Welcome aboard, Stephanie!
My family and I love dining during the second seating. If requested, the kids will be served first so they can head off to the Youth Clubs while my husband and I stay to enjoy adult time at dinner. Family dinner, plus alone time for the two of us while they kids are fully entertained and engaged in the clubs - it's a win-win!
About an hour into the
second dinner seating, Cast Members from the Oceaneer Club and Lab will arrive at each of the three rotational restaurants to pick up kids who are ready to play. They call this Dine and Play, and it's only available during second seating. Counselors from
Edge, the tween club, and Vibe, the teen club, do not come to the restaurants to pick up kids, as those kids typically head up on their own to check in and have fun in those older kids' clubs. When my daughter was first old enough, I felt a bit nervous allowing her to leave dinner on her own to head up to Edge, so one of us walked her up. But, a couple days into that cruise, and all cruises since, she feels confident walking directly out of the restaurant, heading up the elevator and right into Edge. Feel it out as you sail, Stephanie, but it's also super easy to just run your tweens up to Edge yourself and pop right back to dinner if you do want to accompany them.
If you haven't already, be sure to download the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator App to your mobile devices, including your tween's device, if they have one. I like that we get free onboard texting through that app, so my daughter can check in with me once she arrives in Edge, and I know she's all set. You may want to do that with your tweens too.
Have fun planning, Stephanie!
Marcy