Kids club experience

[erin327]

Hoping to book our first Disney Cruise soon. I was hoping to sail while both of our girls could experience the kids clubs, but i think i might have missed the chance. At what age are they too old for the club or the lab? These areas seem to have awesome theming. Are the kids free to explore and play or do they need to participate in scheduled group activities or games?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hoping to book our first Disney Cruise soon. I was hoping to sail while both of our girls could experience the kids clubs, but i think i might have missed the chance. At what age are they too old for the club or the lab? These areas seem to have awesome theming. Are the kids free to explore and play or do they need to participate in scheduled group activities or games?

Oceaneer's Club/Lab ages 3-12. Edge ages 11-14. Vibe ages 14-17.

They can explore on their own within the club, or participate in the activities that interest them.

 

[erin327]

Awesome. So an 11 or 12 year old can do both the club / lab and edge?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Awesome. So an 11 or 12 year old can do both the club / lab and edge?

Yes.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

They CAN do both, but be aware that the club/ lab is DEFINITELY not geared to that age group. Most of the activities seem to be aimed at the 5-8 crowd, no matter how they are labeled. At 10, my DD found very little to interest her, and even at 7 didn't really care for the programming or the large amount of time spent crammed in with everyone 3 and up because of open houses.

 

[Trera]

They also had planned open houses on the cruises we were just on which makes the club having the open house unavailable to leave your child there during that time.

 

[tlprice]

They CAN do both, but be aware that the club/ lab is DEFINITELY not geared to that age group. Most of the activities seem to be aimed at the 5-8 crowd, no matter how they are labeled. At 10, my DD found very little to interest her, and even at 7 didn't really care for the programming or the large amount of time spent crammed in with everyone 3 and up because of open houses.

I think it depends on your kid. My daughter was 10 1/2 on our last cruise and still loved doing things in the club/lab. She found quite a few programming activities she enjoyed. She also still likes to be a kid too. I know some 10 year-old's think they are "too cool" to do anything. (I know this from experience as I teach 10-12 year-old's.) It makes me sad sometimes how fast some of them want to grow up and don't enjoy their time being a child.

 

[RysMomma]

I think it depends on your kid. My daughter was 10 1/2 on our last cruise and still loved doing things in the club/lab. She found quite a few programming activities she enjoyed. She also still likes to be a kid too. I know some 10 year-old's think they are "too cool" to do anything. (I know this from experience as I teach 10-12 year-old's.) It makes me sad sometimes how fast some of them want to grow up and don't enjoy their time being a child.

This is what I'm hoping for. My son will be 10.5 when we go. When we went two years ago, he didn't love the clubs but we also were a bigger group and he wanted to be with everyone. This time will be just the four of us. He's complaining about going but I think if he goes with my daughter (who will be 8) he'll have fun! Either way, he's going!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

They also had planned open houses on the cruises we were just on which makes the club having the open house unavailable to leave your child there during that time.

If the Club is in Open House the Lab is secured programming. And vice versa. You can still leave your child in secured programming, even during an Open House event.

 

[erin327]

All great information. Thanks! My dd will be turning 11 later this spring. She is definitely of the variety that she doesn't mind being a kid. It isn't often that she thinks she is too old or too cool for something. She has always wanted to do a Disney cruise, so I think she will be excited to be able to check it out.

So these open houses... that sounds perfect! Are these times the whole family can visit the club?!?! Are they frequent? That would work great for our family. We aren't looking for time away from the kids just time that they can enjoy the spaces.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

All great information. Thanks! My dd will be turning 11 later this spring. She is definitely of the variety that she doesn't mind being a kid. It isn't often that she thinks she is too old or too cool for something. She has always wanted to do a Disney cruise, so I think she will be excited to be able to check it out.

So these open houses... that sounds perfect! Are these times the whole family can visit the club?!?! Are they frequent? That would work great for our family. We aren't looking for time away from the kids just time that they can enjoy the spaces.

Open Houses are for anyone to enjoy. Only caveat - if your (Oceaneer's aged) wants to go to the Open House an adult or guardian must also attend.

They are typically once or twice a day for an hour or two. Random times of the day.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I think it depends on your kid. My daughter was 10 1/2 on our last cruise and still loved doing things in the club/lab. She found quite a few programming activities she enjoyed. She also still likes to be a kid too. I know some 10 year-old's think they are "too cool" to do anything. (I know this from experience as I teach 10-12 year-old's.) It makes me sad sometimes how fast some of them want to grow up and don't enjoy their time being a child.

My kid didn't think she was "too cool" or "grown up" she WANTED to like the club/ lab because she LOVES all things Disney. It was just entirely too much like preschool for her. She felt she was being talked down to and that the activities were geared toward preschool/ lower elementary children. Plus, she found the uncontrolled chaos during "free time" to be a little too much.

 

[MomOTwins]

Not sure what ship you are on, but the Disney Dream club for age 3-12 also has a disney infinity room and a star wars themed room that I think would appeal to tweens even if some of the controlled the activities are aimed at a younger set.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

I thought Edge was 12 and up? We sailed last year when my oldest was a week shy of 12 and he still enjoyed the kids club. There were a lot of kids that I'd guess were 10-12 in there. They were able to sign themselves in and out of the club (parent must approve that), and we would find them in a group getting ice cream or lunch together. Maybe some of the programming was geared to their age since there were so many of them.

Edit: I'm losing it. Just realized our kid was a month shy of 11 on that cruise, not 12! Sorry!!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I thought Edge was 12 and up? We sailed last year when my oldest was a week shy of 12 and he still enjoyed the kids club. There were a lot of kids that I'd guess were 10-12 in there. They were able to sign themselves in and out of the club (parent must approve that), and we would find them in a group getting ice cream or lunch together. Maybe some of the programming was geared to their age since there were so many of them.

Edge is 11-14. Oceaneer's is 3-12. Kids that are 11 and 12 can go to both.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Edge is 11-14. Oceaneer's is 3-12. Kids that are 11 and 12 can go to both.

OMG! I just realized our cruise was in Jan 2017 when he was a month shy of 11, not 12!!! I'm losing my mind.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Not sure what ship you are on, but the Disney Dream club for age 3-12 also has a disney infinity room and a star wars themed room that I think would appeal to tweens even if some of the controlled the activities are aimed at a younger set.

That's just it, the decor appealed to her, and I think they could have done a lot with it to appeal to tweens, but because everything is open to all ages 3-12 in one space, that just doesn't happen. What appeals to a 5 year old typically doesn't appeal to a 10-12 year old.

 

[hanscarlet]

My kids have been enjoying the kids clubs for the past 5 years we've been selling with DCL, on their last trip they were 5 and 8 and loved it and are looking forward to it as 6 and 9 year olds. My 9 year old is more on the immature side but it's a lot of fun and tons to do.

 

[gotomu212]

Open Houses are for anyone to enjoy. Only caveat - if your (Oceaneer's aged) wants to go to the Open House an adult or guardian must also attend.

They are typically once or twice a day for an hour or two. Random times of the day.

I just wanted to clarify that if a kid is old enough to have check in/out privelages than an adult is not required to be with them during open house. That is based on our experience this year with the Fantasy and last with the Wonder.

 

[Trera]

OMG! I just realized our cruise was in Jan 2017 when he was a month shy of 11, not 12!!! I'm losing my mind.

No worries. Happens to me from time to time as well.