Advice for daughter younger than she looks

[serendipityaey]

My DD is 8 years old and we are traveling to Disneyland just before her 9th birthday in November, however I’m starting to worry. She is very tall (taller than her third grade teacher) and pretty mature and could easily pass for 12 or even older. Wondering if anyone has any advice in case we get push back at the gates for her ticket. When we went just before her 3rd birthday one CM wouldn’t let us enter at all, even after I offered to show her her immunization record, and was yelling at us right there at the entrance for at least 5 minutes before she finally called her lead over and he quickly and definitively told her to let us in immediately. I really don’t want a repeat of that especially now she’s older and will be totally aware she is being singled out, and I’d just like to have a plan in place just in case. Perhaps I need to just ask to speak to a lead right away if it happens? Would appreciate any thoughts, tia.

 

[figment_jii]

Do you have anything with her birth date on it? While I don't think you'll have problems, I would have that for proof and then if any CM gives you any grief, I would ask for a lead immediately.

 

[serendipityaey]

I carry her immunization record with me as I read once that airlines accept that as proof of age, perhaps her father can keep it in his wallet though it’s my understanding they aren’t allowed to ask for proof I would be happy to show it.

 

[gottalovepluto]

They yelled at you?! Two seconds into any CM yelling at me I would have yelled for a lead myself. (Not omg crazy lady call security like, just absolutely authoritatively like I used to work there like.) [If this happens anyone reading this please report it. Nobody deserves to be yelled at. Depending on how angry I was I would have reported the experience and CM name to City Hall and now that I know Disneyland has a Twitter I would have reported the CM by name to the Twitter team as well.]

Contact Disneyland on Twitter via Direct Message (make a free account if you don’t have one, use a fake screen name and use your real name if you need to in the DM). Explain what happened to you last trip, that you don’t want you and your child to be left in tears this trip so you’re wondering what identification Disneyland requires for children. Their handle is @DisneylandToday

You can email Guest Relations but I start with Twitter because you should get a response within a few hours.

ETA: obviously I would ask nicely for a lead right away but if the CM refused to get a lead is when I would try to get one myself. But I really think that’s unusual, I’ve never heard anyone being denied access to a lead when there was confusion at the gate.

 

[serendipityaey]

Not yelled like loudly but like looking at us with disgust, scolding us, putting us down, refusing entry, telling us how horrible we were then getting the cm next to her in on it too to put us down for trying such a horrible thing, yes. I was surprised and in shock and couldn’t even think. Why I want a plan for next time lol. I like the twitter idea, thank you.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

You might get a side look and they will most likely ask her her age but past that they can’t really ask you for proof.

 

[Kender]

My brother had the same problem growing up (oddly enough: I had the opposite and that's a whole different set of problems). Although I don't think she was ever shamed falsely like you were . That's awful.

My mom if I remember correctly ended up getting a state ID for my brother very young because of the trouble she had proving he was younger than he appeared. It was better accepted than immunization records at places she needed to prove his age. But she used to do that too.

 

[tink89]

Does have have a school ID?

 

[figment_jii]

To reiterative, I don't think it'll happen (I think you got a bad CM that first time, but she's the exception rather than the rule), but if it does happen, I would simply tell the CM that she's 8. If they continue to refuse admission, I would ask for a lead. If you get a CM like the one you did, I don't think anything would have appeased her and it's not worth trying to change her mind. Be the calm one...continue to (politely) ask for a lead until the CM summons one. Make sure to get the CM's name, home town (printed on their nametag), the time and date (and gate number if you can) and then report it Guest Services and Disneyland Today (twitter).

Does have have a school ID?

I thought about this, but I don't think it would necessarily help with the CM that wants proof she's 8 instead of 9. Schools IDs that I've seen don't have birth dates on them and grade levels don't indicate a specific age (e.g., most 8 year olds are in 3rd grade, but there are plenty that turn 9 during that school year).

 

[serendipityaey]

You’re right, nothing would appease her (which I just don’t get at all, who has that kind of energy) as I did offer to show proof and she stoutly refused that too. The concession at the end was that when the Lead came over the look on his face and attitude was clearly ‘wth are you doing let these poor people in immediately’ He didn’t even speak to us, but I felt it was at least being handled and let it go before I really let it ruin my day. I certainly hope she was a complete anomaly and my worry is unfounded! Just want to be prepared so I’m not left in shock again and my daughter embarrassed. Thank you.

