Adult dining plan for child???

[Lorikr65]

Just curious if anyone else has thought about this. We have a 7 yr. old son who really loves to try different food. We are going to disney for the free dining in August/Sept. I thought about buying him an adult pass so that he can pick from the adult menu. Last year him and his 13 y/o sister swapped a few times, but then the waitstaff suggested that she get adult portions of children's menu items - so they would give her adult portions of chicken nuggets, etc.

I did call disney and the person I talked to put me on hold. when she came back she said since he was a child I had to buy a child ticket. The adult ticket is only $32 more for the week so it would definitely be worth it to us. Also, I remember asking one of the cashiers at our hotel a question about the dining plan and I think she said that the credits aren't distinguished between adult and child. I would definitely pay the extra $32 if allowed. Has anyone else tried to do this??

Lori

 

[jonslola]

I have an 8 year old that is an adventerous eater too! He eats of the adult menu at home. I would like to know about this too!

 

[christinadei]

I am in the same boat. I have a 7yo DS who is a big eater and an adventerous eater. Kids meals are never enough for him. I wondered about this. The other thing I'm thinking is that even if Disney lets me upgrade his ticket, will they give us a hard time at every restaurant we go to when we try to order off the adult menu for him? I don't want to have to argue the issue at every meal.

 

[java]

Don't quote me on this but I think they DO differenciate between points now. There is a dining plan board here on the Dis they could help. I have never done the plan but can tell you that most of the restaurants we hit over Easter had Adult type items on the menu- like grilled seafood. on the children's menu. Go to Allears.com and check out the menus before you try to upgrade the plan. The children's menus have really changed since last year.

 

[brymolmom]

I have been involved in other threads about this topic. I know that others have/are going to do this. I personally don't agree with it. Basically, it involves lying about kids' ages, paying a few extra dollars to get hundreds of extra dollars of food for your child. Now, if you are not going during free dining and would opt to pay the $30 a DAY for your child to eat the adult meals...that's a little different. But this is FREE, and a 7 year old is entitled to a FREE 7 year old plan.

Just think - if everyone going during free dining did this (I'm only getting 1 day park passes - so I'm sure I could pay about $20 total to get the adult plan for my 3 and 5 year olds) - and everyone had free adult meals for all their kids....I'm betting that Free dining would not be around in the future.

Honestly, have you checked the menus - with good planning - there are still a lot of options for kids meals (Teppanyaki, Tony's town square, all buffet meals) - and while Counter Service is still limited - even if you pay OOP for CS meals here and there (or share your adult meal or whatever) - it is FREE, so it is still an incredible deal.

So - is it possible? From what I've heard - yes. Is it ethical? That's for everyone to decide for themselves.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I dont see why not.. Just change his age to 10 and buy the adult ticket.

 

[christinadei]

Let me just be clear that I am not proposing to lie about my childs age. I never even thought about this (upgrading to adult plan) until I saw it mentioned yesterday. I would be willing to pay adult price for my DS when we pay for the plan as well if it means he can eat what he wants. I don't know that it's worth the hassle, but am interested on people's thoughts. Again, I'm not going to lie or try to scam Disney! I just have a big eater that would be happier with the adult plan.

 

[WDWHo]

Just curious if anyone else has thought about this. We have a 7 yr. old son who really loves to try different food. We are going to disney for the free dining in August/Sept. I thought about buying him an adult pass so that he can pick from the adult menu. Last year him and his 13 y/o sister swapped a few times, but then the waitstaff suggested that she get adult portions of children's menu items - so they would give her adult portions of chicken nuggets, etc.

I did call disney and the person I talked to put me on hold. when she came back she said since he was a child I had to buy a child ticket. The adult ticket is only $32 more for the week so it would definitely be worth it to us. Also, I remember asking one of the cashiers at our hotel a question about the dining plan and I think she said that the credits aren't distinguished between adult and child. I would definitely pay the extra $32 if allowed. Has anyone else tried to do this??

Lori

When we did the DP last year, it was so much food. I would never pay more for my child. I did however give one of my kids, portions of what I ordered. I could barely eat all of my stuff. We had three kids and between all of us, we kind of ordered as a "team" and shared.

 

[WDWHo]

I dont see why not.. Just change his age to 10 and buy the adult ticket.

There is nothing wrong with this. You are not doing anything wrong. You are actually paying Disney more money. If your kid was 10 and you said he was 7 that would be wrong. Go for it!

 

[keishashadow]

Slightly different for us, using DVC we don't need to buy a tix to purchase the DP.

However, after our 1st experience where DS had to eat the kiddo offerings (never crossed our mind to creatively pool them, loophole is officially closed anyway now)...

Last June; i indicated that DS was an "adult" and paid that rate for DP.

In Oct. when I booked him as a child, i was given the 3rd degree. Despite my explanation, know they thought I was lying about his age.

Each time i've spoken to DVC & CRO since, they question me when I state my DSs real age when making a ressie...as in according to their records he's older.

I corrected them a couple times (not sure if it'll ever be corrected); not a big deal until they turn 18 and WDW wants to charge the extra $10/night him.

