Has anyone else had issues with the new Oceaneer's club/lab policies?

[True Romance]

Thanks everyone. I got the navigator and forwarded it to the rep I spoke to. I also told her that during those 4 hour blocks, there are activities planned in the club where the open house is. I also said that it is not fair that if my child wants to do one of those activities, they need a parent with them. What if we have a spa appointment or something. Now the kids can't do something in the KIDS club because their parents aren't with them?

that makes zero sense.

I will let you know her response.

I 100% agree, this was a point I was trying to make in the other thread. My child is going to miss out on some popular activities (Toy Story Boot Camp, Piston Cup Challenge) because they are during the open house time, and I would rather they enjoy these with the other kids.

One poster said her husband and daughter and the CM were the only ones in the Where's Tink Open House on the MR a couple of weeks ago. That was popular with the kids when I was there in April.

 

[Mom323]

If you have Palo dinner reservations you shouldn't have to cancel as it appears that the open house times do not occur in the evening.

 

[jetskigrl]

I think there is a slight typo on that Navigator for day 2 too. If you look closely the non secured open house programming has a different color to it. At 7pm the Club goes back to the same color for secured programming and not open house programming.

Port days such as day 4 & 5 typically did not have both clubs open in the morning to begin with. Most of the time they had combined programming, especially in the morning so that those that choose to leave their children on board had secured child watch but the activities were normally limited and combined to either the club or the lab.

I would like to think it was a typo but the length of time matches the way the activities are laid out in the navigator (two lines of activities until 4:15 when it says "transition"). Then at 4:30 there is one big line showing one activity at a time all the way until 10:00 pm. At that time it goes back to the normal two lines of activities.

And I didn't even realize it but the other poster is correct. Now if my DS wants to join any of the Lab activities taking place during the Open House times, he can only do that if Dh or I am with him (even more reason to dislike this new policy).

 

[jetskigrl]

If you have Palo dinner reservations you shouldn't have to cancel as it appears that the open house times do not occur in the evening.

It appears to depend on the ship right now. The Wonder is holding Open Houses in the evenings (see day 2 and day 5 that I posted earlier). But the Magic is only doing Open House from 3-6 pm.

If they would change the Wonder's schedule to how the Magic seems to be doing it, then that would be fine with me. No disruption during the adult-only times, we can plan around the set time, etc.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

It would make so much more sense if it was a consistent block of time during non-peak hours. 9:00 am - 11:00 am and 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, for example. NO WAY does there need to be a 5 1/2 hour block of open house!!


However, for everyone writing emails, please be careful not to offer any suggestions on how to fix this (other than to put it back the way it was!!!). Disney is very very big on not taking unsolicited ideas and your email is likely to not be read at all if the reader things you are making a suggestion.

 

[kaseyC]

Thanks everyone. I got the navigator and forwarded it to the rep I spoke to. I also told her that during those 4 hour blocks, there are activities planned in the club where the open house is. I also said that it is not fair that if my child wants to do one of those activities, they need a parent with them. What if we have a spa appointment or something. Now the kids can't do something in the KIDS club because their parents aren't with them?

that makes zero sense.

I will let you know her response.

Unfortunately, the shoreside concierge team doesn't always know what is happening on the ships. They are usually going by what they've been told and it's not always correct.

 

[threewilmingtonwalls]

It would make so much more sense if it was a consistent block of time during non-peak hours. 9:00 am - 11:00 am and 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm, for example. NO WAY does there need to be a 5 1/2 hour block of open house!!


However, for everyone writing emails, please be careful not to offer any suggestions on how to fix this (other than to put it back the way it was!!!). Disney is very very big on not taking unsolicited ideas and your email is likely to not be read at all if the reader things you are making a suggestion.

Apparently they are not very big on 7000 word e-mails, either. I still have not received a response. Perhaps I was too...verbose. Or maybe this means someone is working on a "real" response rather than a form letter. I'm going to give it another day or two.

 

[princessmom29]

If you have Palo dinner reservations you shouldn't have to cancel as it appears that the open house times do not occur in the evening.

Only sometimes, on some ships, and what about brunch or high tea at palo

 

[justhat]

I wrote an email... not because I think this is a horrible idea or want to exclude younger kids from experiencing the clubs with their parents. I wrote it because I feel very strongly that my 7 year old, who LOVES the Club, will be left out and possibly pushed around by the big kids if they are in her Club or she has to go to the Lab. A 3 year old cannot be truly safe on the slide if the 10 year old behind her decides to jump down there too. The big kids will be bored stiff in the Club and that usually means running and roughhousing. In the Lab last year my daughter said the bigger kids refused to give up computers or chairs to the smaller kids... whats going to happen when it's not one or 2 little ones in the Lab... but 20 or 30?

