Change in Chill Spa Policy

[keaster]

Just saw this on the DIS blogs:

New policy in effect - a parent or guardian must be present for the duration of all Chill Spa treatments. This begins:
Disney Dream - 10/9/14
Disney Magic - 10/11/14
Disney Fantasy - 10/11/14

We don't have a child old enough yet for Chill Spa, but curious to know why the change? Usually there isn't a change like this unless something happened that maybe wasn't supposed to?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just saw this on the DIS blogs:

New policy in effect - a parent or guardian must be present for the duration of all Chill Spa treatments. This begins:
Disney Dream - 10/9/14
Disney Magic - 10/11/14
Disney Fantasy - 10/11/14

We don't have a child old enough yet for Chill Spa, but curious to know why the change? Usually there isn't a change like this unless something happened that maybe wasn't supposed to?

I doubt that DCL will explain the policy change. It's possible that there were issues on other cruiselines (or spas) that made the DCL lawyers say "let's be sure we're covered".

 

[Savikins]

I wouldn't be surprised if they lost a lot of revenue from the Chill Spa with this new change. I don't think many parents want to take time out of their cruise to watch their teenager get a spa treatment!

 

[Melissa S]

I wouldn't be surprised if they lost a lot of revenue from the Chill Spa with this new change. I don't think many parents want to take time out of their cruise to watch their teenager get a spa treatment!

Why not? We enjoyed watching our daughter get her hair and makeup done at BBB. It's called parenting. Taking an hour out of your day to make you child happy is something parents do all the time. And parents have the option of doing the mother/ daughter and father/son treatments if they want to be pampered too.

 

[Savikins]

Why not? We enjoyed watching our daughter get her hair and makeup done at BBB. It's called parenting. Taking an hour out of your day to make you child happy is something parents do all the time. And parents have the option of doing the mother/ daughter and father/son treatments if they want to be pampered too.

Chill out!

I don't have children, nor will I ever, so whatever you say. I know my Mom would have sat in there and watched me get a massage or something (she's not the type to ever get a spa treatment anyway, for various reasons, so that rules out the whole get pampered together thing), in fact she did do so once at the Ritz when I was 14. I do know that she was bored and told me she wished I could have just gone in by myself. I also know the majority of my friends' parents would have never done such a thing in the first place.

 

[Snurk71]

There's no way DD14 would want one of us hanging around her during a spa treatment like a massage. She'd probably pass on it instead.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-Note2 using DISBoards

 

[treehugnmama]

I go to the spa with my daughter but to sit and watch is not a good plan. I would rather be able to go with her and we can each have a treatment and some bonding time

 

[Purplejewel]

Two of my daughters were finally old enough to get a treatment at the Chill Spa on the Fantasy last November and they each got the Ice Cream Manicure and Pedicure. They did it together and loved it but if I have to tag along and watch them get this spa treatment they might pass since they enjoyed feeling like an adult and getting pampered without Mom and Dad hovering over them. We tend to be overprotective and have started giving them little bits of freedom (as it is earned). What a shame since we will be taking a family cruise November of 2015 on the Fantasy and they both have already said they would love to get the Ice Cream Manicure and Pedicure again. They may change their minds now. I wonder if unruly or rude teenagers caused this change or if something inappropriate happened during a spa treatment. I am sure Disney has a good reason for the change but I am certain they will lose business because of it.

 

[keaster]

Two of my daughters were finally old enough to get a treatment at the Chill Spa on the Fantasy last November and they each got the Ice Cream Manicure and Pedicure. They did it together and loved it but if I have to tag along and watch them get this spa treatment they might pass since they enjoyed feeling like an adult and getting pampered without Mom and Dad hovering over them. We tend to be overprotective and have started giving them little bits of freedom (as it is earned). What a shame since we will be taking a family cruise November of 2015 on the Fantasy and they both have already said they would love to get the Ice Cream Manicure and Pedicure again. They may change their minds now. I wonder if unruly or rude teenagers caused this change or if something inappropriate happened during a spa treatment. I am sure Disney has a good reason for the change but I am certain they will lose business because of it.

I agree...I think it would be weird to just sit there and watch as my DD got a massage or a facial. As a PP said, I'd have no problem sitting in a salon watching her get her hair done or a pedicure... or having a pedicure or massage done with her at the same time.

