3 year old not buying a ticket

[dlf]

Hi,

Just getting stressed over this issue and I'm not even travelling! My sister is going to Disney next January with friends of theirs. The friends now have money problems and have decided they will not be buying a ticket for their son who will be 3 and 3 months when they travel. He is certainly not big for his age (I think about 35 inches tall), but my sister is very worried that her friend will be asked when she enters the gate how old the boy is (or even that the boy will be asked his age). My sister (and I understand how she feels) is very open and honest and would be really embarrassed if this happens.

I know what the friend is doing is not right (but not for me to get involved) but has anyone ever known children (or their parents) to be questioned over the age when they enter the parks? I would like to reassure my sister.

Thank you for any comments.

 

[beattyfamily]

Just a warning, this is a 'hot topic' here on the DIS. It's a moral issue that many feel strongly about.

 

[bdcp]

That's because you have to buy a ticket for anyone 3 and above. It's pretty simple. We first took our youngest when he was 3 years and 7 months and he was small enough and young enough looking to pass for under 3, but it never crossed my mind to try it because it's not right. He's now 19 and looks like he's about 15 and gets carded for R rated movies. I know that's a tough thing for some people to understand that there are rules for everyone, but that's the way it is. Also, if their money is that tight, they probably should wait a while and save up for a trip til they can pay for it all. A vacation is a luxury, not a requirement. Most poeple don't do vacations when they can't afford them. Even if he isn't asked, that's a terrible message they're sending to him and unfair to anyone else that knows about it and is part of it. Before anyone gets defensive, rules are rules, not suggestions.

 

[Jabber_Jaws]

I am not 100% sure they will be asked the childs age, so tell your sister to be ready for it. Perhaps your sister's friends could sell old baby clothing on E-bay to rise money for the ticket, or borrow the cash? I know how your sister feels I am a honest person also, and I could never do what her friends are planning. You should put your heads together and see what you can come up with. It would be a shame for something like this to wreck what should be a fun trip. I hope it all works out.

Cheers:

 

[K&KsMom]

Hi Disers,
I was wondering what the protocol is for my DS who is turning 3 on day 9 of our 11 day trip. Any ideas?
Thank you

 

[ms.ojo]

It is a moral issue...but that said, hopefully no one will bash her as she's looking for help.

We have taken a trip when each of our children were 2.5yrs. It's a magical age...they really love Disney. I was very nervous w/ the 1st ds, as he was a tall boy like his Dad. (But certainly talking you could tell he was younger I think) Anyway, all my nerves I had a copy of his birth cert w/ us.....just in case to proove he wasn't 3...and you know what? No one cared. It wasn't an issue at all. Wasn't like he was trying to ride Space Mtn, Splash, etc. Tell your sister not to worry. The trip will be fine.

And hey, if the child DOES say they're 3...then just advise the group to say yes...you'll be 3 soon. Or yes, he turned 3 the other day. For the most part, the people that are going to ask his age are in the parks....those at the gates collecting tickets, never probed. I hope they have a great trip.

 

[justhat]

I have never personally seen them ask a kid, but I never tried to sneak in an over 3 for free so maybe that has something to do with it. We did go with my SIL and niece last May when my niece was 2 years and 9 months and she's a very big kid so she easily looked over 3 at the time. She was about 38 or 39 inches tall and about 35 pounds. We were never questioned about her age though. MY SIL asked me if she'd need proof of her daughter's age before we left for the trip and I really didn't know but told her to bring something just in case. She planned to bring her birth certificate but forgot it at home and she was fine the whole trip.

 

[Aneille]

I went with my daughter about a 1 month shy of her 3rd b'day. She was 35" like your sisters friends child. She was never asked her age.

I went again with my daughter when she was 3.5 years old (40") and we did have a ticket but twice we/she misplaced/lost it and didn't realise it until we were entering the park.

