Add 2 year old turning 3 on trip to DDP...opinions?

[esap23]

My in-laws are generously taking our family (me, DH, DD 5 & DD 2/3 on last day of trip) in December 2011. MIL is willing to pay for a park ticket and DDP for DD2. Originally I said don't worry about it, because we are going April 2011 & she will be sharing with us or we will buy her a meal oop. My thought is that she will basically be 3 when we go, and may not want to eat the same as her sister or us for that matter. Any experiences with a child so close to 3rd birthday on trip? Should I just accept the offer (and try not to stress when DD eats one french fry off the plate?)

 

[momtoejanda]

My in-laws are generously taking our family (me, DH, DD 5 & DD 2/3 on last day of trip) in December 2011. MIL is willing to pay for a park ticket and DDP for DD2. Originally I said don't worry about it, because we are going April 2011 & she will be sharing with us or we will buy her a meal oop. My thought is that she will basically be 3 when we go, and may not want to eat the same as her sister or us for that matter. Any experiences with a child so close to 3rd birthday on trip? Should I just accept the offer (and try not to stress when DD eats one french fry off the plate?)

My boys were about 3 weeks short of turning 3 on their first trip. I didnt pay for them. Food was never an issue. We ate at a lot of buffets so it was a non issue. My plan was to buy them meal oop but I didnt need to do it at all. We were on the Deluxe dining plan and there was just way too much food.

I believe Disney rule is whatever age they start the trip at is the age that they a charged for the duration. So you are not doing anything wrong.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

Remember that if you are goign to add her to the ddp you have to buy park tickets for her as well. (Means at least $200 extra to buy dining plan.) So to me it seems like it would be more than realistic to just pay as you go oop. You won't need to pay at buffets for her regardless and I doubt that you will be that short on food.

 

[Mrs D]

My guess is you could pay out of pocket for more meals then she could ever eat and still save money versus buying her a ticket.

 

[3pletprincesses]

I wouldn't buy her park tickets and leave it at 2yo. Worse comes, if she is hungry for something els,e you can always pay OOP. Much cheaper to by 2 meals @ $8 per day then paying for park tickets and DDP. fi she is 2 at check in, no worries and keep it that way and if you need extra food pay for it as you go.

 

[Cafeen]

As has been mentioned, if you want DDP for her, she has to have tickets as well. So not only would it be ~$12 extra per night, but an extra couple hundred dollars just for the tickets. Using an average of about $8 per kids meal (that's a high end average too), it would still take quite a large number of meals to break even. (The ticket cost is key here, since you wouldn't normally need to buy her a ticket).

For example, on a 6 day (5 night) trip, for 6 day base tickets plus DDP it would cost you an additional $219 + tax for tickets, then another $60 for the DDP. (So roughly $293 total). Using $8 per kids meal average, this would mean she'd need to eat about 37 meals (36.625, but she can't eat 5/8s of a meal) in those 6 days to break even. (And $8 is a higher estimate)

Keep in mind also, that any buffets or AYCE (All You Can/Care to Eats) will be free for her since she is 2, and she'll be able to pick whatever she wants there anyway.