But the 3yo could have had a 10yo behind her on the slide for the past 2 years as they were allowed to mingle. My then 9.75yo niece hung out with my then 7.5yo and 4yo in the club everyday of our last cruise.

I think the concern about having to cancel spa appointments and such stems from the concern that the particular kid's club that is open for "secure activity" during a time when the other club is closed for open house would reach capacity and therefore not allow all children to come in.

For example, let's say (and I am making these numbers up) between both clubs, they have maximum capacity for 400 kids. The Oceaneer's club can hold 200 and the Lab can hold 200. So the OC is closed for an open house. Then they would have to take 400 kids and put them in a space that will only hold 200 kids. Therefore they would have to turn down 200 kids. Some of the turned down kids' parents may have paid for a spa appointment during that time and are now unable to go.

The navigators that have been posted indicate an open house of at least 4 hours, not just an hour or two here and there.

I personally have a dog in both races so to speak. I have a 5 year old and I don't particularly care for the idea of her being intimated by older kids when forced to be in one of the clubs together. But I also have a 2 year old that I would like to be able to take into the club for a few minutes to play. A few minutes, not 4 hours though.

But until we hear this happens, we probably shouldn't panic over it.

Since anyone in the 3-10 age group always had the ability to go to either the club or the lab, I very much suspect that capacity (whatever actually number that might be) in either the club or the club is representative of the entire body of that age group (3-10).

So while all the kids in one secured section might make the club/lab look or feel full, they are guaranteed a spot.

In theory, there is more of a chance of being turned away at an 'open house'- since people outside of the registered group can use it.

I agree

Yep, I absolutely read the thread. No, it is not evil to want to spend time with one's family but where does it stop? Should the Teen and Tween clubs also hold Open Houses so that we can all go in there and play for 3-4 hours in the evenings? Should the adult pool have an Open House? Why are the younger kids being asked to share/give up their space for 3-4 hour blocks when none of the other age groups are?

What many are not understanding is that the kid may not want to be forced into the secure club with twice as many kids in there. My DS is almost 9 so he considers the "Club" on the Wonder babyish (as it is designed for younger children). He loves going to the Lab but if his only option for the evening that DH and I have booked Palo is to go to the Club, then this equates to forced daycare rather than an experience that he wants to participate in. And since it is his vacation too, I would cancel my reservation at Palo before I would force him to be "babysat" at the Club for up to 3 hours. It also gets crowded in that area on a normal evening, so even if the Lab is open, his experience in there is diminished if there are twice as many kids.

I have seen varying reports of how the Open Houses are being handled. But one specific report from the Wonder (which we will be on in 3 months) shows some Open Houses being held for 3 hours during the evening (when the adult programming is taking place). This one bothers me because the "secure" club is forced to handle the overflow of kids.

Another report shows the Open Houses on the Magic being held from 3 - 6 pm (alternating days in the Club and Lab). This situation is more reasonable to me. As you said, it gives some family play time to those that want it without affecting the most used hours in the Lab/Club.

Since I have no way of knowing, at this point, when the Open Houses will take place, I am taking a chance with booking Palo since I can only book one seating (and won't know until we see the Navigator the night before, if the Lab will be unavailable during that time).

Yes, it is my kids' vacation too, but just as I will be doing many things for them on the trip, they can deal with being in the club that they may not prefer for 2 hours. I choose excursions that they will enjoy and that all 5 of us can go on, or ones specific to the kid (like my husband and oldest are ziplining). There are many other things I would rather do, but I don't. So if they spend 2 hours in a club, 1 night of the cruise, that doesn't seem so horrible to me. If they are totally unhappy there, they can be checked out as soon as I am done eating.

I respectfully disagree with that. It may be representative of the entire body, but the CM's control who is in which space at which time (at least on the classic ships they do, on the Dream, not so much without closing a door between the two spaces).

I have no doubt that when either the Lab or Club reaches its capacity (which would be much lower than the sum of both) on the Magic or Wonder, the CM's can stop allowing children to go to the higher populated section until some of the kids that are already in there leave. So if 1/2 of the space is being used for Open House, the capacity of kids in the other area is still much lower that then sum of the two areas.

Again, this hasn't happened, even on a cruise over a holiday that was filled to capacity. I've never been on a cruise where they limited the kids in either half in the old set up. Ever. And our cruise in April is #11 with kids, many of which have been at capacity.

No, this can't be right. Neither the club nor the lab on its own could contain the entire capacity of all the children in the age range at one time. Kids 3-10 are guaranteed a spot in one space or the other, but if the Lab were at capacity the CM's could absolutely send someone trying to check in down the hall to the Club. That's why there are two separate spaces. And, while I don't have exact square footage, by sight the Lab actually appears to be smaller than the Club.

And again, hasn't happened. And to me, the Lab actually looks bigger, though I imagine they are, in fact, the same size.