 

[DisneyDotty]

My DS loves "adult" food too, and I often shared my meals with him. Or he'd order off the adult menu and his DSis13 would get something from the kid's menu--as you had suggested.
I'm not sure there's an easy solution to this, otherwise.
I'm thinking that it would be a hassle at every meal to explain that yes, your 7 y.o. does have the adult plan, provided that you were able to purchase it.
Good luck!

 

[christinadei]

There is nothing wrong with this. You are not doing anything wrong. You are actually paying Disney more money. If your kid was 10 and you said he was 7 that would be wrong. Go for it!

It's still lying. I do think that's wrong, you are trying to get benefit. I was merely asking if it was okay to upgrade to the adult plan WITHOUT lying. I am quite sure that DS will be fine, I can share with him because the plan is way too much food for me anyway. If it were allowed, it would be a good solution to our problem, but it's not a big deal to me.

 

[Colleen27]

Just curious if anyone else has thought about this. We have a 7 yr. old son who really loves to try different food. We are going to disney for the free dining in August/Sept. I thought about buying him an adult pass so that he can pick from the adult menu. Last year him and his 13 y/o sister swapped a few times, but then the waitstaff suggested that she get adult portions of children's menu items - so they would give her adult portions of chicken nuggets, etc.

I did call disney and the person I talked to put me on hold. when she came back she said since he was a child I had to buy a child ticket. The adult ticket is only $32 more for the week so it would definitely be worth it to us. Also, I remember asking one of the cashiers at our hotel a question about the dining plan and I think she said that the credits aren't distinguished between adult and child. I would definitely pay the extra $32 if allowed. Has anyone else tried to do this??

We're doing that for DS, who will be about 6 weeks shy of 10 when we go, but we aren't going during free dining, which may explain why the CM we talked to was more than willing to do it this way. He's an adventurous eater, something of a foodie (as much as a 9 yo can be!), and easily eats more than I do, so I'm sure we'll get our money's worth out of the adult plan for him. We did have to have him entered into the system as 10, because otherwise the computer automatically counts him as a child.

I don't think I'd bother making a 7 year old an adult unless he's a huge eater. When DS was 7, he was fine with sharing our meals in addition to his kids' meal, and at the buffets, the kids can have anything anyway. DS's favorite meal was Boma and he never even looked at the 'kids' offerings.

The dining plan is so much food that there is plenty for him to try a few bites of what everyone else is having, and the kids' meals at most of the table service places don't look too bad anyway. There is usually some signature dish (steak at Le Cellier, mahi mahi at Coral Reef, etc.) in addition to the standard kids' fare. It is the CS kids' meals that suck, but again, many meals are big enough for sharing.

As far as the credits go, from what I've gathered only the TS credits are divided into adult and child at this point. CM at the CS restaurants are supposed to check the number of meals ordered against the party make up (3A 1C or whatever) on the card, but from what's been posted on the dining board it sounds like many arent doing that, or at least not consistantly. So the CS credits aren't effectively seperated yet.

 

[Lorikr65]

It's still lying. I do think that's wrong, you are trying to get benefit. I was merely asking if it was okay to upgrade to the adult plan WITHOUT lying. I am quite sure that DS will be fine, I can share with him because the plan is way too much food for me anyway. If it were allowed, it would be a good solution to our problem, but it's not a big deal to me.

Let me just say that I did not lie. I called disney and explained the situation. Told them I had a 7 year old who likes to try different food and if I could purchase an adult ticket for him. No where did I lie.

Funny thing is, my 13 y/o use to laugh when she was 10 nd say nowhere else but disney is she an adult!! I've always though charging a 10 y/o as an adult was a bit much. At 10 my 13 y/o ate like a 5 year old but I had to pay for an adult entree for her.

 

[christinadei]

Let me just say that I did not lie. I called disney and explained the situation. Told them I had a 7 year old who likes to try different food and if I could purchase an adult ticket for him. No where did I lie.

Funny thing is, my 13 y/o use to laugh when she was 10 nd say nowhere else but disney is she an adult!! I've always though charging a 10 y/o as an adult was a bit much. At 10 my 13 y/o ate like a 5 year old but I had to pay for an adult entree for her.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean that you lied. If you ask if you can buy an adult ticket/meal plan for your 7 yo, that's not lying. But if you call and say that your 7 year old is 10 to get the plan, that is. So for now, I think we won't bother with it and will pay for him as a child and I'll share and we may have to pay OOP for some CS meals/food. But it seems like a good solution as long as Disney allows it.

 

[M2DD's]

Hey,I did the same thing for my 7 year old.So I would do it.When I called to change my DD age I told them exactly what I was doing and they changed her age in the computer and I payed the difference.IMHO you and I are not lying we payed(even though it is cheap) and told them what we were doing.The CM did have to put me on hold and ask her supperviser before she changed it in the system.If disney was so against this they would ask people to bring proof of age when they check in.(ie. birth cert.)When we flew several airlines with my little one we always had to prove she was under 2 with her BC.
Let me ask this,Is this any different than a child under 3 being upgradded to a child to recieve the DDP regardless if it's free or not.The CM informed me that people do this all the time and is not uncommon.
laura
Bottom line is that you have to do what you feel is the best.If Disney did not want this done they would close the "LOOP HOLE" just like they did last year seperating child and adult TS.

