Pool rules for kids under 3.

[Melissa&Shawn]

So I have a daughter who will be almost 3 for our cruise. She is pretty much potty trained. However I do put a swim diaper on her for swimming because well, I can't tell if she has an accident in the water so I rather be safe than sorry. So I should put her in her bathing suit, without a swim diaper on so she can swim? Because if I do put her in a diaper she will not be allowed. An accident is rare, BUT it does happen. She would tell me if she had one, but I rather take her out immediately with the swim diaper on, than with nothing on. Recommendations?

 

[nenner1]

So I have a daughter who will be almost 3 for our cruise. She is pretty much potty trained. However I do put a swim diaper on her for swimming because well, I can't tell if she has an accident in the water so I rather be safe than sorry. So I should put her in her bathing suit, without a swim diaper on so she can swim? Because if I do put her in a diaper she will not be allowed. An accident is rare, BUT it does happen. She would tell me if she had one, but I rather take her out immediately with the swim diaper on, than with nothing on. Recommendations?

This is exactly our situation. Our DD 2.5 is daytime trained and while at home we do not put her in a swim diaper to go in our pool, she is obviously very familiar with our home and it has never been an issue. When we go to the local water park, we always put her in a swimmie- just in case. I'm terrified the excitement and unusualness of the situation onboard the ship may confuse and or distract her and a #1 accident may happen (confident a #2 would not be an issue). I would be so embarrassed if they had to close the pool on our account. I guess my plan is just to try her and watch her closely and take her out for potty breaks very frequently. If I even get the hint it might be an issue she will go back in a swimmie and into the splash area.

Unfortunately it is just the nature of the beast though and yes the Mickey pool is closed very, very often onboard. Usually not due to full on accidents, but more commonly when attendants see a diapered child in the pool. If they see a diaper int he pool, yes they will immediately close it down, empty it and scrub it out. Yes, for just a diaper, have seen it more than once. But when you are dealing with little ones, accidents will happen as well.

So yes, we are going to try her nondiapered and I don't expect an issue. My DH and I always joke about the pee content of kids pools (anyone see that South Park episode about water parks?). We even had a discussion on RCCl about it with one of the pool attendants. He joked that "The little ones aren't the ones we're worried about, it's the hygiene of older ones that sit in that adult hot tub for hours and hours with new drinks every half hour..and never get out"
Thought that was hilarious!

 

[adventure_woman]

As an FYI, the swim diapers do NOT hold in pee...only #2. I know this because one day before swim class when DD#1 was in a disposable diaper, we were in the locker room and she peed and I was so confused as to WHY there was something dripping from her diaper! I'm thinking that the cloth ones that you wash might be a little better, but I don't know.

My DD#2 will be 9 mths at our cruise time, so we will have to swim separately also.

 

[mushu756]

just curios (ONLY) how in the world do they know when a kid has peed in the pool?

 

[BealsRwe]

Swim diapers are not allowed in the pool. Even if child is potty trained and wearing the swim diaper as a backup, crew members will approach you and ask you to relocate to the splash zone. Yes, kids have accidents, and I agree 100% with not allowing children who are not potty trained in the pools. We have taken DD on 6 DCL cruises and one on Carnival since she was 5 months of age. She never felt like she was missing out. There was a cruise, once she was potty trained, that she could be in the Mickey pool but was not allowed on the Mickey slide due to her height. Rules are there for the safety of all kids, including mine. DD is now 6, and loves to swim. We now spend more time in the pool as she has gotten older. We found so many other things when she was younger, like movies, movies on the tv, time in Mickey's ear (before splash zones), and even in Flounder's Nursery so DH and I could skip over to Quiet Cove pool. We also would utilize nap time in the stroller for her, so we could enjoy the pool or time up on deck.

 

[BealsRwe]

just curios (ONLY) how in the world do they know when a kid has peed in the pool?

As sad as this sounds, I'm sure adults have peed in the pool. The major concern is #2. Swim diapers may hold in the solids, but when #2 gets wet.....

 

[WeLuvDCL]

As an FYI, the swim diapers do NOT hold in pee...only #2. I know this because one day before swim class when DD#1 was in a disposable diaper, we were in the locker room and she peed and I was so confused as to WHY there was something dripping from her diaper! I'm thinking that the cloth ones that you wash might be a little better, but I don't know.

My DD#2 will be 9 mths at our cruise time, so we will have to swim separately also.