You don't know that it can't contain all the kids, one club I mean. You can guess or assume that, but you don't know. I mean, what if something happened in the club, say some crazy water leak in the bathroom and it floods. I would imagine they would need to be able to move all the kids to the lab so maybe they do build them to hold well more kids than are actually there.

How do know? Even before the policy was restated, there was no rule saying a 4 year old couldn't go to the lab or a 10 year old couldn't go to the club. So in terms of prefernce, even if your opinion is right then there was never certianity that a child could go to the section of their choice if it was "full".
There hasn't beena single breport of a kid being turned away from secured programing because they were full, even during. KSF promo and holiday sailings.

I get that everyone will have their potential concerns, I have my own which is why I know it feels much better to just take the 'wait and see route'.

Exactly. Me too.

So,you are saying that the combined capacity of both clubs together is the same as that of just one of the clubs? I don't see how that is possible unless the clubs always operate at half capacity. That would seem wasteful to me.

Supposedly, the life boats on half the ship have to be able to accommodate the entire ship in case of disaster. One of the concierge directors told us that after the crew drill in October. So maybe the clubs are built in a similar manner.

I apologize if I somehow misinterpreted what you were trying to say, but I can see that if I did I am not the only one. I don't want to debate, I just want first-timers to have a realistic expectation of the size of these spaces.. You've seen them, right? Do you truly think they would each hold every child in the age range, independent of one another?

I can't say for sure what they can or can't hold, but what I know is that DCL isn't going to do something that they legally can't. Like cram way more kids than are allowed in the club. So I am not worried.

There isn't a need for a debate, if any of us want to get the actual numbers I am sure DCL would attempt to provide them.

Also I truly don't see our different opinions as a personal conflict and I appreciate the civility of our discussion.

But, a parent could previously drop their kid off in the lab only to latter find them in the club because that is where a child decided to go. It really has nothing to do with capacity as per a fire marshals standard.
Being at capacity in one club or another in previous accounts probably had more to do with how many YAC's were assigned to that area.


With the new structure, unsecured programming will likely have minimal YAC's other than to serve in a guest relations role, where they secured programming should have ample since the YAC's are in one space.

As stated, there hasn't been an instance, even during what was described as a full sailing of a child not being accommodated in the secured programing. I'm only hoping to avoid people worrying (potentially) needlessly.

I've been there, I get it- abet from a bit of a different perspective which is why I know it feels a lot better and is much more enjoyable to take state of mind of dealing in actualities instead of hypotheses.

Exactly. The only time kids were ever moved in the past were if they asked to go to the other side for a certain activity or just cause they felt like hanging out over there for a bit, or if they closed one club down (like late at night), or if it was girl/boy chill time. They never moved kids cause one club got too crowded. How would they even decide who to move? What if a kid didn't want to go? They might ask if anyone wants to switch, and I often wished they would ask and tell them the activities in both each time cause my kids often missed stuff they wanted to do cause they don't wear watches. But they were never moved cause of crowding.

My youngest is still breastfed and I had to book everything around his eating schedule (and available time in the nursery) My older kids most certainly have a preference of lab vs club (and they usually don't want to be together ) so I can promise this will be an issue. My oldest isn't a big fan of chaos either...so she's going to see 10 million kids running about and say thanks, but no thanks...

I don't think it's fair that the formula fed babies get to go into Flounders and stay as long as their parents like. It's not fair to my breastfed baby. I am going to demand DCL provide me a wet nurse!

Yes, I will be writing a letter as well. Letting DCL know that I was already on the fence about trying RCCL for our next trip...and this is going to tip me over the edge.

We're leaving in 24 days....I'll let everyone know about our experience. Maybe I'll bring my 5 month old into the open house. He's pretty advanced for his age.

I realize you are kidding, but you do realize breastfed babies can use bottles, so you have the same rights as a bottle fed parent. I nursed all 3 of mine for 21, 23, and 16 months each, but if I needed to pump for a bottle, I did.

May be if enough of us cancel there Palo res. and boycot the spas as will they will listen, and least let us know before we do make a res. what the lab/ club times are.

Please cancel your Palo and Remy for the inaugural Fantasy. While I booked both cause I am platinum, my silver friend could not get either. She'd love to come and could care less which club her kids are dumped in for the night.

My dd loves spending most of her day at the Oceaneer's Club with the exception of some pool time, eating breakfast and dinner and going to the show. One of the things that we usually do is go to dinner and then drop her off at the kid's club afterwards so that we can have some adult fun. I won't be happy if I go to take her and the "secured" side has reached capacity due to open house going on. In my 4 cruises I've never had this issue, but now am worried about what should be a relaxing, enjoyable vacation for all involved. I look forward to some "me" time and should be able to still get that. As much as I love all things Disney, if there are issues with this on my cruise in May we may be looking at other lines.

