Update on kids in pools

[jellymoon]

I received the following letter from Disney today:
********************************************
Thank you for your e-mail. Please excuse the delay in our response.

Currently, on both our ships, this USPHS requirement is being enforced on the
Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder. If any child in a pool or whirlpool is
observed wearing a diaper or swim diaper by either a crew member or another
guest, they will be asked to vacate the pool. I'm sorry for any disappointment.

Sincerely,

Tracey, Guest Communications
Disney Cruise Line
********************************************

It sounds to me like the issue is now a "don't ask don't tell." My advice? Make sure those swim diapers are invisible!!!

 

[trip]

Are babies allowed in whirlpools?

 

[Mary Lynne]

We just got off the the 9/7/02 magic. My 2 year old wore swim diapers under his bathing suit and no one even looked our way. I saw many children with them on and no one was asked to remove their child. I was worried about this before our trip, but had no problems at all.

 

[randytenn]

I talked with Ian (with the cruise staff) on our 9/7/02 magic cruise, and he said there was no way he would go into the Mickey or Goofy pool. He even joked that the reason you never see any crew members in the crew pool is because the water in the crew pool comes from the Mickey pool!

 

[indymom1]

right now with a Castaway Club Rep. and he is confirming that this indeed the policy on both boats and that it will be enforced I explained to him that it seems that it has been hit or miss as to weather or not this has been enforced on the boats. He put me on hold and checked with his supervisor stating that this is a very "new" policy and effective immediately no swim diapers or diapers will be allowed in any of DCL pools. I asked if they were going to expand Flounders time or provide a separate area for the little ones and his answer was no. He did say though that this is not an issue at their resorts because the people that oversee the resorts and cruise lines are two different organizations thus the rule is not in place at the resorts. Just thought I would pass along this info for anyone else cruising with little ones.

 

[indymom1]

just called Castaway Club back and got another rep who re-verified the info but asked some more specific questions...
1. Can they even go into the Mickey Ears....NO
2. Will Flounders be open extra time............NO
3. Are they developing any other areas for the little ones......NO

This rep basically said it would be "tough" to sail on the boat with a little one and a 6 year old but at this time there are no plans to add anything specifically for the little ones to replace their pool time. He said that they were the cause of the pool having to be constantly drained and shocked. I said I would agree that they are the cause of some of it but that I am sure there are other children having "accidents" in the pool of which he had nothing to say

Looks like me and my DH have some serious thinking to do about this next scheduled trip....BOO-Hoo

 

[Jenny0725]

Isn't DCL a "family" cruise? I don't know what I will do with my DD when we go on our next cruise. She will be just under 1 yrs old. I will not be able to keep her out of the pool while her 4yr old sister is in it. Do I send her in without a swim diaper?

I wonder how do other cruise lines handle this.

 

[taswira]

Please don't flame me for this, but I'm assuming that by banning swimmie diapers, DCL is thereby banning the NON-potty trained from the pools. I would hope parents would be responsible adults and not put their non-potty trained babies into the pools to contaminate other guests! Sure, there may be "accidents" from the recently potty trained, but nowhere near as many as they've had to deal with in the past, I would think. I've seen them drain the Mickey Pool so often that it seemed futile for people to count on using it. Although DCL is geared to "family cruising," <I><B>maybe</B></I> they are changing their focus to the potty trained and older in the near future. That is still "family." It would only mean that parents would wait until their kids were potty trained before cruising. I don't think that would put too big a dent in their profits, because there are <I>plenty</I> of families with school-age kids. Yes - I <I>do</I> sympathize with those of you with infants who are already booked. I am only pondering DCL's <I>possible</I> view on the consequences of conforming to the health regs.

 

[jellymoon]

We are booked in one week. Our children WILL be swimming in the Mickey Pool. They won't be creating poops in the pool--- we swim all thetime and they've never had such an "event". They are almost completely potty trained anyway, particularly on the "poop" end. It is crazy to me to market this cruise to families, including small children, and then pull the only activity for that age group out. For us, if we had begun cruising when our youngest was a baby it would mean no Disney cruising for a period of 10 years or longer. If infants can't swim in the pools on the ship it should be clearly stated this is so. Infants are allowed to swim at the water parks, at all the resorts, and at everyone's neighborhood public pool. It is a reasonable assumption that the WADING POOL (mickey pool) would be available to infants and toddlers. This wasn't a leap of faith, as this pool clearly wasn'tm ade for 12 year olds.

I think it sounds like a "don't ask don't tell" policy. Don't ask before you get in the pool, don't make the swim diaper an obvious accessory on your kiddos suit, and I don't hink there will be a problem.

 

[lzj21428]

I don't understand why the little ones can't wear those swim diapers in the pools. It seems to me that wearing them would help to prevent the accidents from getting into the pool and then having to drain the pool. Could someone explain why the swim diapers are not allowed? BTW, I myself do not have any little ones, but am curious as to the reasoning behind this policy.

