Kids Clubs - Age question

[mom2_fourgirls]

First of all - Thanks for all your great advice on this board. I have planned our very first cruise using all that great info!!

Now, I have a question which I couldn't find an answer for. We have 4 DD's coming with us on the cruise. The two older girls are 10 and 11 so they will be in a group together. The next DD is 8 and the youngest is 6. The youngest is a bit shy and very nervous about being on her own. Will Disney let her 8 year old sister join her in her club? or can the 6 year old move up to the 8 year old level? I'm sure this is a typical request on the ship. I just wonder how strict they are with the age thing.

The 6 year old, because she is the youngest of 3 older siblings, is very capable and able to keep up with her sisters. She is just not used to being on her own.

Any advice anyone has to offer would be helpful. Thanks

 

[DVC4US]

A lot of people have asked questions similar to this and maybe someone who has had experience with it will give you a better answer, but this is what I have gathered from all the answers.

Disney seems to be very strict on moving up in age groups so the 6yo will not be able to move up, but I think the 8yo would be able to move down. The only condition is that once that 8yo moves into the 5-7 age group that is where she must stay. She cannot switch back and forth between age groups.

My DD's (7 & 14) have been on 2 cruises and from our experience the counselors in the club do a wonderful job, even with the shy ones. My youngest DD has spent time with the 3 & 4yo and the 5-7yo age groups and when we go in April she will have just turned 8 so I was considering putting her back in the 5-7yo age group but as I thought about it more I decided she would probably be bored.

If it was me I would leave all the girls in their age groups and start talking with the 6yo now about not being in the same club as her sisters. But explain to her that she will have plenty of friends to play with and lots of fun activities go on in her club that do not happen in the older club. (Like Snow White coming to visit and I think Wendy does too on the 4 day.)

Hope this helps some and have a great cruise.
LeiLani

 

[mom2_fourgirls]

Thank you so much! I appreciate your quick response. I guess we will continue to talk to her and get her revved up about character visits and all the special things she will get to do in her very own club that doesn't include sisters for once!

Can't wait for Feb.

 

[ohMom]

mom2

another idea is to try and find a email pen pal through this board that your DD can write and get to know a bit and then they can meet and she'll already have a friend! I did this for both my DDs for our cruise - my oldest hung out alot with her email pen-pal (heck they were our tablemates concidentally) but my youngest DD 6 never did meet her pen pal. She was way too excited to just be at the club then worry about knowing someone. I wish we would've had more time and/or better planning on my part for them to meet -- maybe you'll be more organized!!

 

[tkd lisa]

I have kept my DD in a lower age group on both our cruises. She's ADHD and has some real problems with peer groups. For her, she does MUCH better when she is among the oldest in a group. Disney is much more flexible about keeping an older one in a younger group than allowing younger ones to move up. FYI, the age groups are 3-4, 5-7 (I'm not positive on these because my kids were in the lab, not the club), 8-9, and 10-12. The 3-7 group is in the Oceaneer's Club, and the 8-12 group is in the Oceaneer's Lab.

Something to keep in mind is that your 8 year old will be quite a bit older than the others in the Club. It's also a completely different place than the one the others will be in, with different types of activities. I'd suggest looking at the kids navigators on Barb and Tony's site www.castawayclub.com before making any decisions.

If I were you, given what you've said here I wouldn't put the 8 year old with the 6 year old because the 8 year old probably will be bored.

 

[kcashner]

The 6 year old absolutely will not be allowed to move up to an 8 year old group. DCL is very strict about this. To move up, you must be within 30 days of the birthday that would put you in the older group AND have the counsellor's approval.

The 8 year old Might be allowed to move down to the 5-7 group, depending on numbers of kids enrolled, etc. However, there will be no shifting back and forth. If she/you choose to have her in the younger group, she stays there.

You might seriously think about the options. The 6 year old is in her own class at school without her sibs. It's really no different on the ship. The activities are arranged to be "age appropriate" as are the sizes of the facilities. They'd each probably do best in their own groups.

Go to the "cruise meets" section or come to Fri. Nite chat and try to meet some families with children the ages of yours. I've found the key to a good cruise is for my daughter to make a buddy in the first day or so. This time, she's been communicating on line with another kid on the same cruise...they can't wait to meet.

 

[mom2_fourgirls]

Thank You - Thank you - Thank you!!! You all have wonderful advice and I will try to tackle all of your suggestions! I will keep the 8 year old with her own age group and try to find a emailpal for the 6 year old. I'm sure - no matter what we do - we'll have a great time!

