BBB for young teens?

[cmph]

I'm trying to puzzle something out for DD. It honestly didn't occur to me that anyone older than 12 *could* go, or that my daughter (who will be one month past her 13th birthday on our next sailing) would want to go. But I forgot about the younger-cousin factor, and she wants to go with them to experience it together. It looks like the pirate stuff can be scheduled for even adults, but this is in reference to an Alaskan cruise, and the traditional BBB stuff all seems to be limited to ages 3-12 according to the DCL site.

However, she watched a youtube video of a 13yo with an appointment there... I even made her send it to me, b/c I was convinced she got that wrong or it was super old. I can post the link (but didn't want to be seen as promoting something, even though I don't know the people) - it's a family with a youtube channel and they posted a whole big video about their day on the ship. It was posted yesterday, and the girl's age is given as 13.

Does anyone know if they some times let 13yo girls make appointments? or is this some wacky thing they let happen for promotional purposes? even though I don't see how that makes sense if no other 13yo girls would be allowed to do the same!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I'm trying to puzzle something out for DD. It honestly didn't occur to me that anyone older than 12 *could* go, or that my daughter (who will be one month past her 13th birthday on our next sailing) would want to go. But I forgot about the younger-cousin factor, and she wants to go with them to experience it together. It looks like the pirate stuff can be scheduled for even adults, but this is in reference to an Alaskan cruise, and the traditional BBB stuff all seems to be limited to ages 3-12 according to the DCL site.

However, she watched a youtube video of a 13yo with an appointment there... I even made her send it to me, b/c I was convinced she got that wrong or it was super old. I can post the link (but didn't want to be seen as promoting something, even though I don't know the people) - it's a family with a youtube channel and they posted a whole big video about their day on the ship. It was posted yesterday, and the girl's age is given as 13.



Does anyone know if they some times let 13yo girls make appointments? or is this some wacky thing they let happen for promotional purposes? even though I don't see how that makes sense if no other 13yo girls would be allowed to do the same!

Don't know whether it wasn't limited when first started, but the ages (except for the Pirate night First Mate and Empress makeovers) is stated to be 3-12. Usually DCL, when they actually list ages for anything, means it.

Can you tell what makeover the 13 year was getting? Was it possibly the Pirate night one?

 

[cmph]

Don't know whether it wasn't limited when first started, but the ages (except for the Pirate night First Mate and Empress makeovers) is stated to be 3-12. Usually DCL, when they actually list ages for anything, means it.

Can you tell what makeover the 13 year was getting? Was it possibly the Pirate night one?

The princess one - into Jasmine (costume and all) - that's what confused me. The video showed the entire process for her and her younger brother. Their facebook page says they are on the Magic... I guess theoretically it's possible that she had this appt yesterday and turned 13 today, for example, and they already updated their youtube channel info, but that seems pretty darned unlikely, doesn't it?

My best guess, bad as it may be, is that the ship was fairly emptied out b/c it was a port day in the Med (am assuming that's where the Magic is right now), she was close enough to 12 that they just let her do it. Especially since her brother was too. Otherwise, I'm just stumped!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The princess one - into Jasmine (costume and all) - that's what confused me. The video showed the entire process for her and her younger brother. Their facebook page says they are on the Magic... I guess theoretically it's possible that she had this appt yesterday and turned 13 today, for example, and they already updated their youtube channel info, but that seems pretty darned unlikely, doesn't it?

My best guess, bad as it may be, is that the ship was fairly emptied out b/c it was a port day in the Med (am assuming that's where the Magic is right now), she was close enough to 12 that they just let her do it. Especially since her brother was too. Otherwise, I'm just stumped!

It's entirely possible that she was 12 yesterday, and turned 13 today. I know, when a 17 year old teen turns 18 on a cruise they can then go to Palo/Remy. And it's possible to book (onboard) an excursion with a minimum age of, say, 5 for a 4 year old (as long as they will be 5 by the time of the excursion).

 

[cmph]

It's entirely possible that she was 12 yesterday, and turned 13 today. I know, when a 17 year old teen turns 18 on a cruise they can then go to Palo/Remy. And it's possible to book (onboard) an excursion with a minimum age of, say, 5 for a 4 year old (as long as they will be 5 by the time of the excursion).

scrolling through, i see that she turned 13 on the 17th... while they were elsewhere in Europe. Then they posted they were on the Magic just over a week later, with other European travel stuff in between.

Maybe the online system let them make a reservation b/c she was still 12 at the time it was made? Which is something I can totally test, next year, b/c my booking date will be when DD is still 12.

(and now I'm feeling like a super creepy stalker of this family, LOL! Although of course if you're going to put this all out there, people are going to read it!)

