Please talk to me about the kids clubs!

[NotPennysBoat]

Hello, looking to do our first ever cruise (probably on the Magic) in the summer of 2019 with our two daughters who will be aged 4 and 7. The eldest is very confident, will happily skip off and start making friends. Our youngest looks to be turning out the same way, although she's only two at the moment so time will tell!

Can someone explain to me about the kids clubs, will they be able to stay together at 4 & 7? Do they have to be signed in and out of the club every single time? How will we know if they need us (i.e. do the CM have a way of contacting us?)? Both kids have been in daycare since babies, so we have no aversion to leaving them, but of course I want to know they are safe and happy! Do you have to leave them for a set amount of time (i.e. 'we'll be back in 2 hours') or can you just collect whenever you like?

Any advice from parents of similar aged kids would be most welcome - we've never done a vacation like this before so I can't figure out in my head how it all works!

Thanks in advance.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

1. Yes, they can stay together.

2. Yes, they must be signed in and out every single time. You can give kids the right to sign themselves out, but that's usual with older kids, not with 4 and 7.

3. If they need you, the CM will call on the Wave Phone. You need to carry it.

4. You can collect whenever you like once they're out of nursery.

Key thing to note is that they need to be toilet trained. This should be possible with the 4 YO, but the future is unpredictable and thus I think it worth a mention.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hello, looking to do our first ever cruise (probably on the Magic) in the summer of 2019 with our two daughters who will be aged 4 and 7. The eldest is very confident, will happily skip off and start making friends. Our youngest looks to be turning out the same way, although she's only two at the moment so time will tell!

Can someone explain to me about the kids clubs, will they be able to stay together at 4 & 7? Do they have to be signed in and out of the club every single time? How will we know if they need us (i.e. do the CM have a way of contacting us?)? Both kids have been in daycare since babies, so we have no aversion to leaving them, but of course I want to know they are safe and happy! Do you have to leave them for a set amount of time (i.e. 'we'll be back in 2 hours') or can you just collect whenever you like?

Any advice from parents of similar aged kids would be most welcome - we've never done a vacation like this before so I can't figure out in my head how it all works!

Thanks in advance.

Oceaneer's Club/Lab is ages 3-12, so your girls will be "together". Time was the two spaces (Club & Lab) were separate. But, apparently, many complaints of "I want my kids to be together" gendered the new format.

While the space is one big space, there are separate areas - Club with activities aimed toward the 3-7 age group and Lab with activities aimed toward the 8-12 group. But any child can participate in whatever activities interest them, regardless of age.

CMs can contact you via the wave phone system onboard.

You can drop off/pick up at anytime during the open hours (typically 9-midnight daily, but can vary).

 

[NotPennysBoat]

Thanks for the quick replies. What's this I'm reading on another thread about them being 'collected from dinner'? And what are the 'bands' for?

 

[JoeFromSeoul]

Be sure to visit the kid's area during the open house. Aside from putting you at ease about the facilities, they are some of the most adorable spaces on board! The bands allow your children to be checked in and out. When we went, the bands were placed on the children and then secured with zip-ties. You could remove them, but why risk losing one? We always picked our kids up to take them back to the cabin to get ready for dinner, so I don't know how picking them up from dinner might work. However, if you wanted to partake of the adult dining, your kid's could eat separately then go to the club while you enjoy a quiet dinner. When you do your online check-in you will set up a password. This makes sure only you (and those you authorize) can pick up your kids.

 

[lanejudy]

Thanks for the quick replies. What's this I'm reading on another thread about them being 'collected from dinner'? And what are the 'bands' for?

If you have late dinner at the MDRs, the Club/Lab CM's will come to the MDRs so kids can leave the dining room and go play. This is completely voluntary, and you may take the kids yourself at any point. You can ask your servers to bring the kids' food out quickly so they can leave.

The bands are how the kids are scanned in/out of the Club/Lab.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[apathetic]

Most kids love the club, but not all. Be ready for that. Some parents get upset when the kids don't want to stay in the club and it becomes a struggle. I've seen this a few times. Since your kids are used to daycare, they should be fine. It is an open environment with counselors leading activities and watching the kids. Your kids may stay together, but likely do different things as they get comfortable. It really is a great system.

They serve lunch and dinner in the clubs, but recommend you collect them and eat together. That way you know what they eat and can catch up on things. If they are restless at dinner and want to go back to the club, then you can quickly take them up there.