I wouldn't worry about it as that has yet to happen.

I think there is a slight typo on that Navigator for day 2 too. If you look closely the non secured open house programming has a different color to it. At 7pm the Club goes back to the same color for secured programming and not open house programming.

Port days such as day 4 & 5 typically did not have both clubs open in the morning to begin with. Most of the time they had combined programming, especially in the morning so that those that choose to leave their children on board had secured child watch but the activities were normally limited and combined to either the club or the lab.

Exactly, yet there were no previous complaints that only one club was open before noon on port days. We all managed, and you never heard outrage that kid x couldn't go to the lab cause it wasn't open yet. Or that a 3yo had to go to the lab because the club wasn't open yet. Or at night when they shut down the club and move everyone to the lab periodically. Every kid survived.



Here's my take. If there are particularly crowded times, DCL will not have an open house then. That is likely why they aren't publishing the open house hours in advance, as it might be different on each cruise. I am sure they also take into account the ages of the kids on each sailing. DCL isn't trying to ruin anyone's cruise.

I also learned that I am exceedingly happy that my kids will go to whatever club is open without complaint. Clearly that is not the case for everyone, unfortunately, so I guess I am just very lucky. Of course, even if they did prefer a different club, I'd still likely check them into whichever was open if I had something to do. If it was a spa appt, then it's only an hour or so (and that is if my husband couldn't/didn't want to watch them). If it's dinner, then 2 hours max at Palo, I guess 3 at Remy but I haven't gone yet. If they were unhappy they could page me, and I would also tell them at drop off that I would be back as soon as I got finished with whatever I had an appt for. And if they were to revolt, which thankfully they wouldn't do, I would calmly explain that if they were not willing to accommodate my wants as well as their own, that they would need to skip out on an activity of their choosing as well. So the next day they better not ask me to hang at the pool for hours, or watch a movie, or whatever it is and expect me to bend over backwards to do it. Family is about compromise. With 3 kids they can't always all be satisfied at once and they learn to deal with that.

 

[DVCMomofThree]

B

I realize you are kidding, but you do realize breastfed babies can use bottles, so you have the same rights as a bottle fed parent. I nursed all 3 of mine for 21, 23, and 16 months each, but if I needed to pump for a bottle, I did.

Not all breastfed babies will take a bottle, 2 of my 3 kids did not. My point of course is that if this is an attempt by DCL to level the playing field for kids who cannot go in the club without their parents for whatever reason, it's an epic fail.

I love my kids to death, but if they want to spend time with me on vacation let's do so outside on the AquaDuck...not in a windowless room making Flubber...which of course now if they want to do those things depending on schedule, someone has to go with them...

 

[princessmom29]

Supposedly, the life boats on half the ship have to be able to accommodate the entire ship in case of disaster. One of the concierge directors told us that after the crew drill in October. So maybe the clubs are built in a similar manner.

There is no comparision between the two. The lifeboats are that way for a valid reason. If one side of the ship pitches into the water, you need to be able to evacuate to the other side. What possible reason could be that compelling to waste that much space in the kids club, when nowhere else on the ship is built to double what is expected??

I can't say for sure what they can or can't hold, but what I know is that DCL isn't going to do something that they legally can't. Like cram way more kids than are allowed in the club. So I am not worried.
Just becuase they can legally do it doesn't mean it is a good idea!



Here's my take. If there are particularly crowded times, DCL will not have an open house then. That is likely why they aren't publishing the open house hours in advance, as it might be different on each cruise. I am sure they also take into account the ages of the kids on each sailing. DCL isn't trying to ruin anyone's cruise.
But they haven't been doing this. They HAVE had open houses at times the culbs are MOST likely to be overcrowded. We can hope that will change, but there is no evidence yet that it has on every ship.
I also learned that I am exceedingly happy that my kids will go to whatever club is open without complaint. Clearly that is not the case for everyone, unfortunately, so I guess I am just very lucky. Of course, even if they did prefer a different club, I'd still likely check them into whichever was open if I had something to do. If it was a spa appt, then it's only an hour or so (and that is if my husband couldn't/didn't want to watch them). If it's dinner, then 2 hours max at Palo, I guess 3 at Remy but I haven't gone yet. If they were unhappy they could page me, and I would also tell them at drop off that I would be back as soon as I got finished with whatever I had an appt for. And if they were to revolt, which thankfully they wouldn't do, I would calmly explain that if they were not willing to accommodate my wants as well as their own, that they would need to skip out on an activity of their choosing as well. So the next day they better not ask me to hang at the pool for hours, or watch a movie, or whatever it is and expect me to bend over backwards to do it. Family is about compromise. With 3 kids they can't always all be satisfied at once and they learn to deal with that.

