Welcome aboard, Stefanie!
Disney takes the safety of your children seriously, so when you check them in, they will be in the Youth Clubs until you come to pick them up. In fact, at check-out, you or your husband will need to provide the password you set up during online check-in, in order for the kids to leave. During certain hours, the Youth Clubs hold Open House hours, where guests of any age get to enjoy the exciting club programming. However, when the
Oceaneer Club is having Open House, there is secured programming in the
Oceaneer Lab, and vice versa. So, one of those two clubs will always have secured programming time. At that time, any kids checked into the Club area will simply be walked through the connecting tunnel over to the Lab.
No children are ever set free to roam the ship alone. In fact, even older kids in the Club and Lab need parental permission if they want to self-check out. My 11 year-old daughter was hanging out in the Club with her younger brother during one of our cruises. She wanted to head up to Edge, the tween club, for a much anticipated activity there, and I got a frantic text from her through the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App that I must hurry to check her out because she didn't want to miss the next event up in Edge with her tween friends! I had forgotten to sign permission for her to self check-out. I got there in time for her to rush off to the Edge activity, and remembered from that cruise on to allow her the self check-out privilege! So, don't worry, your little ones will be safe and secure with the amazing counselors in the Club and Lab even if Open House begins in one of the clubs.
Have an amazing trip, Stefanie!
Marcy