 14 or not. I hope someone can help you with that question though!

My DD's went to OQ and The Stack. The younger one didn't like OQ because there wasn't much to do for her. It was mostly "hanging out". She loves the planned activities. There were usually only four activities per day for this age group. There was always a councilor that stayed in the OQ for kids that just wanted to hang out and not participate.

As far as youger kids in the group, there was only a couple of 11 years olds. Mostly the group was 12 and 13 year olds.

My older DD went to the stack and hung out with the teens. Some of their activities were really more for older teens (16+). I think they need to make two teen groups, younger and older.

I agree with your last statement! But that just goes to show that what many of us were saying is right- OQ is like the stack for younger kids. LOL It's definitely not activity after activity like the lab/club can be and they can hang out (as well as leave at will) same as the stack.

 

[lbgraves]

I had no idea they changed the age until I read this. However, after I read the 13 vs 18 year, comment...scary!! DD was able to hang out in DQ last time we cruised, I think the age was 10-12 then. She will be fine in there again. If not, I guess I will see more of her on this trip.

Before May 2008 the OQ was used for lab activities and had many more open house hours for kids of all ages. Since then it has been the gathering place for the 11-13 yos. They do still have open house hours for anyone most mornings before the 11-13 yos get up.

 

[kileybeth]

Again, The Disboards at there best. Thank you one and all for your input and information. Our first cruise is this September and we are travling with DD13 (turning 14 before we go) and DS16 (turning 17 on the cruise but so unscarey for a 13 year old to be around! HA!) so I read this thread with much interest!

Might be just my perspective (we are a little strange in this family!) or because we already also have 2 boys in their 20's (one married, one college graduate~ the whole been there done that but they are all different)) and also still have two preschoolers DD4 by time we crusie and DS6 (just had birthday) that makes my perspective so . . .so relaxed?

I guess if they hate something they will let you know. I have no idea how any of mine will respond at all! Can't get them to tell me a thing after watching planning video or listening to me talk about it? It's just a big unknown for all of us I guess.

jenandreson, it was good to see your last couple of responses. You are going in with such a great attitude and sounds like now your daughter is too! Have a ball where ever you find yourselves. Perhaps since you are repeat cruisers, your daughter could buddy up with a newbie like my kids and show them around a bit, might be nice for her to be the "voice of experience"!

oh and yeah, 13, ugh. still your baby and so grown up all rolled into one!

 

[aprilgail2]

My oldest will be a few months shy of 14 when we cruise (Wonder) and is not to happy about the fact there is no OQ doesn't like the older teenager idea!!!

There really is a big mature factor from 13 to 18...I know what I did at 18 and would not want my 13 year old around that..LMAO...

When we took my friends daughter who was 14 on the cruise a couple years ago she hated the Stack- she said she was uncomfortable because it was like a bunch of guys and girls just trying to "hook up" and she did not care to be there. A few days later while we were coming back from a show she saw two of the kids that had met in the stack- they were on a lounge chair on deck laying on top of each other making out. Some kids are there just to have fun but then you have the group that looks at it like a dating service!

 

[Dreamsoftravel]

When we took my friends daughter who was 14 on the cruise a couple years ago she hated the Stack- she said she was uncomfortable because it was like a bunch of guys and girls just trying to "hook up" and she did not care to be there. A few days later while we were coming back from a show she saw two of the kids that had met in the stack- they were on a lounge chair on deck laying on top of each other making out. Some kids are there just to have fun but then you have the group that looks at it like a dating service!

Ok, my DD WILL enjoy DQ, no choice in that!

 

[luvcruisn]

What about the "Teen only" excursions that are available? Are they now 14 as well?

Thanks for the update.

13 year olds are included in the teen excursions with no problems at all!

 

[BethA]

My son will be 13 before our cruise and had sooo looked forward to the stack-not sure why. He has rarely done the kids' activities since he was small. Seems so many kids have a friend or relative with them he feels left out.

Does this mean I still have to sign him up and get that pager? I was hoping when we did it in Dec that would be the end of that.

I would have liked to see a 13/14 group and and then older teens.
If the stack is all 14-17, I think he is not mature enough for that group. I think I'll wait til we get onboard to tell him. Are there navigators with the 11-13 info for the 7 night cruise?

 

[BethA]

any comments from recent cruisers on activities for 13s?

