We were on the Halloween 2004 Disney Magic cruise, as well (myself, DH, DS - 6 1/2yrs, & DD - 3 1/2 yrs). This was our first cruise ever and we loved it! We rebooked while on board for 11/11/2006 (alternate Western w/ 2 CC days). Once we got home, we talked to other family members and my sister's family is now booked in the cabin next to ours. Others are checking schedules, etc. to see if they can go as well.
While we were on board we heard a number of other cruisers (veterans) and CMs talking about how much rocking the ship was doing. We enjoyed it and I was actually a little sad when the movement lessened.
My son liked the kids' club, except that he requested to eat his meals with us. We also picked him up for certain activities, like the program given by illustrator Adam Burke on "How to Draw the Incredibles' characters", and then he chose to go back afterwards. Early in the trip he asked the kids' club counselors to page us to pick him up because he thought we might be having more fun than he was having. When my DH brought him back to where we were playing Scrabble he decided that maybe the kids' club was the better choice after all.
My daughter (red curly hair and attitude to match) was only dropped off at the kids' club kicking and screaming. However, I hung around (out of sight) and each time she was happily playing withing two minutes. Several times when I went to pick her up, she wasn't ready to go, but it was still a fight to drop her off the next time. She only spent about 20% of the time in the club.
On our St. Thomas day, my DD (our little drama princess) was once again asking to be carried. She refused to use a stoller and said her legs wouldn't work. We carried her to the kids' club and told her that if she could not walk and would not be pushed, then she was staying on the ship while we went ashore. She was screaming at the top of her lungs, "Don't leave me! I want to go the St. Thomas with you! My legs don't work. Carry me!!" We told her again that she could walk, she could ride in a stroller or she could stay in the kids' club. She crawled on her hands and knees out of the club, crying and saying "Don't leave me!" My DH was biting his lips trying not to laugh and the counselors at the desk in the club actually had to turn around they were trying so hard not to laugh where she could see them. After she calmed down, my DH talked with her quietly and she walked happily beside me all day.
One thing I liked about the wrist bands they put on the kids that are registered with the kids' club is that if your child does get separated from you while on boards, any CM can use the info on the wristband to send a pager message to you with info on where your child is located.
Anyway, we enjoyed the cruise and we're all looking forward to our next one!