I can tell from experience that disposable swim diapers do NOT always hold #2. If you want me to be more specific, I will just say it depends on the "consistancy" of the #2. And when you are on a cruise and your child is probably eating different foods than they are used too....well....
I only put DD in disposable swim diapers when she goes in the ocean. For swimming in the pool I use cloth swim diapers, they have better elastic around the legs and waist. My DD2.5 is perfectly happy in the Splash Zone so it hasn't been an issue for us.

 

[Spoonces]

The other issue to remember is that as unattractive as it may sound or seem, generally #1 is sterile and relatively harmless from a sanitation standpoint, plus any additional residual bacteria would be completely overwhelmed by an even minimal amount of chlorination or other filtration. However, #2 is a biological nightmare that can cause immediate health issues and easily overwhelm chlorine or water filtration in the immediate area. Certainly neither is acceptable or pleasant but the real concern from the public health standpoint to the pool operator is #2. Just a thought for the day...

 

[tvguy]

I think what frustrates a lot of folks is that a lot of public pools don't enforce the no swim diaper rule, even though the Health Code applys to all public pools, not just ships. Per health code they are only allowed in a private pool. The one in the backyard or your private residence, or one in someone else's private residence backyard.
They are not allowed at the Y pool, the community pools, an apartment complex pool, a motel or hotel pool. But few of those organizations enforce it.

 

[Emsabems]

It's a bit frustrating to read the posts that say children are 'mostly' potty trained and the parents are going to risk putting the child in the pool without a swim diaper. All this does is circumvent the rules and lead to the frustration of multiple pool closures.

If you normally put your child in a swim diaper 'just in case' when you go to the pool please do the same on the cruise and abide by the rules!

 

[nenner1]

It's a bit frustrating to read the posts that say children are 'mostly' potty trained and the parents are going to risk putting the child in the pool without a swim diaper. All this does is circumvent the rules and lead to the frustration of multiple pool closures.

If you normally put your child in a swim diaper 'just in case' when you go to the pool please do the same on the cruise and abide by the rules!

Well...some adults are "mostly" potty trained. So are plenty of older kids. Nasty visual, but yeah.

And not just the expulsion of waste into a pool that is an issue and/or danger of virus/bacteria/disease transmission. It can also be bacteria from waste residue on skin (on a child OR adult..anyone) due to ineffective wiping or questionable hygiene that is washed into the water, just by that person being in the pool.

My daughter *is* potty trained, and she won't be in a diaper. No circumventing of the rules. Just because there is a "chance" of an accident (there is a "chance" with anyone, child, adult, any age) does not mean rules are being broken.

 

[tartemis]

I just posted this question on another baby thread and it looks like I have my answer.

I guess there will be no cruising for us until our baby is potty-trained (or if we are blessed to have more children until our last baby is potty-trained.) We have a pool and our baby swam almost every day this summer -- it would be cruel to go on a cruise and not let her swim so I guess we will postpone for a couple of years.

I understand the policy -- and realize that Disney's hands are tied here. But, I don't think it is completely rational. I bet there are just as many "potty-trained" 3-4 year olds that have accidents in the pool as there would be babies -- in my experience babies tend to not go #2 while in the water anyway. In fact -- between both of my girls and hundreds and hundreds of swim diapers, I have never changed a dirty swim diaper yet. As far as #1 goes -- it really doesn't matter; and I guarantee the younger kids (and too many adults) are doing that all the time anyway.

 

[jodifla]

I think what frustrates a lot of folks is that a lot of public pools don't enforce the no swim diaper rule, even though the Health Code applys to all public pools, not just ships. Per health code they are only allowed in a private pool. The one in the backyard or your private residence, or one in someone else's private residence backyard.
They are not allowed at the Y pool, the community pools, an apartment complex pool, a motel or hotel pool. But few of those organizations enforce it.

Where are you getting this from? The rules that govern land and sea are different. Swim diapers are allowed in most public pools....do you think the Health Depts. just turn a blind eye to all those places?

 

[ibouncetoo]

We were on the Magic in March. Diapered kids are not allowed in any of the pools, only the splash area. My little one was in a swimming diaper, but each time the lifeguard saw him in the Mickey pool, he was told to go to the splash pad. It will be difficult if you have kids of different ages. My little one was ok with the splash pad until he saw his older brother in the Mickey pool.....

....this happened more than once?

.

 

[Happy100]

I just posted this question on another baby thread and it looks like I have my answer.

