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

[Niebz]

"I was able to put him in the nursery for "age appropriate activity" as much as I wanted."

I wish this were the case when we last cruised. We mistakingly thought we could book nursery time day of because we wanted to wait and see the daily schedule before booking. Unfortunately it was already fully booked so we were out of luck for any adult time at all.

 

[squirrel]

This is DCL trying not to lose the business of people with toddlers and children with special needs who have no place to play on the ship as they're no longer allowing parents to watch their own kids.

Disney could if they wanted, set a certain amount of visitors to each room. Give them a visitor pass and when that # is reached the next parent either has to wait for someone to leave or come back another time and see if one is available.

That would control the # of adults in the clubs. It would allow the parents of toddlers and children with extra needs a chance to play in the club and with limited #'s it hopefully wouldn't disrupt the regular operation of the clubs.

The only other idea is to move the open house to a different location (conference room, night club, etc.) and do activities there.

At WDW and DL if your child doesn't meet the height requirements for a ride your child doesn't get to ride.

People know when they book that the club starts at age 3. Honestly, I don't see why they have anything to complain about.

Now that Disney is enforcing the rules that they made about what ages are for each club everyone is upset.

 

[threewilmingtonwalls]

Yes, I repurposed the sports deck into an area for me and my husband and my brother to run around with my son. It is completely outside the realm of what the sports deck was designed for.

 

[SoCaOC-Mom]

Dream - we played in the splash pad, played mini golf, saw a movie and shows, ran around deck 13, kicked a ball around the completely empty basketball court....I took him to the club on the first day during open house and let him play on the magic floor, and never again thought about taking him in there. Why would I? It's for 3-10 year olds. I was able to put him in the nursery for "age appropriate activity" as much as I wanted.

I do think there might be a better way to do this for children who have special needs. But for toddlers or kids who just want mommy around or mommies who want to be around, it should be that this is just not a service you will be able to use. I can't use Vibe because I'm not a teenager. DD can't go on the Aquaduck because she's too short. DS can't go in the pool because he's not potty-trained, and can't go in the club because he's too young.

I forgot about the mini golf, the downside to that and the splash pad fingers need to be crossed for good weather.
A dis-er posted about Oasis of the Seas and it seemed like they had lots of random play structures around the ship, especially in the central park area.

Fortunately, the Mickey slide is still available for shorter kids. I kept hoping my 4.5 would grow those extra couple of inches but that doesn't seem to be the case. I purposely geared her to the Mickey slide in the pictures I have shown her. I do feel bad for the folks who originally went on cruises when the height was 46" for it later to be reduced to 42" that would have been able to ride it with the new height requirement.

 

[TheQueenMum]

Had to chime in on this one, I love the DCL kids clubs, so does my DD. We travel quite a bit to family friendly resorts and destinations all over the world and the only other kids clubs we have found that compare are the Kids Clubs at Atlantis in the Bahamas. Their policy has always been NO ADULTS in the clubs. Every day for one hour they have an 'open house' so you can come look around the space your kid will be playing in, but while the clubs are in session the policy is very strict and totally enforced. In the dozen or so trips we have taken there we have never had a problem with it. The kids are happy and safe and I have the piece of mind that the only adults around my child are the ones with background checks and who are insured by the resort.
I have to think this will be where Disney ends up with this debacle. This crazy 'open house' block policy was clearly a fast fix to some problem that is causing more trouble than it was worth. I hope they sort it before our cruise this year!

 

[Yokelridesagain]

Yes, I repurposed the sports deck into an area for me and my husband and my brother to run around with my son. It is completely outside the realm of what the sports deck was designed for.

The fact that you felt the need to add the qualifier "completely empty" to what you wrote demonstrates that you know that in fact you WERE using the space for something other than what it is designed for (basketball) and acknowledging the possibility that what you were doing might have bothered someone (people trying to play basketball).

 

[TheLanes]

I forgot about the mini golf, the downside to that and the splash pad fingers need to be crossed for good weather.
A dis-er posted about Oasis of the Seas and it seemed like they had lots of random play structures around the ship, especially in the central park area.

Fortunately, the Mickey slide is still available for shorter kids. I kept hoping my 4.5 would grow those extra couple of inches but that doesn't seem to be the case. I purposely geared her to the Mickey slide in the pictures I have shown her. I do feel bad for the folks who originally went on cruises when the height was 46" for it later to be reduced to 42" that would have been able to ride it with the new height requirement.

It's even less now:

Mickey's Pool Slide

Mickey's Pool boasts a twisting, one-deck-high yellow slide suspended by a gigantic Mickey Mouse hand, ideal for kids looking for a little excitement when cooling down. To use the slide, children must be between the ages of 4 and 14, with a minimum height of 38 inches and a maximum height of 64 inches.

 

[Yokelridesagain]

People know when they book that the club starts at age 3. Honestly, I don't see why they have anything to complain about.

If one had cruised before based on different policies being enforced, and (reasonably) expected that they would still be in place, then it's certainly understandable that they would be bothered by their plans being changed without notice. Same issue most of you have. As things are right now, DCL is certainly trying to accomodate those changes. So--instead of working yourself up on a message board about something you haven't experienced yet--why don't you go and see how things work in practice? If it's horrible, by all means come back and complain, write letters to the cruise line, whatever.

 

[Minniemiss]

The fact that you felt the need to add the qualifier "completely empty" to what you wrote demonstrates that you know that in fact you WERE using the space for something other than what it is designed for (basketball) and acknowledging the possibility that what you were doing might have bothered someone (people trying to play basketball).

It can be used for many things besides basketball and kicking a ball around looks to be one of them.

