10yo in Edge

[Maggie'sMom]

When did they start allowing that? Are you sure all ships are doing that now?

Yes, all ships have that policy and it's been that way since at least 2015 when my DD was 11 and was able to go to both Oceaneers and Edge. I'd say it was in place before 2015 because we knew when we booked the cruise in 2014 that was the policy.

 

[zeferjen]

Hoo boy this post has really taken on a life of its own! Thanks for the information, I will take my son to see if it's an option. If not, I'm sure he will survive. It is not such a hardship to be on a luxury vacation after all.

 

[gotomu212]

The problem is it got merged into one because they DID listen to parents complaining that their little darlings could not be together. It seems that now those same little darlings - who would have been in whichever was for the younger kids until parents whined and they got merged - are bored with the combined space. And so now that their little darlings are older the same parents want things separated again because their darlings are "bored". If they had just left well enough alone, this discussion would be moot.

I never had a problem with the combined spaces until open house started. Back before OH most kids really self selected into the area that fit with their age just based on their intersects. Once an OH starts though all non-OH kids are pushed together in one of the areas. At that point from our experience you have a huge age range, potentially are in an area with little interest, and the number of kids skyrockets. Every time an OH would start my son would want to leave (at ages 8, 9, and 10) because there were either too many little kids or he was being sent over to the lower age.

 

[kamik86]

To put a different spin on things....
I see the Edge as middle school and Vibe as high school. We have been on 8 cruises and utt my son in the corresponding programming. There is a huge difference between elementary kids, middle school kids, and high school kids. Age matters less than educational/social background in many ways.

I don't have kids but was bored and decided to read this.

I wonder if it honestly would be better if they sorted by grade.

The camp I worked at when I was in college did this. Kids were sorted by grade not age, so occasionally kids near the edge were up or down a level, however this meant that if the kid was going to camp with a kid in their school class they were in the same group.

I was still 10 when I started middle school (due to how my birthday falls I made the cutoff by 4 days), my husband is 2 years and 9 months older then me and was only a year ahead in school (he was one of the oldest kids in his grade).

 

[kkayluvsdis]

I never had a problem with the combined spaces until open house started. Back before OH most kids really self selected into the area that fit with their age just based on their intersects. Once an OH starts though all non-OH kids are pushed together in one of the areas. At that point from our experience you have a huge age range, potentially are in an area with little interest, and the number of kids skyrockets. Every time an OH would start my son would want to leave (at ages 8, 9, and 10) because there were either too many little kids or he was being sent over to the lower age.

Agreed!!

 

[Dug720]

I don't have kids but was bored and decided to read this.

I wonder if it honestly would be better if they sorted by grade.

The camp I worked at when I was in college did this. Kids were sorted by grade not age, so occasionally kids near the edge were up or down a level, however this meant that if the kid was going to camp with a kid in their school class they were in the same group.

I was still 10 when I started middle school (due to how my birthday falls I made the cutoff by 4 days), my husband is 2 years and 9 months older then me and was only a year ahead in school (he was one of the oldest kids in his grade).

The problem with that is Vibe. Because of past issues, there is a hard line on the moment you turn 18 you are no longer permitted in there.

 

[kamik86]

The problem with that is Vibe. Because of past issues, there is a hard line on the moment you turn 18 you are no longer permitted in there.

Yeah I can see that being an issue with 18 because of it being the magic adult age where things start having legal ramifications (which I believe was part of the problem you are referencing)

It just seems like it could solve issues with the 10/11 year olds and 14/15 year olds.

No system will be perfect though since I know from that camp that it is amazing the difference in ability you will find in a group even if they are all going into grades 1-3 (This was the age I worked with most at the camp and in this range I would have kids that could barely or not manage to tie their shoes or probably change into and out of a bathing suit to kids that could manage to mostly care for themselves if I wasn't there knowing what order activities were where they should be and how to get around)

 

[cheribelle]

I never had a problem with the combined spaces until open house started. Back before OH most kids really self selected into the area that fit with their age just based on their intersects. Once an OH starts though all non-OH kids are pushed together in one of the areas. At that point from our experience you have a huge age range, potentially are in an area with little interest, and the number of kids skyrockets. Every time an OH would start my son would want to leave (at ages 8, 9, and 10) because there were either too many little kids or he was being sent over to the lower age.

