Is an 11yo too old for a Kids' Club?

[gigi1313]

DH and i are seriously considering a dinner out w/out kids on our next trip... we always say we will and never do... this time i think we should! LOL! we're thinking either yachtsman or artist point... but my dilemma is all reviews i've seen of the kids' club at the resorts are from kids who are 5 and 6 years old... yet the official info says for kids from 4-12... my kids are 9 1/2 and 11 1/2 at the time of travel... will they feel too old and very out of place? are the activities geared towards the kindergarten set? is it true that they take them to the arcade ('cause if so, that would solve my problem! LOL! as my kids are arcade junkies! LOL!)

(mods, i'm not sure this is on the right board but could not find a board it "fit" on... feel free to move it )

 

[JESW]

Which club are you planning on putting them in?

My kids are now 7 & 11 and they have been staying in the kid's club ever since the youngest was 4. They alternate between Simba's Cubhouse at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and The Neverland Club at the Polynesian. Their favorite is The Neverland Club as they have arcade games and they can have pizza for dinner.

My youngest really likes being able to do the arts & crafts at TNLC and the oldest likes to play the arcade games - he also brings his gameboy and some nights he has just sat around and played that (with the other kids who bring theirs) a lot of the night.

My kids ASK to go as they like the break - we leave them for 2 hours and have dinner at the closet restaurant. This summer they will be at Simba's Cubhouse while we have dinner at Jiko's, and then at The Neverland Club while we have dinner at The Kona Cafe. Yes, two nights out for Mom & Dad this coming trip as we see that alone time ending soon as our oldest will be 12 in November.

I don't see your kids having any problem. Some of the kids may be younger, but then your kids can just hang out, watch tv, bring their gameboys, etc.

Jill

 

[gigi1313]

thanks for your input! i was considering the club either at the wilderness lodge (so dh and i can try artist point) or the sandcastle club at the yacht/beach club (and we'd go to yachtsman)... is the neverland club the only one w/arcade games? ('cause if so, we'd go to kona... we're not picky! LOL!)

 

[marcyinPA]

My kids went into the Cub's Den when my oldest was 9 (and my youngest was 5). They loved it! It was great downtime for them. I believe my oldest played video games (they may have had playstation or something similar?) My youngest was content playing with the action figures. They particularly enjoyed choosing what they wanted for dinner that night!

My dh and I had a great dinner at Artist Point. I just LOVE that restaurant!

Marcy

 

[gigi1313]

thanks for your response... so 11.5yo is not "too old" for a kids' club? i'd reallllly like to try a signature restaurant and have a meal alone with dh... i think i'll do it

 

[marcyinPA]

thanks for your response... so 11.5yo is not "too old" for a kids' club? i'd reallllly like to try a signature restaurant and have a meal alone with dh... i think i'll do it

Is your 11 year old OK with the idea of you leaving her in a kids club? If she's OK with it, then I'd go for it! If she's giving you grief over it, then I'd skip it. I think my DS, who is now 11, would be OK with it, especially if he was in there with his younger brother, who is now 7. Then again, my 11 year old is not the most mature for his age, so he'd probably fit right in! Plus, if there are video games and pizza...that's all he needs anyway!

Good luck on your decision and have a great trip!

 

[gigi1313]

see, that's the problem... i cannot ask her 'cause this trip is a total surprise... we're really hoping that we can get them in the van thinking they are on their way to school and instead make the "wrong" turn and head to the airport... of course, i may cave and spill it before then! LOL!

she LOVES babysitting and playing w/smaller children (in that grown up 11yo babysitter kind of way LOL) so i am thinking she'd be fine... and ds is the same as yours... video games and pizza, what's not to love?!

 

[marcyinPA]

see, that's the problem... i cannot ask her 'cause this trip is a total surprise... we're really hoping that we can get them in the van thinking they are on their way to school and instead make the "wrong" turn and head to the airport... of course, i may cave and spill it before then! LOL!

she LOVES babysitting and playing w/smaller children (in that grown up 11yo babysitter kind of way LOL) so i am thinking she'd be fine... and ds is the same as yours... video games and pizza, what's not to love?!

ooooo, a surprise trip!! Do your best to keep the secret!! We surprised our kids in September and they LOVED it!! We went with another family, and we told all of our kids together the night before we left. They were absolutely floored!! My friend's 13 y/o DS could not believe that we were able to keep something from HIM! LOL Their reactions were priceless...5 boys, ages 13, 10, 10, 7, and 6...all jumping and running around the house screaming!!

To this day, when we talk about our "next" Disney trip, my kids will ask me if it's going to be a surprise!

Have fun!

 

[gigi1313]

ooh, that sounds likea magical way to start your vacation... with such enthusiasm!

we've done some semi-surprise trips in the past... we typically tell the kids that we're leaving on "tuesday" when we're really leaving "monday" so that they will get a good night's sleep the night before (unlike that tv commercial! LOL!)

and on our last trip, we made a ton of wdw tee shirts and put them in a new suitcase and on Christmas morning had them go on a scavenger hunt to find the suitcase which contained the shirts and a message that they will be travelling to wdw in january... which was great fun when we got to church and their best friends were telling them all about *their* scavenger hunt and disney shirts and going in january... the kids were shocked at the similarities! well, duh, 'cause we're all going together! LOL! and whenever they asked the date we simply said "the end of january" and never got specific... so imagine their surprise when we went school to school picking up kids w/"Destination Disneyworld" sweatshirts for each child as we picked him/her up on departure day! it was GREAT!!!

our sept trip is only a few weeks after another vacation (family wedding) so they will totally not be expecting it! if only i can contain myself! LOL!