Kids Clubs with 10-13 year olds

[Iowamomof4]

We've kicked around the idea of a Disney cruise for awhile now (fairly common theme, I gather), but so far haven't been able to make the money work out (another common theme).

Right now, our kids' ages are getting into the in between zones with regards to the youth activities on board. They are currently 18, 16, 11, and 9. The 18- and 16-year-olds are good friends (girl and boy, respectively) and would probably prefer to be able to hang out together through most of the cruise. The 16yo will be 18 in July of 2019, so we're definitely planning to wait until then to go.

Important part begins here:
The younger set are also good friends and would probably enjoy being able to hang out together. The 11yo (boy) is into gaming and thinks the Edge sounds pretty cool, but he's also into Star Wars and would love to see those areas in the Oceaneer Club as well. The 9yo (girl) is also into gaming (Roblox, primarily) but loves fairies, unicorns, princesses, Star Wars, etc... so I was thinking she could enjoy both clubs as well.

There is a 3-month window of time where the kids will be 11 and 12 (after her birthday in September but before his birthday in December, 2019). Do you think it would be really fun for them to travel during that time where they can both go to both clubs? Or are these areas really not as exciting as the website makes them sound? If a child has a birthday while on board, do they instantly age out or into the respective areas? For example, if we began a cruise right before my 12yo turned 13, would he start the cruise being able to go to the Oceaneer Club but have to stop going on his birthday? I would love to hear from anyone who had experience with a child in that 11-12 age-range while on board and which club they ended up spending the most time at.

Thank you!

 

[lanejudy]

If a child has a birthday on the cruise, and “ages out” — s/he would no longer be allowed in that space except for Open House times. At that point, it sounds like both of the younger ones could attend Edge together, or the new 13-yr-old could join his younger sister in the Club/Lab during scheduled Open House times.

I think whether kids in that age range enjoy one space over the other really varies based on the child’s interests. Lots of posters claim their 10-11 year olds thought the Club/Lab too “babyish” while other posters with 11-12 year olds who love it.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Iowamomof4]

If a child has a birthday on the cruise, and “ages out” — s/he would no longer be allowed in that space except for Open House times. At that point, it sounds like both of the younger ones could attend Edge together, or the new 13-yr-old could join his younger sister in the Club/Lab during scheduled Open House times.

I think whether kids in that age range enjoy one space over the other really varies based on the child’s interests. Lots of posters claim their 10-11 year olds thought the Club/Lab too “babyish” while other posters with 11-12 year olds who love it.

Enjoy your cruise!

Yeah, I guess that's kind of what I'm trying to figure out. Sounds like it just depends on the kid. My youngest has always acted younger than her age, so my guess is she would enjoy the younger kid stuff as much or more than the bigger kid stuff. Her older brother is a bit more mature and so will probably enjoy the bigger kid things more. Thanks for your input!

 

[lklgoodman]

I have a 9yr old girl. Some of the things she enjoys doing at the Oceaneer club/lab are: decorating cookies, making slime, playing games on the computers (she's not a gamer, but liked whatever they have on the ships), when the characters come to read/dance with the kids, drawing/coloring pics, Pluto's pj party (on longer cruises, 7 nights or more) she like the Pluto party because they got to throw marshmellows at the cms, watch cartoons, and color a pillowcase they got to keep. We went on a Star Wars cruise last year, even though my dd and I don't care for Star Wars, she enjoyed the SW activities they did that day. These are just some of the things my dd liked on our last cruise.

