How strict is Disney with 3 yr old age requirement?

[Michigancruise10]

Anyone know how strict Disney is with being 3 to get into the club? My daughter will be 12 days from turning 3, she's fully potty trained and if she can't hang out with her 4 year old sister she'll be miserable and it's going to ruin our vacation. We booked with another couple not even considering the effect the timing would have.

 

Lots of dated info some say no wiggle room some say there's a 30 day grace, anyone know?

 

Considering canceling.... Disappointed

[Shmoo here]

Anyone know how strict Disney is with being 3 to get into the club? My daughter will be 12 days from turning 3, she's fully potty trained and if she can't hang out with her 4 year old sister she'll be miserable and it's going to ruin our vacation. We booked with another couple not even considering the effect the timing would have.

 

Lots of dated info some say no wiggle room some say there's a 30 day grace, anyone know?

 

Considering canceling.... Disappointed

 

A 2 year old is in the nursery. There's a chance that she may be allowed, but the CMs at the club will make that call. You have to ask once onboard whether she will be allowed.

 

There was a time it was a given that if the child was within 30 days, there was wiggle room. Then there was a time that "must be 3" was set in concrete. Now, it varies.

[moki'smommy]

They are TOTALLY strict. You can take the entire family in during "open house" hours. There was an unfortunate incident with an "adult" allowed into the teen area several years ago that resulted in DCL's legal department becoming involved. They decreed that the youngest and oldest age be strict and as a result, the entire kid programming rules changed. You cannot do drop off with a child one day short of age 3. They used to be a lot more flexible...but no more.

[sdlipton]

Our experience on this question is as follows:

 

DW and I took our DS on a 7 Night Disney Fantasy Cruise in October, 2014 at the age of 2. His birthday is February. He was fully potty trained and physically and emotionally perfectly able to have been in the kids club; but he was not allowed. The cast member at the club indicated that they were fairly strict about the 3 year old rule but that it was ultimately up to the cast members discretion, but that a 4.5 month gap was just too much.

 

Please note that this is in no way representative of any official DCL policy and is only my one cruise anecdotal information.

[lec2017]

We just got off the Wonder a few days ago and when we were checking into the nursery there was a couple ahead of us whose child was potty trained and a week away from being 3 and they would only let him in the nursery. The couple was furious and tried what seemed like everything, but the staff wouldn't budge. Hope this helps. :(

[moki'smommy]

We just got off the Wonder a few days ago and when we were checking into the nursery there was a couple ahead of us whose child was potty trained and a week away from being 3 and they would only let him in the nursery. The couple was furious and tried what seemed like everything, but the staff wouldn't budge. Hope this helps. :(

 

This is exactly what we have seen over the past several years. The flexibility seems to have disappeared since the legal issue.

[Loonbeam]

Saw this on our cruise. There is no wiggle room. There used to be even after the legal status changed, however people started to raise a stink (How come their kid gets in but mine doesn't!!!) so about a year ago maybe it was set in stone for most KC staff..

 

Technically it still is Cast Member discretion (the manager can made a decision to allow) if space permits but very few CMs want to deal with the hassle so they stick to the rules.

[moki'smommy]

KC staff? The DCL term is YAC (youth activities counselor).

[mammaCS]

KC staff? The DCL term is YAC (youth activities counselor).

 

I think they might mean Kids Club

[Shmoo here]

I think they might mean Kids Club

 

I believe moki's mommy was just clearing up the distinction between what they are called on other cruise lines and on DCL.

[Loonbeam]

I did mean Kids Club (or the YACs which I think is a horrible acronym). But yes, the staff at the Kids program.

[Tagong]

Hi all, I feel like I should know this answer but what's the deal if a child turns three during the cruise. Are they able to participate in BBB and Kids Club activities from their third birthday moving forward or must they be three prior to embarkation?

[ArthurUSCG]

Hi all, I feel like I should know this answer but what's the deal if a child turns three during the cruise. Are they able to participate in BBB and Kids Club activities from their third birthday moving forward or must they be three prior to embarkation?

 

 

They should be able to participate in the activities on the day they turn 3. I would suggest telling the the CM that the child just turned 3 because on embarkation their age would be under 3.

[Tagong]

Thanks ArthurUSCG. I was hoping this would be the case but haven't been able to connect with DCL today to confirm. I guess they are 'experiencing higher then normal call volumes' given it's Summer 2018 release day for us Silver CC members and newbies.

[moki'smommy]

On the birthday, a child can move up to the next level and will "age out" of the Vibe. In your case, yes, on the day the child turns 3, they can be a drop off in the Oceaneer's Club. If you have reason to want a new KTTW reflecting the new age, this can be done at Guest Services (for instance, when someone turns 18 or 21, they often want this code printed on the card).

[Tagong]

On the birthday' date=' a child can move up to the next level and will "age out" of the Vibe. In your case, yes, on the day the child turns 3, they can be a drop off in the Oceaneer's Club. If you have reason to want a new KTTW reflecting the new age, this can be done at Guest Services (for instance, when someone turns 18 or 21, they often want this code printed on the card).[/quote']

 

 

You're a rockstar moki'smommy . As a follow up I suppose we wouldn't be able to book a BBB appointment in advance for that 2 year old that will turn 3 on the cruise because their embarkation age will be under the restriction, would that be accurate?

[moki'smommy]

You're a rockstar moki'smommy . As a follow up I suppose we wouldn't be able to book a BBB appointment in advance for that 2 year old that will turn 3 on the cruise because their embarkation age will be under the restriction, would that be accurate?

 

 

While I have no personal experience with a BBB booking, I have booked a "teens only" excursion when daughter was turning 13 on the cruise and a Palo dinner when she was turning 18. In each case, the event was after the birthday. You can't do it on line...and they are a bit of a pain on the phone. The first time I explained what I wanted and after some delay the CM said that she knew that there was a way she could over-ride the system but she didn't know how and put me thru to a supervisor who made it happen. For Palo, I just asked for a supervisor and they wouldn't put me thru....so I went thru the whole thing with the CM on the phone who then said something like, "You're right, you do need a supervisor." In each case we got what we wanted, but went a round-about way to make it happen. If it is really important to you, I'd suggest a phone call and don't take "no" for an answer. They CAN do it.

 

The problem is that they computer system maintains the age at embarkation as the age for the entire cruise.