 

[gottalovepluto]

You’re right, nothing would appease her (which I just don’t get at all, who has that kind of energy) as I did offer to show proof and she stoutly refused that too. The concession at the end was that when the Lead came over the look on his face and attitude was clearly ‘wth are you doing let these poor people in immediately’ He didn’t even speak to us, but I felt it was at least being handled and let it go before I really let it ruin my day. I certainly hope she was a complete anomaly and my worry is unfounded! Just want to be prepared so I’m not left in shock again and my daughter embarrassed. Thank you.

.... Sending you some pixie dust for your next trip, may that never happen again!!!

 

[dvcdisney]

My daughter is also quite tall and I'm always worried about being questioned about her age. I started carrying an ID that showed her date of birth with me long before she was 9. The ID I bring doesn't have a photo but it has her name and date of birth.

However, we were not stopped once. I thought it was perhaps because we had APs and they don't worry about it with those, but we've bought regular tickets and we haven't been stopped. Perhaps they were too busy to make a big deal out of it, but I always had her ID handy.

I'm used to carrying it because when we go to restaurants and she orders from the children's menu, sometimes we get a look, but have never been asked to show proof.

I know it's an issue with some since most children don't have IDs they can carry, unless they walk around with their passports or birth certificates...but that's insane.

 

[lcp9]

my kids have all been really tall (my son was 44" at 2 on one visit) and no one has ever given us a second glance (pro tip: keep tall under 3s in a stroller.) I do keep pics of birth certificates on my phone for airline purposes so I guess if someone ever asked I could use those.

 

[Malcon10t]

My granddaughter is also very tall for her age. She is 7, looks 10. She is currently 56" as she just passed the height requirement for riding solo for Autopia (grandma says no til she is 5'.) Even at 2, we didn't have an issue, but they did ask her her age and I let her respond as once you talk to her you knew she was younger.

Here she when she first turned 3.

 

[ktlm]

. When we went just before her 3rd birthday one CM wouldn’t let us enter at all, even after I offered to show her her immunization record, and was yelling at us right there at the entrance for at least 5 minutes before she finally called her lead over and he quickly and definitively told her to let us in immediately. .

That is shocking to me. I'm so sorry that happened to you. We took my DD (12) to WDW at 2 years 10 months and she was a giant. Not only was she a giant, but she was speaking in full sentences at one year old (no joke- the one year old said "I would prefer mashed potatoes" to whatever we put in front of her that was not mashed potatoes) so by the time we went to WDW she was talking like a 5 year old- or maybe even a mini-adult. She did not look or talk like a 2 year old. I even took a copy of her birth certificate because I figured we would be questioned. No one ever said a word. She has remained tall since and we never had an issue at DLR or WDW. No one ever questioned that she was under 10. If you are really worried, you could always take a copy of her birth certificate-- or you might even have time to get a passport card by then. Our whole family got passport cards and it has been nice to actually have a photo id for her.

 

[starshine514]

It's normally pretty easily remedied by just telling them your child's age. At a character breakfast, I had my (then) 12, 9 and 2-yrs 9-months children with me. They asked me "how many ages 3-9" and I said one. They proceeded to charge me for 3 adults and one child. I then just explained that the little one was two and the middle (and not overly tall) one was 9 and they fixed the bill. The price difference between a child and adult ticket at Disneyland really isn't that much. I would hope they wouldn't hassle people about having tall 8- or 9-year olds.

 

[My3crazymonkeys]

My son is very tall and looks older too. Both of my daughters were and are as well. We went last year when he was 9 and had no problems at all. No one even questioned. I hope you encounter zero problems this trip!

 

[jcatron243]

My son was always big for his age. I took his birth certificate(a copy) with us every time we went, but I was never once questioned. I did it especially when we went before he turned 3. Now he is 12 (almost 13) so I don't need it.

 

[BrianL]

The incident when she was younger is unacceptable and also a fluke. Usually they are very good about this sort of thing and they never challenge about a child's age. The most I have ever sent hem do is simply ask how old they are, and everything after was fine. Sometimes, they will ask the child directly, who are usually proud to say their age. I really wouldn't worry about it happening again as it is very unlikely.

 

[Iceman93]

I wonder why Disney even offers cheaper tickets for kids. They don't for annual passes, and if they went to a standardized ticket then all these issues would go away...