2 turning 3 question

[drtaylor]

My DS will turn 3 one month before we go to WDW. Can I get away with saying he's 2? That saves us alot on $$$ if we can. i know that it might not be the right thing to do. I wanted people's opinions before doing or trying this? has anyone done it? Do they check anything to see if he's really 2? Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[DisKim]

Just a warning, you'll probably get flamed for the question. I think you should do what you are comfortable with. I don't really think it is fair that a 3 year old has to have a ticket when he or she can't ride many of the attractions. I think the requirement for tickets should start at 4. That being said, they make the rules, not me. You have to do what you are comfortable with. The same thing happened to me last summer and I bought the ticket. I just couldn't have faced my kids if they asked me his age and I had to lie in front of them. I grubled a lot about buying that ticket though!

 

[madaboutMickey]

CM's at the turnstiles have been known to ask a child how old they are. Kids don't lie about their age, in fact they are proud of it. Parents are usually very embarrassed when they have to go buy the child's ticket. If you really don't want to buy the ticket then go before the child turns three!

 

[rileyroosmom]

I faced the same situation myself. I decided not to purchase the ticket. No CM questioned us, if they did, my DD still would have said she was 2 it's taken her 4 months to realize she is 3.
That being said, I'm happy I didn't purchase the ticket. IMO, Disney has a lot of nerve charging a 3 year old. There are so many rides she couldn't go on do to height. I also think old Walt was a tad sadistic! So many rides are in the dark, move "fast"(to a toddler) have things popping out of them- these are hardly toddler friendly rides and I am talking about Fantasyland! After spending 8 days there, my daughter went on the carousel, Dumbo, the Magic Carpet, Pooh and TTA without crying. Took her crying on POC, Peter Pan and Buzz. She went willing into the 3-D movies, but ended up crying and at MGM I had to keep her eyes covered on TGMR! Needless to say, we spent a lot of time switching off so my sons could ride the rides.
I paid for all her meals as a 3 year old. I'm sorry if others feel this is wrong, but I guess we all make decisions we feel we can live with. Good luck in your decision.

 

[Suzanne74]

I am going to Disney 2 days before my DD turns 3 and I am not paying for a ticket. I have heard that if a child turns 3 DURING your trip - you do not need to purchase a ticket for them the remaining days - this is why we are going then. She is free, we celebrate her birthday but she is a tall girl (39 inches now - 4 months away) and enjoys every ride she can get on. I hope it is worth it.

I am not sure what I would do if we went a month after. I would probably suck it up and purchase a ticket - I am too nervous already doding what we are doing!!

I have heard the CM's do ask age though. If you do not have proof and your kid says 3 - be ready to purchase a ticket!! My advice if you want to not purchase a ticket - Hold off the birthday celebration until you get there!!

 

[drtaylor]

Thanks for the opinions. Knowing myself, I will probably buy the ticket. I think I would feel guilty if I didn't.

For those who have been with a 3yo and did the switch off. Can you tell me exactly how it works. Do you still go in the regular line? and then one parent rides w/child while other parent wait w/3yo and then after the ride, the other parent rides the older child. So the older child gets 2 rides? Is that correct? I'm a little confused about this. We went lastyear but left small one with grandparents since he was only 1.

 

[beattyfamily]

"you should do what you are comfortable with"

Yeah, you should lie, cheat and sneak your kid in if that's what you feel comfortable with.

No matter how you 'try' and rationalize it, it's wrong.

Saying that there isn't much for a 3 year old is lame excuse. Let see there's many many family rides, parades, fireworks and shows for them. What about the wheelchair folks, pregnant women and old folks, should they sneak in too since they won't get 100% out of Disney??

If you don't want to pay for a 3 year old as Disney has requested with their policy, then go BEFORE they turn 3. It's so simple.

I know, I'm so judgemental and I'm the "moral police" and whatever else you want to call me. I don't care. I know the truth can hurt and bring out the name calling but when someone asks a moral and "should I do this even though I know its wrong" question, I have every right to reply with my opinion since it was asked for, even though it may not be what some want to hear. That's what always happens when you ask a moral question in a public forum.