You are of course right that family is about compromise, and we will also be making do with what is offered while we are crusing, but if what is offered isn't working for us shouldn't we let Disney know that it is a bad idea to schedule a 4 hour open house right after dinner because the club was overcrowded and our kids were not haivng fun??? How can they fix it if they don't know guests are not happy with the situation??

 

[jetskigrl]

Yes, it is my kids' vacation too, but just as I will be doing many things for them on the trip, they can deal with being in the club that they may not prefer for 2 hours. I choose excursions that they will enjoy and that all 5 of us can go on, or ones specific to the kid (like my husband and oldest are ziplining). There are many other things I would rather do, but I don't. So if they spend 2 hours in a club, 1 night of the cruise, that doesn't seem so horrible to me. If they are totally unhappy there, they can be checked out as soon as I am done eating.

I'll respond to this one since you quoted me, LOL. I view things a little differently, in that I don't want my son to spend 2 hours of his vacation miserable in the place that is designed for him to have a good time. We chose DCL, largely in part, based on the superior children's programming.

My son would love to do the discover scuba excursion with my DH and DD (he already practices in our pool and is comfortable with the equipment). But he is too young for that excursion and will instead remain on the ship with me while DH and DD go. He would love to join his sister in the Tween club to check out the video games, etc (he and his older sister, surprisingly, get along really well most of the time and like to do things together). But again, he is too young to be in that space and knows he can't go.

But what does he have that he can do...the Lab. And with this new policy, his space, the one designed for him...is going to be more restricted (either requiring a parent or filled with twice as many kids)for large chunks of time. His sister doesn't have to worry about Open Houses in the Tween club. She can go whenever she wants. I can go to the Adult pool whenever I want. But now we have to check navigators the night before to see if he can go and enjoy the space that was designed (and marketed) for him.

That is what I am not happy about. I have no problem with a set schedule for Open Houses like on the Magic (3 - 6 pm every day). We can plan on it. I can make sure that we are available to join him if there is something he wants to do during the Open House. We can book Palo, spa appointments, etc around those times. But the way it is currently being done on the Wonder is a huge disappointment to parents and kids that want to use the Lab as it was intended.

 

[threewilmingtonwalls]

You are of course right that family is about compromise, and we will also be making do with what is offered while we are crusing, but if what is offered isn't working for us shouldn't we let Disney know that it is a bad idea to schedule a 4 hour open house right after dinner because the club was overcrowded and our kids were not haivng fun??? How can they fix it if they don't know guests are not happy with the situation??

This.

 

[threewilmingtonwalls]

But the 3yo could have had a 10yo behind her on the slide for the past 2 years as they were allowed to mingle. My then 9.75yo niece hung out with my then 7.5yo and 4yo in the club everyday of our last cruise.



But until we hear this happens, we probably shouldn't panic over it.



I agree



Yes, it is my kids' vacation too, but just as I will be doing many things for them on the trip, they can deal with being in the club that they may not prefer for 2 hours. I choose excursions that they will enjoy and that all 5 of us can go on, or ones specific to the kid (like my husband and oldest are ziplining). There are many other things I would rather do, but I don't. So if they spend 2 hours in a club, 1 night of the cruise, that doesn't seem so horrible to me. If they are totally unhappy there, they can be checked out as soon as I am done eating.



Again, this hasn't happened, even on a cruise over a holiday that was filled to capacity. I've never been on a cruise where they limited the kids in either half in the old set up. Ever. And our cruise in April is #11 with kids, many of which have been at capacity.



And again, hasn't happened. And to me, the Lab actually looks bigger, though I imagine they are, in fact, the same size.

You don't know that it can't contain all the kids, one club I mean. You can guess or assume that, but you don't know. I mean, what if something happened in the club, say some crazy water leak in the bathroom and it floods. I would imagine they would need to be able to move all the kids to the lab so maybe they do build them to hold well more kids than are actually there.



Exactly. Me too.



Supposedly, the life boats on half the ship have to be able to accommodate the entire ship in case of disaster. One of the concierge directors told us that after the crew drill in October. So maybe the clubs are built in a similar manner.



I can't say for sure what they can or can't hold, but what I know is that DCL isn't going to do something that they legally can't. Like cram way more kids than are allowed in the club. So I am not worried.



Exactly. The only time kids were ever moved in the past were if they asked to go to the other side for a certain activity or just cause they felt like hanging out over there for a bit, or if they closed one club down (like late at night), or if it was girl/boy chill time. They never moved kids cause one club got too crowded. How would they even decide who to move? What if a kid didn't want to go? They might ask if anyone wants to switch, and I often wished they would ask and tell them the activities in both each time cause my kids often missed stuff they wanted to do cause they don't wear watches. But they were never moved cause of crowding.



I realize you are kidding, but you do realize breastfed babies can use bottles, so you have the same rights as a bottle fed parent. I nursed all 3 of mine for 21, 23, and 16 months each, but if I needed to pump for a bottle, I did.



