Kids Activities for Escape Artists

hlrodriguez

Earning My Ears
Joined
Sep 16, 2020
Hello. My sister and I are looking into a cruise with our families either on the Disney Dream or the Disney Magic. My sister is concerned about her youngest child who is an amateur escape artist. He escapes from home and school frequently. He even managed to escape out the backdoor of the Ikea kids' club once setting off the fire alarm for the entire store and making it into the parking lot. It isn't any neglect on the part of the employees of Ikea or the school, he's just really that good at getting out without being seen, including covertly climbing out of places when a more easily reached exit isn't present. Obviously, this would be much more dangerous on a cruise with the pools, oceans, and multitude of strangers. So she is concerned about how well locked down the kids activities are. How possible or probable is it that a kids could escape unnoticed? TIA
 
They have been well-locked down in the past. Hard to say what changes occur when cruising restarts, given that the Kids Clubs are interior without fresh air. I'd expect the security to remain in place, though, and if he does bust out they would simply tell her not to bring the child back.
 
I would be very surprised if he managed to get out of the kids club.
me too, which is why I think if he did manage to fly the coop more than once I suspect they'd ask him not to return, because that would be pretty unusual and they aren't staffed to supervise one on one.
 


There are gated entry areas to the Oceaneer's Club and Lab, staffed by cast members at all times. Everyone exiting must present a wrist band to be scanned, and children without sign-out privileges need to have an authorized person there to check them out before the castmember will let them through.

Each facility has just one exit to the "outside" -- there may be doors to cast areas, but those are watched by castmembers at all times. There is a passageway between the Club and Lab, so a child could go from one space to the other easily, but would still be in the secured space.

I can't say it's impossible for a child to leave the Club/Lab without being seen, but it would be very unlikely.
 
I would also be concerned about him getting out of the cabin.
There is not a deadbolt lock on the cabin door. Even when the door is locked from the inside all you have to do is pull down on the door handle and the door opens.
Lots of people have reported their kid slipping out of the cabin while the parents slept.
You may want to look into a door alarm. You can purchase them on Amazon.
Others have moved the coffee table in front of the cabin door at night

0D33A271-C004-4D70-8BCA-7181F76D9843.png88C983A5-2943-4132-A76A-8E6DED56A07F.png

depending on how the doors lineup you could bring a bungee cord and tie the bathroom and cabin door

F336D740-C203-4937-A577-AEF7761D39B2.png
 
Last edited:
The kids club has only one way in and out. The kids all wear a magic band that had to be scanned as they enter and leave.
There is a plexiglass gate that is closed when the kids are in the club with councilors checking the kids in/out
612FDBB2-885E-40B7-AE83-9221E88FABDA.png
 


The only time I'd worry about him escaping from the kids' club is when they do the "FriendShip Rocks" show. They take the kids to the theatre, and then back up - when we went to get our kiddo after the show, the line was super long and the place was a madhouse. They were still scanning the kids out, but the gates were open enough and there were enough people around and talking that I could see somebody slipping out unnoticed.

But otherwise, as others have mentioned, it's a really good system, with people working the doors at all times. IIRC they have to scan the wristbands or use their computer to open the doors/gates (clear & open in the picture above), so he'd have to hurdle over them or something like that. I'd be more worried about him escaping the cabin.
 
Also to add perhaps don’t let him go to open house alone.
Kids can only go to Open House without an adult if they are 8 years old (or older) and have sign out privileges
**Once a child is 8 years old a parent can give the child permission to come and go from the Oceaneer Club and the Oceaneer Lab. Theses clubs are for children 3-12.
 
Last edited:
The only time I'd worry about him escaping from the kids' club is when they do the "FriendShip Rocks" show. They take the kids to the theatre, and then back up - when we went to get our kiddo after the show, the line was super long and the place was a madhouse. They were still scanning the kids out, but the gates were open enough and there were enough people around and talking that I could see somebody slipping out unnoticed.

But otherwise, as others have mentioned, it's a really good system, with people working the doors at all times. IIRC they have to scan the wristbands or use their computer to open the doors/gates (clear & open in the picture above), so he'd have to hurdle over them or something like that. I'd be more worried about him escaping the cabin.
Friendship Rocks is only on the Magic and Wonder.
**Friendship Rocks is a small show they do on the last night of the cruise. It’s in the Walt Disney theater and all the kids get up on the stage with the Disney characters
 
Last edited:
Agree with others -- I'd be much more concerned about him escaping the stateroom or around the ship in general, than the Club/Lab space. OP doesn't mention the child's age -- is this a 3/4 yr old or a 9/10 yr old? Not to be dramatic, but it was a young child with his family who near-drowned several years ago because he got away from the family for a very brief time. And I'm not sure that child was a particular "escape" concern - just the hustle and bustle of a busy ship combined with excitement on embarkation day.

OP - if the child truly "escapes from home and school frequently" as you state, a cruise may not be the best vacation at this time. Your sister is wise to be concerned. Good luck!
 
Last edited:
Friendship Rocks is only on the Magic and Wonder.
**Friendship Rocks is a small show they do on the last night of the cruise. It’s in the Walt Disney theater and all the kids get up on the stage with the Disney characters

Ah - I didn't know that! Good to know in general. OP did say Magic was one of the options they're considering though, so I think it's still good for them to know.
 
Do kids get out, yup!
Does it happen often, nope, hardly at all!

There are many emergency exit doors once inside , but they're all alarmed, and often scares the kid who opened them and they freeze.
Kids sometimes sneak out with another family, especially at busy times.
However, if I kid leaves the space without being fully checked out more alarms go off.

Also, kids are brought right back in because every one in the vacitinity knows and is on it thanks to the alarms.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!







Top