PLease dont flame me, but I have a question..

[binny]

My dd is turning 3 just before we go ( about 5 weeks) what would you do? would you pay for a ticket? Im sorry I know this a touchy subject and normally it would be a no brainner for me but this is a lot of money were talking about. I know thats not an excuse...

Anyway, what would you do?
Thanks
Bin

[disneyag]

No flame throwing here. I would pay for the ticket, because it would be worth peace of mind not to have to worry about getting caught.

[binny]

thank you for the kind response :)

[LKS]

I would definitely pay. You will have to pay for the buffets too. Of course, maybe you could reschedule the vacation to be just before the birthday. We did that intentionally and it was great! I recommend it to all of my friends.

[stacy6552]

at the risk of being black listed from wdw. dont pay. noone is going to ask, especially if shes in a stroller, and you wont get a this is a nonpaying baby tatoo before entering. now food, is another story. buy her a meal, pay for it.

[addicted_to_WDW]

I'd pay, just because I'd feel guilty if I didn't.

Have a wonderful trip!

[pajamommy]

This happened to us a couple of years ago, our dd turned 3 a week before we went. Our TA said we could get away with not buying a ticket, but we did decide to buy the ticket. We were worried we would be asked, and we didn't want to lie in front of dd, we didn't want to lie at all, actually, and we also knew she enjoyed telling people she just turned 3!

[Alysa]

I would pay, just to set a good example of honesty, plus you will feel better about yourself doing the right thing. But then, I also always walk miles (well almost) out of my way just to take my nephew to the corner to cross the street and will not swear in front of my infant niece. Who knows how soon or what they will pick up! :)

[Terry S]

We intentionally went before my daughter turned 3 so it wouldn't be a problem. The problem was my DH and I are both 6 feet tall so my daughter is tall. I had several people give me second looks when I said she was 2, I felt like I had to defend myself every day, it was a good thing I took a copy of her birth certificate. As much as I would love to save the money, I would not be able to do it. I felt bad when I was telling the truth.

[gn2wdw]

I would buy it. My girls are 16 months apart and look like twins. I remember a CM at the gate asking the girls how old they were when DD1 was 3 and DD2 was 2. They were very casual about it, but I wonder if this is how they check to see how old the kids really are.

Melinda

[imgoingtodisney]

In 1996 we went when my son was 4. He turned 4 in May, our trip was in Oct. We did have a park hopper for him. This year we are all set at the child's because he is actually 9. However, there will be a 5 day park hopper adult ticket in his stocking Christmas day. I did get him in as 1 year younger at a few different local attractions but never tried this at Disney.

[welovedis]

I agree with many of the above posters, IMO it would be best to pay. I would feel anxious that someone might ask me & many children like to say, I'm xxx age. I would also not feel comfortable telling a lie, especially in front of my child, JMO.

Good luck whatever you decide to do :)

[beattyfamily]

I have a similiar situation.

I was booking our flights back in May for this December and at Expedia.com if you want to buy a seat for your child under 2 (which we always do like to have a seat), you get a discount of about 50%.

I have 2 DD's; one will be 5 and the other will have just turned 2 by 2 weeks. Well, when I booked, I let saving money get the best of me and now I feel so guilty!!

I feel most guilty about the fact that my 5 year may find out. They may ask her how old her little sister is. Well, it's just not worth it and I regret it.

But, I do want to add that when I'm feeling really bad about this, I remind myself of how many people DON'T buy their under 2 child a seat and STILL get one for free. Our best friends have done this 4 times now with their little ones and have ALWAYS ended up with a seat for her so they bring the car seat just in case. At least I'm paying 50% for that seat. I know it's still wrong but when I'm feeling really bad/guilty I think of this situation.

Thanks for listening!:(

[Jordan's MOM]

Teaching your little one to be honest is worth a lot more that a few hundred dollars.I would tell the truth. You will enjoy the whole trip a lot more!