 

[FigmentSpark]

If they don't allow it, the system won't let you select your daughter to experience it. I wonder, however, once you get on the ship, whether you can talk to someone. Maybe if, like you say, her cousins are getting it done, they might squeeze her in. I don't know.

 

[bbel]

I know it wouldn't be a full on make-over, but I got to sign my younger cousins on for a day last year. I was showing them all over the ship and we went into BBB, they weren't guests so obviously couldn't get or pay for an appointment, but the girls in there sat them down, put some clips in their hair, stickers on their nails, gave them a couple of stickers or tattoos to take home with them and of course the pixie dust. It made their day, probably more than if they were on the cruise and had an appointment, because they totally weren't expecting it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is even if you can't get an appointment (online or onboard), they'll most likely do something if they all went together.
If there's an age limit and she's not in it, it may go down to how busy they are to whether they waiver it or not - at the end of the day, Disney's all about making money lol.
I don't know how BBB works, but I know with a couple of other departments at DCL, if there's an age limit then the computer system blocks it from happening, it's really not the CM being difficult or covering their own back.

 

[cmph]

If there's an age limit and she's not in it, it may go down to how busy they are to whether they waiver it or not - at the end of the day, Disney's all about making money lol.

Haha, that was pretty much what I thought! I can't imagine there are many appointments on, say, a Med port day. It's not exactly cheap to do the full costume/make-up/hair session, so if no one else is there - they probably want that business!

If they don't allow it, the system won't let you select your daughter to experience it. I wonder, however, once you get on the ship, whether you can talk to someone. Maybe if, like you say, her cousins are getting it done, they might squeeze her in. I don't know.

I figure either the online booking system didn't recognize that she would age out of BBB before they sailed, or they asked nicely once on-board if she could join her brother. Nothing else makes sense. I could totally see a quirk in the system that doesn't recognize the birthday between booking and sail dates. Kind of like buying child-price parks tix (or not having to for the littlest) for kids who have birthdays part of the way through their trip.

Meanwhile, my DD is a little irritated with me b/c she can't understand why I think some odd exception to the rule was made. Because some kid on youtube MUST know more than Mom.

 

[bbel]

I figure either the online booking system didn't recognize that she would age out of BBB before they sailed, or they asked nicely once on-board if she could join her brother. Nothing else makes sense. I could totally see a quirk in the system that doesn't recognize the birthday between booking and sail dates.

There are definitely some bugs in their systems. E.g. If a 12 year old gets registered for the club and gets a band, then turns 13 the next day, the system still lets them check in if the CM doesn't spot it. But, if a child tries to register on their 13th birthday, then there is no way to register them.
Hoping for you that BBB has the same kind of glitch, only one way to find out!

 

[tlprice]

We recently went to WDW for my daughter's 10th birthday. She turned 10 halfway through our trip, but since everything was booked before her 10th birthday, we paid child prices for tickets, food, add on events, etc. the entire trip. (In case somebody on here doesn't know, at age 10 kids are considered adults at WDW). I would assume this could be how they booked BBB for the 13 year old.

 

[ktb2002]

I would definitely check once onboard, the worst they could say is no. However I think I found the video in question and just wanted to point out a couple of things. They did BBB while a lot of people were on a 10 hour excursion to Pisa. A few other things stood out in other videos from their trip that they also may have been given special allowances. They are not staying concierge, but had fruit basket, champagne, and robes, and toiletries not normally included in the standard staterooms. The card accompanying the fruit and champagne was from the cruise line with the name of someone to contact if they needed anything at all. Their you tube channel has over 1 million subscribers so it would not be shocking if they were given special allowances as it would be pretty much free advertising for DCL.

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

I they put the age restriction there cause of the biggest size costumes they have. But quite confident if you contact disney she'll be able to book (hopefully she's petite and fits the biggest size costume)

 

[ashley0139]

I they put the age restriction there cause of the biggest size costumes they have. But quite confident if you contact disney she'll be able to book (hopefully she's petite and fits the biggest size costume)

Adults used to be able to book BBB at the parks, so no, costumes are not the reason. And I wouldn't be quite confident she'll be able to book.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Adults used to be able to book BBB at the parks, so no, costumes are not the reason.

Could still be the reason. Onboard the ships they have limited storage space. Probably didn't want to take up space with adult sized costumes for the few that want to do it.

 

[bbel]

Could still be the reason. Onboard the ships they have limited storage space. Probably didn't want to take up space with adult sized costumes for the few that want to do it.

But not all packages include a dress.
Some kids go there just for hair and/or make up.

 

[cmph]

I would definitely check once onboard, the worst they could say is no. However I think I found the video in question and just wanted to point out a couple of things. They did BBB while a lot of people were on a 10 hour excursion to Pisa. A few other things stood out in other videos from their trip that they also may have been given special allowances. They are not staying concierge, but had fruit basket, champagne, and robes, and toiletries not normally included in the standard staterooms. The card accompanying the fruit and champagne was from the cruise line with the name of someone to contact if they needed anything at all. Their you tube channel has over 1 million subscribers so it would not be shocking if they were given special allowances as it would be pretty much free advertising for DCL.