 

[Ourtwoprincesses]

I have a 13 year old daughter who will be in Ocean Quest. I won't let her go in the older teen bracket as I feel like it is too much of an age gap and I won't sneek her in saying she is older just to let her be there. Anyways, most of her friends at school are ages 11-13. Though she does have some older friends, she only sees them at dance or track practice. Anyways, I told her about OQ and the age differences and all and she is fine with it. She is excited about going and she makes friends easily. I am sure she will LOVE Improve theatre. That is right up her alley. She loves to dance and make up routines, that is her specialty. What do the other 13 yr old girls on this board like to do? This might help to get them to know eachother better before the cruise.

 

[runwad]

Ok someone posted that the kids can come and go as they please in OQ..this will not go over well with my DH..can we request pagers if we want for them?

 

[lbgraves]

You have to specifically insist that they give you one as they are not in that area. The reports from guests with kids in the OQ group who have requested that the CMs send a message on the pager have not been positive.

 

[Hannah_Montana94]

Ok someone posted that the kids can come and go as they please in OQ..this will not go over well with my DH..can we request pagers if we want for them?

Yes you can when I was in ocean quest I was able to come and go but my rules were my parents made I had to find them for example I am heading to family crafts after I will be back at ocean quest. Or you can request a pager many kids had them when I was in there you just tell a counsler and they will page you or if you can teach your kid to use the phone they can call from ocean quest.Or tell them you can leave to get food and bring it back to quest or go to the bathroom thats what I also did but after I went back to quest

 

[frdeb1999]

The pagers are hit and miss. They will give them to you, but they do not enforce the paging you all the time. As above poster (dd) said we had a system of her checking in with us. She knew were we'd be and she'd come to us to let us know if she was going elsewhere. They don't have a bathroom in that exact area so you have to go up a floor to get to one....she just went to our cabin as it was closer to do so. This worked well for us and we had no problems with it.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I would have liked to see a 13/14 group and and then older teens.
If the stack is all 14-17, I think he is not mature enough for that group. I think I'll wait til we get onboard to tell him. Are there navigators with the 11-13 info for the 7 night cruise?

Just FYI- the stack can have 18 YEAR OLDS in it! If they haven't started college yet. Crazy huh? Yes I think so.
I agree with you that 14yr olds with kids up to legal adult age is IMO not a good idea...... didn't go well with my 14yr old on the last trip let me tell ya.

The pagers are hit and miss. They will give them to you, but they do not enforce the paging you all the time. As above poster (dd) said we had a system of her checking in with us. She knew were we'd be and she'd come to us to let us know if she was going elsewhere. They don't have a bathroom in that exact area so you have to go up a floor to get to one....she just went to our cabin as it was closer to do so. This worked well for us and we had no problems with it.

yes, frdeb is right- please do make other "arrangements" with your kids. They continually "forgot" or "thought they did but must not have- shrug" everytime my son asked them to page us in the OQ to let us know where he was going. He'd just not be there- they'd have no idea where he was -he'd say he asked them to page us- we'd ask them and they'd be like oh yeah.... I musta forgot.

(we had a pager because our youngest was in the club)

This time we're going to have a system of they HAVE to either go to our room and write on the erase board where they will be- everytime they go anywhere other than the OQ or stack (I have one in each of those age groups) OR call the room and leave a voice message- that way we won't spend a lot of time trying to find them which we did last time.
You cannot depend on the OQ or stack counselors ever paging you even if your "rule" with your kids is to ask the counselor to page us- they probably won't even if your child asks them to.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

When we took my friends daughter who was 14 on the cruise a couple years ago she hated the Stack- she said she was uncomfortable because it was like a bunch of guys and girls just trying to "hook up" and she did not care to be there. A few days later while we were coming back from a show she saw two of the kids that had met in the stack- they were on a lounge chair on deck laying on top of each other making out. Some kids are there just to have fun but then you have the group that looks at it like a dating service!

Missed this post before.
yep!
That's exactly what we realized was going on -on our last cruise... and it was a long repo cruise! GRanted not ALL the kids were doing this but generally the ones that weren't- didn't spend as much time in the stack. And my 14yr old went with the flow and to SOME degree (although more than we approved of) joined right in on the "dating service" mentality group... fortunately it didn't go as far as making out but it went further than we were happy with. Apparently she's more of a follower than I thought...

(and he got our phone number on the last night when they were passing out "keep in touch" info-and he keeps calling! I keep saying she's not here. ugh)