Oceaneers Club/Lab open houses totally out of hand

[5Texans]

We're just off the Fantasy and the open houses didn't bother us. In fact my girls LOVED the time in the club with and without us. My DDs are little and I was worried about bigger kids running DD 3y/o over- or trying to pick her up like a doll (she's really petite), but the CMs had it all under control. I don't know for sure, but it seemed like b/c we were off season there were fewer kids. Maybe in the summer we would have felt it more. The club never seemed super crowded. It seems like the older kids would complain about this more that the littles, and they are the ones who can check themselves in and out during OH. The bottom line for me is, whatever the rules or OH hours, our family will adjust and I don't see it making or breaking the cruise for us.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

I'm so glad my kids have aged out of the kid's clubs. I was fortunate that my kids did not WANT to be together! My DD in the middle is 2 years younger than oldest DS and 19 months older than youngest DS. So in any given year, the poor girl was either with her younger brother or her older brother. She didn't want to be with any brother! LOL.

 

[cruisingtwins]

This is being asked in a nice way How old are your kids and why don't they like to go to the club without a parent?
If Disney could figure out why some kids have this issue it could help.
I know some kids with special needs can't go without a parent but there are others that just won't go.

They are 4 they and really shy, my son has a generalized anxiety disorder diagnosis and selective mutism. All kids are different we don't mind being with them all the time but with the pools being so crowded and the clubs being drop off only there wasn't really much for us to do in the ship. My kids were terrified of characters as well.

 

[cheermom2four]

We went on the Fantasy back in September and my dd5 hated it because she constantly had to go to the lab side because club side was in OH mode. I personally saw her get plowed over by older kids running around and dont blame her now for hating being in there. It sucks as I wanted her to meet other kids on the ship in there but she never did as she just hated being crammed into one space or the other. We went with her once to open house and I think there was one other family in there and I thought it was odd it was for 2 hours at a time (one side or the other) considering I hardly saw families in there. I have no problem with the OH but maybe not so many of them throughout the day. Also, I agree with others here that maybe group by smaller ages as it was in our circumstance that my dd was accidentally plowed into by an older kid running around. We only started cruising this year on Disney so I really cant say I liked it when they went by smaller age groups but on our upcoming cruise, I can already say she wont go because of being ran into and knocked to the ground and the fact she just didnt like the lab side. I told her we will see as its during the school year and in Europe so maybe not so many kids like a western caribbean cruise.

 

[cheermom2four]

My kids were terrified of characters as well.

OMG I thought my dd5 was the ONLY one afraid of characters. Good golly you'd think they were murdering her as they walked towards her (to actually walk past us) as she would shake and start screaming LOL. Towards the end she would see the princesses but that was it. No others. smh

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

I'm not a parent, but I was a kid on many, many cruises and I just don't understand this. Why did you have to be with your brother to have a good time? Isn't the point of being in the kids club to make new friends? I was a shy kid, and I still never hung with my brother on cruises (we're close in age). We each made different groups of friends. I guess I just don't understand why parents think their kids need to stay together. It's good to meet new people.

I just wanted to give the other side of this coin. I don't have a "dog in this fight" either, as my sons are teenagers now, and they were both in Vibe, not the kids clubs. I do understand both sides. Wanting enough space. Wanting enough time. Wanting time together with siblings or alone. Not wanted to be run over, or tripped by older/younger kids.

But in my case, my sons, who are 17 months apart, WANT to be together, and I want them to be together. Sure, I want them to meet new people too, but let's face it, people they meet on a ship are for a week, or maybe for Facebook (If they did that). Brothers are for a lifetime. I want them to have that strong bond and interaction. During their week on the Fantasy, they interacted with others, but they had each other's backs too. They encouraged each other. They gave each other confidence to try new things, and to meet new people. And yes, sometimes they went to Vibe alone. They were more confident even when alone, because they had each other to rely on. THAT is what I want for them. Soon they will go off to college alone (OK, couple years still), but that bond they have developed will help them be happy, even when they are apart. True, my kids would be in the same clubs most years anyway, but not in the "bridge" years, so I for one am glad that Disney is flexible with its ages when one sibling is close to the age cutoff.

 

[hanscarlet]

We cruise DCL because of the clubs and because of the 3-12 range, if they change that then I will eagerly book Norwegian or RCCL. I did notice more open houses on our cruise in April, never occurred to me that it was to address their staffing gaps, if that's the case then I'll gladly leave feedback on the comment card during our next cruise. We don't even use the club that much so I was surprised how much open house there was.

