Kids and chaging

[tmclanton]

I was not planning on letting my son have charging privileges, but now I am thinking he may need it. He will probably be in the Edge (if they let him in at 10 years), so he will be able to check himself out. Can you set it up where they can do the arcade but not other things? What would he need to charge?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I was not planning on letting my son have charging privileges, but now I am thinking he may need it. He will probably be in the Edge (if they let him in at 10 years), so he will be able to check himself out. Can you set it up where they can do the arcade but not other things? What would he need to charge?

Charging on the KTTW card is either activated or not. There's no way to specifiy what things can be charged, or place a limit on it.

When the Edge does "Invade the Arcade" they set the games for free play while they are there, no charges during that time.

 

[Namsupak]

I have often heard that smoothies are the main culprit on the kids' shipboard charges.

 

[anniemck]

Tell him no charging, video games can be played at home. Never understood the reasoning for children to have to spend $$$ in an arcade when on vacation. Those same games are at home at the arcade, at the movies and more often on their own game systems. Just a waste.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

I've seen references to reports of claims that older kids sometimes con younger ones into putting $$$ on their arcade cards. Plus all the other things he might accidentally get into, I'd say no charging unless he is very mature for his age.

 

[kristieboyd]

I've read that you can buy arcade cards that are initially loaded with $10 and you can add more onto it if you want. If it were me, I'd buy him an arcade card with a set amount for the trip and not allow him to charge his KTTW card.

 

[kcashner]

First of all, your 10 year old does not need charging. NOTHING in the programming has a charge. If they do "Invade the Arcade" the machines are set to free play. If they have a "smoothie party" everyone in attendance gets a free smoothie, etc. No charges in the programming except for teen excursions on islands. I think the only one of these remaining is the Wild Side on Castaway.

I'm with the mom who said no arcade on vacation....but if you want your kid to be able to play in the arcade, you buy an arcade card with YOUR KTTW card. You buy a $10 card and reload in $5 increments as you wish.

DO NOT let a young kid with a KTTW with charging into the arcade. THere are horror stories of bigger kids tricking little ones into placing money on the big kid's cards. And Smoothies can be supervised.

Finally, really consider whether your 10 year old belongs in an 11-14 program. The Lab is geared for kids thru age 12. Yes, I understand that they want to move up...but you wouldn't put your 4th grader in 8th grade just because he wanted to be there, and you probably wouldn't be too happy if he was hanging with the 8th graders at lunch/recess/etc.

 

[KBT35]

First of all, your 10 year old does not need charging. NOTHING in the programming has a charge. If they do "Invade the Arcade" the machines are set to free play. If they have a "smoothie party" everyone in attendance gets a free smoothie, etc. No charges in the programming except for teen excursions on islands. I think the only one of these remaining is the Wild Side on Castaway.

I'm with the mom who said no arcade on vacation....but if you want your kid to be able to play in the arcade, you buy an arcade card with YOUR KTTW card. You buy a $10 card and reload in $5 increments as you wish.

DO NOT let a young kid with a KTTW with charging into the arcade. THere are horror stories of bigger kids tricking little ones into placing money on the big kid's cards. And Smoothies can be supervised.

Finally, really consider whether your 10 year old belongs in an 11-14 program. The Lab is geared for kids thru age 12. Yes, I understand that they want to move up...but you wouldn't put your 4th grader in 8th grade just because he wanted to be there, and you probably wouldn't be too happy if he was hanging with the 8th graders at lunch/recess/etc.

^^^^^

What she said!!! My son was 10 when we cruised this past May and there was absolutely NO need for him to have charging privileges! He hung out in the Lab and had a great time. If he wasn't there he was on the pool deck enjoying his fill of ice cream, lounging in a chair looking at the ocean. He never even asked about the arcade once!

 

[lbgraves]

He will be able to have signout privileges at 10 in the lab. This can be done after age 8.

 

[dpuck1998]

Tell him no charging, video games can be played at home. Never understood the reasoning for children to have to spend $$$ in an arcade when on vacation. Those same games are at home at the arcade, at the movies and more often on their own game systems. Just a waste.

Do you go see movies on the ship? They are the same movies at home. The kids are on vacation too, if they enjoy the arcade so be it. Shouldn't they get to enjoy vacation as well? Not everyone enjoys sitting by the pool.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do you go see movies on the ship? They are the same movies at home. The kids are on vacation too, if they enjoy the arcade so be it. Shouldn't they get to enjoy vacation as well? Not everyone enjoys sitting by the pool.

Seeing movies on the ship vs seeing them at home isn't a good comparison to whether a kid should be allowed to do the arcade onboard or not.

Movies at home = $
Movies onboard = 0 (included in cruisefare)

Arcade at home = $
Arcade onboard = $

There are so many other things to do (what I like to take vacations for), the kids should be able to find something. I'm a great believer in letting kids just sit and watch the clouds roll by on occasion.