Please cancel your Palo and Remy for the inaugural Fantasy. While I booked both cause I am platinum, my silver friend could not get either. She'd love to come and could care less which club her kids are dumped in for the night.



I wouldn't worry about it as that has yet to happen.



Exactly, yet there were no previous complaints that only one club was open before noon on port days. We all managed, and you never heard outrage that kid x couldn't go to the lab cause it wasn't open yet. Or that a 3yo had to go to the lab because the club wasn't open yet. Or at night when they shut down the club and move everyone to the lab periodically. Every kid survived.



Here's my take. If there are particularly crowded times, DCL will not have an open house then. That is likely why they aren't publishing the open house hours in advance, as it might be different on each cruise. I am sure they also take into account the ages of the kids on each sailing. DCL isn't trying to ruin anyone's cruise.

I also learned that I am exceedingly happy that my kids will go to whatever club is open without complaint. Clearly that is not the case for everyone, unfortunately, so I guess I am just very lucky. Of course, even if they did prefer a different club, I'd still likely check them into whichever was open if I had something to do. If it was a spa appt, then it's only an hour or so (and that is if my husband couldn't/didn't want to watch them). If it's dinner, then 2 hours max at Palo, I guess 3 at Remy but I haven't gone yet. If they were unhappy they could page me, and I would also tell them at drop off that I would be back as soon as I got finished with whatever I had an appt for. And if they were to revolt, which thankfully they wouldn't do, I would calmly explain that if they were not willing to accommodate my wants as well as their own, that they would need to skip out on an activity of their choosing as well. So the next day they better not ask me to hang at the pool for hours, or watch a movie, or whatever it is and expect me to bend over backwards to do it. Family is about compromise. With 3 kids they can't always all be satisfied at once and they learn to deal with that.

It's nearly impossible to respond to you point by point as you have done because the original quotes don't show up when I quote you, but one clarification that I would like to make is this - it is completely incorrect and untrue that children ages 3-10 have ALWAYS been allowed to move freely between the Club and the Lab. The Club was originally built and used a space for children aged 3-6, and the Lab was for 7-10. This is information that is readily available and that has already been confirmed. The system was changed in 2009 (and YES, there were probably "exceptions" made prior to that because we all have seen how prevalent those are on DCL) to accommodate requests from families with multiple children of varying ages to stay together. This is not my opinion. It is a fact. Hence, neither space was built for both age groups. To say that is like saying that Edge and Vibe can accommodate all the children aged 10-18 and that is simply untrue.

It is also untrue that the ONLY time a child is moved from one space to the other is because they request it or because one space has closed for the evening. They WILL move a child for an age-appropriate activity or to even out the child to counselor ratio, even if that child doesn't request the change. Implying otherwise to first-timers is unwise and may create an issue for CM's when confused parents demand to know why their child was moved.

And lastly, if you don't have a dog in this fight, why bother coming here to pinpoint our posts and contradict us (and suggest that someone cancel their dinner reservation so your friend can have it - that was a nice touch)? I'm sincerely not trying to be rude, I just don't understand why someone would take the time to tell us that we are basically wrong and worried over nothing - if your kids are going to be happy no matter what. No one said DCL was trying to "ruin anyone's cruise." Of course our children are going to "survive" if they don't get their first choice of location. That doesn't change the fact that DCL has made a significant change to children's programming that has some of us concerned and that we'd like to address - as is our right.

I'm unsubscribing and done commenting on this thread, as I fear the posts may begin to tend toward intentionally inflammatory. Conservative Hippie - I will send you DCL's response via PM when I get one. I hope that no matter how things shake out, everyone has an awesome cruise! I'm sure the folks at Disney are doing everything they can to see to it that we all do.

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

We'll be using the club during our first cruise on the Dream Feb 5 -9. So I will report back how we like it. We'll have nothing to compare it to as we are new to this. But I will post my Navigators with club hours and open houses etc...

 

[dizzi]

As i have said before, As Big of a group as we are....WE DO NOT GO UNNOTICED BY DCL!!!

THIS is the most important of issues as it deals with our children.

Disney has screwed with the childrens club far too many times for the worse!

I DO HOPE THAT, everyone here can try to keep it together as we debate this issue, as the longer it is here and NOT A CLOSED thread the more opportunity someone from DISNEY and or DCL has to see it and hopefully respond with a different approach and quickly to this drastic mistake that they have made.

TO THE MODERATORS....I know that threads are often closed when things get heated.....WOULD YOU PLEASE TRY TO HELP KEEP THIS THREAD OPEN AND CALL OUT THOSE THAT ARE NOT RESPONDING CORRECTLY AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. ( I will be the first to admit, i am not always the most gracious of posters and i tend to become heated under the collar about some things)

BUT this is IMPORTANT....We are talking about OUR #1 priorities and we pay DCL alot of money to be able to enjoy the priveledge of supposedly the GREATEST KID CLUBS ON THE SEA!!!!