Editted to say the reason we like the 3-12 gap is because my oldest is on the autism spectrum and her little sis looks out for her and they are three years apart. I recognize that because I'm in the minority being a family with a child with disabilities may not be a good enough reason to warrant keeping the gap but I will say that this is the only differentiating factor as to why we pay the extra $$ to cruise with DCL, I'd respond via taking my money elsewhere if they changed this.

 

[ashley0139]

I just wanted to give the other side of this coin. I don't have a "dog in this fight" either, as my sons are teenagers now, and they were both in Vibe, not the kids clubs. I do understand both sides. Wanting enough space. Wanting enough time. Wanting time together with siblings or alone. Not wanted to be run over, or tripped by older/younger kids.

But in my case, my sons, who are 17 months apart, WANT to be together, and I want them to be together. Sure, I want them to meet new people too, but let's face it, people they meet on a ship are for a week, or maybe for Facebook (If they did that). Brothers are for a lifetime. I want them to have that strong bond and interaction. During their week on the Fantasy, they interacted with others, but they had each other's backs too. They encouraged each other. They gave each other confidence to try new things, and to meet new people. And yes, sometimes they went to Vibe alone. They were more confident even when alone, because they had each other to rely on. THAT is what I want for them. Soon they will go off to college alone (OK, couple years still), but that bond they have developed will help them be happy, even when they are apart. True, my kids would be in the same clubs most years anyway, but not in the "bridge" years, so I for one am glad that Disney is flexible with its ages when one sibling is close to the age cutoff.

I see what you're saying, but do you really think a week apart on a cruise ship is going to make or break a brotherly bond? I should hope not. I don't really see how if they were in different groups for a week it would make that much of a difference. Plus, it's not like they spend every moment in the kids clubs.

I do appreciate the different perspective.

 

[PoopDeckPappy]

I just wanted to give the other side of this coin. I don't have a "dog in this fight" either, as my sons are teenagers now, and they were both in Vibe, not the kids clubs. I do understand both sides. Wanting enough space. Wanting enough time. Wanting time together with siblings or alone. Not wanted to be run over, or tripped by older/younger kids.

But in my case, my sons, who are 17 months apart, WANT to be together, and I want them to be together. Sure, I want them to meet new people too, but let's face it, people they meet on a ship are for a week, or maybe for Facebook (If they did that). Brothers are for a lifetime. I want them to have that strong bond and interaction. During their week on the Fantasy, they interacted with others, but they had each other's backs too. They encouraged each other. They gave each other confidence to try new things, and to meet new people. And yes, sometimes they went to Vibe alone. They were more confident even when alone, because they had each other to rely on. THAT is what I want for them. Soon they will go off to college alone (OK, couple years still), but that bond they have developed will help them be happy, even when they are apart. True, my kids would be in the same clubs most years anyway, but not in the "bridge" years, so I for one am glad that Disney is flexible with its ages when one sibling is close to the age cutoff.

Same for me but I have younger girls; I completely agree.

The sailing I was on was only half full (rerouted to Canada Magic 10/7) so space was not an issue but had the ship been 80% full, it really would have had a negative impact on those who were crowding into the non OH side. DCL doesn't seem like the type of company to do things on a whim so I have to assume there has been a big calling for the OH hours. But no one seems to be able to remember a time where the space was being used even at half capacity. Has anyone noticed if they log how many people are using the open house? they didn't seem to when I sailed last but it was an unusual sailing so I don't think it would provide meaningful stats. I do think they need to revisit the amount of time OH is being offered. Just my .02

 

[Alicatt]

It does seem from looking at the navigators that the open house times are increasing. Maybe they could have a set time in the morning so that families who want to go with their kids to the clubs always know it will be available and families who want secure programing and feel like the one club is too crowded, can have a long breakfast or play mini golf or something. My kids are 6 and 8 and will want to be together sometimes and apart others. My ds will want to play infinity or hang out with the star wars stuff. My dd is super excited about Andy's room and the tinker bell area. That being said, if they couldnt visit with each other and show off the cool thing they discovered, it would ruin it for them.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

I see what you're saying, but do you really think a week apart on a cruise ship is going to make or break a brotherly bond? I should hope not. I don't really see how if they were in different groups for a week it would make that much of a difference. Plus, it's not like they spend every moment in the kids clubs.

