Talk to me about Castaway Cay and 12 year olds

[KelseyPierce08]

Hi there, looking to do our second cruise not until 2026 but that gives me planning time! We will have a 12 year old. What is the cut off for scuttles cove? Or where else could she go while our younger ones are there?

 

[CamillaF]

following. There have been some changes and I would like to understand.

 

[lanejudy]

Scuttles Cove is essentially the Club/Lab — now ages 3-10. Ages 11-14 are Edge and I believe they do have a space on Castaway, but be aware that age group is not check-in/check-out, they are free to move about or come and go.

 

[lanejudy]

Here’s a recent thread about Edge on CC
https://www.disboards.com/threads/edge-on-castaway-after-club-age-changes.3939132/

 

[KelseyPierce08]

Scuttles Cove is essentially the Club/Lab — now ages 3-10. Ages 11-14 are Edge and I believe they do have a space on Castaway, but be aware that age group is not check-in/check-out, they are free to move about or come and go.

I knew that they could check in and out on their own on the ship, I wasn’t sure how it worked on the island! Thank you!

 

[PAGA2003]

Our son was 12 on our sailing in August. Edge has some activities scheduled and there was a block of time for a 'takeover' of the Teen Hideout but unlike the other age groups they do not have a dedicated space for the whole day. Check in/out on the island was handled the same as the ship so they will need their MB+ or KTTWC.

 

[KelseyPierce08]

Our son was 12 on our sailing in August. Edge has some activities scheduled and there was a block of time for a 'takeover' of the Teen Hideout but unlike the other age groups they do not have a dedicated space for the whole day. Check in/out on the island was handled the same as the ship so they will need their MB+ or KTTWC.

That is the main thing I was wondering! I saw scuttle’s cove and the teen hideout so I wasn’t sure if there was a dedicated area to go. Thank you for that information!

 

[lanejudy]

Our son was 12 on our sailing in August. Edge has some activities scheduled and there was a block of time for a 'takeover' of the Teen Hideout but unlike the other age groups they do not have a dedicated space for the whole day. Check in/out on the island was handled the same as the ship so they will need their MB+ or KTTWC.

In August 12-year-olds were allowed at the Club/Lab - and by extension Scuttles Cove. That changed this winter and for 11-12’s their only option is Edge.

 

[KelseyPierce08]

In August 12-year-olds were allowed at the Club/Lab - and by extension Scuttles Cove. That changed this winter and for 11-12’s their only option is Edge.

I knew that for on board, I just hadn’t seen a dedicated area on Castaway so I was curious if there was one

 

[BPPHL2002]

Hi there, looking to do our second cruise not until 2026 but that gives me planning time! We will have a 12 year old. What is the cut off for scuttles cove? Or where else could she go while our younger ones are there?

Hi there, our last cruise in December, our son was 11 going on 12 and not feeling the club any longer. There were a bunch of the Edge kids at the In Da Shade Games area. If I'm recalling correctly, I believe Edge even had a scheduled time to be there and then they just stayed after that time was up. This was a good location for us to meet him or check in, right off the Family beach and near the first Cookie's location.

It's a little hard to see, but on this map it's the N location, right near the second set of restrooms if you were coming from the ship.
https://disneycruiselineblog.com/cruise-planning/castaway-cay-map/

 

[CamillaF]

Our son was 12 on our sailing in August. Edge has some activities scheduled and there was a block of time for a 'takeover' of the Teen Hideout but unlike the other age groups they do not have a dedicated space for the whole day. Check in/out on the island was handled the same as the ship so they will need their MB+ or KTTWC.

How did you feel Disney handled the changes for 11,12 year olds. Was it an issue that they did not have a dedicated space to go to any more? Did you feel like there was enough programing for them or did the programing feel like more of an after thought? I understand that the 11,12 year olds still can be part of the Edge and that programing has not changed. However my questions are about the 11,12 and if not having the dedicated space (were formally allowed in Scuttles) and changes in programing (no longer offered programing in Scuttles) was an issue or concern or had no effect on your vacation.

 

[Mags2002]

How did you feel Disney handled the changes for 11,12 year olds. Was it an issue that they did not have a dedicated space to go to any more? Did you feel like there was enough programing for them or did the programing feel like more of an after thought?

It’s always been that way for kids aged 11-14 in Edge, nothing has changed

 

[CamillaF]

I made my question to the original poster to be more clear that I was asking about there lived experience. I really appreciate those that have experienced the changes in programing giving your honest feedback. Both good and Bad.

 

[Mags2002]

Correct me if I am wrong but before the 11-12 could go to the Scuttles Cove before the age change? If this is the case then the changes to 11,12 year olds in fact took away a dedicated space and did not replace it with a dedicated space.

True, 11-12 year olds can’t got to Scuttles Cove anymore. But Edge has always been for 11-14 year olds and they have always done different things around the island without a dedicated space

 

[BPPHL2002]

How did you feel Disney handled the changes for 11,12 year olds. Was it an issue that they did not have a dedicated space to go to any more? Did you feel like there was enough programing for them or did the programing feel like more of an after thought? I understand that the 11,12 year olds still can be part of the Edge and that programing has not changed. However my questions are about the 11,12 and if not having the dedicated space (were formally allowed in Scuttles) and changes in programing (no longer offered programing in Scuttles) was an issue or concern or had no effect on your vacation.

DCL hadn’t fully implemented the age change of the club/lab during our early December cruise, so I can't speak to how it is now.

What they were doing at the time was to give kids ages 11 and 12 a wristband to identify them as 11-12, and they were separate in the kids club from the other ages but still allowed there. That worked fine and he was good with it the first day and a half. Then we went to an Edge open house and he was very happy there with the video games and activities. I don’t think he returned to the club/lab after that. I think it was a few weeks later they made the change of moving the 11-12-year-olds out of the club/lab.

I think under the short-lived system we experienced, the 11-12s could still go to Scuttles, but like on the ship they were kept separate.

We did not have any issues with Edge not having a dedicated space on Castaway. Some things worked out in our favor this time: In Da Shade had a lot of kids in it and he wanted to hang out there.

I think I would have been more nervous leaving him on his own if this games area wasn’t as active or if he didn't want to go there. We are still getting used to running out to the grocery store occasionally while he stays home!

As for Edge, our experiences with it were positive with our 11-year-old. We were on the Wish. My son said they played games, like a musical chairs game where they played 5 seconds of a song and a kid from each team would have to run to the chair to guess the song name.

 

[PAGA2003]

How did you feel Disney handled the changes for 11,12 year olds. Was it an issue that they did not have a dedicated space to go to any more? Did you feel like there was enough programing for them or did the programing feel like more of an after thought? I understand that the 11,12 year olds still can be part of the Edge and that programing has not changed. However my questions are about the 11,12 and if not having the dedicated space (were formally allowed in Scuttles) and changes in programing (no longer offered programing in Scuttles) was an issue or concern or had no effect on your vacation.

Our cruise was prior to the change. Our son went to the club/lab a couple times on our sailing but mostly went to Edge. On CC he didn't visit Scuttle's Cove at all. I really don't think it would impact us though unless wanting to go to Serenity Bay and wanting him taken care of while gone. Otherwise we just had our chairs on the family beach and he would head to the Edge activities that interested him like the teen club takeover. He knew to immediately come back and check in with us between activities so he would come and go just making sure we knew where he was.