Lifejackets in the pool?

[zack&alexmom]

Does anyone know if they allow kids to wear lifejackets in the pool? My dd(5) swims pretty well but with a lot of kids around I like to keep something on her. Also, do they have any available on board or do I need to bring my own?

 

[aprilgail2]

I saw a couple kids in he pool with them but to be honest I would never let my 5 year old in the goofy pool without me being in there also....the pool gets packed and kids are jumping off the sides intothe pool landing on other kids and its just a bit hectic there to put a small child in without you in there with them. She won't need it in the Mickey Pool since its only like a foot or so deep.

 

[Pixie Mom 3]

Children can wear lifejackets in the pool, you will have to bring your own. We brought our own for our son 6 1/2 and he wore it in the goofy pool, if your child is not a strong swimmer or can not touch I would recomend a lifejacket.... He of course didnt need it in the mickey pool wich he liked best of all...

The goofy pool can get busy with kids but we found that it was not as bad as everyone had said...

Another lifejacket tip..
you do not need one on castaway cay they have them hanging on the lifeguards stand to use for free....

bring your own floaty for CC (blow up large ring) and save money on renting one!!!!!!

Have fun on your cruise...

 

[crisi]

Our kids also used them in the goofy pool - which was over both their heads. We brought our own. I was in there with them - they were 4 and 5 - too little to handle the ladders and deep walls by themselves. But even with me in there, I wouldn't have had them in there without jackets (we did see one family with little kids in the goofy pool without jackets - including a 18 month old who was "swimming" from mom to wall - a braver (or more foolhardy) mom than me).

We found we had the Goofy pool to ourselves (or mostly so) on Nassau afternoon, early in the morning on sea day and on Castaway Cay afternoon.

 

[BAREFOOTER]

Does anyone know if the kids can wear their own life jackets to the safety drill?

 

[crisi]

No, but it would be nice, those lifejackets are a real pain in the butt.

You need to wear the lifejackets provided. Unless your "own" lifejacket is bright orange, with the proper neck flap, comes with the whistle, is approved for deep sea cruise ship, etc.

There are really specific regulations covering what is appropriate at sea for lifejackets and lifeboats. Disney got had to go through some huge process to change the color of the lifeboats from orange to "Mickey yellow."

 

[Pixie Mom 3]

another thing about the lifejackets you wear to the drill.....

they say do not take them off before you reach the cabin..HUMPH
I had the kids take theirs off right away.. we tossed them in the room and went up to the sail away party... one of the first ones there....kids were upfront with mickey and gang....
deck partys were one of my 10 year old daughters fav's...

ugh and dont let your kids use the whistles... very dirty!!!!! YUCK

 

[aprilgail2]

Originally posted by Pixie Mom 3
another thing about the lifejackets you wear to the drill.....

they say do not take them off before you reach the cabin..HUMPH
I had the kids take theirs off right away.. we tossed them in the room and went up to the sail away party...

My daughter was among a few young ones who were not happy wearingthose jackets and they let them take them off during the drill and just hold them and I carryed it back to the cabin for her when it was over. They are really overpowering for the little ones, she was starting to freak out wearing it....all I kept thinking was "please don't let us have to wear these for an emergancy or I dont know how I will be able to make her keep it on!"

 

[crisi]

Originally posted by Pixie Mom 3
another thing about the lifejackets you wear to the drill.....

they say do not take them off before you reach the cabin..HUMPH
I had the kids take theirs off right away.. we tossed them in the room and went up to the sail away party... one of the first ones there....kids were upfront with mickey and gang....
deck partys were one of my 10 year old daughters fav's...

ugh and dont let your kids use the whistles... very dirty!!!!! YUCK

The reason they don't want you to take them off is that all those people dragging the lifejacket straps would be hazzardous. And it isn't easy to carry three or four of them.

If you take it off your little one (or yourself) to get back to your cabin, make sure to watch the straps so no one trips.

We did wear ours back (even the kids who grew up in lifejackets - Grandpa lives on a lake - these were large and hot and uncomfortable, but not stress inducing for them), took them off, put them away in our cabin, and were still among the first up to the sail away party. Wearing your lifejacket back to your cabin may not be comfortable, but it won't consume a ton of time you need to get right up front.