I do appreciate the different perspective.

No, it won't make or break anything. I'm just grateful for the opportunity it gave them. It was an unusual social situation for them. People their own age, but not people they knew. So it gave them a chance to find themselves in new situations. Also, sometimes when in social situations at home, they can have a tendency to undercut each other absent-mindedly. In this case, since they were both in a new situation, it gave them a new appreciation for how lucky hey were to have each other, and how they shouldn't take it for granted, but instead appreciate each other at home too. So for us, this was a very valuable experience.

By the way, I'd also like to say how much I enjoyed hearing you say that you appreciate a different perspective! I too am glad to hear your perspective and those of others on these boards. That is so wonderful. Thank YOU!

 

[sdKT]

so to the people who complain about the 12yo.. once they turn 11 -- they are able to go to Edge, and i'm a parent of kids 5+ yrs apart, but i never cared that they NEED to stay together. its our 4th cruise (+others not DCL) in my 5yo's life - so when he was little/or did not want to go, he hung out with us. we very rarely utilized Open house as the entire ship is a kids playground. so those comments do not make sense to me. that without Open house there is nothing for shy/young, u name it, kids to do.
the clubs stack exactly to our school system (in california anyway..)
3-11 elementary school
11-14 Middle/jr high
14-18 high school.
and thats how they run. we leave this weekend so im curious to see how much Open house there really will be but the other half is open so we just would drop off kids there/whatever half is open. Its really all 1 big club.

 

[sdKT]

we're about to get on the Fantasy. thanks for info.

We're just off the Fantasy and the open houses didn't bother us. In fact my girls LOVED the time in the club with and without us. My DDs are little and I was worried about bigger kids running DD 3y/o over- or trying to pick her up like a doll (she's really petite), but the CMs had it all under control. I don't know for sure, but it seemed like b/c we were off season there were fewer kids. Maybe in the summer we would have felt it more. The club never seemed super crowded. It seems like the older kids would complain about this more that the littles, and they are the ones who can check themselves in and out during OH. The bottom line for me is, whatever the rules or OH hours, our family will adjust and I don't see it making or breaking the cruise for us.

 

[anna08]

My two complaints with the open house are:
1. I don't mind the age spread when both areas are secured because the kids mostly self select and a few 10 year olds participating in a younger activity or a few 4 year olds coming to the lab space doesn't really disrupt the play and can easily be accommodated; BUT when those ages are forced together in one small club it gets unbearable. My son (older) complains that the younger kids are on all the computers but don't know what they are doing and the younger kids get a little run over (not literally but you know). Before it worked because the kids normally stayed apart due to their interests.

2. This is the one that kills me- the secure space gets MOBBED. The clubs can be crowded on a good day but when spread between the 2 areas it works. Open houses push all the kids into one space making it miserable and the spaces are clearly to full for the kids to play. The really aggravating thing for me was that on my cruise we'd get a call to pickup because it was kid soup and he wasn't having fun. Then we'd peak into te open house and there would be 2 maybe 3 families in there. So 300 kids crammed together on one side for 5 kids to play in open house.

I totally understand the need and desire for open houses, especially to accommodate the kids that cannot play alone, BUT the hours have become a real problem. BETTER YET why doesn't Disney design a smaller family play area that's inside and has similar activities that's meant for open family play (without age restrictions for the toddlers). Win win the kids get their space back and families that want or need open play can have that too.

THIS. There should never be an open house during the evening hours that are peak times for attendance. The large age group becomes an issue when you have all those kids crammed into the lab because the 9-12 yo don't want to be in the club for the most part. While my kids now have sign out privileges which alleviates this issue some, I definitely would be bummed when I would come pick up the kids and it was like a mob scene of kids. They would be so relieved to get out of there.

I was never told once that I could leave my kids during an open house, and was directly told I had to stay with them by many different CMs on more than one ship.

 

[DisneyKeepsUsYoung]

I do wish the age ranges were smaller and maybe older siblings could choose to age down to be with a younger sibling if desired as a previous poster suggested. I am afraid my kids will not want to play there much if there are many big kids there. I see how big kids (9-12 year olds) often do not pay attention, bully or play unsafely around little ones when we go to parks, bounce house places, pools, or the like. My daughter often says after places like this how mean the big kids were and how she doesn't like playing around them.