Did Kids Club Age Changes Effect If Booked?

[Club Cooloholic]

I was curious if I am the only one who felt a little less inclined to want to book a Disney Cruise after they made changes to the kids club age groups? I have a now 11 year old, and was so bummed that he would not have the option of being able to use the Oceaneer Club. He is definitely not a too cool for school kinda kid and would have really enjoyed some time in there.
I was already prepared he won't be able to join my 15 yr daughter(they are very close), even when he turns 12.
I just feel so much marketing and detail goes into the Oceaneer Club I am surprised they cut it off so early.

 

[DisneyHead123]

I was curious if I am the only one who felt a little less inclined to want to book a Disney Cruise after they made changes to the kids club age groups? I have a now 11 year old, and was so bummed that he would not have the option of being able to use the Oceaneer Club. He is definitely not a too cool for school kinda kid and would have really enjoyed some time in there.
I was already prepared he won't be able to join my 15 yr daughter(they are very close), even when he turns 12.
I just feel so much marketing and detail goes into the Oceaneer Club I am surprised they cut it off so early.

I haven’t done a cruise although I’m hoping to once we’re done with spending a small fortune on daycare. I agree with you for the opposite reason - my preschooler seems so little and those activities seem so “big kid”. I know the preschoolers are separated but even for a 5, 6, maybe 7 year old the target activities seem complicated and maybe scary (I read a review where someone said their 5-year-old was having nightmares about whatever creature “escapes” in the Star Wars animal area.)

I wish they had a “little kids” area that was the playground, movie area, library, craft area, etc. Then an area for kids ages 7-11. Maybe a “flex year”, where you have the option of moving your 6-year-old to the bigger kids group or keeping your 7-year-old in the little kids group.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I haven’t done a cruise although I’m hoping to once we’re done with spending a small fortune on daycare. I agree with you for the opposite reason - my preschooler seems so little and those activities seem so “big kid”. I know the preschoolers are separated but even for a 5, 6, maybe 7 year old the target activities seem complicated and maybe scary (I read a review where someone said their 5-year-old was having nightmares about whatever creature “escapes” in the Star Wars animal area.)

I wish they had a “little kids” area that was the playground, movie area, library, craft area, etc. Then an area for kids ages 7-11. Maybe a “flex year”, where you have the option of moving your 6-year-old to the bigger kids group or keeping your 7-year-old in the little kids group.

As a heads up, at least on Dream and Magic, the two ships I have been on, the club is broken up into a few sections, and one section did have a slide and was pretty chill. There are counselors to do games with the kids, that said unlike say Royal Caribbean where they tried to keep kids engaged the whole time, in Disney if the kid wants to sit by themselves on a chair and read or whatever they can. This is good and bad imo.

 

[DisneyHead123]

As a heads up, at least on Dream and Magic, the two ships I have been on, the club is broken up into a few sections, and one section did have a slide and was pretty chill. There are counselors to do games with the kids, that said unlike say Royal Caribbean where they tried to keep kids engaged the whole time, in Disney if the kid wants to sit by themselves on a chair and read or whatever they can. This is good and bad imo.

I’m not clear on how movement through the different areas works but either way it could be a problem. Even if kids can totally decide where they want to go, my son would no doubt go flying into every room and then either get frustrated if he couldn’t figure everything out or possibly scared by the Star Wars or Marvel area. I probably won’t even think about sending him until he’s around 7. If there was an area that was designated for “little kids” only I’d feel much more comfortable.

 

[Tigger&Pooh]

If there was an area that was designated for “little kids” only I’d feel much more comfortable.

Oceaneers Club space is pretty much designed for the younger set, with Oceaneer Lab for the older ones. While the kids can freely move between the 2, they are separate spaces. You might want to watch some videos of the Club space with your son and talk up those activities. I also suggest visiting on embarkation day to show him those spaces. Avoid dropping him off during "open house" when all the kids are mixed together -- especially Club open house puts all kids into the Lab.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Oceaneers Club space is pretty much designed for the younger set, with Oceaneer Lab for the older ones. While the kids can freely move between the 2, they are separate spaces. You might want to watch some videos of the Club space with your son and talk up those activities. I also suggest visiting on embarkation day to show him those spaces. Avoid dropping him off during "open house" when all the kids are mixed together -- especially Club open house puts all kids into the Lab.

That's good to know, although I would feel better if he was just in a supervised space entirely with kids his own age. My worry is that the "big kids" space would look cooler in comparison but then be scary or just frustrating. We're probably a couple years away from a cruise anyways, though, so hopefully by the time we actually go it won't be an issue.