Mickey Pool - Complete Chaos

[HiddenMickeys]

The reason I originally posted this was not to start a debate about "good parenting". In my opinion, that argument is absurd. 99.9% of us are going to do what's best for our kids. That's what I meant about the parent police and being self-righteous. We live in New York, so this was really our first opportunity to go swimming since August. My kids are 3 and 4 and absolutely love to swim. That is all they talked about before the cruise. I understand some people don't "cruise to swim", but for my kids it is a big deal. I did not walk away and leave my children. My wife and I sat on the side the entire time each watching one of them. there was a CM watching the pools the entire time. Ifn fact one did not leave until another arrived. Again we were in the Mickey pool, not the Goofy pool. I'm not sure what the sign says about lifeguards at the Mickey pool. My complaint was that there were some very large and older kids who were very physical and it was endangering other kids. In my opinion, it is the CM's job to step in and at least calm them down. Again, i understand the pools are going to be crowded. That was NOT my complaint. My complaint was that the CM's did nothing. Do I beleive my children were at serious risk? No, of course not or I would have pulled the kids out of the pool. But it did make for a more restrictive atmosphere. Maybe you see it differently, but that's my two cents.

Well I was mistaken, and I do apologize for that. You obviously were attentive. In reading the post originally, my take was that the cm's were being expected to break up every little altercation. I see your point now. Personally, if my kids were harassing other kids in some way, the cm's wouldnt have the time to form the words before my kids were reprimanded by me. Obviously, with these kids, that wasnt the case. Splashing will happen, of course. But if children are causing others to go under, or are being physical, then it shouldnt be left to a cm to step in, everyone concerned should step in. But again, re-reading everything, your children were not in this situation or in danger, and you were NOT one of those parents who went on vacation and expected the cm's to handle everything. My mistake, and I do apologize.

 

[ols386]

DCLLVR....I did not think you were being self-righteous or acting like the parent police at all. There is nothing wrong with you expressing your honest opinion on these boards. If someone disagrees with you, that's fine....then they can post their opinions....but they don't need to reply by making accusatory remarks (it's uncalled for).

 

[DCLLVR]

DCLLVR....I did not think you were being self-righteous or acting like the parent police at all. There is nothing wrong with you expressing your honest opinion on these boards. If someone disagrees with you, that's fine....then they can post their opinions....but they don't need to reply by making accusatory remarks (it's uncalled for).

Thank you!! ... I agree, it's ok to disagree, but people have strong feelings and no matter what others opinions are, these feelings will likely not change. The OP said the Mickey Pool was "Chaos", I simply expressed my way of handling those situations, was not trying to tell the OP they were a bad parent.

Anyway, I'm done discussing this on this thread, seems like we are going in circles here.

 

[mickey0624]

The Mickey Pool sign says the same thing. Here is the issue, its YOUR OPINION that its the CMs job to step in. In fact, that isn't their job unless there is serious risk. And, as you said, it wasn't serious risk or you would have removed your kids from the pool - as we did when the hooligans on our cruise started jumping into a packed Goofy Pool. (By the way, I think the Goofy Pool is MUCH WORSE, which is why you get bigger kids in the Mickey Pool. If the Mickey Pool is small, I've been in hotels where the hot tub is bigger than the Goofy pool. And the Goofy Pool gets the rambucous fifteen year olds - which scares the parents of the roughhousing ten year olds over to the Mickey Pool scare the parents of the four year olds.

I'm sorry you were disappointed in the experience. But it is what it is - some cruises are better and some are worse depending on the guests, but the CMs pretty much behave the same way each cruise - and have for years despite numerous suggestions from guests that they police the pool differently. Every cruise there are eight and ten year olds (and older kids) in the Mickey pool with the three and four year olds, splashing, jumping and "diving" in way that is going to make any preschoolers parent nervous.

You can write DCL Guest Relations, they will file your complaint with the many others on this topic and maybe, someday, they will take action. You can also tell people that this is the way it is - which is what you are doing - and that they should make a decision to cruise based on very little policing of very crowded pools. But saying "it should be different" here isn't going to change anything. It isn't different. Its never been different. Its unlikely to be different.

I did also email guest relations and lodged a compalint......which no one will probably ever read

 

[DCLLVR]

parents should be parents! .... was not implying that you were not parenting. Obviously you are a great parent, or you would not be so defensive about it.

