Adventurers' Club--12 year old okay?

[Judgekw]

I have not replied to the posts in a long time but I had to say something on this topic. I took my two 11 year olds and a ten year old to pleasure island over spring break. They are all very into drama and acting and I thought they would enjoy the improve at the comedy club and the skits at the Adventurer's club. They thought the comedy club was boring. They loved the Adventurer's Club. It was probably their favorite part of the trip. The cast was great and included them in some of the skits. The skits are very tame in comparision to all the trash on television.

It is not at all like taking your children to a normal night club. I think that even at their nightclubs Disney has a different philosophy. They do not push drinks or require you to purchase a minimum amount. The fact that they even allow kids lets you know that they have a different philosophy. Obviously, as the night gets later, people are drinking more. You should plan to arrive early and leave fairly early, but it is ridiculous to think your child will be scared or damaged.

If it gets to wild, which I doubt, you can just leave. Obviously most kids have seen adults drink at parties etc. Unless you are completely against any kind of alcohol I do not think you will find the clubs wild at all. If you are a teetotaler I doubt you would be considering taking the kids at all. I can only say my crowd loved the Adventurers Club and I think the kids really appreciated the talent of the cast.

 

[disneycrazed139]

Well, you were the last poster here and one that I was actually hoping for! My son, too, is a drama kid, which is why I thought the Adventurer's Club might appeal to him in the first place (and maybe not so many other kids)

Thanks for your input!

 

[Tess]

I know I'm in the minority, but I have no problem with kids at PI. That said, I agree wholeheartedly with the early in, early out policy others have mentioned.

Our kids went to PI with us two years ago (11 & 13). We did the first show of Comedy Warehouse and thereafter a brief stay at AC. No other clubs, a brief potty stop--and out of Dodge!

We did the same last year (12 & 14) only we made it to show #2 at the Comedy Warehouse and visited AC prior thereto. We will be doing something similar again this year (13 & 15) by POPULAR DEMAND--the kids feel these two "Clubs" are just as much fun as a spin on RnR.

When we visit PI, we do not go on a weekend or a Thursday. Usually a Monday or Tuesday evening. Crowds are, or at least have been, minimal--no "drunks" wandering about and the "Clubs" aren't crowded, save CW, which is always packed. Yeah, we had to endure the comments of the AC CM about taking kids to a bar, etc.--didn't bother us. No, we don't take our kids to a "bar or club" at home. We have done dinner theater and take them to restaurants that serve alcohol, including those at WDW. Heck, the kids can see just as many (or sometimes it seems so) people imbibing around World Showcase or the pools at the resorts.

We have tried to instill in our kids the idea that there is nothing wrong with adults enjoying cocktails in moderation. We do not wish to make alcohol a "forbidden fruit" and therefore add to the mystique. Likewise, they have been drilled that it is not acceptable for anyone under 21 to indulge and won't be tolerated by these parents. I guess we've been lucky--we've not encountered any inappropriate adult behavior while at PI--and we aren't tea drinkers either.

Yep, there are definitely other things to do at Disney--we do DQ (certainly not a pleasurable experience for me) and wander the shopping areas (those can be an eye opener in and of themselves--especially the West End). At night, in light of short hours in the parks AND a lack of things to do for the teenage set, PI provides an early evening alternative to Resort TV. It's a good rainy night alternative, too.

I suppose our kids are old enough to "stay at home", but I enjoy their company and PI. Now, if WDW opened a "Club" for this age group with dancing, etc.--they might prefer it to our company, who knows?

I really try not to be judgmental about parental decisions. I do wonder about dragging kids--and by that I mean the young ones--around at midnight--anywhere, not just PI. Then again, my two never saw the inside of a theme park in the evening until the youngest was around 9--they were snug in bed by 8:30-9:00 p.m. and I wasn't too far behind them!

If you want to visit PI, give it a shot--you know your kid's interests and your family view of "adult activity". To me, life is all about education--the good and the bad--frankly, I do more explaining about the television version than I ever have a Disney version.

