Parents beware... Watch your kids

[jockotaco]

Just off the Dream and I will be posting a full review in the coming days but I wanted to get this out. As an EMT working emergency medicine for both an ambulance service as well as a 911 helicopter rescue service I have seen my share of dangerous situations. In my opinion (for what it's worth) the Mickey pool, frankly both pools but especially the Mickey is probably one of the potentially most dangerous places I have encountered. As many of you are aware this is a small shallow pool. At one point on our sea day I counted 60 plus kids (stopped counting at 63 as i was watching my child and didn't want to turn around) in this pool all jumping around, bellyflopping etc... Disney provides no supervision or staff to help enforce the rules, many of the parents are just as useless. It only takes one accidental kick to the head or another child jumping in knocking your kid over possibly causing them to be unable to regain his or her balance. The purpose of my message is to remind you not to take your eyes off of your kids on the pool deck.

 

[Moxin]

As the parent of a 4 year old, I concur...and am often amazed at how many people leave their young ones alone in the pool and wander off. I am a hawk when my daughter is in the pool.

 

[kgc07]

I believe it is always a parents responsibility to watch their children. Disney does not provide lifeguards and it is posted. Thanks for the reminder. I. Think many people get caught up in the magic of vacation and sometimes forgt this!

 

[wcw57]

wellllll-

it never hurts to repeat the obvious- - - - HOWEVER, those who watch their kids will continue to do so and those who don't can't be convinced by any post...sadly

each year there is a litany of pool drownings yet each following year (or week) there are more incidences.

and don't forget that many parents don't admonish their children because they are made of gold and don't want to hurt their feelings...

this is a whole can of worms u have opened here

 

[jockotaco]

Oh yes I know it's a big can of worms and the debate around parental responsibility and lifeguards will continue. I am currently at Disneys Vero Beach Resort and I counted 4 lifeguards all helping to enforce the rules. Why is this a standard at a Disney Resort but not a Disney cruise ship. I Have cruised on other lines I know the cruise standard is no lifeguards but I have never seen such a crazy situation as this. The difficult part for me is I have 3 kids and only 2 parents. Although 2 of my kids are proficient swimmers it was still very concerning. So the simple answer of watch your kids is not always the right answer. I guess I'm not sure why Disney apparently values the rules and lives of those at pools at the resorts more than at sea...

 

[nugov2]

I thought this article that I read was good after the near drowning. I think parents are responsible for watching their kids, but think lifeguards on board are important with the large crowds on board or at least have someone limiting how many are in the pool at once. The pictures of the pools I've seen are just plain scary. I am not a cruiser, but my kids wouldn't be playing in any pool that is as crowded as the pools are in the pictures. Just too much chaos. I am curious how accurate the statement is that DCL encourages parents to allow their children to go explore the ship on their own....I hope that is over exaggerated...if not

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2013/0...mming-pool-thoughts-from-a-concerned-cruiser/

 

[lilpooh108]

I can't believe after the last tragic accident DCL hasn't changed any of its policy practices regarding the pool. That's just crazy.

 

[letsgoreds]

i can't believe after the last tragic accident dcl hasn't changed any of its policy practices regarding the pool. That's just crazy.

this 100%.

 

[Ofinn]

Parents should not only watch their kids, but also teach them to swim. I see way to many kids over the age of three that cant swim.

 

[mjaclyn]

OP - When did you see the pools that crowded? We are going on the Fantasy next month and my kids really enjoy being in the pool. DH and I have never EVER left them unattended at any pool and this will be no exception. However, when the pools get VERY crowded it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of two kids running in different directions among 60 others. That being said, we will NOT be going to the pool when it's super crowded. I know probably after lunch is bad...did you notice any other times? When would the best time be to take the kids to the pool?

As far as lifeguards go... I think they SHOULD be on the ships. No, a lifeguard is not and never should be used as a substitute for parents watching their own kids. However, when pools get so crowded that it's hard to keep an eye on them because there is so much activity, that's when I think lifeguards would help. Not as a babysitter, but as a supplement to a child's parent.

 

[jockotaco]

Parents should not only watch their kids, but also teach them to swim. I see way to many kids over the age of three that cant swim.

It's not the ability to swim to me. My kids can all swim. But one slip and fall, one accidental jump from another child onto mine or a swift accidental foot to the head could be enough to knock a child out. I don't care how good of a swimmer you are if you get your head clocked hard enough you could be in trouble. To add to it Disney does a great job of distracting both adults and kids in the pool. Funnel vision is constantly playing movies, characters are walking along deck 12 waiving, alcohol is freely flowing etc... This is not like my pool at home where the kids have very little distraction taking them away from swimming compounding the difference is my pool is more than twice as big with 15 or 20 people in it at most.

 

[jockotaco]

OP - When did you see the pools that crowded? We are going on the Fantasy next month and my kids really enjoy being in the pool. DH and I have never EVER left them unattended at any pool and this will be no exception. However, when the pools get VERY crowded it can sometimes be difficult to keep track of two kids running in different directions among 60 others. That being said, we will NOT be going to the pool when it's super crowded. I know probably after lunch is bad...did you notice any other times? When would the best time be to take the kids to the pool?

As far as lifeguards go... I think they SHOULD be on the ships. No, a lifeguard is not and never should be used as a substitute for parents watching their own kids. However, when pools get so crowded that it's hard to keep an eye on them because there is so much activity, that's when I think lifeguards would help. Not as a babysitter, but as a supplement to a child's parent.