 

[mickey0624]

parents should be parents! .... was not implying that you were not parenting. Obviously you are a great parent, or you would not be so defensive about it.

if I took it wrong than I apologize. originally that's they way it seemed to me.

 

[DCLLVR]

if I took it wrong than I apologize. originally that's they way it seemed to me.

I apologize as well, I was not trying to say anything negative, just giving my philosophy on these types of situations, they happen in lots of places, not just DCL. There certainly are tons of kids on DCL, so these types of situations do happen often here. Again, I appologize that you felt it was directed at you.

 

[mickey0624]

I apologize as well, I was not trying to say anything negative, just giving my philosophy on these types of situations, they happen in lots of places, not just DCL. There certainly are tons of kids on DCL, so these types of situations do happen often here. Again, I appologize that you felt it was directed at you.

and just to clarify, we had a FANTASTIC time on the cruise and will definitely be going again. This was just one small area that a had a problem with.

 

[crisi]

I did also email guest relations and lodged a compalint......which no one will probably ever read

Oh, I have every confidence that they will read it. I just have very little confidence that anything will change as a result. But perhaps your letter will be the straw that breaks the camels back.

The new ships may also be different in terms of pools. When DCL built these ships, the pools were incredible - since few kids cruised before DCL, ships pools were really designed for a small number of children - and for grown ups to sun around and get wet. Now that cruising has become an all ages vacation and other lines have built family friendly ships, DCLs pools are small.

 

[Mom323]

We just got back from a great 4 day cruise on the Disney Wonder. Everything was great. The only complaint that I had was that the Mickey pool was completely chaotic, especially the days at sea. I understand that the pool is going to be crowded with lots of kids and I have no problems with that. The problem that I did have was that there were quite a few kids that were too big and too old to be in that pool, and they were wrestling, jumping on one another, and knocking down little kids in the pool. These kids must have been 12 or 13 and the lifeguards just stood there and said nothing.

When you addressed your concerns to the cast member, did they give any explanation as to why they didn't step in?

 

[Joan1]

The new ships may also be different in terms of pools. When DCL built these ships, the pools were incredible - since few kids cruised before DCL, ships pools were really designed for a small number of children - and for grown ups to sun around and get wet. Now that cruising has become an all ages vacation and other lines have built family friendly ships, DCLs pools are small.

I don't know about this statement. We have been cruising with our kids since before DCL existed and they were still partnered with the big red boat. We always have had kids sailing on all the ones we have been on even before DCL

 

[crisi]

I don't know about this statement. We have been cruising with our kids since before DCL existed and they were still partnered with the big red boat. We always have had kids sailing on all the ones we have been on even before DCL

You may have, but 20 years ago, the Big Red Boat catered to atypical cruisers. Middle Age empty nesters, retirees, young couples were the cruising population 20 years ago. Families were a minority.

If you don't believe me, you can google articles about "trends in the cruising industry."

 

[tparbs]

From my personal point of view, if any of you saw my kid roughhousing or otherwise being unruly and you got up from your chair and told him to knock it off two things would happen:
1.- He'd knock it off
2.- I'd back you up, make him/her apologize and thank you...

wwwosie...just wanted to say AWESOME post! I was gonna reply last night but it was late. lol Loved your whole post and was suprised no one responded to it.

Bottom line: We all love our kids. I was glad to see the "making up" posts today from misunderstandings on this thead. Our kids and our parenting are sensitive subjects, so it's easy to get upset on these types of topics.

I guess I'd like to see from somewhere (where would one look?) exactly what the CM's job description IS at the pools. Anyone know?

But yes, I agree that it comes down to us parents. No one is going to look out for and protect our kids more then us. So when we need to step in and say "let's get an ice cream" (great idea whoever posted that!) to remove our child from that situtation, then so be it. And if it's our own kids that are doing the rough housing, obviously we need to correct them.

Is every parent going to do the right thing? Nope. So we just need to do the right thing ourselves.

 

[Hypermommy]

but maybe they did not think of it as being bad horse play... Most boys don't.