 

[Aubrey]

"Yeah, we had to endure the comments of the AC CM about taking kids to a bar, etc"

Do you mean to say the CM actually attempted to make you feel unwelcome at CA even early in the evening when there is no age restriction on the club? That's very un-disneylike.

 

[Tess]

If there is a child "in the house", the AC CM will comment on the fact that there are "young ears" about. The CMs tend to "blame" their lack of bawdiness on the children being there when in actuality--it's just a Disney production. They actually will approach the kid and ask them "Do your parents take you to bars at home?" Laugh. . .Laugh. . . Truly, I don't view AC & CW as "bars".

The humor is very sanitized adult Disney, slightly off-color humor. I know our kids have come home from school with more bawdy jokes. As to the contention that perhaps the humor is bawdier as the night progresses, I've not experienced that. My husband and I went to PI on an adults' only trip and went early, stayed late on a weekend. The humor didn't change from early evening to late evening. It was the same off-color, innuendo type humor.

I guess the decision should be based on what type of humor is considered appropriate for each family. If a parent didn't want their child exposed to slightly off-color, adult humor at home, why would they accept it at Disney. Our kids have known the "facts of life" for a number of years--we are very open around our home and discuss the appropriateness of behaviors, adult and otherwise. They don't seem to be damaged goods for having been to PI and it's just more precious moments we get to spend together having a great time.

Let's face it, the kids will be off to university life in the blink of an eye--what they learn now they will take with them when they are on their own. What better object lesson than to get a small taste of what the "adult" world is like--especially a sanitized Disney version. IF we ventured into PI and found the atmosphere too over-the-top and witnessed the things the other posters have mentioned, we wouldn't be hanging about. It's just not been our experience. Until then, we'll continue to spend an evening at PI doing the AC & CW as well as DQ.

 

[pintrader]

Well, I would like to share last night with you all. It is GAY WEEK at Disney.

First of all we went to all of the shows in the library.

The adults were guffawing and snorting so loudly that it was truly more fun than usual. Early in the evening. There was a child at the table next to ours. I would have to say that while there are double-edged jokes, the child was old enough to understand the part she was suppose to and smart enough to know there was something going on she didn't "get". Becuase the cjhild level humor just really was NOT that funny. She was a complete nuisance to those at tables all around because she was insistent upon her parents explaining why "THAT" was so funny. She was very demanding of her parents to let her in on the bigger picture. Very disruptive to those of us nearby.

Next I have to say, at the radiothon which is two shows from the end there was another pre teen. She was asked her age and where she was from. She said eleven and Georgia. She and her family were on the complete opposite side of the room from us. Even as she spoke there were murmurings all around our area, about the lack of good judgement to have her there. Upon exiting the room there was not one person within my hearing arena that was not commenting upon the inappropriateness of her presence there at that hour, particularly during gay week. If you can justify them going perhaps you should try as hard to justify them NOT going. If not for their sake then for the sake of adults around.

At least one table of four people felt the need to "control" themselves. They were in the immediate area and commented that they should not have had to take a child as a audience into consideration. The people who go to Disney are family people and typically aware of their surroundings and may not want to let loose in front of your child or theirs and that is why they left theirs at the hotel with a sitter.

That room holds 90-100 people and during the last two shows there were 8 of us in one and 10 of us in the other that were not there for the "festivities". Perhaps parents should think of the comfort and enjoyment of those around them.

BTW, for the person who commented on adverse public behavior. Only a few of them had to make a point of their sexual preference. Most of them were as discreet as most mindful adults woud be in public.

Please remember Disney CMs are REQUIRED to respect you and your children. It is really up to you to make the parental decision whether it is ok for them or not. The CM HAS to grin and bear it.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by pintrader
Well, I would like to share last night with you all. It is GAY WEEK at Disney.

First of all we went to all of the shows in the library.

