In all of our travels to Disney, we have never enrolled our children in any of the kids club activities partly because they did not fit into our time schedule, and partly because our children were not both old enough to participate as drop-offs. My own memories of traveling as a child always include these types of special drop-off kid club activities, so I was excited to finally have two children within the required age range while on the Disney Dream Christening Cruise. While we found that there were so many things to do both on ship and off that we did not utilize the youth clubs as much as we would have liked, Emma and Noah both agreed that the kids’ clubs were even more fun than they had anticipated! When we cruise with Disney on the Dream again in the future, we will be sure to plan more time for the kids to be alone in the Oceaneer while my husband and I find time for a quiet dinner or even just a stroll around the ship. Because the time my kids spent in the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab was their favorite experience on board, it’s guilt free alone time!
My first impression of the Oceaneer Club and Lab on board the Dream was that no detail was overlooked from the automatic hand washing and drying stations just inside the entrance to the incredible security measures. This was our first time dropping our children off in this type of environment, so I was thrilled to see that each child was fitted with a security bracelet. The enrollment process took just enough time to make me feel secure as a parent, but to not become a hassle in an already short vacation. My kids kept their security bracelets on for the entire duration of the trip and never complained about them. While my kids traveled back and forth between the Club and the Lab, they had the most fun in the Oceaneer Club. With four themed play areas extending off of a central hub, the kids never found themselves to be bored. My son, the computer nut, loved the walls of computers, which he found very easy to use on his own. My daughter loved the opportunity to dress up and work on coloring pages in Pixie Hollow, and they both enjoyed playing in Andy’s Room. The Disney Dream Cast Members in the Oceaneer Club were patient, outgoing, and clearly very responsible. They were that perfect blend of fun that kids love and trust-worthy that parents need.
The Oceaneer Lab is connected to the Club through a workshop room where cast members lead the kids in a variety of special activities and experiments. My kids loved the interactive floor in the giant media room of the Oceaneer Club. At different times during their stay in the Oceaneer Club and Lab, various games began on the floor, led by a cast member. The interactive experiences reminded me very much of those dance themed video games asking players to move their feet in certain ways on an digital floor. This was something my kids had never experienced before and they loved it!
While we did not take advantage of this service, kids have the option to enjoy their meals in the Oceaneer Lab, and the cast members were kind enough to ask my kids during their longest stay if they would like to eat there or wait and dine with us. Knowing how easy it was for my kids to become acclimated to the Club and Lab, this is definitely a service we will utilize in the future!
For more about the Disney Dream including the Oceaneer Club and Lab, visit the Disney Cruise Line.
My travel expenses including my airfare and cruise package were provided by Disney Cruise Line as part of the Disney Dream Christening Cruise, which provided members of the media with an opportunity to preview this new and exciting ship. All opinions are my own.
Great write-up, Amy! On our last Disney cruise, our boys just wanted to hang out with us. We were fine with it since it since they were younger. Plus there were tons of family things to do that the kids enjoyed and we loved just as much!
We go on the Dream next month (YAY!!) and they are SO looking forward to the Oceaneer’s Club (and the Aqua Duck – so excited to lowered the height requirement!). Our tween is really excited about hanging out in Edge with his cousin and WITHOUT his younger brothers!
Andrea, when we went on the christening cruise, Emma and I rode the Aquaduck with no problems twice in a row, with the attendant at the top checking her at the top of the ride. Then when my husband tried to take her, they had added an attendant at the bottom who told her she was too short. We just went to the doctor for her 7 year check up and she was 49″, so I can only guess that the measurement tool at the bottom was wrong. She was heartbroken. I’m thrilled that they dropped it to 42″. It made no sense that a child could ride on Thunder Mountain Railroad, but not go on the AquaDuck with her father! Your kids are going to LOVE it. If I had more time, I would have kept going on over and over again!
When we went on the Disney Magic my then 3 year old never wanted to be with us, he only wanted to be in kids club. He still begs us to go back so he can go to kids club.
My kids have talked more about the Oceaneer Club than they talked about hanging out on the beautiful beach and splashing in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. They could park the ship in dock and just charge admission for the Oceaneer!
So fun! Everyone I know who’s been on a Disney cruise raves about it. Hope we can go sometime soon.
Oh! So much fun! I think if I were to go I would stay in the Oceaneer Club and Lab! No lie… LoL
What a dream! Wish to cruise on Disney!
Was it as fun for adults… what kinda activities (fun) were there?
Someday I want to take my kids on a cruise. I fear, though, that they will all be too old for a Disney cruise by the time we can afford it.
Great article. We always put our kids in the Children Programming on the Disney Cruises. They love it and it gives my husband and myself a “date night”. On the Dream, the kids LOVED it…we could not get them to leave the programming.
I’m sorry but this is just asking for a disaster to happen. You should never have 3 year olds & 17 year olds together without parents. There simply was not enough employees to keep their eyes on EVERYONE. They allow kids up to 17 in there. Mostly 3 – 12 but yes check their website – up to 17. Yes the employees were responsible and definitely great for a smaller number of children but when it is pure chaos in there they can’t watch everyone ALL of the time. Uhhhh No not my 4 year old daughter. I do wish they opened it up for parents/children together for a few hours!