I guess there will be no cruising for us until our baby is potty-trained (or if we are blessed to have more children until our last baby is potty-trained.) We have a pool and our baby swam almost every day this summer -- it would be cruel to go on a cruise and not let her swim so I guess we will postpone for a couple of years.

I understand the policy -- and realize that Disney's hands are tied here. But, I don't think it is completely rational. I bet there are just as many "potty-trained" 3-4 year olds that have accidents in the pool as there would be babies -- in my experience babies tend to not go #2 while in the water anyway. In fact -- between both of my girls and hundreds and hundreds of swim diapers, I have never changed a dirty swim diaper yet. As far as #1 goes -- it really doesn't matter; and I guarantee the younger kids (and too many adults) are doing that all the time anyway.

I am not sure why anyone thinks is it "cruel" to not let your non potty trained child swim. This is not a form of cruelity!!!

Hey we all (kids and parents) have to endure not being able to particpate in something because our kids are too young!!! Safety of other cruise guests is just as important as your own. So please everyone follow the rules so we can all get what we knowingly paid for and have fun!!!

With that said...since the pools do not allow untrained potty kids in, the splash zones need to only for diaper wearing group. The splash zone is very small and big kids just don't belong in there with the little kids. All parents need to be respectful and mindful of the rules!!!

 

[keaster]

I agree with Happy 100!

Sanitation, filtration, and maintenance of a swimming pool at sea is completely different from one on land. That's why cruiselines ban non-toilet trained children from the pools.

From what I gather there was a time when non-toilet trained children were allowed in the Mickey ears, but that ended when both the Magic and Wonder built the splash area under the Mickey slide.

 

[Webmiester]

non-potty trained children in swim diapers ARE allowed in the 'ears' which if you haven't bene on DCL before are about 10" deep and maybe 4' in diameter. They are basically like those little blowup pools you can buy. They waterfall into the main kids pool so I'm not sure how an accident can be isolated...but who knows.

It is a regulation compliance thing so if you are displeased with it, call your friendly neighborhood gov't representative.

You will NOT be allowed to inflate a pool in a public area of the ship. (someone asked earlier)

 

[Nikki'sMommy]

-- in my experience babies tend to not go #2 while in the water anyway. In fact -- between both of my girls and hundreds and hundreds of swim diapers, I have never changed a dirty swim diaper yet. As far as #1 goes -- it really doesn't matter; and I guarantee the younger kids (and too many adults) are doing that all the time anyway.

Our now 4 yr. old had major issues going #2 and had see a Pediatric GI...If she was constipated or was "holding it" we would only have to put her in the pool and within minutes she would go... The Dr. said that many kids go #2 in pools because the water acts like an enima and they just "let loose"... Even with a swim diaper, poop can run up their backs.. That said, my dd loves the water-- she had been a swimmer since she was 2 and it would be so difficult to go on a cruise with all these pools and tell her she can't go in.. I hope it all works out!!

 

[keaster]

non-potty trained children in swim diapers ARE allowed in the 'ears' which if you haven't bene on DCL before are about 10" deep and maybe 4' in diameter. They are basically like those little blowup pools you can buy. They waterfall into the main kids pool so I'm not sure how an accident can be isolated...but who knows.

I think you are mistaken with this...as I said, they USED to be allowed in the ears until the Splash Zones were installed...here is a direct quote from the DCL website:

Young Children at Mickey's Pool

The United States Public Health Service requires that only children who are toilet trained be permitted to enter swimming pools onboard cruise ships. Children under 3 years of age who are not toilet trained can make waves at the Splash Zone next to Mickey's Pool. This special play area has been designed exclusively for the enjoyment of children wearing swim diapers.

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

non-potty trained children in swim diapers ARE allowed in the 'ears' which if you haven't bene on DCL before are about 10" deep and maybe 4' in diameter. They are basically like those little blowup pools you can buy. They waterfall into the main kids pool so I'm not sure how an accident can be isolated...but who knows.

It is a regulation compliance thing so if you are displeased with it, call your friendly neighborhood gov't representative.

You will NOT be allowed to inflate a pool in a public area of the ship. (someone asked earlier)

Straight from DCL's site:

Young Children at Mickey's Pool

The United States Public Health Service requires that only children who are toilet trained be permitted to enter swimming pools onboard cruise ships. Children under 3 years of age who are not toilet trained can make waves at the Splash Zone next to Mickey's Pool. This special play area has been designed exclusively for the enjoyment of children wearing swim diapers.

So no, non-potty trained/swim diaperers are NOT allowed in the ears...if you saw it happen it was b/c the CMs were not doing their jobs.