 

[DisKim]

When you do the switch off, you wait in the regular line or fastpass if you have one. Tell every CM you see on the way that you are doing a baby swap. They will usually give you a ticket for the other parent to ride with 3 other people. Some rides work differently though. The CM at RnR made me actually go and get my 3 year old son to show her before she gave me the ticket for my husband. He was napping under a shady tree with my DH. At test track, they have a special entrance for the parent doing a baby swap. If I remember correctly, you go in through the exit. Some rides like Triceratops Spin and Dinosaur have you wait on line with the young child and you board the ride when your spouse gets off. I've done a lot of swapping. Can you tell? This will be the first year my son can ride almost everything. My DD8 will be mad that she can't ride everything twice anymore.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

"Yeah, you should lie, cheat and sneak your kid in if that's what you feel comfortable with." quote
beattyfamily



For the one person who answered this thread with a holier than thou attitude I will say I think it is WRONG to charge for a 3 year old. I also think it is wrong to call a 9 year old an adult. I once wrote to Disney and asked what the time frame was before they decided to institute the fetus pass for pregnant woman! Here is a delemma for you, what if a "little person" who was an adult but under the height limit( therefore could not go rides with height requirements)was buying a ticket do they get a to buy a chid's ticket??

Words like liar, cheat and sneak are pretty strong. Are you saying that someone who claims a just turned 3 year old is 2 is in the same category as Bill Clinton or Richard Nixon?? What about people who bring sandwiches into the park are they liars and cheaters too? What about people I see buying children's meals for adults are they liars and cheaters too? Let's face it if you bring a 3 year old into the park you will definatley spend money on him.

Maybe what needs to be addressed is the fact that often Disney engages in what amounts to highway robbery (2.50 for water that I can get for 35C a bottle same brand) only they wear ears instead of a mask. Guess it is all in the eye of the beholder.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by Bella the Ball 360
"Yeah, you should lie, cheat and sneak your kid in if that's what you feel comfortable with." quote


For the one person who answered this thread with a holier than thou attitude I will say I think it is WRONG to charge for a 3 year old. I also think it is wrong to call a 9 year old an adult. I once wrote to Disney and asked what the time frame was before they decided to institute the fetus pass for pregnant woman! Here is a delemma for you, what if a "little person" who was an adult but under the height limit( therefore could not go rides with height requirements)was buying a ticket do they get a to buy a chid's ticket??

Words like liar, cheat and sneak are pretty strong. Are you saying that someone who claims a just turned 3 year old is 2 is in the same category as Bill Clinton or Richard Nixon?? What about people who bring sandwiches into the park are they liars and cheaters too? What about people I see buying children's meals for adults are they liars and cheaters too? Let's face it if you bring a 3 year old into the park you will definatley spend money on him.

Maybe what needs to be addressed is the fact that often Disney engages in what amounts to highway robbery (2.50 for water that I can get for 35C a bottle same brand) only they wear ears instead of a mask. Guess it is all in the eye of the beholder.

blah blah blah...It's still wrong. It's still lieing, cheating and sneaking even if you don't like those words. At least I didn't say stealing, which it also is. Why do those words bother you so?

I knew my differing opinion would cause outrage. You'd think it would be the other way around but that's our society today.

I forgot "holier than thou" as a description of those who think it's wrong in my original thread...thanks for reminding me of that one! What else would you like to call me? I can take it. All I'm doing is offering a different opinion and why. Shouldn't be a problem but it always is.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

'I forgot "holier than thou" in my original thread...thanks for reminding me!' quote

Your welcome. I know that NO ONE is perfect so I am more than happy to help you out.

 

[beattyfamily]

Originally posted by Bella the Ball 360
'I forgot "holier than thou" in my original thread...thanks for reminding me!' quote

Your welcome. I know that NO ONE is perfect so I am more than happy to help you out.

I, too, know that NO ONE is perfect. You are right on that point. BUT we as a society set rules, regulations and laws and they are meant to be followed. When people do not want to follow certain rules and then go to a public forum and ask what we think, I'm going to tell them! Just because I'm not perfect doesn't mean I can't reply with my opinion on lieing, cheating, sneaking, stealing or whatever else they are thinking of doing. There's NOTHING wrong with my differing opinion. Why does it bother you so? I don't get it.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

It's not really open for debate, is it? Nobody forces anybody to go to WDW. WDW is a company attempting to make money in order to turn a profit and give the shareholders a return on their investment. WDW requires a ticket for children 3-9 and a more expensive ticket for guests 10+. If you don't want to pay the price, I guess the solution is don't go to WDW.

