Oceaneers Club/Lab open houses totally out of hand

[hardis5]

There have been numerous threads in the past about, but having just again experienced this week, the use of open houses in the youth clubs as a means for Disney to save on staffing and use the spaces as "family" entertainment is getting out of hand and control. The last night of a 4-night sailing, they had one side closed for program for an open house 7pm to 8pm (4 hours before youth programming finished for the entire cruise). What purpose can one justify an open house with 4 hours of programming left at the end of an entire cruise?

Each day for hours at a time, one side or the others was open to all. I guess until DCL has a serious incident with a child left unattended during these "open houses" in the space (and for certain they eventually will as parents can be seen leaving youth unattended all over the ships) they will continue to hide behind the term and save on staffing.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

There have been numerous threads in the past about, but having just again experienced this week, the use of open houses in the youth clubs as a means for Disney to save on staffing and use the spaces as "family" entertainment is getting out of hand and control. The last night of a 4-night sailing, they had one side closed for program for an open house 7pm to 8pm (4 hours before youth programming finished for the entire cruise). What purpose can one justify an open house with 4 hours of programming left at the end of an entire cruise?

Each day for hours at a time, one side or the others was open to all. I guess until DCL has a serious incident with a child left unattended during these "open houses" in the space (and for certain they eventually will as parents can be seen leaving youth unattended all over the ships) they will continue to hide behind the term and save on staffing.

Did you mention it on your comment card?

 

[deanimal]

We did a four night Pacific Coastal cruise on the Wonder back in August and I have to admit I was surprised at how much open house time there was. I'd say that on average one side or the other was open house for about 8 hours of every day. Now we were lucky on this cruise because my kids are 6 and 7 and even though they prefer the Lab they're perfectly happy in the Club for a few hours. But if I had preschoolers who weren't comfortable in the Lab or tweens who had no interest in the Club side I'd be pretty annoyed that there was no secure programming for them for large chunks of time. Some days it was 3-6 pm or 9am-noon, which isn't just a little bit here and there. I guess that they make these decisions based on feedback and that's what some people want but for me it's one more reason why I won't pay a premium to cruise Disney anymore.

 

[hardis5]

Did you mention it on your comment card?

Of course as that is the only means the masses have to voice opinion from their sailing that Disney can see. Always use the comment cards for feedback both positive and negative along with criticisms.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Of course as that is the only means the masses have to voice opinion from their sailing that Disney can see. Always use the comment cards for feedback both positive and negative along with criticisms.

Right. Just asking, because there are people who either don't fill them out, or fill them out how they think DCL wants to hear things.

I always bring extra paper - those 3 measly lines provided on the comment card for comments are never enough. Both good and bad comments.

 

[ldo]

My kids have aged out, but I really wouldn't want my 4 yr old with a 10 year old and I doubt the 10 yr old feels that's very cool either. It used to be 2-3 hrs or so each day, certainly not 8 hrs. I think DCL tried to be everything to everyone and it's just not working.

 

[DisneyKeepsUsYoung]

So if your kid is at the club already, do you have to pick them up prior to an open house starting? I thought the club and lab were connected and the kids could go from one to the other as they pleased. I'm confused with the policy on open houses. We are looking into an Alaskan cruise and would be wanting to use the kids club on the Wonder. Being able to drop them off there is a big reason we are looking into Disney, especially on the Tracey Arm day.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So if your kid is at the club already, do you have to pick them up prior to an open house starting? I thought the club and lab were connected and the kids could go from one to the other as they pleased. I'm confused with the policy on open houses. We are looking into an Alaskan cruise and would be wanting to use the kids club on the Wonder. Being able to drop them off there is a big reason we are looking into Disney, especially on the Tracey Arm day.

The Club and Lab are sort of separated. If your child is in the Club, for instance, and the Club goes to Open House, if you're not there to "be with" him, he will be escorted to the Lab side (which will be in secured programming). And vice versa.

 

[DisneyKeepsUsYoung]

The Club and Lab are sort of separated. If your child is in the Club, for instance, and the Club goes to Open House, if you're not there to "be with" him, he will be escorted to the Lab side (which will be in secured programming). And vice versa.

Which side is more geared towards the younger kids? I've seen pics of the new spaces on the Wonder but I don't know which side the pics are each from.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Which side is more geared towards the younger kids? I've seen pics of the new spaces on the Wonder but I don't know which side the pics are each from.

The club typically gears it's activities toward the 3-7 group, while the lab aims for the 8-12 group.

But, any child in the either location can participate in whatever activities appeal to them, regardless of age.

On the Wonder the Club and Lab are on separate sides of the atrium (there is a "secret tunnel" on the starboard side for the kids to go back and forth, or they can be escorted across the divide by CMs, if there are any available.

 

[Shanti]

What purpose can one justify an open house with 4 hours of programming left at the end of an entire cruise?

The open houses exist throughout the cruise because some kids don't cope well with being left at the clubs alone. The open houses allow those children (and there are plenty of them) to enjoy the clubs with a parent. I'm very glad they have some open house time at the kids clubs every day, and that's one of the reasons that I pay to sail Disney.

The daily open house hours are a great compromise between the need for some parents to be able to drop off their kids for babysitting, and for other parents to be able to help their children enjoy the clubs. This can be especially useful for families with very young, timid children and/or special needs children (like my son). Not all families have the same needs on the cruise.

