Hi there, Julian!
Welcome to planDisney! I am happy to answer your question about the Youth Clubs aboard the
Disney Cruise Line, which are one of my kids' favorite aspects of sailing on a Disney Cruise. They get to play independently and meet new friends while my husband and I can relax in one of the adult-only areas. It is a win-win! I encourage you to explore the Youth Clubs during the open house on embarkation day. It gives you a chance to check them out and help your child find activities they may enjoy later on.
The daily operating hours at each Youth Club can vary depending on Open House schedules or Ports of Call, although
Disney's Oceaneer Club is usually open from 9:00 a.m. to midnight. Disney's Oceaneer Club and
Disney's Oceaneer Lab are magical, multi-themed areas for kids 3 to 10 years old. Anything is possible, but I have never seen the Oceaneer Club reach capacity and turn away kids in my experience. My kids happily spend many hours there each day of our voyage!
There is not currently a limit on the number of hours a child can stay there during operating hours, although that is subject to change. It is generally dependent on your kids. If they are ready to be picked up, a Disney youth counselor will usually send a chat message over the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app to ask the parents to get their kids. My kids often spend the morning in the Oceaneer Club and then we pick them up for lunch and pool time. They sometimes ask to go back after dinner for a couple of hours. Food is not provided in the Oceaneer Club or Oceaneer Lab at this time. Food is available almost all day, so it is easy to feed your child a quick meal and take them back to their Youth Club.
The Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab are open while the cruise is docked in most ports. My kids enjoyed playing in the Oceaneer Club when we were docked in The Bahamas last year (while my husband and I lounged in the adult area!). In
Disney Castaway Cay and
Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, parents can check their children into the kid's area on the island. These are staffed by the Disney Cruise youth counselors, so the onboard Youth Clubs are usually closed at these ports.
Other Youth Clubs on the ship include
“it’s a small world” nursery! for little ones ages 6 months to 3 years old (or from 1 to 3 years old on Transatlantic, Hawaii, and Panama Canal itineraries). The nursery does have a limited capacity and there is a fee associated with using their services. Reservations are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. In addition, tweens can enjoy
Edge, a Youth Club for kids 11-14 years old, and teenagers will love hanging out in
Vibe!
Julian, I hope this information was helpful. If you have additional questions, please reach out to planDisney again!
Happy sailing!
Jen