Youth clubs and childcare aboard the Disney Dream

All Disney Cruise Line ships not only have childcare available on board, but also clubs that are exclusive for kids, tweens, and teenagers. 

The Disney Dream has five options: Disney’s Oceaneer Club, Oceaneer Lab, Edge, Vibe, and the adorable “it’s a small world” nursery!

If adults need a break or want to attend an adult-exclusive experience, sending their kid(s) to one of the following clubs or nursery available is a great option.

Below is everything you need to know about each facility.

UPDATE: Disney Cruise Line sailings resumed Aug. 9, 2021 with the Disney Dream. The information below may be impacted by current reopening procedures. Please visit our Disney Cruise Line is returning guide for the most up-to-date information.

Overview

One of our favorite things about cruising with Disney Cruise Line is that so many of the amenities are covered in the price, and that includes most of the Youth and Teen Clubs aboard the ship.

In fact, the only Youth Club that charges a fee or requires reservations is the “it’s a small world” nursery, which is for children under three.

All of the clubs are well-themed and packed with a variety of age-appropriate activities.

Want to check them out?

Embarkation day is a great day to explore all that they have to offer. It’s also a fun way to get kids that are a little bit nervous about trying them an opportunity to explore with mom and dad.

Disney Dream Youth CLUBS

Kids ages 3-12 have a couple of different options for Kids Clubs. 

Both offer a variety of activities and fun Disney-themed play areas. 

Disney’s Oceaneer Club

Deck: 5
Ages: 3 to 12
Requirements: Must be fully toilet-trained

Disney’s Oceaneer Club is all about Disney fantasy with character-driven performances, special storytelling sessions, larger-than-life play areas, dress-up opportunities, and interactive activities.

Kids can play with toys and games, enjoy an arts and crafts area, and watch Disney movies. They can also interact with Crush from Finding Nemo, as he chats with kids in real time.

THEMED-PLAY AREAS

There are four lands to explore that also offer different activities.

• Andy’s Room: Kids can hang with characters from Toy Story, including Hamm and Rex.
• Pixie Hollow: Kids can visit Tinker Bell’s home, play dress-up, create art projects, use kid-friendly computers, and listen to stories.
• Disney Infinity Game Room: Kids can test their skills with an archery challenge, get revved by the Disney Racers program or summon their inner Picasso with Infinity Draw.
• Star Wars: Millennium Falcon: Kids can do art and craft, design a starship, train like a Jedi, or climb into Han Solo’s cockpit and send the “fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy” soaring through the Star Wars universe!

CHARACTER EXPERIENCES

Kids will even have a chance to meet characters and enjoy unique experiences with them, including:

• Puzzle Playtime with Mickey and Friends: Mickey Mouse and company stop by to play games with kids and their families.
• Disney’s Once Upon a Time: A place for story time and to discover the art of bookmaking and also watch Disney characters come to life.
• Jedi Training: Experience the Force: A spot to learn about the Force.

It’s also important to note that the Club and Lab are connected. Kids can move between each space and partake in all of the activities. But, Youth Activities counselors are available at all times to assist children, including going back and forth between each space.

Disney’s Oceaneer Lab

Deck: 5
Ages: 3 to 12
Requirements: Must be fully toilet-trained

THEMED-PLAY AREAS

There are four lands to explore that offer different activities.

• Animator’s Studio: Kids can create artwork and learn to sketch Disney characters.
• Craft Studio: A spot to unplug and focus on hands-on arts and crafts.
• The Wheelhouse: Kids can steer their own Disney ship through the Caribbean Sea courtesy of LCD screens and navigation simulators. They can hunt for lost treasure in Tides of Fortune, a multiplayer Pirates of the Caribbean game exclusive to Disney Cruise Line. 
• Media Room: A play area where kids can watch Disney movies and play video game.
• Playmation: A place for Marvel fans to battle villains, complete missions, save mankind by joining forces with The Avengers.

GUIDED GROUP ACTIVITIES

There are several activities that are of course themed and offer different types of fun. 

• Piston Cup Challenge: Kids can build race cars from bars of soap based on Cars.
• Super Sloppy Science with Professor Make-O-Mess: Kids can make discoveries with the world-famous scientist who also just might leave “a trail of mayhem behind.”
• Get the Hook! Find Captain Hook’s favorite dress hook by joining Detective Clue for a 3-day search and earn a reward from Hook at the end.
• Anyone Can Cook: Inspired by Ratatouille, kids can learn how to measure and mix ingredients before baking chocolate-chip cookies.

It’s also important to note that the Club and Lab are connected. Kids can move between each space and partake in all of the activities. But, Youth Activities counselors are available at all times to assist children, including going back and forth between each space.

Other Important Information

REGISTRATION & CHECKING IN

Children can be pre-registered for both the Oceaneer Club and Oceaneer Lab or they can be registered aboard the ship as well.

When boarding the ship on Embarkation Day, children and parents are required to check in and fill out final paperwork at the front desk at the Club or Lab.

At this time, parents can tour each club and meet the trained counselors. Kids will also get a Disney Cruise Line Youth Activities wristband, which gives them access to both the Club and Lab. 

DINING

On select days, children can have lunch and dinner at both the Club and Lab. Activities are still available during meals for those who don’t want to dine. 