 

[KashasMom]

My kids have aged out, but I really wouldn't want my 4 yr old with a 10 year old and I doubt the 10 yr old feels that's very cool either. It used to be 2-3 hrs or so each day, certainly not 8 hrs. I think DCL tried to be everything to everyone and it's just not working.

THIS is my complaint. 3-12 years is just TOO wide an age spread. 12 year olds don't need to be with 3 year olds. My daughter had a bad experience in the Disney kid's club and she'll never go back. She has enjoyed the kid's clubs on other lines where the age groupings make sense - and are much less crowded than on Disney.

 

[Dug720]

THIS is my complaint. 3-12 years is just TOO wide an age spread. 12 year olds don't need to be with 3 year olds. My daughter had a bad experience in the Disney kid's club and she'll never go back. She has enjoyed the kid's clubs on other lines where the age groupings make sense - and are much less crowded than on Disney.

Let Disney know! They bunched them because a lot of parents whined that their kids couldn't be together. Maybe the pendulum is swinging back the other way now - they need to know!

 

[Mickeymouseisking]

The open houses exist throughout the cruise because some kids don't cope well with being left at the clubs alone. The open houses allow those children (and there are plenty of them) to enjoy the clubs with a parent. I'm very glad they have some open house time at the kids clubs every day, and that's one of the reasons that I pay to sail Disney.

The daily open house hours are a great compromise between the need for some parents to be able to drop off their kids for babysitting, and for other parents to be able to help their children enjoy the clubs. This can be especially useful for families with very young, timid children and/or special needs children (like my son). Not all families have the same needs on the cruise.

I completely agree. There are many kids who want to play in the clubs and participate in activities there, but don't feel comfortable being without their parents or siblings. I think this is a great compromise.

Also, when I was a kid on the Disney cruise (YEARS ago...lol) I didn't get to hang out with my brother -who's 3 years younger than me - because I was too old. It made for a really boring, frustrating and lonely cruise for me. The system they use now would be perfect for us!

From what I know, they made this change exactly for those two reasons - siblings and children who won't go without their parents. There are still lots of CMs in there during OH hours, so I don't see how this has to do with cutting down on CMs. There's always one club that's secured, so I just think it's a good compromise, from my personal experience.

 

[MPS516]

How do you win this debate ? You regularly read posts from adults wanting time in the clubs and very vocal people upset their kids could not be together in the same club due to age. Others object to having anyone in the club who are more than a couple years older or younger than their child. Seems to me DCL is reacting to those who comment, can't believe for a minute the intent is to save on staffing. Our niece is a counselor on the Wonder and her parent stories are often unbelievable, surprised Disney makes them put up with them. During our years of using the clubs and labs we never had a complaint and adjusted to our DD's desires each day, while they were mostly wanting to go to the club/lab, there were times they actually just wanted to hang with mom and dad, go to the pool, play ping pong, or explore. Our sincerest thanks to all the counselors on all the ships, you created some very special memories for our DD's.

 

[lklgoodman]

So if your kid is at the club already, do you have to pick them up prior to an open house starting? I thought the club and lab were connected and the kids could go from one to the other as they pleased. I'm confused with the policy on open houses. We are looking into an Alaskan cruise and would be wanting to use the kids club on the Wonder. Being able to drop them off there is a big reason we are looking into Disney, especially on the Tracey Arm day.[/QUO

We went on an Alaskan cruise several years ago. On Tracey Arm day they did club activities on one of the upper decks, it was in the basketball court area. My daughter spent about 10 seconds looking at the glacier then she went there.

 

[bumbershoot]

until DCL has a serious incident with a child left unattended during these "open houses"

Parents have to be with kids at the open house. They are quite clear on that.

THIS is my complaint. 3-12 years is just TOO wide an age spread. 12 year olds don't need to be with 3 year olds. My daughter had a bad experience in the Disney kid's club and she'll never go back. She has enjoyed the kid's clubs on other lines where the age groupings make sense - and are much less crowded than on Disney.

Ok, but there are constant posts about wanting kiss together on Royal boards. No one can win.

My kid doesn't mind little ones at all except that they are very unpredictable and dart around. My kid is tall and has a long way to fall if a little kid trips him or if he maneuvers poorly while trying to avoid a little kid.

 

[gotomu212]

Let Disney know! They bunched them because a lot of parents whined that their kids couldn't be together. Maybe the pendulum is swinging back the other way now - they need to know!

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.

 

[gotomu212]

Parents have to be with kids at the open house. They are quite clear on that.

If your child has check in/check out privileges (can start at 8 I believe) they do not need a parent present. Only children requiring secured programming -under 8, and between 8-12 that parents have registered as secured) need a parent. The way it worked on our most recent cruise was all kids were moved to secure and then my son and his friend self checked out of secure and walked back to the open house lab and they were checked to make sure they had check in privileges and were allowed in.

 

[Dug720]

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.

Not quite sure why I was quoted? I was responding (with quote) to someone who was uncomfortable with the age spread and prefers other lines who DO keep the ages distinct. Disney needs to hear from all parties to know what people are thinking and feeling.

So I would encourage you to do the same thing. Contact them with your concerns and suggestions.