8 yr old -- Oceaneer Club?

[Mousefan29]

We're looking at a cruise and I was wondering if anyone knew if an 8 yr old can go to the Oceaneer Club. We also have a 5 yr old, and it might be nice if they could be together.

Thanks!

[DisneyFr33k]

We've been on two 7 night cruises on the Magic and one 3 night on the Wonder. On the Magic, I had the same question - I wanted my 11 year old to be with my 9 year old. They told me that my 9 year old could not join the 11 year old, but the 11 year old could join the 9. Meaning your 8 year old could go down to the younger group and join their sibling in the Oceaneer Club but not the reverse. The Magic offers an additional club for the 11-13 year olds, but that doesn't impact you. It did me. On the Wonder the Oceaneer Lab went from 8-12, which suited my 12 year old perfectly as she loved that lab! Hope this helps!

[scootch713]

Disney just changed this last month. There are no longer age groups.... just a list of activities and kids can chose whatever they want. Wish this were the case in november as my older dd never went to the kids clubs at all but would have under the new system if her younger sister could have joined her.

[scootch713]

Here you go, found the info....


When Disney Cruise Line began sailing in 1998, it simultaneously introduced what was then the most innovative kids program at sea. Now, for the first time since its launch, the family line is giving the program an overhaul -- and it's major.

The biggest change has to do with the way the program itself is structured and is a revolutionary departure from the industry standard. Disney is bucking a major trend amongst family cruise lines -- creating smaller age groupings within their kids clubs -- by eliminating age restrictions for its onboard programming for children ages 3 through 12.

What this means is that relative and friends between these ages who would have ordinarily been separated in the club -- say, a 3-year-old and her 8-year-old big brother -- can now participate in the same activities if they so choose.

Here's how it works:

The Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab, once reserved for 3 to 7's and 8 to 12's respectively, are now open to all kids in those ranges. Any child between those ages may visit either or both rooms if they want, and may participate in any activity scheduled for either space.

Activities are divvied up by interests, not age, and will be organized in the daily newsletter, The Navigator, by interest first, with secondary color-coded recommendations for age. Though there are no age restrictions, many activities are still geared toward either the younger (3 to 7) or older (8 to 12) set.

Activities most appropriate for older kids still take place in the Lab, while those recommended for younger ones still take place in the Club. New series break activities down further by interests, such as creating (make-your-own Flubber) and problem solving (Detective School with Goofy).

The revolutionary revamp also includes several new services for families, a tweaked tween program and changes to the Castaway Cay private island experience.

Disney began rolling out the brand-new youth activities program on Disney Wonder in December; it will be fully operational on that ship as well as Disney Magic by February 2010.

For more information on the changes -- and a firsthand account from a family of four who just gave the program a go on Disney Wonder -- check out our brand-new Trendwatch: Disney Cruise Line's Revolutionary Changes in Kids Programming.

[DisneyFr33k]

Wow! I had no idea they were re-vamping this programs! While it makes sense to not limit children to activites based on age, I do wonder if it will take away from the bonding that takes palce with the older peer groups develop. As I posted above, our DD (12) loved her group on the Wonder last October. She left the trip with friends she communicates with regularly. I wonder if her experience would have been the same if younger children could have been a part of her group?

[DVC2004]

I am glad they ve-vamped! I was going to add when we cruised in 03 and 05, our older one was allowed to join with our younger one, but not the other way around. It was fine- they are very close and I knew it was cause issues for them to be separated so my older one had no problem going with the younger kids. they are a year and half apart, so it wasn't a huge age gap anyway.