Totally agree! Last Christmas cruise there were so many open houses and my 9 and 12 year old were forced into the one space with so many little kids. Constantly got the text to come get them. They actually had a scheduled open house for castaway cay day for most of the day (makes sense since not many on board). But we couldn’t dock until close to 2 and they never changed the OH times. All those kids for many hours in one space made for not so happy kids. And not just mine.

 

[Weedy]

I think the problems began when they started doing all the Open Houses. They are trying to please the people that say my kids won’t use the club without me there.
The other issue comes from the parents that said my kids need to be together. So now there is a huge age difference in the clubs. If the go back to the Club being for the younger kids and the Lab for the older group this would help the 10 year olds wanting to age up.
My kids are now 21 and 22. When we cruised they always were in the age appropriate clubs. They didn’t have all the open houses and the Club and the Lab were divided by age.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Totally agree! Last Christmas cruise there were so many open houses and my 9 and 12 year old were forced into the one space with so many little kids. Constantly got the text to come get them. They actually had a scheduled open house for castaway cay day for most of the day (makes sense since not many on board). But we couldn’t dock until close to 2 and they never changed the OH times. All those kids for many hours in one space made for not so happy kids. And not just mine.

I get your frustration with this, but be careful what you wish for, especially if you only get part what you wish for. If they go back to hard and fast (but smaller age groups) but keep the frequent Open House hours (which as the PP pointed out, many families like since their kids don't want to go to the clubs alone) then what you will have is more hours when you can't drop your kids off at all, or worse, very few hours when you can drop ALL of your kids off. To me, that would be even worse than the current situation of all the dropped off kids being in one smaller area. Suppose, for example, you have one child that is 9 and one that is 4, the only time they could both be in secured programming is when neither of the Clubs were in Open House. I think a lot of people would complain about this even more than the current situation.

Now, i realize your response might be "Less open house hours" but remember, they are trending towards MORE Open house hours for a reason, and that reason is probably because even more people have said they want access to the kids clubs with their children, or with their siblings. So that trend won't change lightly.

Ultimately, I think we have a case where most people would be happy with either configuration (3-12 or two separate age groups) and there is a vocal (and reasonable) minority on each side that will be unhappy as long as the policy is the other way. My sincere sympathies.

 

[gotomu212]

I get your frustration with this, but be careful what you wish for, especially if you only get part what you wish for. If they go back to hard and fast (but smaller age groups) but keep the frequent Open House hours (which as the PP pointed out, many families like since their kids don't want to go to the clubs alone) then what you will have is more hours when you can't drop your kids off at all, or worse, very few hours when you can drop ALL of your kids off. To me, that would be even worse than the current situation of all the dropped off kids being in one smaller area. Suppose, for example, you have one child that is 9 and one that is 4, the only time they could both be in secured programming is when neither of the Clubs were in Open House. I think a lot of people would complain about this even more than the current situation.

Now, i realize your response might be "Less open house hours" but remember, they are trending towards MORE Open house hours for a reason, and that reason is probably because even more people have said they want access to the kids clubs with their children, or with their siblings. So that trend won't change lightly.

Ultimately, I think we have a case where most people would be happy with either configuration (3-12 or two separate age groups) and there is a vocal (and reasonable) minority on each side that will be unhappy as long as the policy is the other way. My sincere sympathies.

I really liked how they handled toddler time (or whatever they called it) on the Fantasy in December. They were able to close off only Andy’s Room for OH and the rest of the Club was secured programming. I think it would solve a lot of issues if the new ships have ways to close off smaller areas of the overall clab spaces for OH instead of the entire space.

 

[cheribelle]

I get your frustration with this, but be careful what you wish for, especially if you only get part what you wish for. If they go back to hard and fast (but smaller age groups) but keep the frequent Open House hours (which as the PP pointed out, many families like since their kids don't want to go to the clubs alone) then what you will have is more hours when you can't drop your kids off at all, or worse, very few hours when you can drop ALL of your kids off. To me, that would be even worse than the current situation of all the dropped off kids being in one smaller area. Suppose, for example, you have one child that is 9 and one that is 4, the only time they could both be in secured programming is when neither of the Clubs were in Open House. I think a lot of people would complain about this even more than the current situation.

Now, i realize your response might be "Less open house hours" but remember, they are trending towards MORE Open house hours for a reason, and that reason is probably because even more people have said they want access to the kids clubs with their children, or with their siblings. So that trend won't change lightly.

Ultimately, I think we have a case where most people would be happy with either configuration (3-12 or two separate age groups) and there is a vocal (and reasonable) minority on each side that will be unhappy as long as the policy is the other way. My sincere sympathies.