 

[Partyof4LA]

My son was pretty bored in the club/lab even at age 9. Our last cruise, he was 10.5 and they allowed me to sign a waiver for him to go to edge. He loved it. He did try the lab/club again on that cruise at age 10.5, but only really liked one activity (super sloppy science). He maybe spent a total of 3 hours in the club/lab the entire trip. He would close edge down every night at midnight.
Edge does have video games, but that’s not all they do. My son does play Xbox sometimes, but is not a huge gamer and when I would ask him what he did at edge, it was very rare that he told me he was playing video games. They had board games like battleship and clue, they played bingo, and had age appropriate crafts in the room as well (i remember seeing one of those loom type things you make bracelets with for example). There were also a lot of organized activities around the ship: scavenger hunts and trips to the sports deck for basketball, etc.
I’ve been to Edge, club and lab on 3 ships (fantasy, dream, and magic)during open house and from what I saw, most almost 13 year olds I know would much prefer edge and be bored in the club/lab.

 

[Partyof4LA]

The 11yo (boy) is into gaming and thinks the Edge sounds pretty cool, but he's also into Star Wars and would love to see those areas in the Oceaneer Club as well.

Also note, only Dream has a Star Wars themed area in the kids club. If that is the ship you were wanting to sail, he can check out the Star Wars area during an open house. There were several Star Wars themed activities timed for open house as well.

 

[sarat8910]

This is great to know! My daughter will be 5 months shy of her 11th birthday and I think she'd enjoy the Edge as well as the Lab but didn't see an option for allowing her to go to Edge or if they would allow it.

My son was pretty bored in the club/lab even at age 9. Our last cruise, he was 10.5 and they allowed me to sign a waiver for him to go to edge. He loved it. He did try the lab/club again on that cruise at age 10.5, but only really liked one activity (super sloppy science). He maybe spent a total of 3 hours in the club/lab the entire trip. He would close edge down every night at midnight.
Edge does have video games, but that’s not all they do. My son does play Xbox sometimes, but is not a huge gamer and when I would ask him what he did at edge, it was very rare that he told me he was playing video games. They had board games like battleship and clue, they played bingo, and had age appropriate crafts in the room as well (i remember seeing one of those loom type things you make bracelets with for example). There were also a lot of organized activities around the ship: scavenger hunts and trips to the sports deck for basketball, etc.
I’ve been to Edge, club and lab on 3 ships (fantasy, dream, and magic)during open house and from what I saw, most almost 13 year olds I know would much prefer edge and be bored in the club/lab.

 

[PurplePencil]

This is great to know! My daughter will be 5 months shy of her 11th birthday and I think she'd enjoy the Edge as well as the Lab but didn't see an option for allowing her to go to Edge or if they would allow it.

It is not guaranteed, it depends on the amount of tweens onboard, maturity level and the CM. Don't promise to her that she will have access to Edge, but you can ask on the first day

 

[cariann77]

My daughter was 10 on our cruise, our oldest daughter was 11. I had no idea that you were able to sign a waiver to bump them up. Anyway, 11-year old had the time of her life in the Edge. 10-year old was bored out of her mind in Oceaneers club. She was by far the oldest one in there and the activities are geared more towards the younger ones. For example, she was really excited about the Anyone Can Cook class and all they really did was frost a cupcake. She just sat and hung out with the staff when she was there. It worked out because we got to spend a lot of time with our 10-year old. She went to all of the shows and things like that. 11-year totally ditched us for the Edge and her new friends. lol

 

[SWWebb]

My oldest will be 10.5 at the time of our sailing on the Dream... I was also curious as to how “flexible” they’d be with Edge. Following this thread.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Our 3 are 13, 11 & 11 (DS, DD, DD) and all of them were bored to tears in the CLAB by 10 years old. Now, we have to get a pry bar to get them out of the Edge (for various reasons). Our experience with the Edge is that they were strict with the age requirement; I've not heard of a waiver in our 7 cruises.

 

[Partyof4LA]

Our age waiver was granted on the magic on an off week cruise. We’d tried previously on the Fantasy and were told no because there was a large number of tweens that actually fit into Edge’s age limits on board.
So I am pretty sure it depends on how many kids are on board. I would not go into the cruise expecting them to allow your child in no matter how close to 11 they are. I told my son beforehand that we would try but it would be an exception not an expectation for them to say yes. He was fully prepared both times that they could say no.
We did a lot more things together as a family when he was denied Edge but bored in the club/lab. We did go to Edge during open house for him. He had a great time with us instead of spending the week pouting and miserable that they told him no.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Mine will be 10 and 3 months, but my youngest will be 7, both boys.