THANKS

Hope i said all that correctly, I truly just want to see a solution for this problem

 

[Niebz]

But the 3yo could have had a 10yo behind her on the slide for the past 2 years as they were allowed to mingle. My then 9.75yo niece hung out with my then 7.5yo and 4yo in the club everyday of our last cruise.



But until we hear this happens, we probably shouldn't panic over it.



I agree



Yes, it is my kids' vacation too, but just as I will be doing many things for them on the trip, they can deal with being in the club that they may not prefer for 2 hours. I choose excursions that they will enjoy and that all 5 of us can go on, or ones specific to the kid (like my husband and oldest are ziplining). There are many other things I would rather do, but I don't. So if they spend 2 hours in a club, 1 night of the cruise, that doesn't seem so horrible to me. If they are totally unhappy there, they can be checked out as soon as I am done eating.



Again, this hasn't happened, even on a cruise over a holiday that was filled to capacity. I've never been on a cruise where they limited the kids in either half in the old set up. Ever. And our cruise in April is #11 with kids, many of which have been at capacity.



And again, hasn't happened. And to me, the Lab actually looks bigger, though I imagine they are, in fact, the same size.

You don't know that it can't contain all the kids, one club I mean. You can guess or assume that, but you don't know. I mean, what if something happened in the club, say some crazy water leak in the bathroom and it floods. I would imagine they would need to be able to move all the kids to the lab so maybe they do build them to hold well more kids than are actually there.



Exactly. Me too.



Supposedly, the life boats on half the ship have to be able to accommodate the entire ship in case of disaster. One of the concierge directors told us that after the crew drill in October. So maybe the clubs are built in a similar manner.



I can't say for sure what they can or can't hold, but what I know is that DCL isn't going to do something that they legally can't. Like cram way more kids than are allowed in the club. So I am not worried.



Exactly. The only time kids were ever moved in the past were if they asked to go to the other side for a certain activity or just cause they felt like hanging out over there for a bit, or if they closed one club down (like late at night), or if it was girl/boy chill time. They never moved kids cause one club got too crowded. How would they even decide who to move? What if a kid didn't want to go? They might ask if anyone wants to switch, and I often wished they would ask and tell them the activities in both each time cause my kids often missed stuff they wanted to do cause they don't wear watches. But they were never moved cause of crowding.



I realize you are kidding, but you do realize breastfed babies can use bottles, so you have the same rights as a bottle fed parent. I nursed all 3 of mine for 21, 23, and 16 months each, but if I needed to pump for a bottle, I did.



Please cancel your Palo and Remy for the inaugural Fantasy. While I booked both cause I am platinum, my silver friend could not get either. She'd love to come and could care less which club her kids are dumped in for the night.



I wouldn't worry about it as that has yet to happen.



Exactly, yet there were no previous complaints that only one club was open before noon on port days. We all managed, and you never heard outrage that kid x couldn't go to the lab cause it wasn't open yet. Or that a 3yo had to go to the lab because the club wasn't open yet. Or at night when they shut down the club and move everyone to the lab periodically. Every kid survived.



Here's my take. If there are particularly crowded times, DCL will not have an open house then. That is likely why they aren't publishing the open house hours in advance, as it might be different on each cruise. I am sure they also take into account the ages of the kids on each sailing. DCL isn't trying to ruin anyone's cruise.

I also learned that I am exceedingly happy that my kids will go to whatever club is open without complaint. Clearly that is not the case for everyone, unfortunately, so I guess I am just very lucky. Of course, even if they did prefer a different club, I'd still likely check them into whichever was open if I had something to do. If it was a spa appt, then it's only an hour or so (and that is if my husband couldn't/didn't want to watch them). If it's dinner, then 2 hours max at Palo, I guess 3 at Remy but I haven't gone yet. If they were unhappy they could page me, and I would also tell them at drop off that I would be back as soon as I got finished with whatever I had an appt for. And if they were to revolt, which thankfully they wouldn't do, I would calmly explain that if they were not willing to accommodate my wants as well as their own, that they would need to skip out on an activity of their choosing as well. So the next day they better not ask me to hang at the pool for hours, or watch a movie, or whatever it is and expect me to bend over backwards to do it. Family is about compromise. With 3 kids they can't always all be satisfied at once and they learn to deal with that.

ITA with everything you said.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

As i have said before, As Big of a group as we are....WE DO NTO GO UNNOTICED BY DCL!!!

THIS is the most important of issues as it deals with our childre.

Disney has screwed with the childrens club far too many times for the worse!