 

[Mom of 3]

Honestly, I had considered doing this at one point and then decided it just wasn't worth it.

We're going to be eating at some buffets so DS7 can eat whatever he wants and at other TS he can share off the other 3 adults. There is going to be so much food that getting to try different foods is not going to be an issue.

After thinking it over I personally decided not to do this.

I wish Disney had better choices for the kids but they can't seem to win for losing. People moaned the kids meals were unhealthy, Disney made an effort to make them healthier and now kids don't like them. That being said there does seem to be a lot a repetition in the kids meals for both CS and TS.

 

[Katiebell]

Now, if you are not going during free dining and would opt to pay the $30 a DAY for your child to eat the adult meals...that's a little different. But this is FREE, and a 7 year old is entitled to a FREE 7 year old plan.

Just think - if everyone going during free dining did this (I'm only getting 1 day park passes - so I'm sure I could pay about $20 total to get the adult plan for my 3 and 5 year olds) - and everyone had free adult meals for all their kids....I'm betting that Free dining would not be around in the future.

We're doing that for DS, who will be about 6 weeks shy of 10 when we go, but we aren't going during free dining, which may explain why the CM we talked to was more than willing to do it this way. He's an adventurous eater, something of a foodie (as much as a 9 yo can be!), and easily eats more than I do, so I'm sure we'll get our money's worth out of the adult plan for him. We did have to have him entered into the system as 10, because otherwise the computer automatically counts him as a child.

I don't think I'd bother making a 7 year old an adult unless he's a huge eater. When DS was 7, he was fine with sharing our meals in addition to his kids' meal, and at the buffets, the kids can have anything anyway. DS's favorite meal was Boma and he never even looked at the 'kids' offerings.

The dining plan is so much food that there is plenty for him to try a few bites of what everyone else is having, and the kids' meals at most of the table service places don't look too bad anyway.

I agree with both of these posts, 100%. I think the ethical sticking point here is that the dining plan is free. If it wasn't free, and a parent is willing to pay the adult price for their child's ticket and the extra $28 per day for the adult dining plan (as Colleen is doing for her almost 10 year old), then I think most folks wouldn't see a problem with it -- especially if you are totally upfront with the CM that you are "aging" your child specifically so you can purchase the adult plan for them.

I'm really very surprised that Disney Dining would permit this during free dining. Here's why:

Family of 4, 2 A and 2 C aged 4 and 6. Disney trip is for 7 nights. For free dining, they should get 14 A TS and 14 A CS, and 14 C TS and 14 C CS. If the parents "age" their children to get the adult's plan free, it costs $34 per child for the whole week for the tickets (I believe that is what most people have reported). That's $68. However, now the family has 28 A TS and CS. The difference in value for the A credits vs the C plans is $28 x 14 -- $392. That's $392 in addition to the original value of the free dining, $700. Will those little kids really order and eat an entire adult CS meal, and an adult appetizer, entree, and dessert every day? Probably not. What will the family do with the extra TS credits? Probably use them for signature meals and dinner shows, while paying the much lower price for the children OOP.

However, whether or not it makes financial sense for Disney, and ethical questions aside, many people have reported that Disney Dining CM's have allowed them to do this during free dining. That can always change Last year people said CM's were allowing and even encouraging them to bank kids' TS credits to use for adult meals, but that practice was eventually stopped. When Lori called Disney Dining, the CM put her on hold to check, then told her she wasn't able to "age" her child to get the adult's dining plan for free; Laura was also put on hold, then told she could do this. One of those CM's was mistaken, and supposedly they both checked with their supervisors when they placed Lori and Laura on hold, which would mean one of those supervisors was wrong. I work in a call center -- it's very possible that one of those two CM's just checked with the person sitting next to them, or tried to find the answer in writing and couldn't.

As the PP's mentioned, there is so much food on the Dining Plan that there is plenty to share with your children, and at virtually all character meals and at all buffets, the kids would have all the same choices as the adults anyway, and can eat as much as they want.

 

[M2DD's]

Yes I was put on hold but have called back 3 times and talk to other CM and they said that it was fine.If I have a problem at check in than I will just switch her back to a child. We are not going to any signature TS and will not be paying OOP for her to eat.We will use her TS for her and her only. The only reason why we are doing this is because the CS are such small portions.Last year she never was filled up and we always had to order more food at lunch time.
laura

 

[disneymom06]

I also have an 8yr old that I had asked the same question. ( I don't want to do just character meals, buffets, and pay OOP for chicken strips for lunch.) I was told that I would just have to upgrade his ticket to an adult ticket. Not a problem.

Free Dining is the promotion and if the room has 2A and 2 Disney "child " adults they all get free dining as does a room with only 1A. Disney does not limit the amount of free diners pewr room. it follows room occupancy limits. Upgrading a child, just because it is free dining, should not be the issue. If you can upgrade and pay the difference of $27, then the same rule should apply to free dining.