Kid’s Club on Disney Cruise Line
We have sailed with several other cruise lines before, but our children were never old enough to enjoy kids club until now. We sailed our first Disney Cruise several weeks ago and were thoroughly impressed with the experience. The Kid’s Club on Disney Cruise Line is not to be missed.
The Basics
The Kid’s Club is available on all four (soon to be 5) Disney Cruise ships. Each ship has different areas for children of different ages. Children ages 3-17 can enjoy various kid’s clubs on the ship. Each ship has unique elements and areas of the club. Mickey Mouse, Toy Story, Marvel, Frozen, Tinkerbell, Star Wars, and more are featured on the different ships.
Oceaneer Lab and Club are available for children 3-12. Edge is available for children 11-14 and Vibe is available for teens 14-17. There is truly something for kids of every age group. Several of the clubs overlap in age making children in those age groups eligible to pick which experience is right for them.
The kid’s clubs for children 3-17 are completely free and included in your cruise fare. They are staffed by well-trained crew members. We had an amazing experience with the crew members on board.
It’s a Small World nursey is available for children younger than 3 but has a nominal cost. It has not yet reopened post COVID.
Benefits
If you are a parent of small children, I likely do not have to explain the benefits of free kid’s club but will aim to do so. Vacation can sometimes be exhausting when you have young children. Your vacation may be filled with fits, whining, siblings fighting, or general crankiness. Vacations can be exhausting for parents.
We absolutely loved the kids club. It gave us time to enjoy the ship, amenities, and even rest time without our children. Our children in turn loved it because they were entertained and were able to meet other children their age.
We have been to Walt Disney World and Disneyland several times in the past year and this cruise was the most relaxing and recharging trip and part of the reason was the kids club.
Open Houses
All of the ships feature daily open houses. The open houses are a great way for parents to meet the counselors and kids to explore the space. Parents can also register for kid’s club if they did not already do so during online check in.
Children are provided with a band that looks like a Magic Band. Each time they visit, children will scan into the club. Parents upon pickup will scan their key card and list the code word to pick up the child. Parents will need to establish at the beginning of the cruise who is authorized to pick up the child.
Activities for Kids Club
My daughters shared that they were able to participate in activities while in kids club. One of the activities they had was Pluto’s Sleepover. During this event they were given a Pluto Pillowcase Souvenir that they were able to decorate. Another night they made “Stich’s Goo” aka slime.
Character Interactions are another free experience in kids club. Disney Princesses and Marvel superheroes told children their story and taught them various fun activities.
My daughter recalls learning how to be a Superhero from Captain America. They received keepsake bookmarks from the Disney Princesses on board. Our kids never wanted to leave kids club and often were disappointed when they left.
Castaway Cay also has a kid’s club, Scuttle’s Cove, available at no charge. This gives parents the opportunity to enjoy the island or the adult only Serenity Bay without children.
Recent Changes
The kids club on Disney Cruise has gone through some changes post COVID. When they first reopened, they required face masks and reservations. Parents could only make 2-hour reservations each day. This has all changed in the past weeks.
We sailed at the end of March and during our time they had the unvaccinated 3- and 4-year-old children separated from the older kids. The 3- and 4-year-old children had to make reservation on the app but could make these multiple times a day. The younger unvaccinated children were the only ones who had to wear masks as well.
Just this week this has changed again. Currently no children need reservations for the kid’s club. They can call visited unlimited times and they do not need reservations.
The 3 and 4 year old’s are no longer are separated. The younger children still need masks at this time in kids club and Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique only but this will likely change as vaccinations are increased.
I believe these are very positive changes. When we sailed our 3- and 7-year-old were upset to be separated and this dampened the experience at times. Parents will find this as a relief when traveling with small children.
Image Credit: Jennifer McCormack, MickeyTravels agent
Impressions
I would highly recommend a Disney Cruise Line vacation especially for families with young children. It’s an amazing opportunity for children to enjoy the kid’s club and parents to enjoy relaxation. Disney Cruise Line has some of the best kid’s club in the business. It gives kids an amazing experience and parent’s relaxation.
Do you want more help planning your next Disney vacation? As an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, my goal is to help you plan the Magic your way. I also create customized itineraries, book advanced dining, monitor for discounts for your vacation, and much much more! Guest who book at Disney Cruise with me also receive a FREE on board credit. Also, did I mention that my services are FREE!!!! Contact me at SLoehrlein@MickeyTravels.com or follow me on Facebook @MickeyTravelsShannonLoehrlein