Nina

 

[atigeg]

I don't have little ones either, but from reading a previous thread on this topic, it seems that although the swim diapers hold in the "solids," the bacteria still escape and contaminate the water.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Willowwind]

This just seems gross. Why not just outright say you must be potty trained to swim? Ewww... I mean I know acidents happen at any pool, but I can at least con myself into thinking things are "contained" with swim diapers.

I highly doubt that this will stop parents of wee ones from letting their kids play in the Mickey Pool, it will just create more visable waste.

 

[taswira]

Well, if DCL is going to actively enforce this, they will probably ban all those who are <I>obviously</I> too young to be potty trained, and anyone who has an "accident" will surely be banned.

 

[jellymoon]

Well, if DCL is going to actively enforce this, they will probably ban all those who are obviously too young to be potty trained, and anyone who has an "accident" will surely be banned.

How on earth can you tell who is too young to be potty trained? My 17 mo dd is almost potty trained--- well enough to be predictable, etc. I know when she'll be wet and definately when she will poop (she will ONLY do that in the toilet or she'll freak out!). She's also tiny--- barely 20 pounds. On the other hand, I know four year olds weighing nearly 60 pounds who are NOT potty trained. How could they possibly guess by appearance who is "trained" and who is not? And what about all those teens and adults who know better, but still don't bother to get out of the pool and just help keep the water level high. Gross I know, but very very very true.

 

[Mjasp]

Taswira...I think you're right here, that the new policy means "No children who aren't potty trained allowed"

For sanitary reasons I think I would have to agree with DCL. I am also a mother of 2 children, so I do know how you parents must feel. But I can see both ends of this issue. I would be disappointed if I had small children who still wore diapers, but on the other hand I wouldn't want my child to be exposed to e-coli.

 

[taswira]

jellymoon - I was referring to infants . . babies. As for the rest, it is the parent's responsibility to know if the child is potty trained, and if there is an accident I would guess all they could do is ban the child from the pool. If it becomes a <O>serious</I> problem and parents allow their NON-potty trained kids into the pool, maybe DCL will decide to set an age limit at which <I>most</I> (yes - no guarantees) kids <I>are</I> potty trained.The water level is not their concern, as it's the bacteria from fecal matter that is the reason for the health reg.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Originally posted by Mjasp
would be disappointed if I had small children who still wore diapers, but on the other hand I wouldn't want my child to be exposed to e-coli.

I assume that you would not allow your older child to play in the baby pool anywhere, correct? The Mickey Pool is about as deep as the average baby pool and I can't see how ANYONE can think that it is a pool meant for big kids. It was barely deep enough to come up past my 6 year old niece's ankles! What fun is that for an older child?

I believe the other problem is that from what I've read here, Disney doesn't seem to have any plans to make up activities for a rather large group of wee ones that go on the cruise as well as their parents.

Kathy

 

[taswira]

Originally posted by shmoogrrrl
Disney doesn't seem to have any plans to make up activities for a rather large group of wee ones that go on the cruise as well as their parents.

Kathy, that's why it MIGHT be a possibility that they will revise their marketing to families with school age kids and maybe eventually even get rid of Flounders. That would still provide a huge customer base for them. It would only mean that families with infants and toddlers would have to wait to cruise DCL. Now don't everybody panic, because DCL has NOT decided to do this. I'm only exploring the possibilities here. Again, I want to say that I DO sympathize with those with younger, non-potty trained children. So <I>please</I> don't think I am taking sides here. But as Mjasp stated, there is an e-coli risk and I commend DCL for anything they can do to <I>help</I> prevent that.

 

[Tluvs2talk]

shmoogrrrl,
The Mickey pool may be only deep enough for little kids, but Disney made a mistake by putting the slide at that pool. Small children cannot go down the slide as they don't meet height requirement. I am sure my Niece age 12 and Nephew age 10 will want to go down the slideat least once. According to Disney's rules they both meet age and height requirements. I plan on doing this first thing when we board before smaller children are in the pool. They will prefer the Goofy pool anyway. Disney should have put the slide at the Goofy pool instead.

 

[shmoogrrrl]

Originally posted by Tluvs2talk
shmoogrrrl,
The Mickey pool may be only deep enough for little kids, but Disney made a mistake by putting the slide at that pool.

I totally agree! Putting the slide next to the pool meant for older kids makes Much more sense! That would keep them out of the baby pool.

While it is true that the slide is by the wading pool, they are not directly connected. The bottom of the slide does not dump the rider out in the Mickey Pool, therefor it wouldn't affect older kids using that slide.

Hehehe! I have a funny picture of my little wee one trying to go down that slide and it is pretty scary!

Kathy