Kids Club Age Change

[CamillaF]

How does the internet help her keep track of her kids? Not disbelieving you at all… just not sure where her logic is here?

And why doesn’t she just tell her kids to stay in the Edge if she’s that concerned? I don’t understand how an 11-12 year old won’t follow those directions?

Count your blessings. I have twins and one is very mature for her age and will follow the guides lines that I set forth. The other falls so easily into peer pressure that I do not believe she would stay in the Edge if a "cool" older kid asked her to leave. She would just, not know how, to say No. She is not developmentally delayed (in fact she is at the top of her class), she is a people pleaser, well liked and teachers love her. However she is such a people pleaser she will just say yes and go..... this is new for me as when they were 8 I let them have in and out Prilvages in the Club/ Lab. They used to walk to school by themselves, ride there bike to the store etc. She also just realized that she is gorgeous (people stop us on the streets to ask if her eyes are her real color, if she wants to model etc). This phase that she is in...... wow it's not fun. A beautiful, people pleaser, with no common sence. I have stopped yelling, pleading, and trying to rationalize with her. I just no longer trust that she will follow the rules I set forth and so I put her in situations where I know that an older kid is not going to get her to do something that she should not. To answer @Mags2002 I will make my choice closer to the cruise. I am not at pay in full date yet but if my daughter does not grow out of this phase then It will no longer be safe for her to go on a Disney Cruise and I will have to look at other vacation options.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Count your blessings. I have twins and one is very mature for her age and will follow the guides lines that I set forth. The other falls so easily into peer pressure that I do not believe she would stay in the Edge if a "cool" older kid asked her to leave. She would just, not know how, to say No. She is not developmentally delayed (in fact she is at the top of her class), she is a people pleaser, well liked and teachers love her. However she is such a people pleaser she will just say yes and go..... this is new for me as when they were 8 I let them have in and out Prilvages in the Club/ Lab. They used to walk to school by themselves, ride there bike to the store etc. She also just realized that she is gorgeous (people stop us on the streets to ask if her eyes are her real color, if she wants to model etc). This phase that she is in...... wow it's not fun. A beautiful, people pleaser, with no common sence. I have stopped yelling, pleading, and trying to rationalize with her. I just no longer trust that she will follow the rules I set forth and so I put her in situations where I know that an older kid is not going to get her to do something that she should not. To answer @Mags2002 I will make my choice closer to the cruise. I am not at pay in full date yet but if my daughter does not grow out of this phase then It will no longer be safe for her to go on a Disney Cruise and I will have to look at other vacation options.

I've been following along this thread and another thread just from an interests standpoint so as a clear point I don't have a huge investment in this issue. Regardless of this change or not with your above information and other comments I've seen I don't think the DCL or any cruise line would be appropriate for your child that struggles with what you've mentioned at this point in time especially if you're wanting time away.

If your child is that easily led then a ship full of kids from all different ages no matter if there were clubs previously separated differently sounds like trying to put a round peg in a square hole. The maturity phase they are in not the policy change to me signals maybe it's hold off on cruising for a bit. A place isn't always right for every person at every point in their lives no matter how hard we want it to be. I don't count your particular situation as something DCL is able to even account for. If you can't trust your daughter socially speaking being in a place with several thousand people sounds like a recipe for havoc and stress all around.

I absolutely think Disney should have provided much more notice for everyone involved because that did everyone dirty there no doubts about that.

 

[AZMermaid]

You absolutely have to do what is best for your family and cancelling/postponing is being responsible vs yelling at CMs like is being reported.

 

[CamillaF]

I've been following along this thread and another thread just from an interests standpoint so as a clear point I don't have a huge investment in this issue. Regardless of this change or not with your above information and other comments I've seen I don't think the DCL or any cruise line would be appropriate for your child that struggles with what you've mentioned at this point in time especially if you're wanting time away.

If your child is that easily led then a ship full of kids from all different ages no matter if there were clubs previously separated differently sounds like trying to put a round peg in a square hole. The maturity phase they are in not the policy change to me signals maybe it's hold off on cruising for a bit. A place isn't always right for every person at every point in their lives no matter how hard we want it to be. I don't count your particular situation as something DCL is able to even account for. If you can't trust your daughter socially speaking being in a place with several thousand people sounds like a recipe for havoc and stress all around.

I absolutely think Disney should have provided much more notice for everyone involved because that did everyone dirty there no doubts about that.

I felt comfortable with her current maturity level in the Lab/Club as she would follow the rules set forth from the counselors (again teachers love her and she never creates any issues when an adult/ teacher is around). The rest of the cruise she would be with my self or husband. I know my situation is extreme and I am hoping to be out of it soon. I will not be going on the cruise if she does not mature. I am very glad that Disney did not just drop this in my lap and that I have time before I must decide. With others that are in my situation who have a Christmas/ New Years cruise I would be up sh** creek. Either cancel and loose lot's of money or fight with my kid as I force her to be with me all the time and not allow her time with her peers. Disney is a business and can made what rules they wish, I am a consumer who can choose to spend my money where I want. How Disney rolled this out was not thought out and poorly done.

