tweens, teens and club flexibility?

[PollyBrit]

Hi! My family and I are booked on the Fantasy in July for 7 nights and apart from my 3yr old daughter, the other kids will at time of sailing be 10, 11, 13 and 15. Our combined families haven't seen each other in so long, I want the cousins to be able to hang out together, but I see that they may age into 3 separate clubs? Is there any flexibility there or are they better off hanging out together in the main ship areas and not the kids clubs? I've read various threads about the kids clubs but i'm wondering how it worked out for anyone else who traveled in a big family reunion group
Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi! My family and I are booked on the Fantasy in July for 7 nights and apart from my 3yr old daughter, the other kids will at time of sailing be 10, 11, 13 and 15. Our combined families haven't seen each other in so long, I want the cousins to be able to hang out together, but I see that they may age into 3 separate clubs? Is there any flexibility there or are they better off hanging out together in the main ship areas and not the kids clubs? I've read various threads about the kids clubs but i'm wondering how it worked out for anyone else who traveled in a big family reunion group
Thanks!

The upper ages in the clubs is firm, no one can "age down" to go to a different club. As for "aging up", that might happen. If the number of kids onboard in any given club (of the proper age) is lower than the maximum allowed for that club, the CMs can make the allowance to let younger kids in. BUT, generally it's only if they are within a month or so of reaching the proper age.

Your 10 year old will be in Oceaneer's; your 11 year old can attend both Oceaneer's and Edge; your 13 year old will be in Edge; and your 15 year old will be in Vibe. I can't see any scenario where all of them would be allowed into the same club.

You have to ask once onboard (at the club you are trying to get the kids into) - the CMs there make the call.

 

[PollyBrit]

Ahh okay, so my 10yr old will be 11 in the August so if there's room he may be allowed into Edge with his 2 cousins, and my 15yr old can either do Vibe or stay in the main area. That's better than nothing then. I'm also hoping my 10yr old will help my little girl get used to the Oceaneers too.

 

[hilarys]

Hi! My family and I are booked on the Fantasy in July for 7 nights and apart from my 3yr old daughter, the other kids will at time of sailing be 10, 11, 13 and 15. Our combined families haven't seen each other in so long, I want the cousins to be able to hang out together, but I see that they may age into 3 separate clubs? Is there any flexibility there or are they better off hanging out together in the main ship areas and not the kids clubs? I've read various threads about the kids clubs but i'm wondering how it worked out for anyone else who traveled in a big family reunion group
Thanks!

We just came off of the Fantasy on Saturday from a very full if not sold out sailing. I agree that it is varies from cruise to cruise so I would not have your heart set on doing anything different than the official age ranges. However, it is up to the discretion of the kids club. Our experience was as follows: Three families with kids 14, 13, 13, 11, 10, 10, 6. The 14 year old could go to either Vibe or Edge as she was the overlap year. She did not go to the Edge at all except to spend a little time with her younger sisters. the 13 year olds were allowed to go to the Vibe with a waiver signed by parents (they were given a separate key card to access the Vibe). To the 13 year olds it felt a little "old" to them and they did not spend a ton of time in there. However the Edge felt really young to them and they did not spend any time in there at all. 11 could go to Edge - she liked it a bit but also spent a fair amount of time hanging out with friends in other places/going to movies etc. The 10 year olds (turned 10 in January) were also allowed to go to the Edge with a signed waiver. 6 year old went to Club/Lab. All of the kids who were allowed to go to older clubs just had to have a parent present to ask and sign a waiver - no "story" or "rationale" needed. To me the Edge seemed a bit boring but I did not go in when there were events going on. I know my 11 year old daughter liked some of the group games that seemed to be late in the evening (yes activities started at 11:15 pm some nights).

 

[scootch]

Here is a recent thread http://www.disboards.com/threads/strict-age-regulations-for-kids-clubs.3445409/

We had similar experience as Hilary with 13(2 weeks shy of 14) year old. Edge was filled with kids too young, Vibe she felt they were all older. My kid who used to love the clubs and I had to drag her out, hardly spent any time there. She tried several different times, but was always back within a half hour.

 

[bumbershoot]

From our one experience traveling with cousins, the clubs aren't the best places for cousin stuff. Too many other kids. And if you've got an extrovert or two among them, they'll likely make other friends, which might hurt the non-extroverts' feelings. (that's what happened with our group...DS is the extrovert who makes friends everywhere, and his cousins aren't as outgoing...to him, everyone should play together, but that couldn't be seen or felt by his cousins, so everyone ended up frustrated)

 

[Floridatinaherb]

For kids who are able to go to either club (Edge/Lab) were they able to do this without being solely registered for one club or the other? We are sailing next June with a 12 yo and a 15 yo. I could see instances where my 12yo might like activities in both the Edge and the Lab, just wondering what the registration process for that is. This is of course provided that I can get him interested in going to any of the clubs without his sister there!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

For kids who are able to go to either club (Edge/Lab) were they able to do this without being solely registered for one club or the other? We are sailing next June with a 12 yo and a 15 yo. I could see instances where my 12yo might like activities in both the Edge and the Lab, just wondering what the registration process for that is. This is of course provided that I can get him interested in going to any of the clubs without his sister there!

A 12 year old can participate in both Oceaneer's and Edge. Registration is required for Oceaneer's, but Edge has no registration. If he want's to do anything in Oceaneer's, he must have the wristband. No wristband for Edge.