Both those times we plunked her in the stroller and we walked in, no one asked, although I was panicked they would and I actually did have a ticket for her!

I couldn't imagine going on a trip knowing I was breaking a rule everyday. I'd be paranoid, so I understand your sisters concern, but I don't think it will be an issue really.

 

[oogieboogie]

Hi Disers,
I was wondering what the protocol is for my DS who is turning 3 on day 9 of our 11 day trip. Any ideas?
Thank you

since you started the trip with him under 3, Disney considers that his age throughout the entire trip. You don't need to worry about that.

as far as CMs asking the child's age... IRL very few will ask. I'm not going into the debate but that's just a fact. In all honesty they'll most likely not even give it a second glance.

 

[MomofKatie]

Hi Disers,
I was wondering what the protocol is for my DS who is turning 3 on day 9 of our 11 day trip. Any ideas?
Thank you

Disney considers the child's age at the BEGINNING of the trip to be the one that is considered for tickets. If your little one turns 3 after the first day of your trip, you don't have to purchase admission tickets for them.

If, however, you go to a buffet/character meal after your child turns 3 during the trip, you should pay for them. Buffets/character meals don't charge for under age 3, but do charge the child's rate for ages 3-9.

 

[K&KsMom]

I didn't realize that little Disney tidbit about the age. Thank you so much!

 

[taximomfor4]

Well, we were asked. They asked my dd directly (it was actually her third birthday a few days later...we were there for her birthday). And she is small (now, at almost 3 1/2 she is 26 lbs, wears 18-24month clothes). And she was in a stroller. It was the gate person, where you put the tickets in, that asked. And even when dd said "I two yeahs oowd" the gate agent still questioned me. "How old is the little one?" "When is her birthday?" Had we been lying, it probably would have come out then. Especially since my other kids are pretty young and NOT allowed to lie. About ANYTHING. They certainly would not have been able to swallow their tongues during all the questioning.

Oh, and we were asked again, at the gate, 2 days later ON dd's 3rd birthday. We said it was her birthday that very day, and they didn't ask if we had been at WDW the day before...just let us through. Much easier that time.

I wonder if that family might want to re-schedule their trip for a little later, not just about the ticket issue. If a less-than $200 ticket is impossible for them to buy due to money concerns, WDW is a scary idea right then. THere are often things that just come up that will cost money. But you didn't ask about that................

My answer, then, is YES they might check. Then again, they might not. They WILL have that child in the computer though, with age at the date of travel. Don't know what they do with that, but they knew when my oldest dd was 12 because we had gone 3 yrs before on her 8th birthday.

 

[shellybaxter]

OP - If I were your sister I would politely tell the other mother that I am uncomfortable about her not buying the three year old a ticket, but that is her choice. However, so I won't have to be invovled in any issues if they arise at the turnstyles I will be useing a different entry line. I'd tell the other mom that I wasn't making a judgement, just wanting to avoid what I felt could be an embarassing situation.

Its really not your sister's concern, but she should also not have to be held accountable in any way for the decision either.

I was actually in this situation (kind of) with some dear friends who live in Florida. They were flying their son (sa friend of mine and my husband) his girlfriend and their collective four kids down for a week at WDW. This was a big expense and they were considering buying a child's ticket for their just turned 10 year old grandson. The lady asked me what I thought of that idea and I told her I thought she should buy the right ticket and that I had read stories on these board of kids being asked for their age. She and her husband discussed it and decided it was not worth the savings to ask their grandson to lie. So they ended up buying the correct ticket.

If they had bought the younger ticket I think I would have entered at a different turnstyle and not been a part of the lie.

Shelly

 

[AnaheimGirl]

OP - If I were your sister I would politely tell the other mother that I am uncomfortable about her not buying the three year old a ticket, but that is her choice. However, so I won't have to be invovled in any issues if they arise at the turnstyles I will be useing a different entry line. I'd tell the other mom that I wasn't making a judgement, just wanting to avoid what I felt could be an embarassing situation.