Jordan'Mom

[Toby'sFriend]

I'd pay. My DS turned 11 this month and our trip is in November. I'm buying him an adult ticket. He's actually quite proud to be thought of as an "adult" by Disney standards at least ---it's killing me --- but I'm paying.

[Katd52]

I would probably pay. Although my dh wouldn't want to. We will be arriving at disney on 9/16 and my son will turn 3 on 9/18. From what I've heard I don't need to buy him a park pass but, I'm not sure. I feel a bit guilty about it. Although I definitely plan on paying for his meals etc. Does anyone have advice about this one?

Thanks, Katie

[binny]

First of all I want to thank you all for your kind responses! :) I appreciate that!


As I said normally this would be a no brainer for me but my dh and I had been talking so much about it lately. He can be very convincing when he wants to be ;) I, of course want to set a good example for my kids and that was my main concern. I guess I should just tell my dh to read this thread!

Anyway, Thank you all for your input! :) and support!

[Kermit]

katd52, the official Disney rule is that you don't need to buy a ticket if your child turns 3 while you're there. I guess you should pay for buffets after his B-day, but don't worry about a ticket.

[sha_lyn]

this is a true story that shows how a parents little lies can bit the in the behind.

We were at the theatre about to watch Dinosaur when a little gril behind us started up a conversation with our DD (who I guess was almost 3 then, or just truend 3 i can't remember). the little girl asked how old DD was and then told us "at hom I am 4 but when we go out I am 2 because dad doens't want to pay for me to watch a stupid disney movie".
Personally I would feel so guilty I wouldn't enjoy the trip.

for the one that brought up buying the adult tickest for their childrne that have just turned old enough for them ..I rmeber when this came up before there were 2 or 3 people that used the excuse that it might traumatise the child if the child knew they had an adult ticket, so they would lie to get a childs ticket to protect their child. All I can say to that is how can lying about thier age be less traumatizing than them having an adult ticket?

[Jordan's MOM]

We were once at an expensive buffet, not Disney, and the cut off free age was 6 years old which my son had just turned.I knew that my Ds would eat about two bites.He was small for his age and looked about four.The server asked how old Ds was and I told him that he had just turned 6 but he was a very light eater.The server said lets see how he eats.Ture to my word he ate about two shrimp and a little desert. The server told me they would not charge for him and thanks for being honest . This might not happen at Disney , but you never know. There has to a moral in here somewhere.Just want to share my story.
Jordan's Mom

[Spinning]

We did it unknowingly. I thought it was 3 and under so we went right in with DD she was over 3 I guess by about 3 months. I didn't know until later when we got home and started talking with people and found these boards. We always booked everthing our selves, no travel agent to tell us these things Plus we had tickets already for ourselves from a previous trip. We stayed at the camp ground so they knew but didn't say anything about getting her a ticket. At the gates they said nothing. Just opened the stroller gate and have a good time! So I really don't think you would have a problem. Don't knwo what I would have done had I known. See that is the problem with these boards! TOO Much info! HAHAHA! before we just went never even thought about how to plan our day or how to get the best discounts...Just booked the camp site bought our tickets at the gate! In we went Now....I have the discount card, look for codes, call for PS'ing prior to our trip....

[sha_lyn]

spinning.. I also most did just the oppisite and bought a ticket bacause I thought Cedar Point was under 3 instead of 3 and under. I think I read some fine print standind in line at Meijers in Detroit and realized I was about to buy a ticket we didn't need.

[aprincessmom]

DD turned 3 a week before her first trip. I bought her a ticket because I felt it was the right thing to do. I spend so much time telling her to tell the truth and not lie, how would it look if the rules didn't apply to mommy too?

She still has her ticket in her memory box where she keeps only her "most special things to remember" so I'm especially glad I bought her the ticket. It also made her feel "grownup" that she had a ticket since she was so anxious to prove to the world that she was not a baby at that point.