The adults were guffawing and snorting so loudly that it was truly more fun than usual. Early in the evening. There was a child at the table next to ours. I would have to say that while there are double-edged jokes, the child was old enough to understand the part she was suppose to and smart enough to know there was something going on she didn't "get". Becuase the cjhild level humor just really was NOT that funny. She was a complete nuisance to those at tables all around because she was insistent upon her parents explaining why "THAT" was so funny. She was very demanding of her parents to let her in on the bigger picture. Very disruptive to those of us nearby.

Next I have to say, at the radiothon which is two shows from the end there was another pre teen. She was asked her age and where she was from. She said eleven and Georgia. She and her family were on the complete opposite side of the room from us. Even as she spoke there were murmurings all around our area, about the lack of good judgement to have her there. Upon exiting the room there was not one person within my hearing arena that was not commenting upon the inappropriateness of her presence there at that hour, particularly during gay week. If you can justify them going perhaps you should try as hard to justify them NOT going. If not for their sake then for the sake of adults around.

At least one table of four people felt the need to "control" themselves. They were in the immediate area and commented that they should not have had to take a child as a audience into consideration. The people who go to Disney are family people and typically aware of their surroundings and may not want to let loose in front of your child or theirs and that is why they left theirs at the hotel with a sitter.

That room holds 90-100 people and during the last two shows there were 8 of us in one and 10 of us in the other that were not there for the "festivities". Perhaps parents should think of the comfort and enjoyment of those around them.

BTW, for the person who commented on adverse public behavior. Only a few of them had to make a point of their sexual preference. Most of them were as discreet as most mindful adults woud be in public.

Please remember Disney CMs are REQUIRED to respect you and your children. It is really up to you to make the parental decision whether it is ok for them or not. The CM HAS to grin and bear it.

Excellent post Kathryn,

I would also like to point out that in the promo film that they play endlessly at the Disney resorts they are very subtle in telling you that it is adult themed. I do wish I could remember the exact verbage.

I really don't care what week it is, Gay Week, Have fun with your friends week, Christian Candle Burners Week, you simply need to have as much consideration for others as you expect from them.

Adults go to PI to "let down" and as such behave in a manner that is not necessarily proper for children to view. I feel it is unfair to have "let down" time squelched because a child is around. Some of us go to DW without children and really enjoy a time when they are not around. We actually need a break from them. We don't hate kids, but, are around them all day in the park and would appreciate time away from them. I would expect there are parents that feel the same way and have secured child care for them and would like a break from them. I would also imagined they are somewhat chagrined by seeing them at PI after carefully planning a night away from the little ones.

I have long held the belief that TV is a wasteland for the brain and the fact that there is so much crap out there does not mitigate the fact that in reality PI is "Disney for Adults". I really don't care what your kids watch on TV because it makes no one but you and yours uncomfortable, I do care when that analogy
( well they see worse on TV) intereferes with my comfort level. I
do care about your kids and back down a bunch when kids are around. This is not to imply I get rowdy or decadent, I simply have adult fun, I interact with the CMs at AC in an adult fashion.
Because Disney is "family oriented" the CM's are instructed to tone down the interaction when children are present, therefore costing a lot of people a lot of fun.

I am not telling you what to do with your kids, they are yours and you should make your own informed decisions, however, I would ask that you show consideration for others and respect the fact that there are people who enjoy time away from kids and enjoy an adult night out. I am sure you don't like your fun ruined and neither do we.

 

[BethA]

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[Aubrey]

Everywhere we go, others will observe and judge us as parents, some approvingly and some disapprovingly based on their own map of what constitutes "good" parenting. I hope my kids will end up strong enough to make their choices based on sound reasoning and not on other's opinions. Personally, I have no problem bringing my kids to the early shows, making sure their behavior is not disruptive to anyone around us, and then leaving when the rowdiness begins. It does sound as though Disney should resolve this issue by perhaps putting an age limit on PI starting at 10 or 11pm.
My earlier question about what the CM said stemmed from surprise that Disney would allow parents to bring children and then formulate an "entertainment" in which those parents were mocked for bad parenting in front of the children. I consider that to be a serious error of planning on Disney's part. I am a long ago former CM, a character in fact. When I was there in the early years there was a focus on "social engineering" in which the environment and all of our behavior as Disney employees encouraged us not only to give our best but to try to elicit the best from our guests. We were told, and quite rightly, that people's holiday experience would be enhanced by their sense of pride in their own behavior. In other words, when I am friendly causing them to be friendly in return - they walk away feeling good because they experience themselves as friendly and likable. Similarly, I was taught to gently intervene in parent-child conflicts if I could do so without causing a scene. The logic was that by giving the struggling parent a graceful out, they would regain a sense of being a competent parent, (yes, causing them to remain in the park and spend more money). I just don't think that allowing children into th e AC club and then humiliating their parents for bringing them is consistent with the philosophy. JMHO