Even if the older boy was bored in CLAB, he would want to spend some time there to be with his brother. They really are best friends. If they let him into Edge (I know, it's an "If"), would they let him bounce back and forth between the two? Or, if he is allowed into Edge, that is where he would have to stay?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Mine will be 10 and 3 months, but my youngest will be 7, both boys.

Even if the older boy was bored in CLAB, he would want to spend some time there to be with his brother. They really are best friends. If they let him into Edge (I know, it's an "If"), would they let him bounce back and forth between the two? Or, if he is allowed into Edge, that is where he would have to stay?

Yes, he can move back and forth between the two clubs. My DD did that on her first cruise.

 

[SWWebb]

Our age waiver was granted on the magic on an off week cruise. We’d tried previously on the Fantasy and were told no because there was a large number of tweens that actually fit into Edge’s age limits on board.
So I am pretty sure it depends on how many kids are on board. I would not go into the cruise expecting them to allow your child in no matter how close to 11 they are. I told my son beforehand that we would try but it would be an exception not an expectation for them to say yes. He was fully prepared both times that they could say no.
We did a lot more things together as a family when he was denied Edge but bored in the club/lab. We did go to Edge during open house for him. He had a great time with us instead of spending the week pouting and miserable that they told him no.

Thank yo and yes, I’m not even going to mention to him that the option is on the table. I figure we will check them into CLab first, then I will discreetly head that way to see what they say. If the answer is “no” then it is... he will deal or learn to enjoy spending time with us. Mandatory fun! Lol.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

Just as an FYI - the Edge is not secured programming like the Club and Lab - the kids can come and go as they please and there is not any hard check in. From my experience with my own kids, the Edge is kind of like Middle School / Junior High: the kids seem to form cliques pretty early and hang in small groups, except when there is a major structured activity. My 11 YO was not ready to be involved in the conversations and situations that the older kids were having when she tried it out (she had just turned 11 and was in 5th grade). Most of the time I saw my DD up on the pool deck when she was 12 and 13 was with a couple of other girls at the drink station or ice cream, except for night time. Also, many of the activities take place around the ship. like the scavenger hunt, talent show, and those type of things. They also have their own time on CC with a couple of CM - lucnh, Pelican Plunge, games etc.

 

[Partyof4LA]

Thank yo and yes, I’m not even going to mention to him that the option is on the table. I figure we will check them into CLab first, then I will discreetly head that way to see what they say. If the answer is “no” then it is... he will deal or learn to enjoy spending time with us. Mandatory fun! Lol.

Your child will need to be with you when you go to Edge to ask about signing the age waiver, you cannot go without them.

Go the first day while everything is open house. We all went as a family (even my 5 year old came in). If you don’t want him to know you are asking, just say you’re all going check the space out to see what it’s like and maybe try to quietly ask the CM while he is distracted.

 

[SWWebb]

Your child will need to be with you when you go to Edge to ask about signing the age waiver, you cannot go without them.

Go the first day while everything is open house. We all went as a family (even my 5 year old came in). If you don’t want him to know you are asking, just say you’re all going check the space out to see what it’s like and maybe try to quietly ask the CM while he is distracted.

Good to know and good plan... thank you!

 

[Shanti]

If a child has a birthday on the cruise, and “ages out” — s/he would no longer be allowed in that space except for Open House times.

I find that hard to believe, given the experience I've had with the clubs. Are you speaking from experience?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I find that hard to believe, given the experience I've had with the clubs. Are you speaking from experience?

Yes, it is the truth. The upper age limits are hard limits and they offer no exceptions. On the child's birthday, they are no longer allowed to attend the club they aged out of.