I DO HOPE THAT, everyone here can try to keep it together as we debate this issue, as the longer it is here and NOT A CLOSED thread the more opportunity someone from DISNEY and or DCL has to see it and hopefully respond with a different approach and quickly to this drastic mistake that they have made.

TO THE MODERATORS....I know that threads are often closed when things get heated.....WOULD YOU PLEASE TRY TO HELP KEEP THIS THREAD OPEN AND CALL OUT THOSE THAT ARE NOT RESPONDING CORRECTLY AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. ( I will be the first to admit, i am not always the most gracious of posters and i tend to become heated under the collar about some things)

BUT this is IMPORTANT....We are talking about OUR #1 priorities and we pay DCL alot of money to be able to enjoy the priveledge of supposedly the GREATEST KID CLUBS ON THE SEA!!!!

THANKS

Hope i said all that correctly, I truly just want to see a solution for this problem

Just think of the outrage if they opened up brunch at Palo to all ages!

 

[Raspberry Beret]

It's nearly impossible to respond to you point by point as you have done because the original quotes don't show up when I quote you, but one clarification that I would like to make is this - it is completely incorrect and untrue that children ages 3-10 have ALWAYS been allowed to move freely between the Club and the Lab. The Club was originally built and used a space for children aged 3-6, and the Lab was for 7-10. This is information that is readily available and that has already been confirmed. The system was changed in 2009 (and YES, there were probably "exceptions" made prior to that because we all have seen how prevalent those are on DCL) to accommodate requests from families with multiple children of varying ages to stay together. This is not my opinion. It is a fact. Hence, neither space was built for both age groups. To say that is like saying that Edge and Vibe can accommodate all the children aged 10-18 and that is simply untrue.

It is also untrue that the ONLY time a child is moved from one space to the other is because they request it or because one space has closed for the evening. They WILL move a child for an age-appropriate activity or to even out the child to counselor ratio, even if that child doesn't request the change. Implying otherwise to first-timers is unwise and may create an issue for CM's when confused parents demand to know why their child was moved.

And lastly, if you don't have a dog in this fight, why bother coming here to pinpoint our posts and contradict us (and suggest that someone cancel their dinner reservation so your friend can have it - that was a nice touch)? I'm sincerely not trying to be rude, I just don't understand why someone would take the time to tell us that we are basically wrong and worried over nothing - if your kids are going to be happy no matter what. No one said DCL was trying to "ruin anyone's cruise." Of course our children are going to "survive" if they don't get their first choice of location. That doesn't change the fact that DCL has made a significant change to children's programming that has some of us concerned and that we'd like to address - as is our right.

I'm unsubscribing and done commenting on this thread, as I fear the posts may begin to tend toward intentionally inflammatory. Conservative Hippie - I will send you DCL's response via PM when I get one. I hope that no matter how things shake out, everyone has an awesome cruise! I'm sure the folks at Disney are doing everything they can to see to it that we all do.

Well said! ITA!!

 

[Conservative Hippie]

It's nearly impossible to respond to you point by point as you have done because the original quotes don't show up when I quote you, but one clarification that I would like to make is this - it is completely incorrect and untrue that children ages 3-10 have ALWAYS been allowed to move freely between the Club and the Lab. The Club was originally built and used a space for children aged 3-6, and the Lab was for 7-10. This is information that is readily available and that has already been confirmed. The system was changed in 2009 (and YES, there were probably "exceptions" made prior to that because we all have seen how prevalent those are on DCL) to accommodate requests from families with multiple children of varying ages to stay together. This is not my opinion. It is a fact. Hence, neither space was built for both age groups. To say that is like saying that Edge and Vibe can accommodate all the children aged 10-18 and that is simply untrue.

It is also untrue that the ONLY time a child is moved from one space to the other is because they request it or because one space has closed for the evening. They WILL move a child for an age-appropriate activity or to even out the child to counselor ratio, even if that child doesn't request the change. Implying otherwise to first-timers is unwise and may create an issue for CM's when confused parents demand to know why their child was moved.

And lastly, if you don't have a dog in this fight, why bother coming here to pinpoint our posts and contradict us (and suggest that someone cancel their dinner reservation so your friend can have it - that was a nice touch)? I'm sincerely not trying to be rude, I just don't understand why someone would take the time to tell us that we are basically wrong and worried over nothing - if your kids are going to be happy no matter what. No one said DCL was trying to "ruin anyone's cruise." Of course our children are going to "survive" if they don't get their first choice of location. That doesn't change the fact that DCL has made a significant change to children's programming that has some of us concerned and that we'd like to address - as is our right.

I'm unsubscribing and done commenting on this thread, as I fear the posts may begin to tend toward intentionally inflammatory. Conservative Hippie - I will send you DCL's response via PM when I get one. I hope that no matter how things shake out, everyone has an awesome cruise! I'm sure the folks at Disney are doing everything they can to see to it that we all do.