Walt Disney World With Kids (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [121]
The children’s programs go full force on the island, so after you’ve played a while as a family, you can drop the kids off and have a little adult time. Counselors lead youngsters on scavenger hunts, “whale excavations,” and sand castle–building contests; older kids participate in boat races or bike trips around the island with the counselors; teens have their own beach Olympics and Survivor-style games.
Meanwhile, adults can escape to the separate mile-long quiet beach called Serenity Bay, where they can sip a piña colada or have an open-air massage in a private cabana.
Castaway Cay is so popular that some itineraries stop there twice. If you’d like a lot of beach time on your cruise, consider one of those sailings.
Kids’ Programs Onboard
Flounder’s Reef is the nursery on the Wonder and Magic, while on the Dream you’ll find It’s a Small World. No matter what it’s called, the baby center has plenty of cribs, high chairs, swings, and changing tables along with play areas for children between 3 months and 3 years of age. The nurseries don’t run the extensive hours of the other children’s programs but are open daily to give the parents of infants and toddlers time to relax together or play with their older kids. This is the only child-care option on the ship that charges a fee and prices vary, so check when you book.
Disney’s Oceaneer Club for kids ages 3 to 7 occupies a huge play area complete with a re-creation of Captain Hook’s pirate ship. The well-trained and upbeat counselors lead the kids in games and crafts. On the first evening aboard the ship, counselors meet with the parents to explain the program and help ease the kids in.
Kids ages 8 to 11 hang out in the Oceaneer Lab where they have their own crafts and games such as learning how to make flubber, draw animation cels, or carve race cars from soap. There’s also plenty of outdoor action, from games on the sports deck to water activities in the sports pool.
Insider’s Secret
Young children, already overwhelmed by the size and newness of the ship, often suffer a bit of separation anxiety the first time they’re dropped off at one of the programs. Try to persuade them to join the activities that first evening, when everyone is new and fast friendships are made. The counselors are trained to look out for shy or nervous children and help them make a smooth transition into the group activities.
The activities at Oceaneer’s Club and Oceaneer’s Lab run throughout the day and night. Whenever you drop your kids off, a pager ensures you can be reached in case of an emergency. But the most likely “emergency” is that your kids are having so much fun they refuse to leave.
As you probably are already well aware, the 11–13 “tween” years are tough, with these “neither here nor there” kids often nearly impossible to entertain. Not to worry. Disney breaks this age group out and gives them their own spaces. For example, Edge, the appropriately named lounge for tweens, on the Dream, offers high-tech entertainment such as video karaoke and separate sporting events. It works well, since they’re neither forced into kiddie activities nor given as much freedom as the teenagers.
Teens ages 13 to 17 have their own spaces: a private haven called Aloft aboard the Wonder, Vive aboard the Dream, and The Stack aboard the Magic. The spaces look like a combination coffeehouse–dorm room. Teens are pretty much given the run of the ship—counselors lead them in ship-wide scavenger hunts, video-game tournaments, and pool parties. Again, pagers can help you keep track of everyone and easily assemble the group when it’s time to get ready