 

[turnlisa]

To be honest, depending on the child, there really isn't much that they can't ride! We took my 2 year old last year and the only things he couldn't get on were things I didn't want to ride anyway. No, he can't ride Splash Mountain or Space Mountain but I am not big fans of these either. He was able to ride Goofy's Barmstormer and most of the other ones and enjoyed every minute of it.

This year he will be a little over 3 and I will gladly hand over my money for the ticket. With the ticket you are getting more than rides. You are paying for entertainment, characters and memories. These are all priceless and well worth the price of admission.

 

[mickeymousefan]

Let me put my 2 cents in.

Some of us have to do our trips on a strict budget and must find ways to cut corners. If we didn't, we may not be able to take our children at all. So lets weigh this out..... cutting corners or telling the kids "oh well... maybe next year".

Adults buying kids meals, adults splitting meals, more people in the room than allowed, cooking in your room, sneaking in food and drinks to the park, transferring hopper tickets- all against Disney rules. Yet people do them anyway.
There is so much more wrong with this world to get all worked up about than if someones passes off their three year old as a two year old to get into WDW.

drtaylor.... enjoy your trip whatever you decide to do. PS.... never once did they ask my DD her age.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We went right before ds turned three and no one ever questioned his age. He is on the small side. If someone had questioned him he might have said 2 or he might have said 3. Kids that age if they know they have a birthday sometimes will say the older age. We bought him an AP this year but I really don't think it's fair because since he is small he isn't allowed to go on any of the rides with a 40" requirement. At the Jersey shore boardwalk they charge for the all you can ride passes by height. Maybe DIsney should learn something form them.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I don't understand why people feel they MUST take their kids to disney.

My first trip to WDW was 3 years ago when I was 33 years old. I didn't go as a child because my parents couldn't afford it. I didn't take my son unitl he was 9 because I couldn't afford it before then.

If you don't like the prices that are charged then don't go.

Oh, I happen to think the $2.50 bottles of watter are cheap. I have to pay $4.00 for the same size bottle when I go to a Mets game.

 

[verchad]

To be safe and have a clear conscience, by the ticket. I work with law enforcement personell. Some of them have mentioned that in states where the child is under a certain age and is required to be in a child car/booster seat, many of them will ask the child there age and get an answer. Younger kids aren't thinking of lying about there age.

 

[nuzmom]

I think because you asked the question, you know what the "right thing to do is" and you'll end up doing it.

When it comes right down to it, YOU are the one who has to make this decision. I can tell you, if you buy the ticket, you'll feel fine about it, if you don't buy it, you'll worry and feel quilty.

There are many ways to save $$, to not buy the ticket isn't the way to do it.

Also, you can feel better about buying that ticket, because (as someone else mentioned) there's so much more to the parks than the rides for the 40" and over crowd. My 3 1/2 DS LOVED his WDW experience and we definitely go our money's worth.

Lastly, I didn't see anywhere that "adults buying kids meals, adults splitting meals, sneaking in food and drinks to the park, are all against Disney rules." Come on, food is not sold "per person" except at buffets (and then it would be wrong not to pay for everyone)!

Oh well. That's my opinion on the matter. Hope it helps you.

 

[Julia M]

Originally posted by beattyfamily
I, too, know that NO ONE is perfect. You are right on that point. BUT we as a society set rules, regulations and laws and they are meant to be followed. When people do not want to follow certain rules and then go to a public forum and ask what we think, I'm going to tell them! Just because I'm not perfect doesn't mean I can't reply with my opinion on lieing, cheating, sneaking, stealing or whatever else they are thinking of doing. There's NOTHING wrong with my differing opinion. Why does it bother you so? I don't get it.

I think the reason such strong responses bother people is the fact that "nobodys perfect". When you read a resonse such as yours, whether you mean to or not, it seems to imply that you are, perhaps, perfect, and never break any rules for anything. Just a thought.


The actual question was whether or not the OP could bring a child who was 3, and not buy a ticket. That's the info she was seeking. The asnwer is yes.

If the question was, "is it the right thing to do?", I think the answers are alot more varied.

I personally believe that a childs ticket is overpriced, and while I don't mind paying full adult price for my just turned 12 year old (he rides all the rides, after all), it galls me that I'm charged $24 for a buffet, when he'll eat 5 chicken nuggets, some french fries and a milk. So, we aren't doing too many buffets on our trip. But I'll pay the price, because I don't want to lie, just like I'll buy the appropriate ticket. Not because I would get caught (I'm confident I wouldn't) but because that's what the rules are.

Julia