I would say from 10-5 on the sea day. The pool started clearing out between 4 and 5. We were off the ship most of the port days although when we got back on they were pretty busy but manageable. As far as lifeguards go I would at least appreciate a staff member or two enforcing the rules. I'm not on board to be another child or a parents parent.

 

[runskyhy]

I can't believe after the last tragic accident DCL hasn't changed any of its policy practices regarding the pool. That's just crazy.

I noticed several racks full of children's life vests near by the Donald/Mickey pools on the Dream earlier this month. I don't recall ever seeing that before. Could this be a result of the incident?

It only takes one accidental kick to the head or another child jumping in knocking your kid over possibly causing them to be unable to regain his or her balance.

jockotaco, did you notice if the vests were still available by the pool on your cruise? I don't think a life vest is a substitute for keeping an eye on a family member, but it could help if someone accidentally loses their balance.

Unfortunately, I didn't see any life vests by the adult pool for weak swimmers of my size.

 

[klr6773]

I think that having a lifeguard stationed at the Mickey pool would just give some parents an even bigger pass to ignore their duty to supervise their own kids! I don't think it would be fair to be able to give a lazy parent someone to blame if their kid got hurt.

I'm thinking the best way to handle the Mickey pool is to have someone stationed there to limit the number of kids that are allowed in the pool at any one time. Say max,20 kids.They get 15 minutes of water play,then everybody out and the next group of kids get a turn. While it seems extreme, we as parents know it's not always easy to keep our eyes on our own multiple kids. Why expect a lifeguard or two to watch 50+ ??

I've already told my girls don't expect pool time on the boat if they're packed. We'll do a pool day at Port Orleans before sailing and plenty of time for raisin fingers on the islands!

 

[jockotaco]

I noticed several racks full of children's life vests near by the Donald/Mickey pools on the Dream earlier this month. I don't recall ever seeing that before. Could this be a result of the incident?

jockotaco, did you notice if the vests were still available by the pool on your cruise? I don't think a life vest is a substitute for keeping an eye on a family member, but it could help if someone accidentally loses their balance.

Unfortunately, I didn't see any life vests by the adult pool for weak swimmers of my size.

Life vests are available and work great for non swimmers. You wouldn't catch my 2 older kids in them, can't imagine that fight.

 

[lisettemac]

My kids didn't use the splash zone pool, but used the older pool at midship. I found the raised deck around the pool made it almost impossible to watch them carefully. You have to have a lounge chair in the first row to see your kid or you have to go sit down on the deck. The pool was ridiculously crowded on warm days (we were on an Alaskan cruise). A potentially dangerous situation.

 

[plutojudy]

Oh yes I know it's a big can of worms and the debate around parental responsibility and lifeguards will continue. I am currently at Disneys Vero Beach Resort and I counted 4 lifeguards all helping to enforce the rules. Why is this a standard at a Disney Resort but not a Disney cruise ship. I Have cruised on other lines I know the cruise standard is no lifeguards but I have never seen such a crazy situation as this. The difficult part for me is I have 3 kids and only 2 parents. Although 2 of my kids are proficient swimmers it was still very concerning. So the simple answer of watch your kids is not always the right answer. I guess I'm not sure why Disney apparently values the rules and lives of those at pools at the resorts more than at sea...

There are many times at the resorts that there are no lifegurds present. I know because my husbnad and I pulled two young sisters out of the Mighty Duck pool while their parents sat with their backs to the pool. Their response to having their children rescued? They yelled at the older one for getting them in over their heads.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

I can't believe after the last tragic accident DCL hasn't changed any of its policy practices regarding the pool. That's just crazy.

There isn't a solution that doesn't open Disney up to liability. Because the pools have no lifeguards, and it's posted that way, they're avoided that liability, if they had a lifeguard, and somone's snowflake slipped, or got jumped on, they'd be suing Disney's pants off, and they don't want that to happen. So, they're choosing to provide the pool, but all supervision is done as the cruiser's responsibility.

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

Really the best solution is to maintain crowd control within the pool. They don't let 40 people go down the aquaduck at the same time, why overcrowd a pool that way? It wouldn't take a lifeguard to kick out a child or children for horseplay in the Mickey pool either. That's the danger here, as others have pointed out. The pools are unsafe because there are too many people in there, plain and simple. That's a pretty easy fix and doesn't require a certified lifeguard to do it.

 

[Coconut8473]

For those of us with younger kids (my DS is 3.5 and has been taking swim lessons since he was 2), you can bet we'll be watching them like hawks. It's actually the older/bigger kids in the pool who make me more nervous, as they are the ones more likely to be unsupervised, and the ones who tend to play a little rougher.

I'm not sure if there are any age restrictions on the Mickey pool itself, but for the slide portion, the DCL website states that: "To use the slide, children must be between the ages of 4 and 14, with a minimum height of 38 inches and a maximum height of 64 inches." So it's likely that kids age 12, 13 and 14 are in there unsupervised (I know when I was 14 and in high school, my parents weren't hovering over me all the time... but then, I also wasn't hanging around 2-feet-deep kiddie pools then!) Regardless, that's a pretty big age and height spread. I'm a 5'4, 130 pound adult woman. On our last cruise, I saw kids my size and bigger going down that slide (as they were technically 64 inches or shorter), and it really scared me, seeing so many little ones in there as well (my guy is 40 inches and 38 lbs.)

Not sure if there's really a solution, but perhaps they could lower the age or height limit for the kid's pool? Of course, then that would just create even more crowding in the family pool, so probably not the best idea. I guess we'll just save all of our swim time for Castaway Cay and Blue Lagoon!