 

[unrequited23]

I just checked in for my cruise at midnight. I tried to sign up DS9 for the club/lab but could not without also signing up DS11. (It was late and I could have missed something.) If I didn't know about the change in the policy, I would have believed my 11 year old was signed up for the club/lab after completing the online check in. This is a huge oversight on Disney's part.

 

[AZMermaid]

Ohhhhh yeah! That’s not helping the situation at all! Terrible.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Although maybe since people have reported the call center folks telling them to speak to CM on board. They are throwing them under the bus.

Always worth remembering that Disney outsource a lot of their "call center" to a low-cost company that make the contarctors pay to be trained, and provide no pay when these contractors are reviewing new changes. The contractors are held to insane call satisfaction and turnover ratings, which means they are incentivized to tell callers what they want to hear.

Add in the traditional Disney thng of "you aren't supposed to say you don't know" and discouraging saying no to people unless it's really blatant ("can I smoke on my balcony?"), and it's hard to be confident in call center information.

 

[CamillaF]

I just checked in for my cruise at midnight. I tried to sign up DS9 for the club/lab but could not without also signing up DS11. (It was late and I could have missed something.) If I didn't know about the change in the policy, I would have believed my 11 year old was signed up for the club/lab after completing the online check in. This is a huge oversight on Disney's part.

I still have not heard anything about the change from Disney........ Found out on the boards. It's a bit till my paid in full date but I think it's shady that they have not communicated with everyone who booked. It's going to cause a lot of problems.

 

[unrequited23]

I still have not heard anything about the change from Disney........ Found out on the boards. It's a bit till my paid in full date but I think it's shady that they have not communicated with everyone who booked. It's going to cause a lot of problems.

I did get an email from Disney on 12/15 about the change for our cruise next month. (My TA also sent an email in case I wasn't contacted.) We have another reservation booked and there has been no communication using that reservation number regarding the kids club change.

 

[Marthasor]

I've been following along this thread and another thread just from an interests standpoint so as a clear point I don't have a huge investment in this issue. Regardless of this change or not with your above information and other comments I've seen I don't think the DCL or any cruise line would be appropriate for your child that struggles with what you've mentioned at this point in time especially if you're wanting time away.

If your child is that easily led then a ship full of kids from all different ages no matter if there were clubs previously separated differently sounds like trying to put a round peg in a square hole. The maturity phase they are in not the policy change to me signals maybe it's hold off on cruising for a bit. A place isn't always right for every person at every point in their lives no matter how hard we want it to be. I don't count your particular situation as something DCL is able to even account for. If you can't trust your daughter socially speaking being in a place with several thousand people sounds like a recipe for havoc and stress all around.

I absolutely think Disney should have provided much more notice for everyone involved because that did everyone dirty there no doubts about that.

There are other cruise lines that offer supervised, secured programming for children up to age 12. We specifically chose Celebrity for a few years when my DS was in the 11-12 year range and wanted a more age-specific, less chaotic kids' club experience - they break their groups down into smaller age ranges, so the programming is age-appropriate and 3 year olds aren't running around with 11-12 year olds. There are plenty of DCL cruise alternatives that would be appropriate for families with kids in the 11-12 year range who aren't quite ready to be let loose without supervision on a cruise ship.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

There are other cruise lines that offer supervised, secured programming for children up to age 12. We specifically chose Celebrity for a few years when my DS was in the 11-12 year range and wanted a more age-specific, less chaotic kids' club experience - they break their groups down into smaller age ranges, so the programming is age-appropriate and 3 year olds aren't running around with 11-12 year olds. There are plenty of DCL cruise alternatives that would be appropriate for families with kids in the 11-12 year range who aren't quite ready to be let loose without supervision on a cruise ship.

Certainly there are cruise lines that have more segmented kids clubs. You haven't mentioned your child displaying the behaviors the PP spoke about so I'm assuming the unique aspect of the developmental stage the PP's child is in (of which I was not the first to pick up on it) does not apply. I agree with the poster discussing their child that theirs may be an extreme situation. While I understand how such a change in age would put people in a bind it, IMO, wasn't the issue for that PP. The phase their child is in would make even supervised a problem. Hopefully it's a temporary phase

 

[Marthasor]

Certainly there are cruise lines that have more segmented kids clubs. You haven't mentioned your child displaying the behaviors the PP spoke about so I'm assuming the unique aspect of the developmental stage the PP's child is in (of which I was not the first to pick up on it) does not apply. I agree with the poster discussing their child that theirs may be an extreme situation. While I understand how such a change in age would put people in a bind it, IMO, wasn't the issue for that PP. The phase their child is in would make even supervised a problem. Hopefully it's a temporary phase

I felt comfortable with her current maturity level in the Lab/Club as she would follow the rules set forth from the counselors (again teachers love her and she never creates any issues when an adult/ teacher is around). The rest of the cruise she would be with my self or husband. I know my situation is extreme and I am hoping to be out of it soon. I will not be going on the cruise if she does not mature. I am very glad that Disney did not just drop this in my lap and that I have time before I must decide. With others that are in my situation who have a Christmas/ New Years cruise I would be up sh** creek. Either cancel and loose lot's of money or fight with my kid as I force her to be with me all the time and not allow her time with her peers. Disney is a business and can made what rules they wish, I am a consumer who can choose to spend my money where I want. How Disney rolled this out was not thought out and poorly done.