 

[anniemck]

Do you go see movies on the ship? They are the same movies at home. The kids are on vacation too, if they enjoy the arcade so be it. Shouldn't they get to enjoy vacation as well? Not everyone enjoys sitting by the pool.

Honestly, I have not been to the movies since Poseidon was re-released in 2005. I do not see the point in spending upwards of $10-15 per person to get into the movies, then there is drink, popcorn or whatever else. By the time you leave you have spent $20 or more per person for 2 hours. No thank you, I will pay $9 a month for Netflix and wait for it to come out. There has not been a movie come out that I care enough to see to spend that much.
Now if I do see a movie on Netflix and like it enough, I will spend the $$ and buy the DVD to add it to our collection.

My kids on the other hand, one of them loves going to the movies, she is 24 and a major movie buff. She has also babysat since she was 14, and then worked at the mall starting at 18, she paid for her own movie outings.

 

[footballmouse]

When we were on our cruise last fall my kids (11, 13 & 18) did not have charging privledges. I gave them $50 gift cards at the beginning of our vacation at Disney World & told them to use it wisely it was also for the cruise. The each bought something from one of the parks. My 13 yr old used his for a smoothie at CC (I charged it to the room but he paid me back), he also used his gift card to rent a bike at CC. The other two bought a shirt on the ship. I would definately recommend the gift card option.

 

[DLBDS]

My DD has never had charging ability on her card. She's now 15 and I put it on hers for our next cruise. Will she use it? Don't know but she's very responsible and understands that whatever is purchased with it has to be paid for in the end. My main worry is that she loses it and somebody else charges on it!

 

[dpuck1998]

Honestly, I have not been to the movies since Poseidon was re-released in 2005. I do not see the point in spending upwards of $10-15 per person to get into the movies, then there is drink, popcorn or whatever else. By the time you leave you have spent $20 or more per person for 2 hours. No thank you, I will pay $9 a month for Netflix and wait for it to come out. There has not been a movie come out that I care enough to see to spend that much.
Now if I do see a movie on Netflix and like it enough, I will spend the $$ and buy the DVD to add it to our collection.

My kids on the other hand, one of them loves going to the movies, she is 24 and a major movie buff. She has also babysat since she was 14, and then worked at the mall starting at 18, she paid for her own movie outings.

 

[dpuck1998]

Seeing movies on the ship vs seeing them at home isn't a good comparison to whether a kid should be allowed to do the arcade onboard or not.

Movies at home = $
Movies onboard = 0 (included in cruisefare)

Arcade at home = $
Arcade onboard = $

There are so many other things to do (what I like to take vacations for), the kids should be able to find something. I'm a great believer in letting kids just sit and watch the clouds roll by on occasion.

Has nothing to do with money, I was making a comparison on doing what you want on vacation. Just because you don't enjoy the arcade doesn't mean kids don't enjoy it. It is their vacation too, let them have fun. They are on the ship for a long time, I see no problem with an hour or two in the arcade. The OP asked about charging privileges not if someone else things kids should be allowed to play arcade games or not.

 

[dpuck1998]

When we were on our cruise last fall my kids (11, 13 & 18) did not have charging privledges. I gave them $50 gift cards at the beginning of our vacation at Disney World & told them to use it wisely it was also for the cruise. The each bought something from one of the parks. My 13 yr old used his for a smoothie at CC (I charged it to the room but he paid me back), he also used his gift card to rent a bike at CC. The other two bought a shirt on the ship. I would definately recommend the gift card option.

This is what we did as well. Actually Grandma went with us and that was her gift to them. They go a loaded arcade cruise to get them through the cruise. Once it was gone then they were done. I've found they have lost interest in the arcade more and more and enjoy the time in the clubs better.

 

[dpuck1998]

My DD has never had charging ability on her card. She's now 15 and I put it on hers for our next cruise. Will she use it? Don't know but she's very responsible and understands that whatever is purchased with it has to be paid for in the end. My main worry is that she loses it and somebody else charges on it!

As long as you report it quickly, Disney is very good about taking care of lost cards and unauthorized charges.

 

[kcashner]

A lost card reported will have the code changed, a new card issued, and she is good to go. We've never had unauthorized charges. When the card is swiped, the CM is supposed to ask for the stateroom number (which does not appear on the front of the card, but shows up on the computer) and verify the room. Many stations also get a photo of the guest (remember that security photo).

We gave a wrong room number once--something like 4886 instead of 6884--and the CM was like "want to try that again?"

Also, if you lock your card inside the room and the stateroom host isn't around, just go to GS. They can give you a card that is programmed to unlock your door one time only, allowing you to get the forgotten KTTW.

 

[gydell]

My 10yo dgs had charging privileges on our last cruise. He was also in the Edge since the Lab had so many 3-5yo's. he was told he could buy a smoothie a day, $10 in arcade a day, and if he went to the movie he could get popcorn. We had no problems. He always told us where he was going. Only you know your child and know what they can handle. So do what you feel is best!