Very disappointed withe the kid's programming

[legs22]

Just attended chat with Matt Ouimet (president of DCL) and he said that 20 new children's programs would be added!!! But he did not specify when this would occur.

 

[DISNEYGATOR]

first, whether or not a kid or adult likes an activity is largely due to his or her own individual preferences. And I have heard many many wonderful things about the kids program, just as I have read people's comments that their kids didn't like them. If it was broken no one would like it at all. Anyway, just because your kids didn't like the program, doesn't mean the entire program is bad, just wasn't in line with your kids interests and needs. I HATED summer camp as a kid, doesn't mean the camp I went to was necessarily bad, just not for me.

But, if you ARE using the kids programs for babysitting, while you go to adult only pools, or adult only dinners at Palo's, then why are you expecting anything else? And if it is what you are using it for, your kids can tell, and its exactly how they are going to perceive it.

And maybe another cruise line might have more structured kids programs, but from my understanding and reading up on them, they have little to no family programs and activities, while the Disney Cruise is full of fun things the family can do together. To me THAT is why one should choose to do the DCL. I mean, isn't that why the DCL was designed, to make a Cruise line for families? There just seems to be more balance on the Disney Cruise, stuff for families, adults and kids, and I think that is how they market it.

 

[skeegan]

We went on the 7 night cruise in June and my 6 year and 12 year loved the clubs and the programs, so I think it varies by child. My 12 year enjoyed the free time best where he could play board games with other boys (risk, monopoly) into the wee hours of the night. My 6 year who usually clings to us, actually ditched us for the program. She also liked to go when there were not organized activities so she could play with the counselors. So for my kids, the club is not broken.

 

[candleonwater]

I agree with the person who said the childs personality has a lot to do with how they handle the club. My DD (5) is the type who makes friends when we're out shopping, so I had no doubt she would do so on the ship - and I was not disappointed. By the end of the cruise she new her counselors names, and they all knew hers (and she wasn't in the club that often!) The only thing she didn't like was eating with the club, but since it's just the two of us normally, I wasn't surprised. She even wanted to have her counselors sign her autograph book before we left!

Now I'm faced with the task of choosing what we want to do for our next cruise - we really want to try one of the RCCL ships with an ice rink (DD skates), but just last night she came to me and asked if we could go on Disney again - she wants to go to the club again, but she only wants to cruise again if she can go for 2 weeks!

 

[Mskanga]

I have two kids ages 5 and 8 when we sailed, the youngest went to the club and the oldest to the lab, the youngest absolutely LOVED it, we had to drag her out of the club every day for other activities such as pool time and such, the oldest the only complain she had was that there was very little "free time" to do whatever they wanted but she LOVED it too, they are both looking forward to the next cruise. I loved them having such a blast at their clubs because it gave me and dh a chance to relax and do whatever we wanted, now THAT'S what I call vacation!

 

[J.P.]

dmdeitz,
I am to a stock holder and member of the DVC club at Vero and Old Key West, i am surprised at your comments concerning the activities in the lab. My kids knew all the counslors in the lab and they never paged me for liitle things either. My kids meet a lot of new friends who would join us for dinner and breakfast, they went swimming together at the pools and castway cay. They even went on the banana boats too. Also both of my kids are a little shy and they still managed to meet alot of great friends during the four day cruise. JP

 

[callahanjulie10]

The first trip when my DD loved the club was on a 4 night also. I really think alot of getting to know the counselors are when the ships are not full. When DD went to the club the ship wasn't but about 1/2 full. They really interacted individually with the children as well as made sure all of the kids fit in. On our 1st 7 night the boat was completely full. It was sold out on the web site about 4 weeks before we left on our cruise. This last cruise wasn't full but the childrens programs did not offer much interaction with others- it was come in and do whatever. My DD is quiet and isn't one to go up to others that she doesn't know and initiate conversation.
I just feel that if they are going to offer programming they should have actual activities for the children to particiapte in. I do NOT use the lab/club as babysitting, I let her choose what she wants to do and what she doesn't. DCL should have awesome programs- they do target families and specifically children.

 

[Karel]

All my children, 7,9,10 (we had three different groups involved) loved their programs. Were they there every second of the day? No. Did they love every activity? No. But they had fun and it really enhanced their trip.

Before the cruise, we made it perfectly clear to them that there would be times they would be expected to be in the club but other than that, they could decide what they wanted to do and when they wanted to be there. My 9 year old spent no time at all there one day and then spent the whooooole day the next day. MY ten year old was especially happy, thrilled that he could stay there till midnight every night, like the games and made several friends.

I happen to think it's ok to use the club as a babysitter OCCASIONALLY. What the heck are they there for anyway? It's OK for parents to want some time away. I think it's unacceptable to let a 5 and 8 year old wander around by themselves. Be the parents, and say this is the way it's going to be for an hour or so. It's not like they were being tortured in there and they would have found something fun to do. Learning how to initiate free play, to make friends, to entertain yourself is an important part of life. But there were organized activities too, which were varied and interesting. I think my children were happy because it reminded them of the routine of school, of being part of a group.

You have to have roll call, you have to go through the rules for safety reasons. ANd I'm glad that they move around the ship, especially to the top deck. Do you really want your kids to spend all their time in one room all day? Talk about boring...