For parents attending the ship’s second dinner seating, they can take advantage of the Dine and Play program. This allows kids to have their meals early and to be escorted by counselors to the clubs.

If parents choose to participate, they should let their server know when arriving at their dining destination.

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Children with special needs are welcome at both the Club and the Lab.

The Youth Activity programs are available to all children, but they must be fully toilet-trained, able to individually participate in the counselor-to-child ratio groups, and interact socially and comfortably with anyone their own age and physical size.

One-on-one counselor care, a counselor with specialty training, or counselor-assisted medical attention isn’t provided. If children can self-address their own medical needs, they can store medical supplies at the Youth Activities desk.

YOUTH ACTIVITIES OPEN HOUSE

This open house is exactly what is sounds like and allows guests of all ages to experience a variety of activities at the Club and the Lab.

The open house also serves ass an opportunity for kids who don’t meet age requirements or aren’t fully toilet-trained and for adults to explore the facilities. 

Both centers will still be open for anyone who wants to utilize childcare.

TEENS & TWEENS CLUBS

Like the kids clubs, there are also two places for both teens and tweens to hang out and have fun, all while meeting new people. They are: 

Edge

Deck: 13
Ages: 11 to 14

At Edge, tweens can watch movie, play games, do arts and crafts, and enjoy their own special hangout, where they can also meet other kids of the same age.

Edge is open daily from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Be sure to check the Personal Navigator newsletter or Disney Cruise Line Navigator mobile app while onboard for exact hours and activity dates and times. 

On Dream, Edge is an inviting space for tweens with movable modular furniture and cushy beanbags that have fun spaces like a dance floor, a karaoke spot, a gaming area with tablets, photo booths, and a state-of-the-art video wall spanning over 18 feet wide and almost 5 feet high with 18 individual LCD screens acting as a giant screen.

There are also a variety of free-form and structured activities, including taking photos at the selfie wall, doing scavenger hunts, singing karaoke, and more. The following activities are subject to change.

Vibe

Deck: 5
Ages: 14 to 17

Vibe is strictly for teenagers is similar to a lounge and nightclub, but age appropriate. Teens also must present a special coded Key to the World car to access the lounge. Vibe on the Fantasy also has its own outdoor deck space with games like ping-pong, foosball, and even “old school” board games on a giant checkerboard floor. 

Even though this is a teens-only hangout, there are counselors at sea who serve as chaperones. At the beginning of the cruise, teens can also select the activities they want to participate in at Vibe. 

There are video and virtual-reality games, TVs for movies, board games, and even tablets available. Teens can even enjoy dance parities, karaoke competitions, and games promoting group interaction. 

In addition to a coffee bar that serves a variety of nonalcoholic beverages, other activities include (these are subject to change):

• Teen Download: With help from the latest media technology, together, teens can design their own dream vacation that includes games, activities, Port Adventures, and down time.
• Vibe Movie Makers: Teens can create a a movie based on the best of Disney and learn movie-making skills in the process.
• Gotcha: A game of elimination and trying to be the last one standing, teens will spend the day tagging out competition across the ship.

CHILDCARE CENTER

There is one childcare center on board that’s perfect for anyone traveling with little ones.

“It’s A Small World” Nursery!

Deck: 5
Ages: 6 months to 3 years old 1 to 3 years old on Transatlantic and Panama Canal itineraries

Expert Disney counselors will take care of little ones and keep them entertained with games, crafts, story time, and, of course, nap time at the nursery inspired by the Disneyland attraction. Activities are unscheduled and vary depending on a child’s mood. 

For parents who want to check up on their children but without disturbing them, there’s a special window looking into the main play area. The nursery also has three different areas:

• An acclimation zone that helps little ones adjust to their new environment
• A main play area with a 3D façade of the “small world” attraction that also has hidden interactive elements
• A separate room for naps

MAKING RESERVATIONS 

The nursery has limited space, so making reservations is recommended. There’s a minimum reservation time of one hour. Here’s when you can make advanced bookings online:

• Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club Guests: up to 120 days ahead
• Gold Castaway Club Guests: up to 105 days ahead
• Silver Castaway Club Guests: up to 90 days ahead
• All other Guests: up to 75 days ahead

Guests can also make reservations on a first-come, first-served basis during the open house on Embarkation Day or any other time throughout the cruise. 

PRICING

The nursery is available at the following rates:

• $4.50 per half hour for the first child
• $4.00 per half hour for any additional children in your family

WHAT TO BRING

If parents want, children can be fed and changed in the nursery. Parents can also bring the following:

• Baby food, formula or milk and bottles
• Diapers or pull-ups and diaper wipes
• Extra clothing
• A baby blanket
• Pacifier

Children under 12 months of age are not permitted to bring any items other than pacifiers (without an attachment) into a crib. Also, in-stateroom babysitting services are not available.

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Children with special needs are welcome at the nursery. 

They must be fully toilet-trained, able to individually participate in the counselor-to-child ratio groups, and interact socially and comfortably with anyone their own age and physical size.

One-on-one counselor care, a counselor with specialty training, or counselor-assisted medical attention isn’t provided. If children can self-address their own medical needs, they can store medical supplies at the Youth Activities desk.