Kids Club Age Change

[meremac]

Never knew that.

It seems a little crazy now for sure! My son was definitely ready for school when he started but the thing I didn't consider then was that I would be sending him off to college this year as a 17-year-old! He of course was fine but I will tell you that it did NOT help my first-time-college-mom-anxiety lol!

 

[AZMermaid]

At one time 18 year old

Exactly! The only thing they’re offering right now to folks who are paid and sailing soon is to move our sail date to a different date. Like how is that even helpful?? I’m so livid.

I hadn’t heard that they were offering that! I thought it was tough luck. Why not kick the cruise down the road 12-18 months and pivot this trip to a WDW/universal/beach/gatorland/kennedy/etc trip? Assuming there’s travel costs that make purely cancelling not a good option.

 

[AZMermaid]

The edge has always been for 11-14 year olds 10 year olds have been given waivers. Kids have Always been able to come and go. There are lots of 11 year olds in the Edge. Why should Disney change the Edge for a small minority of parents that aren’t comfortable giving their kids some freedom.

Absolutely!! I hope the vocal minority don’t ruin the edge

 

[AZMermaid]

If DCL is now allowing people to cancel regardless of sail date for a full refund, this alleviates much of the problem I have with the change. This gives families who aren't comfortable with the new policy an out, and it's simply the right thing to do on DCL's part.

Agreed

 

[DMMarla07860]

Absolutely!! I hope the vocal minority don’t ruin the edge

I don’t have kids and am past the age, but I hope they didn’t too for kids/parents comfortable. Enough. For ones not comfortable they could talk to their/kids and the staff once onboard and hopefully all would be good

 

[AZMermaid]

I remember years back when they stopped allowing 18 year old high school seniors in the Vibe. There was similar outcry but now it just is what it is.

 

[lanejudy]

It's very likely that every cruise would have at least some 14-year-old sophomores for September, October, and November cruises

While I don’t have stats, I think it’s probably much more common for there to be a 14-yr-old in 8th grade than 10th, at least in many states. DCL uses ages not grades. Is a 14-yr-old 10th grader really that much more of a bad influence than a14-yr-old 8th grader? These are kids and the vast majority are good kids.

 

[Disneymooner07]

At one time 18 year old

I hadn’t heard that they were offering that! I thought it was tough luck. Why not kick the cruise down the road 12-18 months and pivot this trip to a WDW/universal/beach/gatorland/kennedy/etc trip? Assuming there’s travel costs that make purely cancelling not a good option.

We’ve already coordinated with my sister’s schedule and booked airfare and other non-refundable portions associated with the trip. I mean, I could use airline credits later, but frankly, I don’t really know that I want to sign up for another Disney cruise at this point

 

[DMMarla07860]

I remember years back when they stopped allowing 18 year old high school seniors in the Vibe. There was similar outcry but now it just is what it is.

I remember too and I think I remember hearing it was because of a special needs adult altercation. Though that was just
Speculation and it all worked out, I feel DCL knows what it’s doing

 

[DCLMP]

Absolutely!! I hope the vocal minority don’t ruin the edge

I get that some parents aren’t comfortable with it. I don’t get the comments about it being inappropriate. Disney has had this age group for 20+ years. It seems to have worked out fine.

It sounds like they may pivot and let people cancel

 

[KrisApple]

I was just advised that I can cancel my cruise on February 5th and receive a full refund, in light of these changes. I am travelling concierge however and maybe they are offering different compensation packages for that cabin class. I would keep trying for a refund if that’s what you want though. I had to call twice and it was finally offered to me. Hubby and I are deciding now. Our 10yo son will turn 11 days before the sailing and he’s high functioning autistic, so we are really in a jam with all this. He’s not quite ready for in and out privileges at the Edge and we would need to cancel a lot of our activities in light of this change. We’re trying to decide now what to do. Best of luck!

My son has autism as well. But he found the Edge to be much better for him. On the Fantasy, it was quiet and well-lit. The clubs were dark and crowded

 

[CamillaF]

I was just advised that I can cancel my cruise on February 5th and receive a full refund, in light of these changes. I am travelling concierge however and maybe they are offering different compensation packages for that cabin class. I would keep trying for a refund if that’s what you want though. I had to call twice and it was finally offered to me. Hubby and I are deciding now. Our 10yo son will turn 11 days before the sailing and he’s high functioning autistic, so we are really in a jam with all this. He’s not quite ready for in and out privileges at the Edge and we would need to cancel a lot of our activities in light of this change. We’re trying to decide now what to do. Best of luck!