From DCL
Goofy's Sports Deck on the Disney Dream is an all ages, open-air activity center located on Deck 13, Aft. Featuring a miniature golf course, virtual sports simulators and a basketball/volleyball court, it's the perfect place for kids, teens and adults to partake in active recreational fun while onboard—and to enjoy the spectacular seaside views from high atop the ship.

Sports Courts
Looking to shoot hoops or spike volleyballs during your cruise? Goofy's Sports Deck includes a basketball court that can be easily configured into a mini-soccer pitch or volleyball court for Guests looking for some more rigorous competitive gaming action.
http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/dream/fitness-spa/goofys-sports-deck/

 

[SoCaOC-Mom]

So how are they going to determine what qualifies a special needs child? I think it just another slippery slope that got us to this situation.

If you let in one parent then you have to let in all.

I think most people see a distinction between a special needs child and a special needs adult. I think the 'situation' was also escalated because it wasn't effectively dealt with by DCL security.

It could also be said, if you let one kid in then you have to let them all in.

 

[SoCaOC-Mom]

It's even less now:

Mickey's Pool Slide

Mickey's Pool boasts a twisting, one-deck-high yellow slide suspended by a gigantic Mickey Mouse hand, ideal for kids looking for a little excitement when cooling down. To use the slide, children must be between the ages of 4 and 14, with a minimum height of 38 inches and a maximum height of 64 inches.

Sorry, I meant the aqua duck lowered their height requirement.

Oldest DD meet the age and height required for the Mickey slide.

I think youngest DD might be a bit too short, but she is clearly too young as she won't be quite 3 at the time of sailing.

 

[Mom323]

I think most people see a distinction between a special needs child and a special needs adult. I think the 'situation' was also escalated because it wasn't effectively dealt with by DCL security.

It could also be said, if you let one kid in then you have to let them all in.

Most people do. But there are those who will always think they are the exception or exagerate their needs to get their way.

And in regards to letting in all the children, they are. With this new plan they aren't excluding anyone.

 

[LKFan]

So how are they going to determine what qualifies a special needs child? I think it just another slippery slope that got us to this situation.

If you let in one parent then you have to let in all.

Reminds me of all of the "service dogs" that are on the ships now. How do you determine the legitimacy?

 

[Mom323]

Reminds me of all of the "service dogs" that are on the ships now. How do you determine the legitimacy?

Exactly.

 

[Yokelridesagain]

Reminds me of all of the "service dogs" that are on the ships now. How do you determine the legitimacy?

That's an interesting one. Basically, the answer is: you don't. In most situations, legally you are allowed to ask: "Is that a service dog (horse, monkey, whatever)? and "What does it do for you?"

 

[lbgraves]

The fact that you felt the need to add the qualifier "completely empty" to what you wrote demonstrates that you know that in fact you WERE using the space for something other than what it is designed for (basketball) and acknowledging the possibility that what you were doing might have bothered someone (people trying to play basketball).

This made me remember all the negative comments when the Dream first started cruising and how the BB court was an annoyance to those in Palo. I asked Dragon about it when he was on the Wonder in Alaska and if it was really as bad as what had been reported. His response was to look up to the ceiling, shake his head, close his eyes and say oh yes it is. I wonder if they have changed that design flaw on the Fantasy and made it better for those on the Dream.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

The fact that you felt the need to add the qualifier "completely empty" to what you wrote demonstrates that you know that in fact you WERE using the space for something other than what it is designed for (basketball) and acknowledging the possibility that what you were doing might have bothered someone (people trying to play basketball).

I wrote completely empty because I wouldn't take a small child on a basketball court where other people were playing (basketball, volleyball, soccer, or just horsing around with a ball) because he could get hurt. And also because it was, in fact, completely empty.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

I forgot about the mini golf, the downside to that and the splash pad fingers need to be crossed for good weather.
A dis-er posted about Oasis of the Seas and it seemed like they had lots of random play structures around the ship, especially in the central park area.

Fortunately, the Mickey slide is still available for shorter kids. I kept hoping my 4.5 would grow those extra couple of inches but that doesn't seem to be the case. I purposely geared her to the Mickey slide in the pictures I have shown her. I do feel bad for the folks who originally went on cruises when the height was 46" for it later to be reduced to 42" that would have been able to ride it with the new height requirement.

On our first cruise DD was also too short (just barely) for the Mickey slide - she is very short for her age! This time, though, she will be tall enough!

 

[LKFan]

I can tell you what happens... the club/lab is emptied and then any child who is staying must re-check in. We brought my son up to the Lab one night and timed it so that we were there a few minutes after open house ended and secured programming began. The staff wouldn't let us in and explained that there were still 2 guests who had to check out. We waited around for a bit more than 5 minutes until the last family left. Once the computer read zero guests in the Lab, the kids waiting for secure programming were allowed in.

Thanks for your reply.

Does anyone by any chance know what they do for 4 hrs with 9 and 10 olds in the Club? Do they bring over computers, the Wii, etc? I can see how you can keep them busy for two hours but four hours is a long time.

If we don't find out the open house hours until the Navigator is delivered the night before, how do we plan or change Palo Brunch, spa treatments, etc?

 

[joyceyw]

As far as I understand it,that is the policy. Outside of "checking in" for a second, you CANNOT stay for secured programming. Not all of the kids ther are the ones you are related to/ responsible for and THIER parents might have a problem with an unrelated adult being there.

Yeah, but if all the people there are related to or caring for a child that's a little different or at least it is to me. I understand random people that don't have any child in the club being allowed in but to say parent/primary caregivers can't stay is the problem that I have.