Toddlers at Mickey Pool?

[MelissaE1]

Hi Mickey,

There were some pretty hot threads about this a while back. The rule is not DCL's, but comes from a U.S. regulatory agency (can't remember which one). All cruise lines are supposed to enforce it. It has to do with accidents and leakage and certain germs being spread easily in pools, especially crowded ones.

It sounds like you have at least four months before you go, and I will offer you this... it's entirely possible that your daughter will be potty trained by that time. My son was almost 3, but my daughter trained much earlier, right around when she turned 2. I know that "girls train more easily" is a generality (I know early boys and later girls), but I think it is true more often than not. Here's hoping by May it won't even be an issue for you.

 

[kshabare]

I realize how frustrating this seems but I personally don't think there is a problem with your non-potty trained children getting cooled off. My son enjoyed going back to the Mickey ears to play on the deck where the water sprayed upward. He and a little boy had a ball playing there. If you have to wet your child's arms and legs but not submerge them, what is the harm? If I saw you cool your baby/child off by getting their skin wet I wouldn't freak. But, if I saw you heaving your child into the water, diaper and all, I'd be pretty ripped. I don't want to get sick and don't want my family sick either. We're not talking about a cold here. We're talking about people who have felt their insides being ripped out. Maybe thinking about what could happen if your own child comes down with this virus is the hit home?

I hope you come up with the best solution and have a great cruise. It's all about a mouse, warm weather and great memories.

Kim

 

[Gillian]

It's the people who don't know about it that I feel bad for. And finding out from the fine print of your cruise docs, which arrive mere weeks before the cruise, is not really acceptable.

Mickey, I think you will be fine. There are plenty of other things to do on the ship for everyone. And honestly, the Mickey pool is so crowded that we didn't even try to take our son there, except for once on a port day.

And try Toilet Training in less than a day by nathan azrin. I've heard from many, many people, including a bunch here on the DIS, that it really works! But they say it usually takes a few days, LOL!

 

[cathy59]

I too, "feel your pain" at the prospect of not being able to let your non-potty trained toddler in the pool. My heart breaks at the thought of denying my child an activity which he enjoys.

But on the flip side, Norwalk and many other viruses are spread through exposure to fecal matter. Imagine walking up to the kids pool and reading a sign that says "Swim at your own risk. Fecal contamination possible." Would you let your kid swim?

Of course, people who don't wash their hands after using the restroom and then proceed to touch the hand rails, elevator buttons, etc., are probably more menacing and we never know they were there until we get sick!