I am really glad that Disney is at least offering to give you a full refund.

 

[CMontheseas]

So many YA counselors only found out about this after guests were sent the email.

The number of cruisers who actually read these emails, do their homework and see updates on forums like everyone on the Disboards are a smaller percentage compared to the overall group of first-time cruisers who will be coming on board next week and hopefully not yell at the CMs at the desk. On some ships the managers say they'll be right there alongside their team to take any unhappy parents, hopefully all of them do it!

From what I'm hearing from those on board there seems to be a disconnect between the crew at sea who now have to deal with all of these parents on holiday cruises and the people working at their desk shoreside who make these decisions and don't have to handle it in person

 

[CamillaF]

I get that some parents aren’t comfortable with it. I don’t get the comments about it being inappropriate. Disney has had this age group for 20+ years. It seems to have worked out fine.

It sounds like they may pivot and let people cancel

The issue is that all kids mature at different ages. 11 year olds are not the same. Yes most 11 year olds would be fine for the Edge but the ones that still need a few more years are left out.

 

[DisneyKatie1]

So many YA counselors only found out about this after guests were sent the email.

The number of cruisers who actually read these emails, do their homework and see updates on forums like everyone on the Disboards are a smaller percentage compared to the overall group of first-time cruisers who will be coming on board next week and hopefully not yell at the CMs at the desk. On some ships the managers say they'll be right there alongside their team to take any unhappy parents, hopefully all of them do it!

From what I'm hearing from those on board there seems to be a disconnect between the crew at sea who now have to deal with all of these parents on holiday cruises and the people working at their desk shoreside who make these decisions and don't have to handle it in person

That is similar to what @Mags2002 said. Thanks for backing her up and sharing your thoughts

 

[CamillaF]

Isn’t the age for edge 11-14? So how would there be high school sophomores in there?

You are correct the avg age of high school sophomores is 15-16. On occasion there will be some 14 years old sophomores the same few who skipped a grade or started at 4.

 

[DMMarla07860]

You are correct the avg age of high school sophomores is 15-16. On occasion there will be some 14 years old sophomores the same few who skipped a grade or started at 4.

In my class of 2006 we had a few who skipped a year and were 14

 

[AZMermaid]

But if they skipped ahead in school it seems equally as likely that they will be more comfortable in the Vibe. I think it’s a silly argument that will rarely play out.

 

[jimim]

I have been following all you families and I feel bad for those who want to cancel and such. Maybe it’s cause I never cruised with kids and I am for the first time in July but are these kids areas that big of a deal for the families with 11-17 year olds. I mean are they such a central portion of a cruise one would cx? Maybe once I go I will realize but I don’t even see my 11 year old spending time there except once to see what the deal is. I think he is going to want to swim and do everything else around that city of a ship. Maybe I’m missing something and maybe I’m wrong. My 14 year old was checking out the edge on line today and she said it’s a bunch of tv’s. She was more interesting in the incredible hero thing and the pool the water ride the dinners at night and a bunch of other stuff. I don’t know I shouldn’t really talk till we go but I just kinda dismissed these kids areas. Except for the really really young kiddos

 

[meremac]

So just to kind of address several responses to my previous comments overall. Most 14-year-olds are in 8th or 9th grade with some in 10th grade. There is a big difference between a 14-year-old in high school and one in middle school. They have different life experiences and are exposed to different things. Kids are going to behave in the clubs like they do with their friends at home, and that behavior is often different between middle and high schoolers. It doesn't make kids "good" or "bad". It just makes them...kids.

I do think DCL is going to have to change some things in the Edge now that the only option for 11-year-olds (most of whom are still in elementary school) is to be in an unsecured space with kids who are in high school. Maybe just implementing a policy where the default requirement is that parents have to check their kids in and out of Edge with the option for parents to give kids permission to come and go on their own if they want (similar to the policy in place now for older kids in the Club/Lab).

Ultimately, DCL has every right to implement whatever policy they want. But when there's a significant rapid policy change like this, they need to allow people to cancel and get a full refund regardless of sail date. As of yesterday, this was not the case. It sounds like they may be walking that back today, and I plan to call and confirm today or tomorrow. If that's true, I have much less of a problem with the whole thing.