I'm glad to see someone else post the same thought I was having. My guys are 14 and 12 and they're pretty good kids and usually cognizent of little kids being around. However, that being said, they are kids and all boy and then some. Every now and again their horseplay needs to have the reins put on and that's my job. If I'm not around (and with them being teenagers [or in the case of the 12.5 yo, darn close] I'm not always around anymore), I hope some other adult (the parent of the kid that they're not respecting I hope) will put them in their place. And let me just find out they didn't react respectfully to another parent (insert mean momma bear face here) !!!!!

 

[MaryKatesMom]

When you addressed your concerns to the cast member, did they give any explanation as to why they didn't step in?

Go back and read the OP.

Not everyone is willing to cause a confrontation in front of their kids.

 

[Mom323]

We just got back from a great 4 day cruise on the Disney Wonder. Everything was great. The only complaint that I had was that the Mickey pool was completely chaotic, especially the days at sea. I understand that the pool is going to be crowded with lots of kids and I have no problems with that. The problem that I did have was that there were quite a few kids that were too big and too old to be in that pool, and they were wrestling, jumping on one another, and knocking down little kids in the pool. These kids must have been 12 or 13 and the lifeguards just stood there and said nothing.

Go back and read the OP.

Not everyone is willing to cause a confrontation in front of their kids.

I have read the OP. How would voicing her concerns to the cast member be confrontational? It seems to me if she was unhappy that the life guards are just standing there and saying nothing, than she did the same.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I have read the OP. How would voicing her concerns to the cast member be confrontational? It seems to me if she was unhappy that the life guards are just standing there and saying nothing, than she did the same.

She isn't the CM or the parent and isn't responsible for other children.

It is pretty judgmental to say what she should have done since we we weren't there.

I've been in a pool situation when a child deliberately was splashing water in my small child's face (not an accidental splash) and I've told the other child to please knock it off only to have the parents go ballistic.

In a crowded area it would be impossible for the OP to know who is the parents and I wouldn't risk a confrontation.

The OP already said his children weren't in danger at which point I would have stepped in with out hesitation.

It is a judgment call what is "splashing in someone's face" and "it is a pool you should expect to get wet" or "just mild boy horseplay" and "wild boy horseplay".

I wouldn't be condesending enough to tell someone they should voiced their concerns if they were unhappy. You weren't there to make the call.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

You know just for the record. I live in Scotland and it is the Easter Holidays. We were at the swimming pool yest and I could see in the kids pool big kids 11-14 not just throwing a ball around but really belting it, there were little kids in the pool and I was really bugged by it. The life gaurds should have chucked them out, if I had been a parent in the pool I would have went and asked for them to be chucked out .It was an accident waiting to happen.
Point is, it happens everywhere unfortunatly! Not just the disney cruise.Kids eh, who would have them? Also can i just say what a nice post, think it is the first ever I have seen even one apology never mind so many, shame the kids dont read this, at the risk of sounding patronizing what a nice example of humanity.

 

[lbgraves]

hmm...well, if it's their job to take care of "injuries and accidents" only, perhaps it should be in their job description to try to keep those same injuries and accidents from happening in the first place.

Having said that, I agree that parents need to be parents. But as the mother of an 8 yr old son (who happens to be autistic), this is a whole new worry I hadn't realized was one to be added to be list.

We have found that the best time for the kids to enjoy the Mickey pool is on port days. We will generally walk around the port a bit and then return to the ship and pretty much have the pool area to ourselves. If we do a morning excursion the pool is usually pretty empty until 2 or 3. That is their favorite place to be and when we leave the ship to look around their first question is when will we go back to the pool.

Also, I believe that the CMs that are in the Mickey Pool area are mainly there to oversee the safety of the kids on the slide based on where they are located.

 

[lbgraves]

Just a reminder of the DIS board guidelines...

3. NO FIGHTING/SARCASM: While we'd like to think that a Disney fan site is always lighthearted, there are times when there are disagreements. Let's face it, there are certain topics that can transform any of us into a raging "Donald Duck." When you sense this is happening, we ask that you step away from the discussion before it escalates into a fight. Just like Mom always said about fighting, we don't care who started the argument and we don't want it on the DIS. (Okay, she didn't say the part about the DIS, but you know what we mean.) No attacking others and no sarcasm please. Either will result in an infraction.

Making a general statement about what you have observed on the ship is allowed. Labeling someone's comments or opinions is not. If this continues posts will be deleted. Thank you.