Welcome to planDisney, Jessica! It is so fun to watch your cruise countdown go from months to weeks to days. I know you must be so excited, and I understand your concerns when policies change that are important to your selection of a Disney Cruise.
I have had two tweens go through the age transition from
Disney's Oceaneer Lab to
Edge. For them, once they went to Edge, there was no going back to Oceaneer. I know all kids are different. While the policy of
Oceaneer Club and
Oceaneer Lab being exclusive to children ages 3 - 10 years during supervised periods is strictly enforced, your daughter can still experience these during times set aside for Open House. On our cruise this past summer, Edge also offered times in the evening when the Oceaneer Lab was open exclusively for them. They could go and play in this area with youth their same age, with whom they had become fast friends in Edge. I think it made it feel more special to them, believing Disney had recognized just how "old" they were and allowed them to enjoy this area without the "little" kids around. You can find if these times are available on your cruise on the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App.
With your tween in Edge, you may want to consider downloading the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App on her phone - or an old phone in your house if she does not have her own. Once onboard, you can set her up to chat through the app to let you know when she is leaving Edge and where to find you. If technology is not your thing with tweens, we have also taken a magnetic dry-erase board with markers and used our stateroom door to communicate with our kids. If they left Edge, they stopped by our stateroom and the board let them know where we were.
I hope your daughter enjoys Edge. If you can, try the first night when the counselors have the get-to-know-you and icebreaker sessions. They do a great job making youth feel comfortable and engaged.
If you have any other questions as you get ready for your cruise,
planDisney is here for you!
Cheers,
Jana