I think this is good advice.

We just traveled with our dd at 2yrs 8months. She is about 36" tall, but has tons of hair and speaks very clearly, so people often assume she's older, but she was never asked for a ticket or asked her age at any of the parks or water parks. Sometimes I find that people don't pay as much attention to size as they do to "look" when they guess a child's age. I had people asking if she was 2, before she even turned one, I think because of all that hair! So, what I'm trying to say is that your sister's friend might be more likely to get asked if the child has outgrown that baby/toddler look. Maybe, that is, I don't know if Disney CM's are given any guidelines to follow on that.

Taximom, just out of curiosity, was it the younger dd in your sig pic that was asked? Did she wear glasses at the time? My 8yo has worn glasses since 12 months of age, and as soon as she started wearing them, people started to assume she was older.

 

[edk35]

I would not buy a ticket for a 3 year old that turns 3 on the 9th day of a 11 day trip. I think most would agree to this. Have fun!!

 

[disneymore]

I will probably get burned for admitting this, but hey flame on.

Several years ago when my then GF now wife and I had two days left on a four-day park hopper, we wanted to take her three year and four month old niece to Disney. Considering that we were poor college students and her parents (are disney haters) didn't seem inclined on helping us pay for the trip; we did not buy her a ticket.

Nobody even asked her age, she was very tall for her age and all that CM's ever said is how cute she was (she bought Minnie ears on the first day and would not take them off the whole trip). I will even admit (I know I will be hated on) Gulp We told her to tell everybody that she was two. Luckily nobody asked so she never had to lie, but it was actually funny, because after the trip, when people asked her age she would say that she was two when she went to DW; but that now she was three again. I don't promote lying and I am sure that people out there with much higher morale gorunds, think I am a sinner. All I know is that our niece loved her one and only trip to DW and still like to talk about (all though I don't think she actually remembers, but just has lots of pictures) I am sure when it is our kids and we are in a differnet financial position, we will buy our kids the ticket. (But I know that is no excuse)

By the way so far she hasn't ended up a habitual liar.

Also ever since then my DW and I always joke when we got to DW about it and we are always looking at kids in line to get in the park and try to guess if they need to have a ticket. BTW we have noticed some kids that appeard old enough to need a ticket, but have never seen anybody asked about thier age. But obvioulsy you never know if your sister will be the unlucky one.

 

[VSL]

I don't agree with ms.ojo at all - saying 'yes, you'll be 3yrs soon' if the child tells the truth. That's just outright lying.

If it were my sister, I would encourage her to tell her friend that if anything happened she wouldn't be getting involved and that she would be using a different turnstyle to enter the parks.

It's not a moral issue. The fact of the matter is, you need a ticket if you're 3yrs+. No morals about it - just Disney rules.

To disneymore: not flaming, but I'm a poor Uni student who has scrimped and saved to go to WDW with no help from my parents (and I have international flights to pay for too), so I hope you're not trying to use that as an excuse.

 

[spot28]

I took my son at 3y 2mos and bought the ticket, because yes..right thing to do. Interesting thing is on several occasions as we entered and hopped parks the CM would just assume he was under 3 and not even request the ticket. One even said "he doesn't need a ticket," and was surprised when I presented one.

If it were me I'd kinda pretend like I wasn't even with your friend/relative and take a different gate at the last minute. Let her deal with the embarassment of lying or being questioned all on her own !

 

[Lewisc]

I doubt your sister is going to convince her friend into buying a ticket. I agree with the previous posters, just have her go through a different turnstyle or go through first and walk away when they go through.

 

[pplasky]

The only time my children were ever asked their age was when they were wearing a birthday pin. I do not think your sister's friend is going to have a problem. If the cm does ask, it might be in their best interest to have the money to buy a ticket, but I would say the "odds" are they won't get asked.