A new 2 yr old DDP question.....(is this brilliant?)

[3Minnies1Mickey]

The other thread got me thinking. We are staying DVC and don't need to purchase DS(2) park tickets in order to get the DDP. We'd be paying OOP for meals for him anyways since he's such a piggie , so I'm thinking of buying him the DDP anyways if the math works and if the following works:

Can we still count him as 2 for buffets and all you can eat meals?

We are planning some 2TS meals and will be paying for some TS meals OOP anyways, so if I can save his TS credits at buffets it'll cover some previously OOP kids meals and DH and I will just pay for our extra meals.

 

[Ava]

I don't know the answer, but you've got me curious! Your KTTW card will state 2 adults & 4 children for the DDP, and you will have 2 adults & 4 children dining, but technically your 2-year-old is allowed to eat for free at the buffets. If this is allowed it would be a nice way to maximize credits!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I don't know the answer, but you've got me curious! Your KTTW card will state 2 adults & 4 children for the DDP, and you will have 2 adults & 4 children dining, but technically your 2-year-old is allowed to eat for free at the buffets. If this is allowed it would be a nice way to maximize credits!

That's where I'm wondering if I'd get questioned. I'll have a copy of his birth certificate just in case (since we have to fly) if I get questioned. How would they know we didn't have another kid off with grandma?

 

[stitchlover]

I might not have read your question correctly so ignore my answer if it makes no sense. But here is my thoughts...

Children under the age of 3 are not eligible for the dining plan. When you make a package reservation they will ask the name and ages of everyone on the package. Therefore you will not be able to purchase the dining plan for him. I don't know if DVC will ask for the names and ages of everyone but I kind of think if you are booking dining they will.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I might not have read your question correctly so ignore my answer if it makes no sense. But here is my thoughts...

Children under the age of 3 are not eligible for the dining plan. When you make a package reservation they will ask the name and ages of everyone on the package. Therefore you will not be able to purchase the dining plan for him. I don't know if DVC will ask for the names and ages of everyone but I kind of think if you are booking dining they will.

You can always "increase" the ages of your kids (ie a 9 year old can be upped to 10 to get the adult dining plan if you wish). The main reason NOT to change a 2 year old to a 3 year old is because then they'd need a park ticket with regular reservations. But with DVC on points or AP rates then you don't need tickets for everyone in your party to book the DDP. So on our room reservation and dining plan he'd be 3, but we don't have to purchase park tickets for him.

 

[brymolmom]

You can always "increase" the ages of your kids (ie a 9 year old can be upped to 10 to get the adult dining plan if you wish). The main reason NOT to change a 2 year old to a 3 year old is because then they'd need a park ticket with regular reservations. But with DVC on points or AP rates then you don't need tickets for everyone in your party to book the DDP. So on our room reservation and dining plan he'd be 3, but we don't have to purchase park tickets for him.

In my opinion, you can't have it both ways. If you want to say he's 3 and buy him the DP, then he is 3 for all meals. You will essentially be buying X number of credits for him. So they should be used at all the meals for him.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

I think you have found one of the few loopholes that disney has. No one will question if you have 3 kids v. 4 kids if the card says it. No one ever asks for proof of kids age. Disney relies on you as the consumer to be honest.

If you are paying for your son to have the dining plan then I think you can use it as you please. You are not lying by saying that your child is 2 at a buffet and therefore not paying for him. I certainly would not use a dining credit there to pay when I didn't have to.

I'm still not sure if this is the best value though. The biggest value of kids on the dining plan is getting buffet costs covered. Most ts kids meals that are not buffets are cheap enough that you won't make up the difference.
Plus if you end up with a lot of extra child TS meals what are you going to do with them? You'll have to pay oop for more adult meals... unless you send the kids to a ts by themselves!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I think you have found one of the few loopholes that disney has. No one will question if you have 3 kids v. 4 kids if the card says it. No one ever asks for proof of kids age. Disney relies on you as the consumer to be honest.

If you are paying for your son to have the dining plan then I think you can use it as you please. You are not lying by saying that your child is 2 at a buffet and therefore not paying for him. I certainly would not use a dining credit there to pay when I didn't have to.

I'm still not sure if this is the best value though. The biggest value of kids on the dining plan is getting buffet costs covered. Most ts kids meals that are not buffets are cheap enough that you won't make up the difference.
Plus if you end up with a lot of extra child TS meals what are you going to do with them? You'll have to pay oop for more adult meals... unless you send the kids to a ts by themselves!

