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

[Conservative Hippie]

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.

I have a toddler too young for the club and we found plenty of places to play on the ship.

 

[SoCaOC-Mom]

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.

Yes, this is how I see it too.
I think a lanyard for a parent/caregiver of a special needs child and toddler times for the clubs, along with it being expressed that other children are exclusively under the care of YAC's would be the least restrictive remedy for almost all parties.

 

[Yokelridesagain]

I have a toddler too young for the club and we found plenty of places to play on the ship.

So YOU were the one running up and down the halls outside my room. That wasn't cool.

I'm not saying there is nothing to do for this age range--my 16 month old liked the characters a lot and I'm sure he would have been happy climbing the stairway in the atrium for a while, for that matter. But no, outside of the nursery there really is no good place for young kids to play. My kid just got frustrated at not being able to go in the pool if we tried to take him to the splash area, for instance.

 

[SoCaOC-Mom]

I have a toddler too young for the club and we found plenty of places to play on the ship.

Where? What ship?

 

[TheLanes]

Yes, this is how I see it too.
I think a lanyard for a parent/caregiver of a special needs child and toddler times for the clubs, along with it being expressed that other children are exclusively under the care of YAC's would be the least restrictive remedy for almost all parties.

 

[TheLanes]

Where? What ship?

trust me, there are plenty of places to find on a cruise ship. We took our 1 year old on a Celebrity cruise, and used the nightclubs when not in use, and other areas. She had a blast, and never once went to a kids club.

 

[threewilmingtonwalls]

How are the parents who want to spend time with their kids in the club acting any more entitled than the parents who want to drop their kids off? While not totally ideal for everyone I think the new policy is the best compromise possible. I have a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old and I for one am very excited for the open house times. I love watching my kids play together and I'm looking forward to experiencing the club and lab together as a family. It's not like Disney is no longer providing childcare at all, they're just moving the kids around. I'll be emailing Disney a thank-you for considering families with younger ones who want to experience the club and lab too.

While I don't necessarily agree that wanting spend time with your kids in the club makes you an entitled parent, this was a not how the clubs were presented to us when we booked. So while some think "the new policy is the best compromise possible" - that's exactly what it is, new. Some of us may have chosen to spend our vacation money differently if we had known this was coming.

 

[threewilmingtonwalls]

Yes, this is how I see it too.
I think a lanyard for a parent/caregiver of a special needs child and toddler times for the clubs, along with it being expressed that other children are exclusively under the care of YAC's would be the least restrictive remedy for almost all parties.

This is an excellent idea!

 

[JodyTG]

I have a toddler too young for the club and we found plenty of places to play on the ship.

So did we and my two-year-old son had a GREAT time.

 

[closetmickey]

First, let me say that there are plenty of things to do on the ship for all ages- even toddlers- without using the clubs. Characters, splash zones, pools, family dance parties, family game shows, snacks, movies, shows, the promenade deck, character meals......for goodness sake, most people only have one (sometimes zero!) sea day to fill anyway!! I just don't see why 1-2 hours of open house wouldn't be plenty. If there are not enough activities for your child to do (of any age!) then maybe cruising isn't the right vacation for you.

 

[JodyTG]

First, let me say that there are plenty of things to do on the ship for all ages- even toddlers- without using the clubs. Characters, splash zones, pools, family dance parties, family game shows, snacks, movies, shows, the promenade deck, character meals......for goodness sake, most people only have one (sometimes zero!) sea day to fill anyway!! I just don't see why 1-2 hours of open house wouldn't be plenty. If there are not enough activities for your child to do (of any age!) then maybe cruising isn't the right vacation for you.

Very well said!

 

[Mom323]

Yes, this is how I see it too.
I think a lanyard for a parent/caregiver of a special needs child and toddler times for the clubs, along with it being expressed that other children are exclusively under the care of YAC's would be the least restrictive remedy for almost all parties.

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.

 

[deanimal]

I think there's a big difference between a toddling one year old and an active two and a half or almost three year old who's used to having free run of the house and access to a backyard. Those cabins are pretty tight! I found my options were to let my little guy run around in the crowded hallways and stairways, getting in everyone's way or let him climb around the furniture in the lounges, which didn't seem ideal either. And even if the lounge was nearly empty, the one or two people there had come for the peace and quiet and it seemed really rude to let my noisy toddler run wild in there. And lounges aren't safe and childproof like a play area is, if I turned my back for one second my crazy little guy would try to stand on a table or something; not my idea of fun family time!
Still, I don't really know what the answer is without a total redesign of the kids areas. It seems like they planned everything around one policy, then suddenly changed things leaving them to scramble around trying to please everyone and no space to have the flexibility to change.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

Where? What ship?

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.

 

[SoCaOC-Mom]

trust me, there are plenty of places to find on a cruise ship. We took our 1 year old on a Celebrity cruise, and used the nightclubs when not in use, and other areas. She had a blast, and never once went to a kids club.

I hope that's the case. I know there are character meets and deck parties but I'm not aware of a play place other than Nemo's reef which is only a good option if weather permits.

 

[princessmom29]

Qe

How are the parents who want to spend time with their kids in the club acting any more entitled than the parents who want to drop their kids off? While not totally ideal for everyone I think the new policy is the best compromise possible. I have a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old and I for one am very excited for the open house times. I love watching my kids play together and I'm looking forward to experiencing the club and lab together as a family. It's not like Disney is no longer providing childcare at all, they're just moving the kids around. I'll be emailing Disney a thank-you for considering families with younger ones who want to experience the club and lab too.

I didn't say that. I said there are those who feel entitled on borh sides. My problem is not with giving kids like yours time to play but with they way they have chosen to do that. There is no need to block off 4 hours a day for It and have not structured age wppropiate activities for kids checked in. It isand excessive response to those who think their kids alwats come,before everyone else.

 

[princessmom29]

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.

Again, ita

 

[itutorfortravel]

While I don't necessarily agree that wanting spend time with your kids in the club makes you an entitled parent, this was a not how the clubs were presented to us when we booked. So while some think "the new policy is the best compromise possible" - that's exactly what it is, new. Some of us may have chosen to spend our vacation money differently if we had known this was coming.

I totally agree. When we go on vacation, we enjoy doing family things together. BUT due to work and child obligations, DH and I have very little couple time...we don't even go on date nights at home! So when we go on our cruises, we look forward to having some time together all the while knowing that DD is in an environment she loves being in...And one of the nicest things about the clubs has been the flexibility to take DD there on a whim...for instance, DH could say out of the blue "hey wanna go get coffee in the coffee shop" and we could spontaneously do that because there was a club and activities that DD enjoyed. It sounds like there will be less spontanaeity now in our vacation. That's a real shame because spontaneity for us is a HUGE change from what our everyday life affords... and something that I look forward to!

 

[Yokelridesagain]

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.

So, you repurposed the sports deck into a play area for your kid--obviously you think this is fine--but it's not fine for a 2 1/2 year old to go into a space designed for a 3 year old? Riiight.

It may be easier on the new ships in the Caribbean--in Alaska on Wonder outside activities were a bit curtailed, for obvious reasons.

 

[Conservative Hippie]

So, you repurposed the sports deck into a play area for your kid--obviously you think this is fine--but it's not fine for a 2 1/2 year old to go into a space designed for a 3 year old? Riiight.

It may be easier on the new ships in the Caribbean--in Alaska on Wonder outside activities were a bit curtailed, for obvious reasons.

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.