[mirlow]

We went with another family last month. They have a son who turned 3 the end of April and our son was going to be 3 in about 2 weeks after our trip. They didn't pay for their son and it was strange because I had this feeling like we were lying about my son only being 2. While we were waiting for the monorail a cm did ask the little boy how old he was, just trying to make conversation, it was funny because the boy didn't know what to say and looked confused. My husband told our friends that "he's messed up for life" :eek: That is a tough choice I think. Nobody will really know if you are being honest about his age only your family knows how old he is. It just comes down to wether or not you can be comfortable with your choice.

[LMHB]

I don't blame you at all for asking. It really is SO much money. I hate that we have to pay for our 3-yr old this time, but that is just the way it is. I do really wish that there would be some differentiation between 3-yr-olds and older kids. My son doesn't eat NEARLY as much as a 9 or 12 yr old, and probably doesn't get to ride as much, either. I wish they had a price for younger kids, then older kids. It is a hard thing to have to pay that, what...$160?...for that ticket...OUCH!

[darel]

Reading the posts in this thread,I noticed that of all the posts,everyone seemed to agree on one thing.Honesty.I am not here to preach,but the bible does say that all liars will have their place in the lake of fire, and no matter who is trying to live for God and who isn't,I appreciate seeing that honesty is still a good moral that many seem to value and keep to,in raising their children.You know,even before I started living for the Lord fulltime,I never liked lying.It just didn't feel right.Everyone have a great and blessed day and see ya at DisneyWorld!

[Beverly Lynn]

they don't ask and I don't offer. my DD had just turned 3 on my last trip and I didn't pay for her. and I still to this day do not feel guilty about it. I am not holier than thou either and I don't preach to anyone else about it either. you do what is best for you. I don't sneak my child in or lie about it. no one has ever asked me. for the amount of rides my tiny DD can ride on its not worth it to pay the exorberant amount they want you to. if we had to pay by the ride or height I would have no problem. My DD doesn't go around telling people her age either and she has no clue about tkts to get into the park and the age requirements either. at teh age of 3 I doubt seriously if they really comprehend that oh my god! my mom is not paying for me to get in! she is sooooo bad! but then again my DD is not einstein either. she is a normal healthy little girl. all she cares about when we get near the entrance is that she is at disney!
I have yet in my 19 trips to disney ever seen and CM's ask any kid their age, demand that they have tkts if they looked to be 3 and older, seen people being questioned, or little kids offering up their ages to the cms at entrance point. if the kid was 5 and you were trying to get her/him in for free then maybe I would say ok you really should just get the kids tkt for her/him....but the kid just turned 3.....go and enjoy yourself. ;)

[Beverly Lynn]

To those that feel a need to send your feelings that I need redemption. Don't waste your time. I have no guilt about what I did. and there are many many people who do it, have done it and will do it. we are not horrible, bad, nasty devilish creatures. we are human. I just have the courage to admit what I did. I do not preach to those who do this and ask for redemption from the lord to save their souls for doing it. and I do not believe they/we will burn in hell. do not pray for me in this case I do not need it. I do not pretend to be holier than thou I am your average every day human being. I am not perfect and mistakes I make. that is who I am.
Now if you want to pray for health and well being then go right ahead and do it. prayers for health on anyone/everyone are always welcome.

[Jaimee]

On my last trip 1-2001, DS was going to be 3 in just 2 weeks. I came to the parks armed with a copy of his birth certificate sealed up in a zip loc bag. DS is very tall so I was worried about this. We were not questioned until our last day, at MGM... I told the CM he was not 3 yet and started to pull out the birth certificate and she just waived us into the park. DS is now 3 and we are going to WDW again 11-2001, since he's so big (looks 5 or 6) I am definatley going to buy him a hopper pass, but he also has the advantage since he is so big, of being able to ride almost all of the rides (43 inches tall right now!). Not sure what I would do if I had a child that could pass for under 3 though.......