 

[NYDisneyMom]

I have a similar problem with the kids' clubs and after reading the Kids Navigators I'm even more worried.
My two boys are 7 and 9. The 7 yr old will be 8 in the beginning of September but we're cruising in May. From the looks of the 5-7 yr old navigators my 7 yr old will be bored out of his mind. He pretty much does everything his older brother does.
I know if I tell him he has to stay in his age group he'll do it for a day and tell me it's for little kids or he's bored. As it is his 1st grade teacher gives me extra work for him to do because he's a bit ahead in his class now.
Help!! I don't know what to do...I was looking forward to having both kids occupied in the clubs but now it looks like that's not gonna happen.

 

[missattitude]

I am going on the cruise 1/10 and I have a daughter in the same predictment. I will let you know what she thinks after the cruise.
She is in first grade and also getting extra work, all playmates are 8,9 and 10 years old.

 

[MNmom]

I second the email friend idea!! Even if she is not emailing yet, I have been helping my DD(7) communicate with some other 6 and 7 year olds that will be in her group. Just go to the Cruise Meets board and find your date. Introduce yourself and see if anyone has a DD in the 5-7 group. We found lots of other families in the same situation.

Good Luck!

 

[BuzzBoyMom]

We're leaving in 18 days. I have a DS4and3/4 and a DS6. DH is quite convinced that the younger can move up with the older. While I've tried to explain that DCL is strict on this, he intends to try. So I'll let you all know. But from everything I've read, it depends a lot on the counselors and the number of kids onboard. I'll let you know in 26 days when I return. Karen

 

[geffric]

On our last cruise DS#2 was in a similar situation.. DS#1 was 10 and #2 was 7. He is a late August B'day so all the kids in his school age group were 8 but he wasn't yet.. The CM's were very understanding and let him in the Lab with his brother. At first they had only allowed him in the Lab when his brother was there. During the 2nd day, the CM who ran the Lab said that he was okay, fit in and that she did agree that he belonged there, maturity and behavior wise, so he got to stay on his own..

DCL may not make a policy of this kind of thing but I believe that they make acceptions based upon the situation.

 

[castle4us]

I am in the same boat (pun intended). DS1 is 11 and DS2 is 7. He will be 2 months away from his 8th bday when we cruise. He really wants to be in the 8 year old group. He's very mature and top in this class. He's also very well behaved. He doens't care if he's in with his brother, just doesn't want to be in with the "little" kids. I've told him about Disney's policy, but I'm planning on asking about moving him up. (He doesn't know this. I didn't want to get his hopes up.)

Geffric, how many months away from 8 was your child?

I'm hoping to hear more about this from other cruisers who have gone.

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Originally posted by missattitude
I am going on the cruise 1/10 and I have a daughter in the same predictment. I will let you know what she thinks after the cruise.
She is in first grade and also getting extra work, all playmates are 8,9 and 10 years old.

Oh! Please do let us all know! Thanks!! I'm actually thinking about changing our dates until after my son's birthday in September because of this.

 

[tchoney]

I will tell you that I encountered an age problem on our cruise. The travel agent told me that the ship staff is really flexible with ages... However, they were not. I have 3 boys, 6, 9 & 12. All are very mature for their ages. The 6 year old wanted to be with the 9 year old and they wouldn't allow it. The 12 year old wanted to be with the 13 year olds and they wouldn't allow it. So, none of my boys went into the clubs. They found other ways to entertain themselves and had a fantastic time! I was really upset at first, but their explaination made complete sense to me. If they bend on any of the rules than someone is bound to get upset. They are very strict basically to protect the young 13/14 year old girls. As 13 -17 year olds, girls and guys are able to spend a lot of time together doing things in the teenager clubs, they felt like that allowing 12 year olds with them could cause problems and they didn't want any problems. If they allowed the younger kids to mix, they would have problems with older kids.....Anyway...Hope I didn't confuse you!! Have a great time!!!

 

[geffric]

castle4us - My son is a late summer birthday, so I explained to the CM that he had completed 2nd grade/ was goin into 3rd grade and needed to be with other children that had also completed 2nd grade - not in a group of children that were either just out of kindergarten or 1st grade..

 

[missattitude]

Although I understand about bending their rules, I think they need to relook at the age policy's and add something the the inbetweeners. Although my son is 12, he is only 3 months shy of 13. If he would be bringing a friend from school most of them have turned 13 by now, and they would be in different clubs.
I think the need to reconsider and add a minimum grade level for consideration. Just my opinion...as for my 7 year old, she will adapt and probably love being one of the oldest!

 

[castle4us]

Geffric, thanks for answer.

I guess after reading this post, I can see why they may need to be strict about policy. I think we all have great reasons why the rules should be bent but I bet everyone else thinks they do too! I'm sure this makes it tough for CMs. (I'm still going to hope for him moving up into the next group, though, ha, ha!)

 

[NYDisneyMom]

Do the clubs get to do anything together, like maybe lunch or a movie at the same time? I'm thinking if I can at least tell my younger guy that he can have lunch or catch a movie with his brother than that'll help a bit. Anyone know?

 

[VIKKIGZ]

HOPE ALL WORKS OUT WELL