I admittedly skipped through a lot of the video, just to get to the BBB part and confirm what kind of appt she had. I did notice that I saw NO other people other than CMs at any point in the BBB footage but figured that could have been strategic editing; the Med port part fits into my theory that they'll potentially make it happen if they have zero other customers. The extras they got... wow, yeah, definitely missed that part! In glancing through their instagram (or twitter? can't remember) it seemed like they had done an ABD prior to the cruise. I guess if you throw enough money at Disney while posting on 4 or 5 social media sites about it... that might warrant extra perks, LOL! Or a really happy travel agent who sends you lots of nice gifts.

I they put the age restriction there cause of the biggest size costumes they have. But quite confident if you contact disney she'll be able to book (hopefully she's petite and fits the biggest size costume)

LOL at the petite part b/c um, big no!! She's 5'8" or 5'9" now, could maybe wear a dress as a shirt haha. We are not petite people. I just had to buy her 5'2" 8yo brother size 8.5 men's shoes yesterday. While she did ask about the costume part (and I told her that wasn't going to happen), it's mostly about the hair/make-up stuff. Frankly, I'm not sure one of her cousins will fit into the costumes either (the "not petite people" part applies to my nieces/nephew as well ). We could bring something with us, though.

I guess my conclusion is that none of us "regular folk" have heard of exceptions to the 3-12 rule, and we'll never know exactly why that family got their 13yo a BBB appt, so I told DD to be pleasantly surprised if she gets to do it. I'll test out that potential system glitch when my booking date opens, out of curiosity, since she'll still be 12. We're out of luck in the awesome-bonus-perks potential that family apparently has, I'm afraid!

 

[ktb2002]

I admittedly skipped through a lot of the video, just to get to the BBB part and confirm what kind of appt she had. I did notice that I saw NO other people other than CMs at any point in the BBB footage but figured that could have been strategic editing; the Med port part fits into my theory that they'll potentially make it happen if they have zero other customers. The extras they got... wow, yeah, definitely missed that part! In glancing through their instagram (or twitter? can't remember) it seemed like they had done an ABD prior to the cruise. I guess if you throw enough money at Disney while posting on 4 or 5 social media sites about it... that might warrant extra perks, LOL! Or a really happy travel agent who sends you lots of nice gifts.


LOL at the petite part b/c um, big no!! She's 5'8" or 5'9" now, could maybe wear a dress as a shirt haha. We are not petite people. I just had to buy her 5'2" 8yo brother size 8.5 men's shoes yesterday. While she did ask about the costume part (and I told her that wasn't going to happen), it's mostly about the hair/make-up stuff. Frankly, I'm not sure one of her cousins will fit into the costumes either (the "not petite people" part applies to my nieces/nephew as well ). We could bring something with us, though.

I guess my conclusion is that none of us "regular folk" have heard of exceptions to the 3-12 rule, and we'll never know exactly why that family got their 13yo a BBB appt, so I told DD to be pleasantly surprised if she gets to do it. I'll test out that potential system glitch when my booking date opens, out of curiosity, since she'll still be 12. We're out of luck in the awesome-bonus-perks potential that family apparently has, I'm afraid!

Trust me, I couldn't watch a whole video lol! I just noticed some things a preteen on a mission to prove mom wrong wouldn't have caught

 

[Dug720]

Now I'm curious about the video. Link?

 

[PurplePencil]

Now I'm curious about the video. Link?

Here's the title:
BEING A PRINCESS AND CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP | We Are The Davises

 

[PurplePencil]

I'm trying to puzzle something out for DD. It honestly didn't occur to me that anyone older than 12 *could* go, or that my daughter (who will be one month past her 13th birthday on our next sailing) would want to go. But I forgot about the younger-cousin factor, and she wants to go with them to experience it together. It looks like the pirate stuff can be scheduled for even adults, but this is in reference to an Alaskan cruise, and the traditional BBB stuff all seems to be limited to ages 3-12 according to the DCL site.

However, she watched a youtube video of a 13yo with an appointment there... I even made her send it to me, b/c I was convinced she got that wrong or it was super old. I can post the link (but didn't want to be seen as promoting something, even though I don't know the people) - it's a family with a youtube channel and they posted a whole big video about their day on the ship. It was posted yesterday, and the girl's age is given as 13.

Does anyone know if they some times let 13yo girls make appointments? or is this some wacky thing they let happen for promotional purposes? even though I don't see how that makes sense if no other 13yo girls would be allowed to do the same!

They participated in a Disney video shoot while on the cruise (in France) so my bet is something promotional related