 

[MinnieManiac]

There's lots of different opinions here! I have to say that ship, staff and food was GREAT. But making sure the kids were having fun was the most critical concern for my husband and I (and our children themselves). Disney failed for sure. We were not looking for babysitters, but that was really what we got. Someone said it is good that they move the groups around the ship to add variety. Unfortunately, that was the only variety they had. Given the chance, most kids will veg out and watch the movie or play video games. We wanted more than that and the lab and club certainly did NOT provide it. Our kids wanted to partake in activies and there were very few things they could do as a group. Our family had great times together, but we all envisioned the opportunity to be apart. Unfortunately, the children's program was so non-descript that our children (and other guests we got to know) simply didn't want to be part of marches around the ship or watching Disney classic movies they have on DVD at home. The cruise concept was great. We'll just need to travel with a different cruise line next time.

 

[KAB13]

Which cruise did you take and how old were your kids, MinnieManiac? Did you read the schedule of activities and try to have them there for the group activities? I'm not sure what you meant by programs are non -descript or there were few things they could do as a group? I've been reading a bunch of parenting magazines and cruise line review, and Disney Line is rated best for children activities. I'm not sure another cruise line will be much better.

 

[jojomg]

I just got back and I agree the kids program is terrible, they gave 8 yr olds the option of signing themselves out and and they give you a pager and they told me they would page me and let me know when my dd left and where she was headed, I told them I was very worried with this , they assured me they would page me, so I gave in and the one time I let my dd go,they were going up to deck 9 to eat and she didn't want to go so they just let her walk out!!!!!!! No page no call no asking her where she was going they let her just wander around the ship, what is the good of having a beeper if you don't use it? and what is the good of having a meeting place if you don't know your kid is there?My kid wandered the ship crying asking people to help her, I was waiting for her to page me to let me know if I should pick her up for dinner.......anyway the kids program knew nothing ,,,,they accepted no blame, they showed no concern they didn't help me look for her,,,,,,finally someone showed her the way to the rest. we were eating at the head server gabor finally paged me and waited with her till I got there.....I think it is appalling, they should be more concerned about the welfare of kids than how clean the ship is

 

[ChiTownZee]

they gave 8 yr olds the option of signing themselves out

Surely they don't give 8 year olds the option to sign themselves out of the clubs, is this true? I figured the option of older kids signing themselves out of the clubs would be up to the parent.

 

[jojomg]

they do give them that option I thought it was a misprint, so I asked the girl , and she assured me that I would be paged!!!!!!!!! My daughter wanted to try to be a big kid and I was assured that they would page me , the beeper would go off and I would scroll down and see what time she left and where she was going, I trusted them,,,they are disney after all, I am so sorry I did

 

[pbans]

My DD is 9 and I told them I didn't want her to have the option of signing herself out. She has her mother's incredible sense of direction (NOT) and I knew she would get lost and be frightened. It worked out, we were always close when the paged and just jetted up to get her.

She did get lost one night when she left Triton's early to go to the Club...against my better judgement, I let her go alone....yep, she was lost about the second she got off the elevator...she wandered until she found a CM who BROUGHT her back to Triton's to our table (she remember the table number, bless her heart). Later we laughed, if you're going to get lost.....The Disney Wonder is certainly better than Walmart

I'm sorry things didn't go well with your kiddo. Trust your instincts as a parent, if you don't think they're ready to check themselves in and out, don't give them the option!!

 

[ChiTownZee]

Wow, I'm really suprised they leave the decision up to the child and not the parent. I don't think a child thinking about how mature they are and if they are capable of handling the responsibility would always have the same opinion as their parents! Gosh knows pagers aren't the most reliable things in the world, there are a lot of other factors that a child would not think of.

I guess I'm glad I don't have to worry about that for a while.

 

[wovenwonder]

When you register your kiddos in the clubs remember to ask for the paper to NOT allow your kids sign in/out privledges. Also, make it clear to your child to NOT leave the clubs until you are paged and come to pick them up. Another option is to take along a pair of those two way radios - one for your child and one for you to keep - if you decide to give your child sign in/out privledges, you can keep in contact with them.

Just know that the option is there for you to refuse the sign in/out privledges, but you may have to insist on it.

 

[ChiTownZee]

if you decide to give your child sign in/out privledges,

So it IS up to the parents?

 

[jojomg]

they don't leave it up to the child, the put it on the form you fill out, my daughter was filling it out with me and wanted me to say she could sign herself out, when I questioned the form I was told I would be given a pager and if she could sign herself out they would page me and let me know she had done so and where she was going, I would N have said yes if I had known they didn't take this serious, you can say no they can't sign themselves out and I would urge people to say no!!!no matter what they say you can't trust them, just because no child has been raped or thrown over board doesn't mean it can 't happen, you are on a ship with thousands of people crew from all over the world, people are lulled into a feeling of false security , thinking well "where can they go", I don't think that is a way to think, anything can happen

 

[ChiTownZee]

they don't leave it up to the child, the put it on the form you fill out,

Thanks for clarifying that it's up to the parents, you had said before they gave 8 year olds the option to sign themselves out.

no matter what they say you can't trust them, just because no child has been raped or thrown over board doesn't mean it can 't happen, you are on a ship with thousands of people crew from all over the world, people are lulled into a feeling of false security , thinking well "where can they go", I don't think that is a way to think, anything can happen

Did you feel this way BEFORE you allowed your eight year old sign out privledges and enabled her to walk the ship alone??

 

[Olaf]

We're just back from our second 3-day cruise. We wanted to do a longer one, but we just couldn't make it fit in the schedule.

DS (6) loved the kid's club. I thought he might be bored, because there really weren't that many activitites planned. Not. We had to drag him out every night. He was there the last night until 11:30 pm. I think what he liked best was being able to play on the computers in the lab.

This time we were on the Wonder and I thought the counselors weren't nearly as friendly. Although, DS didn't have any complaints about them.

We're hoping to do a 7-night sometime next year. Three days is just too short.