[Beauty]

I have to agree with Beverly Lynn on this one! Please again don't flame me.....If they asked I'd tell the truth and pay the correct price but if not then I wouldn't.....John-Cole will have a birthday during our trip in September but he will still be 8 when we check in......so he will have a childs hopper pass.

[sha_lyn]

Beauty.. if he turns 9 during the trip then WDW doen't expect to to get an adult ticket during your stay. They are considered for the duration of the trip the age they were when you arrived.

[Jordan's MOM]

The children's ticket age is through 9.Adults prices start at 10 years of age. I saw that post and it made my heart jump! DS is 9 and I was planning to buy a child's ticket. I checked the ticket price info to make sure.You can get one more year in on the child's price! Plan another trip!

Jordan's Mom

[LKS]

You should buy your ticket based on the age the child will be on the first day you use it on your vacation. Although it would be nice to buy a child's pass today for my 9 yo son and then use it next summer when he is 10, it wouldn't be right.

[disney0928]

Friends of ours had wrestled with this issue. Their DS is on the tall side for his age, and may be able to get on some of the bigger rides w/ height restrictions. I reminded them that if they intend to use the Fast Pass system, the child will also need one. I didn't see how they could try to pass the kid off as "under 3," yet want him to be big enough to ride the thrill rides.

Also, my father passed the kids in our family off as other ages as long as he could. Very embarrassing! I was in college, and almost 20 years old, when he was still getting my park admission as "juniors rate," (a rate they haven't had in years!). I swore I would never do that to any child of mine.

[Judie B]

I wouldn't let this be the biggest worry of your day.

We brought our DD to Disney a week after her third birthday and we didn't buy her a ticket. We didn't feel guilty then and we don't feel guilty now. Each time we approached the park entrance, the CM opened the stroller gate - no questions, ever.

At buffet dinners, we told the CM she was 3 - if they asked. There were a few instances when they just brought her a plate and never added her meal to the bill. We didn't point this error out. Again - didn't feel guilty then, don't feel guilty now.

Good luck with your decision - do what feels right for yourself.

[LKS]

Some waterparks go by height, not age. Wonder if Disney will go to that. In a way it makes sense, because if they are too short for the big rides, they should get a price break, but if they are tall enough to ride everything, I guess they could pay. My kids are tall, so it won't work in my favor, but it would certainly be easier for Disney to enforce and no one would have to worry about proof of age or engage in these long debates about how strictly to follow the rules. Well, we could still debate about buffets since pricing by height (or weight???:) ) is more bizarre.

[BethR]

This topic always makes us Moderators cringe since it can so easily get nasty. But I would like to thank every one this time for just sharing thoughts and information without passing judgements upon others.

THANK YOU AND PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!! :) :) :)

[Fargoman2]

I'm sure my guilt would make me pay.

You should not feel guilty for considering it, though. Perhaps the way to look at it is this: Suppose someone turned 55 just a couple weeks ago, which entitles them to various discounts. I doubt that person would say, "Well, I just turned 55, so I'm not going to cash in on the discount." In short, it may take a few years, but the breaks will even out.

[Chickenlady]

We did buy DS a ticket just after he turned 3....would have felt way too guilty if we hadn't. Weird thing was that everytime we approached the gates, DS would insert his ticket and the CM would open the stroller gate. Everytime I would have to say "Wait while I put in my ticket and do my finger scan"....they always assumed that the ticket DS was inserting was mine.

Along the same lines, for our trip in Nov. I was thinking of sending DS and DNephew to the Neverland club as opposed to getting an in-room sitter. DN will be 4 but DS will be a couple of weeks shy. Even though the Neverland Club would be more expensive, I just can't bring myself to lie. So the 2 guys are going to be hanging with a Fairy Godmother for E night.

To each his own, but for us we have to go with honesty.