 

[B'rer Karen]

Aubrey, I think if you saw the interaction you'd see it was all in good fun. The parents always seem to think it's funny. It's not done in a malicious or mean spirited way. I think it's more about getting the kids involved, and the parents appreciate that. It fits with the atmosphere of the AC club, and I think the parents take it in that vein.

 

[pintrader]

Beth,
I was always taught that two wrongs don't make a right. So while I understand your comment

Maybe there are adults ruining my fun throughout WDW--smoking, swearing, acting inappropriately, screaming at their children

but don't think I can agree with your justification.

I am paying the same price you are.

No one ever contested that fact, however, remember 11 year olds are not paying the same amount as an adult does.

If your behavior is such that chldren would be offended-maybe you should look in the mirror rather than say we should stay home.

With what children see and hear today they probably would not even know they should be offended, however, a great majority of us were taught to set a good example for children. While we may not be ashamed of how we conduct ourselves, we may be more at ease in the presence of adults.

disneycrazed139, the original paster of this thread did not ask why your children should be comfortable there. She asked for opinions of whether it would be interesting for a 12-year-old and that maybe the early shows at the comedy club are appropriate for older children. She later asked posters to explain their response.

No one was attacking you, your parenting skills or your children. This is not the debate board. Well intentioned people are explaining why there are other venues more appropriately suited for family entertainment.

If you feel I ruined your fun too bad.

tch, tch, tch

 

[Pat_Elliott]

Originally posted by GAIL HAYDEN
I am not telling you what to do with your kids, they are yours and you should make your own informed decisions, however, I would ask that you show consideration for others and respect the fact that there are people who enjoy time away from kids and enjoy an adult night out. I am sure you don't like your fun ruined and neither do we.

Tried to stay out of this one, but I just can't.....

Gail, who exactly is "we?" Personally, when I go to PI, I do what I'm going to do. I have no problem with children being there. You and I have a fundemental difference of opinion. And it's a beautiful country where we can do that. I get my hair up on these boards not when I see someone have an opinion, but when I see someone suggest that someone else's opinion is somehow wrong by default, or that their opinion speaks for the masses.

I personally on countless trips to PI (wish I was there now) have seen maybe one or two people per night who seem to have a problem with kids being there. I certainly don't presume my 25-30 experiences with the AC make me an expert, nor my sample scientific. But there are certain issues (the same four or five seem to come up a lot) where some folks try to suggest the opposite opinion isn't just wrong, but shared by few people. I see this happening here and now.

I think if there's some common sense that prevails, but if I spent my time avoiding anything that would ruin the fun of any individual at WDW, I'd never leave the hotel, then I'd probably be annoying someone (most likely my wife). To suggest the previous poster is in violation of your fun by showing up to the AC with a 12 year old, which is within regulations, and saying "we" had our fun ruined leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. Perhaps we should all have consideration for other folks.

I just think the rhetoric here can get mighty preachy. And that's nothing but my opinion alone.

Pat

 

[BethA]

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[GAIL HAYDEN]

Gail, who exactly is "we?" Personally, when I go to PI, I do what I'm going to do. I have no problem with children being there. You and I have a fundemental difference of opinion. And it's a beautiful country where we can do that. I get my hair up on these boards not when I see someone have an opinion, but when I see someone suggest that someone else's opinion is somehow wrong by default, or that their opinion speaks for the masses.