No its not the best value. It'll probably save me only $30 depending on where we eat. One of the places we want to eat at since we are staying at BCV is Beaches N Cream. It's not a great use of an adult TS credit, but the kids meal price is comparable to other TS restaurants. So in this case we'd use the extra kids credits and pay for DH and I OOP.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Be aware that a savvy server at a buffet might see that - as someone mentioned above - your KttW indicates four children and that you have four children dining, and automatically charge four credits. Yes, I see someone else said "the other child is off with grandma", but that's an amazing coincidence

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Be aware that a savvy server at a buffet might see that - as someone mentioned above - your KttW indicates four children and that you have four children dining, and automatically charge four credits. Yes, I see someone else said "the other child is off with grandma", but that's an amazing coincidence

Excellent point. I'm not trying to get away with anything, but I'd really like to prepay for his meals too. I guess I'll have to decide if it's worth the hassle to diligently check the receipts at buffets and be willing to show his birth certificate if questioned.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

could someone please explain the logic? From my point of view, if under 3 eats free, why pay? They eat free everywhere right?

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

could someone please explain the logic? From my point of view, if under 3 eats free, why pay? They eat free everywhere right?

They only eat free at buffets and all you can eat meals. If they want to eat a CS meal you have to pay for them. If you are at a non-buffet TS meal then they either share off your plate or you pay for a meal for them.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

They won't question you or ask for a birth certificate. We have been many times with a variety of 2 year olds and never had a problem. We also never had a problem with kids being missing from out party. We normally travel in larger groups or with friends and not all of us eat together all the time. I really don't think you will have an issue with that part.

 

[mousekatool]

I'm confused - I thought in order to be on the DDP, one had to purchase a park ticket? In that case, it would be less expensive to pay OOP for his meals, unless you share with him at a buffet, right?

 

[hannahdrewmom]

If you are renting points from a DVC owner or have an AP pass you do not have to purchase tickets to get the dinning plan.

 

[TinkWink]

For a savings of only $30 I definitely wouldn't try to bend/stretch the rules like that. Even if you forget about the thought that a CM at a restaurant might question you (# of kids with you supposedly paying with a meal credit vs # of kids at the table), you're still lying. Not to be a negative nelly, but my personal integrity, example I set for my kids and clear conscience is worth a lot more than $30. (I actually can't put a price on lying. It's just not something I do.) I have a 23 month old and sometimes she eats more than me and sometimes she eats 2 bites for the whole day. I wouldn't risk a toddler's pickiness and purchase a dining plan anyway!

 

[PlanningNextTrip]

We stayed DVC when my son was 2 and I had him on the Quick Service Dining Plan with me.... Saved me a ton of money.

 

[MSLRAC]

For a savings of only $30 I definitely wouldn't try to bend/stretch the rules like that. Even if you forget about the thought that a CM at a restaurant might question you (# of kids with you supposedly paying with a meal credit vs # of kids at the table), you're still lying. Not to be a negative nelly, but my personal integrity, example I set for my kids and clear conscience is worth a lot more than $30. (I actually can't put a price on lying. It's just not something I do.) I have a 23 month old and sometimes she eats more than me and sometimes she eats 2 bites for the whole day. I wouldn't risk a toddler's pickiness and purchase a dining plan anyway!

I honestly doubt that the OP would discuss this with the child (who discusses the logistics of Disney dining with their kids at that age?), thus the child would never know that the OP stretched the truth. But honestly is there even a rule stating that a child under the age of 3 staying on DVC points can not be on the dining plan? Apparently not or someone would have quoted or linked it by this point in the discussion. So I honestly don't thinking "lying" is even an issue in this scenario.

I don't see a problem with this theory because it's not like we are talking about free dining or something...the OP will be paying for the plan for the child. It's more of a convenience thing for the OP.

I also would not bank on a toddler, who is known to be a healthy eater at home, to be picky or a nibbler at Disney. None of my kids are picky but DS is a nibbler but at Disney, the child ate everything we put in front of him (3TS meals per day and snacks) because he was more active than usual.

 

[TinkWink]

It really goes down to principles and how you live your life, no matter how old your kids are or how much they are aware of. It *is* lying because in order to purchase the dining plan, a child must be at least 3 (source: any official description of the DDP), and she would be saying her kid is 3 in that instance, but still only 2 when it comes to park tickets and all you can eat/buffet meals. I get that she is still paying for food for that child BUT it is to serve a different purpose - saving her money overall. The end result of these kinds of scenarios is that the price goes up for everyone eventually!

 

[hannahdrewmom]

I agree that it technically is lying.
However, I still am of the opinion that you will not save money by doing this.

Kids meals are not that expensive at ts... the value you get from the dining plan is really at the buffets... and if you aren't going to pay for those anyway I think in the long run you are going to have to look for ways to use the kid meals or risk the chance of losing them or there value.

It seems like it would make sense to order an extra meal when you need it. The adult portions are huge and between siblings and parents there should be more than enough food. If it ends up being a restaurant that doesn't fit that bill then pay for it... but the amount of desserts alone would lead me to believe this is not a good value.