 

[Floridatinaherb]

A 12 year old can participate in both Oceaneer's and Edge. Registration is required for Oceaneer's, but Edge has no registration. If he want's to do anything in Oceaneer's, he must have the wristband. No wristband for Edge.

Thanks! I couldn't remember if there was registration for Edge...we checked it out for DD on our last cruise but she wasn't interested in going there at ALL! But our kids have always been the type to just want to hang out with Mom and Dad...sometimes to our disappointment LOL

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks! I couldn't remember if there was registration for Edge...we checked it out for DD on our last cruise but she wasn't interested in going there at ALL! But our kids have always been the type to just want to hang out with Mom and Dad...sometimes to our disappointment LOL

I believe when you (well, he) shows up at Edge the first time, they just check his name against the list they have of the kids in the proper age range (11-14) and give him a sticker for his KTTW card.

 

[Ofinn]

Here is a recent thread http://www.disboards.com/threads/strict-age-regulations-for-kids-clubs.3445409/

We had similar experience as Hilary with 13(2 weeks shy of 14) year old. Edge was filled with kids too young, Vibe she felt they were all older. My kid who used to love the clubs and I had to drag her out, hardly spent any time there. She tried several different times, but was always back within a half hour.

I would think the older a child get the less kids there are going to be in that age range. It always seems like 90% of the kids on a DCL cruise are 12 and under. At least this is the way it seems on offseason cruises. My son will turn 14 in the next year, and I'm wondering if he'll still enjoy the clubs on DCL.

 

[Floridatinaherb]

I believe when you (well, he) shows up at Edge the first time, they just check his name against the list they have of the kids in the proper age range (11-14) and give him a sticker for his KTTW card.

I figure we will check out all three clubs during their open house on embarkation day and hope that the kids will leave our sides! LOL

 

[FigmentSpark]

Don't you have to sign your kids up for one of the clubs before you even get on the cruise? Mine are going to be 12 and 14. Ideally, I'd like them to be able to come and go to either club that suits them, but for practicality, if I have to choose, I will sign them both up for Edge, so they can be together. Can I sign them up to the other clubs, too? (Lab - 12
/Vibe - 14)?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Don't you have to sign your kids up for one of the clubs before you even get on the cruise? Mine are going to be 12 and 14. Ideally, I'd like them to be able to come and go to either club that suits them, but for practicality, if I have to choose, I will sign them both up for Edge, so they can be together. Can I sign them up to the other clubs, too? (Lab - 12
/Vibe - 14)?

As far as I know, pre-registration is only for Oceaneer's Club/Lab. Edge & Vibe just have a check list they confirm that the child is on at their first visit.

Any child in the "overlap" ages (11 & 12 for Oceaneer's/Edge; and 14 for Edge/Vibe) can participate in both clubs they are eligible for.

 

[Floridatinaherb]

Don't you have to sign your kids up for one of the clubs before you even get on the cruise? Mine are going to be 12 and 14. Ideally, I'd like them to be able to come and go to either club that suits them, but for practicality, if I have to choose, I will sign them both up for Edge, so they can be together. Can I sign them up to the other clubs, too? (Lab - 12
/Vibe - 14)?

For the Oceaneer Club/Lab you don't have to sign up before you get on the cruise, there is a registration desk at the port or you can go and register them once you are onboard at the club itself. We have done it both ways, it is whatever route you want to go.

 

[ajo]

Hi! My family and I are booked on the Fantasy in July for 7 nights and apart from my 3yr old daughter, the other kids will at time of sailing be 10, 11, 13 and 15. Our combined families haven't seen each other in so long, I want the cousins to be able to hang out together, but I see that they may age into 3 separate clubs? Is there any flexibility there or are they better off hanging out together in the main ship areas and not the kids clubs? I've read various threads about the kids clubs but i'm wondering how it worked out for anyone else who traveled in a big family reunion group
Thanks!

All of the kids areas have open house hours throughout the cruise where anyone can go in and enjoy the space. The whole group of cousins could always go to any of the clubs together during those times.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Hmm... My TA was of the opinion that you could only register for one and that you'd better do it early because they "fill up" and your child might be out of luck. I don't know if she sells a lot of Disney cruises, though, because the first thing she said when I went to book was that Royal was cheaper and just as family-friendly. So maybe she didn't know the finer points.

 

[Floridatinaherb]

Hmm... My TA was of the opinion that you could only register for one and that you'd better do it early because they "fill up" and your child might be out of luck. I don't know if she sells a lot of Disney cruises, though, because the first thing she said when I went to book was that Royal was cheaper and just as family-friendly. So maybe she didn't know the finer points.

One time we actually didn't register them until day 3 and no problems with it...though my kids tend to stay with me more often than going to the clubs, so I am not sure on whether they fill up or not.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hmm... My TA was of the opinion that you could only register for one and that you'd better do it early because they "fill up" and your child might be out of luck. I don't know if she sells a lot of Disney cruises, though, because the first thing she said when I went to book was that Royal was cheaper and just as family-friendly. So maybe she didn't know the finer points.

Your TA is wrong. Time was those children in the overlap ages had to register for one or the other, but were allow a one time change to the club they didn't register in. Once changed, though, they had to stay with that club.

But DCL changed that a couple of years ago.

Clubs don't "fill up". DCL will only allow reservations that have children on them until whatever clubs are affected by the children's ages are filled to their maximum. If someone tries to make a reservation on a DCL cruise and has a child in an age group that's already "maxed out" their participation level, they can't do it.