 

[Tracerr00]

If my daughter was small and going to BBB for sure I’d watch and take pictures, etc. But there is no way that my 15 year old wants me to watch her get a pedicure (unless I’m getting one too and I don’t plan on it because I won't subject anyone to my nasty runners feet)! On our last cruise she and her friend went together to get a mani/pedi and that was their BFF time and they loved it! We’re cruising on the Wonder next week with the same friends and they already know that they want to do it again and it’s going to be a huge bummer if both of us moms have to sit there with them while they do this. Unless of course they supply wine to the moms then that may be ok! Also, is there no Chill Spa on the Wonder? I don't see it listed.

 

[DahliaRW]

I'd just bring my kindle and stay to the side. You don't have to watch, you have to be present. You can be doing something else. I'm sure it's just an insurance/liability thing.

 

[Sarabi's Cubs]

Hmm. My 14 year old daughter and her 14 year old cousin were planning on doing this together on our cruise. I don't think either of them would be thrilled to have me there since this was something for them to do together. Just curious on the layout since I have never been on the Fantasy. Are there chairs for parents to observe or am I just going to be standing there or what?

Laurie

 

[jcjen519]

I don't think any parent on here is suggesting they can't be bothered for their child. That policy seems to kind of kill the whole idea of chill spa though. I can't imagine its the same thing for teens if mom is there. I don't think this is going to create more interest in the place.

I don't have a teen....only a 5 year old and i can't recall from when i was a kid. can't teens go to the regular spa with their parents or is that a no?

 

[asunutgirl]

We are on the Dream for Thanksgiving and my teens were both planning to go to the spa. I don't really want to waste two hours of my vacation watching my kids get a massage. Last cruise, I had a massage while my oldest was at the Chill Spa. We will be passing due to this rule.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I bet either something happened or Disney is becoming more cautious. I'm honestly not surprised. Locally there have been some recent news stories about inappropriate contact during spa treatments, and I think there was a thread about something happening to a teen on a Disney cruise. I could see Disney becoming over cautious.

 

[ppony]

There's no way DD14 would want one of us hanging around her during a spa treatment like a massage. She'd probably pass on it instead.

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I'm glad I found this thread in my search. I know my teen son would LOVE a massage, but no way will he want mom or even dad hanging out. He'll pass too. Good to know about this now.

 

[gzmtlock]

My guess is, if anything "happened" to cause this change, it was more about some teenagers' behavior. If it was inappropriate contact during a massage, they could simply drop that service and maintain the "no parents required" policy. I'm sure they'll lose lots more $$ over mani/pedis from teens who wanted the no-parent time than they would have simply dropping the unaccompanied massages.

And the to PP with the question about the Wonder - no, it does not have Chill Spa. And children may be allowed in the adult with their parents, but only for the much-more expensive "couples" massages; this is what DD and I did several years back - and we had to do it at a time when the spa was at low use. They were very sensitive to the perception of DD in the "adults only" spa. Actually, the spa is the ONLY place I've found that will bend the adults-only rule. At least, that was our experience.

Which is one reason we're going on a mother-daughter cruise in January, about 6 weeks after DD turns 18.

 

[wdwwishes]

I think the younger spectrum using Chill, say 13 to 15 years old needs a parent present. 16 & 17 year olds can have a parent present or a release signed authorizing treatment. I also think that the salon could be made for 16 and older giving the option for a more tweenie experience for a mani/pedi etc. or a more adult one. I know my DDs will not going to the spa on our Baltics cruise because of this. They'll be 16 and 19. Is this a DCL policy or a new policy of the spa as the spas are contracted by the cruise lines? I'm sure something must have/might have happened to prompt this change.

 

[suzu]

I think the key here is what does "be present" mean. It doesn't say in the treatment room. Maybe they mean in the waiting area of the spa.

 

[bumbershoot]

I was just scanning all the paper from our cruise in October, and noticed that on the actual pamphlet/booklet from Chill, it says that parents must be present when the teen is *booking* services.

We didn't book anything, though they told us that our 10 year old (yes, 10) could get a mani and/or pedi, and a parent/child massage there. There was no interest in that, so I didn't get to find out any further official rules, but it's just interesting that in the advertisement left in the rooms it only says that parents need to be there while services are booked.

Interesting!