 

[lklgoodman]

Also on Castaway Cay there is a kid's club area called Scuttles Cove that you can take your kids to. Works the same as the club on the ship as far as checking them in and out. Bring the wave phone from the ship with you in case the CMs need to get in touch with you. There is a splash pad area, area for digging in the sand, and the cms play games with the kids. They don't take them out of this area, it's a secured area for kids only, so no need to worry about your girls being taken into the ocean without you. My dd(8 yrs old) went to it for a few hours while dh and I enjoyed some quiet time at the adult only beach. It's right by the first tram stop.

Edit to add: I just saw you said you would probably be on the Magic in the summer. In that case I'm guessing it would be a European cruise, so you wouldn't be going to CC. But in case you do go on a cruise that goes to CC someday, I'll leave the above info.

 

[darnheather]

My daughter is not outgoing. She is introverted and shy. However, as I homeschool and am often with my children as a single parent up to a year at a time (spouse is military) I needed a vacation from her! I made it very clear that at the very least between breakfast and lunch she would be in the club. Several days she decided to go back after lunch and some others she decided to do something with me. She loved our vacation and is looking forward to going back next week when she'll be able to go between the Lab and Edge. So, I think your girls will thrive and love it.

 

[TrishaK]

We cruised when our daughter was 3 and again just now at the age of 7. She had also been in daycare while we both worked, so I thought she'd want to spend more time in the kids clubs. But no. Both times, she wanted to be with us and spend most of her time in the pool. I think she went to the kids clubs 2-3 times each cruise, and that was it! Oh well.

 

[antlawn]

The bands allow quicker check-ins/outs, but also allow CMs to locate where the kids are in the Club/Lab.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

but also allow CMs to locate where the kids are in the Club/Lab.

Roughly. They can tell what room they are in.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

They will be in the same general space but it is large and there is so much to do that I doubt they will stay together long.

 

[Lolo1311]

I think everyone mostly covered it already, but I wanted to add that we just did our first Disney cruise with our 3 year old and I was pretty nervous about dropping her off in the clubs. I wasn't nervous about the care or the cast members, but just nervous about how she would like it because she's really shy. She's been in day care since she was an infant, but still gets nervous around new people. Over all, she did really well. She didn't love being dropped off because she missed us, but the staff was great about grabbing her hand and leading her to an activity. One night they texted us on the Wave Phone to say she was ready to be picked up, so they definitely will let you now if your child is not happy. I think a key thing to remember is that you can leave them for as little or as long as you want. Sometimes we only left her for 45 minutes so we could go get a drink, other times we left her for longer so we could see a show. I think you'll be really pleased with the kids clubs and your kids will like it too!

 

[Jessirip]

Our daughter loved the kids club at age 4 and had a great time, but I just have one thing to add about them having dinner. She chose to eat there one night instead of with us, and for some reason when I sent her in before dinner, I assumed that all kids in the club would be rounded up to eat. I'm sure they announce dinner to all, but either she didn't hear, or didn't understand that it was her only chance to eat and chose to continue playing. The CM's can't be expected to really insist your kids to come to the table like you may. When I picked her up a few hours later, she had not eaten and was in tears. She wasn't quite old enough to seek out someone to say she wanted dinner, or didn't know she could. I felt absolutely horrible.

But, I felt safe with her there, and that was just a lesson learned. We eat together as a family no matter what, they we can all go play.

 

[Dug720]

Our daughter loved the kids club at age 4 and had a great time, but I just have one thing to add about them having dinner. She chose to eat there one night instead of with us, and for some reason when I sent her in before dinner, I assumed that all kids in the club would be rounded up to eat. I'm sure they announce dinner to all, but either she didn't hear, or didn't understand that it was her only chance to eat and chose to continue playing. The CM's can't be expected to really insist your kids to come to the table like you may. When I picked her up a few hours later, she had not eaten and was in tears. She wasn't quite old enough to seek out someone to say she wanted dinner, or didn't know she could. I felt absolutely horrible.

But, I felt safe with her there, and that was just a lesson learned. We eat together as a family no matter what, they we can all go play.

I'm pretty sure a former YA counselor @bbel has said that they announce it but they will not force the kids to eat. If you want to make sure your child eats, better to feed them something before taking them - or if you've got late dining use Dine and Play.

 

[bumbershoot]

The CM's can't be expected to really insist your kids to come to the table like you may.

The two times ds has been there at mealtime when he doesn't want to eat they cease everything and corral the kids in to see the food.

The time he did want to eat they wouldn't let him. (Why? I still don't comprehend)

After that we make sure he's eaten and that he was not there at mealtimes.

Because obviously things change from
day to day ship to ship sailing to sailing and time to time.


And I want to mention that the area is 3 *through* 12, not *to* 12. So a 12 year and 364 day old kid can still go if they wish. But at the 13th birthday then it's only the older clubs.