The "we" is the only "we" I feel comfortable quoting and that would be Dee and I. Dee being my s/o. He and I both have children (now adult) and enjoy time with other adults.
I would never presume to speak for the masses, only for myself and others I have been with who have expressed an opinion.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by BethA
I do believe in most venues at WDW an 11 yr old does pay an adult price. No one ruins your own fun but you. If you want to scold me for my choice of words-go ahead. This is the first unpleasant experience I've had on these boards in several years. Once again preaching you say 2 wrongs don't make a right-I was pointing out that there are things everywhere in life you may not like or agree with, but everyone is entitled to make their own choice since children are allowed and it is not up tp you to tell me what is right or wrong. I don't feel the need to tell you about myself or my children and will not reply to this post again. I don't drink or present myself in a manner I'd prefer my children or anyone's children not see and if you prefer there are No children there you are free to choose to go to an adult only bar

Not sure where you come from, but, most bars ARE adult only in most states.
Kathryn is not preaching, she is stating and opinion. I was not preaching, I was stating an opinion. The fact you don't agree is fine, that is what makes the world go around. BUT...to extrapolate from that that someone is judging you is way beyond the bend.
I was brought up to be mindful of everyone around me, to be considerate of others and to watch my p's and q's around little ones. If this offends you, fine. That is your monkey, not mine.
Does it totally destroy my fun, no, all I need do is remember that you PAID as much as I did to be there (perhaps more, I have annual passes to PI) and realize that you don't care what your children see or hear and will behave accordingly. I will forget the life lessons my parents taught me and will behave with a totally selfish "me, me, I paid to be here and the he** with anyone else around me" attitude that is so incredibly prevalent in this culture.
And when JR. repeats what he hears, it will be YOUR monkey to take care of it.

I don't drink or present myself in a manner I'd prefer my children or anyone's children not see and if you prefer there are No children there you are free to choose to go to an adult only bar

If you don't do this, why would you expose your children to it?
I am sort of lost with this one.

Like I said before, I can only speak for myself and those I know whose opinion have been expressed.
MHO is children don't belong in bars or adult venues. I would not and did not take mine (which is fine cause I am their parent) to a bar or adult venue, there is a time and place for everything, and this is neither the time or place. JMHO, and no judgement.

 

[TDC Nala]

I've been in the AC numerous times. I could count on one hand the times I've seen things that I think would be bothersome for a child to see or hear. Note that I can only work from what I personally think would be bothersome.

On the other hand, the more outrageous stuff is usually terribly funny and if the CMs are the ones doing it (and they usually are), it happens when there are no young children in attendance. Even that probably wouldn't be rated beyond PG-13 if there was a rating system for such things.

So I can't say I care either way whether or not there are children present at AC.

And if you don't want to expose your kid to adults who are recreationally drinking alcohol, don't take 'em where they serve alcohol without food. If you don't care whether or not they see people drinking or drunk, that's different.

 

[melvin]

I believe what the writers are saying is that we (they) don't really want children at PI. You are concerned how it will be for your son, but as you can see from the responses, you should be aware of his impact on all the other guests there. The vast majority don't believe children should be there, and the two that do (marginally) think they should leave by ten. What I am trying to say is while you are deciding what is best for your son, remember the majority of people at PI will be uncomfortable with his presence, and it will not be the best situation for the other adult guests. Before I get labelled as a child hater, I love my 9 and 12 ds very much... but they do not go to PI with me. I also like to dress nicely when I eat at the finer restaurants in WDW, but that is a whole other issue!

 

[cleo]

Welcome to the DIS, melvin! And you've made your entry on such a notable thread, too!

It goes without saying that we'll all be respectful of others opinions, and recognize the difference between an opinoin and a smack in the kisser, right? So let's stick with the opinions and realize that while there are very strong feelings on both sides, we all have the right to be heard. I know you're all good at that, so enough said.

PS: Just so you know I wasn't talking about you on that last part, melvin. We're just glad you found us and even happier that you've shared your opinoin on the matter. Keep posting!