PP specifically mentioned she was comfortable with Lab/Club for her daughter as she would "follow the rules set forth from the counselors". And, yes, I've mentioned in other responses that at 11-12, my DS still needed a secured, supervised location for a variety of reasons which I don't feel compelled to completely share with strangers on the internet. We cruised successfully on a variety of cruise lines from the toddler to teen stage based on what he needed at any given time. I think only PP can decide what is and what is not appropriate for her child based on her current developmental stage. If she is comfortable with her being in a secured, supervised environment, she has options. It seems presumptuous for a stranger on the internet to simply conclude a family shouldn't go on a cruise.

 

[scoobdoo]

On all other cruise lines the children are separated by age ranges. This actually puts them in line with Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. I actually think it makes much more sense that way.

it makes a lot more sense; it was just horrible that 3 year olds were put in with tweens

 

[Marrila]

it makes a lot more sense; it was just horrible that 3 year olds were put in with tweens

I think the change is so much better for the 3-5 year olds.

 

[CamillaF]

I did get an email from Disney on 12/15 about the change for our cruise next month. (My TA also sent an email in case I wasn't contacted.) We have another reservation booked and there has been no communication using that reservation number regarding the kids club change.

Wow only a month notice? After paid in full and airline tickets/ hotels are secure. That is really bad customer service.

 

[Bruno33]

Just for my own curiosity, how many of you on this thread have/will be cancelling your cruise as a result of this?

We’re cancelling our April 2024 cruise. We were boarding on my daughter’s 11th birthday, and she was excited to have her choice of Kids Club/Edge. We were already a little on the fence, but this change made it easier to decide to cancel.

I REALLY feel for the people who had this changed after their PIF date. I think it should have been announced far enough in advance that that didn’t happen.

 

[DCLMP]

Count your blessings. I have twins and one is very mature for her age and will follow the guides lines that I set forth. The other falls so easily into peer pressure that I do not believe she would stay in the Edge if a "cool" older kid asked her to leave. She would just, not know how, to say No. She is not developmentally delayed (in fact she is at the top of her class), she is a people pleaser, well liked and teachers love her. However she is such a people pleaser she will just say yes and go..... this is new for me as when they were 8 I let them have in and out Prilvages in the Club/ Lab. They used to walk to school by themselves, ride there bike to the store etc. She also just realized that she is gorgeous (people stop us on the streets to ask if her eyes are her real color, if she wants to model etc). This phase that she is in...... wow it's not fun. A beautiful, people pleaser, with no common sence. I have stopped yelling, pleading, and trying to rationalize with her. I just no longer trust that she will follow the rules I set forth and so I put her in situations where I know that an older kid is not going to get her to do something that she should not. To answer @Mags2002 I will make my choice closer to the cruise. I am not at pay in full date yet but if my daughter does not grow out of this phase then It will no longer be safe for her to go on a Disney Cruise and I will have to look at other vacation options.

Wow, that's rough. Things could get better or worse when she becomes a teenager. I'd think at some point something will happen or she'll see something and realize not everyone has her best interest in mind. I still think a Disney cruise is a lot safer than high school. Eventually, she has to learn to make good decisions on her own.

 

[KGmomoftwins]

I just hope some of the craft activities and character meet and greets that are available in the club they have things similar in the edge. We are cruising in August for our twins 12 birthday and both were hoping to sneak in one more time in the club. They will not be happy.

 

[sesame_123]

Wow only a month notice? After paid in full and airline tickets/ hotels are secure. That is really bad customer service.

We leave Friday. Found out 12/15 two weeks notice. My child turned 11 two months ago. Bad customer service is putting it nicely.

 

[CamillaF]

We leave Friday. Found out 12/15 two weeks notice. My child turned 11 two months ago. Bad customer service is putting it nicely.

Wow, that's rough. Things could get better or worse when she becomes a teenager. I'd think at some point something will happen or she'll see something and realize not everyone has her best interest in mind. I still think a Disney cruise is a lot safer than high school. Eventually, she has to learn to make good decisions on her own.

Thankfully she is still in Elementary school and so not more "cool" older kids there. I did have to take her out of Dance as she was put in with the Juniors (middle school) and that did not go well. Next year when she is 11 she will still be in elementy so 2 more school years before I really have to have her make better choices..