You make a good point. And I think DCL will never be able to make everyone happy (and that goes for everything!!). I have a 9 year old coming up on our next cruise. It is what it is. She will be in the club/lab as it is her designated space. I had a problem with them turning the space into OH without prior announcement on the navigator. I didn’t send her when it was an announced OH but it became tiresome to find out after I dropped her off and made plans that they changed the space to OH. When it’s OH, they really feel the age differences and it’s very crowded in one space.

 

[Dug720]

I think the problems began when they started doing all the Open Houses. They are trying to please the people that say my kids won’t use the club without me there.
The other issue comes from the parents that said my kids need to be together. So now there is a huge age difference in the clubs. If the go back to the Club being for the younger kids and the Lab for the older group this would help the 10 year olds wanting to age up.
My kids are now 21 and 22. When we cruised they always were in the age appropriate clubs. They didn’t have all the open houses and the Club and the Lab were divided by age.

And just a guess, but the ones who say their kids will not go in without them most likely have little ones who are intimidated by the bigger ones. Ergo if they went back to age-separated groups like it started there would likely be less of a need for so much Open House time.

 

[Weedy]

Question for @bbhl Do people really use the Open House? How many are there compared to having all the kids crammed into one side?
For those of you that still have kids in the kids clubs and find to many Open Houses an issue. Go during an Open House and take pictures. Especially if the club is empty!! And then write to Disney and ask why??

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Question for @bbhl Do people really use the Open House? How many are there compared to having all the kids crammed into one side?
For those of you that still have kids in the kids clubs and find to many Open Houses an issue. Go during an Open House and take pictures. Especially if the club is empty!! And then write to Disney and ask why??

Our kids abandoned the CLAB during OH. They're all Edge-ers now and don't care if it's OH there - it's still "Bye Dad!" as they head up.

 

[Ravenne]

When did they start allowing that? Are you sure all ships are doing that now?

I have no idea when. We started cruising with DCL in 2014 and I seem to recall that was the case back then.

From DCL:
Edge:
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/onboard-activities/edge-youth-club/
Edge provides Guests ages 11 to 14 with their own special hangout where they can connect with other tweens from around the world.

Oceaneer:
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/onboard-activities/oceaneer-lab-youth-club/
Children 3 to 12 years old can play and learn at sea through imaginative themed activities and games, offered daily.


11 & 12 are the sweet spots where kids go to both Oceaneer and Edge.

14 is the sweet spot where kids can go to both Edge and Vibe.

 

[Snowwhyt]

It has been that way for as long as we have been cruising (7 years).

Yes, all ships have that policy and it's been that way since at least 2015 when my DD was 11 and was able to go to both

I have no idea when. We started cruising with DCL in 2014 and I seem to recall that was the case back then.

We started cruising in 2010 just as my daughter turned 11 and she was able to visit the new Edge as it had just been remodeled/created on the Magic. And it was all a buzz at the time. Age 11 was the starting age then but only one ship made exceptions. (Can’t remember who.) Guess that explains why I’m out of the loop!

 

[bbel]

Question for @bbhl Do people really use the Open House? How many are there compared to having all the kids crammed into one side?
For those of you that still have kids in the kids clubs and find to many Open Houses an issue. Go during an Open House and take pictures. Especially if the club is empty!! And then write to Disney and ask why??

Nope. Not really.
The main people in there will be the self-check kids that check out and then come back in and have the space to themselves.

 

[bbel]

You said 90%. Is that a small percentage? You also ended your post with go ahead and flame me....I'm thinking you kind of knew how it might come across or you wouldn't have said that.
Like I said previously I hope you enjoy your new job and everything works out to your liking.

Errr, yeah! 90% of parents of 10 years olds that go to Edge and demand their kids to be in there is still a teeny tiny fraction of parents that were ever invented...
But go ahead, keep twisting what people say!

Someone asked my reasons. I gave my reasons from years of direct experiences. If you don't like them - not my problem!

 

[bbel]

Not defensive at all, just letting you know that "90%" of parents who age up their kids aren't entitled and there are in fact real situations, more than a few, where it is the best thing for the child, and really isn't that what youth counselors should want, what is best for the kids? When a 10 year old is miserable in the club and able to function perfectly fine in the edge why NOT allow it?

As I said...twice already - not everything I said will apply to everyone.
If thats not you or your kid then you don't need to take it personally.