Age Changes and Prepaid Meals

[Disney Princess]

We are three weeks away from our Thanksgiving trip ADRs. We are planning on HDDR and CRT. Both of those are prepaid meals, so we need our number and division of adults/children/infants to be correct. We did a mock session for a random date to make sure that the whole family group shows up correctly in MDE so we can book the meals easily on our actual date. The problem is that our second child is two right now. She turns 3 in July. When we travel, she'll obviously need to pay for her meals; however, when we do the mock reservation (for an August date, so after her birthday), it classifies her as an infant with a $0 charge. If I manually change her to "3" it changes her birthday to the incorrect year.

How do you handle this? Do I have to call to book? Do I change her age manually so we are charged correctly, then change her age back once her birthday comes? I mean, sure it'd be great to not be charged for her, but I know that she needs to pay, and I don't want the system to incorrectly count us and then lose our spot or cause problems with the ADR.

Thanks for any tips.

 

[DisneyDadn07]

If I remember correctly, they ask the age of children at date of check in. My youngest turns 3 on Tuesday of the week we are there. I called and spoke with the people and they told me that it's fine as long as she eats from someone else's plate it doesn't matter.

 

[maxiesmom]

If I remember correctly, they ask the age of children at date of check in. My youngest turns 3 on Tuesday of the week we are there. I called and spoke with the people and they told me that it's fine as long as she eats from someone else's plate it doesn't matter.

Does she turn 3 before the trip or during the trip? That makes a difference. If your daughter is 2 when you check in, they treat her as 2 for the whole trip.

In the OP's case her child will be 3 for the whole trip. So they will be charged for the 3 year old the whole trip. In the OP's case I would probably just change the age and let it be wrong for a while. That way you pay what you need to pay, and there won't be any weird glitches.

 

[wilkeliza]

The easiest way to handle this is to not link it to your any child account. Just leave Guest #s whatever as a guest age blah blah blah. That way it won't affect her MDE account that is managed by you. I hope that makes sense.

 

[roxymama]

This happened to me when my kid was 2 and then turned 3 shortly before our trip. We booked CRT way before we bought her children's park ticket. I didn't think of it until I got to CRT. The person checking in said "do you want a high chair or seat for your child" and I said high chair. then asked if she could eat off my plate or do we need to add a meal. They said she could eat off my plate. It was an honest mistake and they were very nice about it. I was prepared to pay though. Just book it now so you get what you need and don't fuss with the age. You can make good on it depending what they say when you get there

 

[maxiesmom]

This happened to me when my kid was 2 and then turned 3 shortly before our trip. We booked CRT way before we bought her children's park ticket. I didn't think of it until I got to CRT. The person checking in said "do you want a high chair or seat for your child" and I said high chair. then asked if she could eat off my plate or do we need to add a meal. They said she could eat off my plate. It was an honest mistake and they were very nice about it. I was prepared to pay though. Just book it now so you get what you need and don't fuss with the age. You can make good on it depending what they say when you get there

To me, that is being dishonest. You made an honest mistake. No problem. But we shouldn't be telling people how to make the same mistake in order to get out of paying what they should.

 

[Nancyg56]

This happened to me when my kid was 2 and then turned 3 shortly before our trip. We booked CRT way before we bought her children's park ticket. I didn't think of it until I got to CRT. The person checking in said "do you want a high chair or seat for your child" and I said high chair. then asked if she could eat off my plate or do we need to add a meal. They said she could eat off my plate. It was an honest mistake and they were very nice about it. I was prepared to pay though. Just book it now so you get what you need and don't fuss with the age. You can make good on it depending what they say when you get there

Here is the problem with "what they say" when you arrive. CRT is prepaid, but it is not all you care to eat, so the child is going to be sharing a not so generous meal with Mom or Dad. It is awkward, and it can potentially place a server in an awkward position.

When you add in the AYCTE prepaid meals, the issue is more pronounced. The child can eat from an AYCTE menu, and that is fine however, again, the server is in an awkward position. Do they charge? No?


I am not the Disney police and really do not have a dog in the race, but I am not at all sure if helping folks to manage the ADR so they do not pay upfront for the child is actually helpful. It is postponing the agony, and that is seldom pleasant.

 

[roxymama]

Fair enough. It's just what happened to us. I agree to do what you can to pay correctly, I just don't know how that happens before arriving in this case

ETA I didn't mean to offend and I was unable to get a phone Rep to help me in this issue so I came bearing money. Sorry if it came off badly. Having a 2 yr old turns three is a huge pain on mde.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Just book it with the birthdates the proper date and year, and pay what it tells you to. I wouldn't put in incorrect ages/date of birth, as who knows if that will cause problems down the line. When you check in, explain they didn't charge you for your youngest even though the age and date of birth was entered correctly, and ask to pay it. Either they'll give you a bill, or they won't.

But, it's on them that their MDE system is not designed correctly to account for children that turn 3 in the 6 months between ADR booking and vacation. As it's on them, just book it, not worry about it, and let them fix it upon arrival. And be prepared to pay the child's rate, if needed.

 

[Disney Princess]

Thanks, everyone, for your replies and help. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who has seen this. You'd think MDE could infer a child's age at time of travel, but I guess that's giving it too much credit. We'll keep her age correct, book the ADR, and be prepared to pay her bill at each restaurant.

 

[bumbershoot]

You could also call to make the ADR. They might be able to do it correctly on their end.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

I am sure this happens all the time...kids turn 3 everyday!

It's their system. Put in the people as they are...correct DOB and all...pay as you are told. When you arrive they will ask the kid's ages (always have for me and they are now 18 and 13 so lots of experience) and you tell them. Then they will charge you for the 3 year old at the time. She is on the ADR so it's not like you are bringing an extra person. And it's not like it's a system that cannot take money...I'm pretty sure, that happens too. If they tell you not to worry about it, don't worry about it but most likely they will give you the cost and you will pay is at the restaurant and go about your meal.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We are three weeks away from our Thanksgiving trip ADRs. We are planning on HDDR and CRT. Both of those are prepaid meals, so we need our number and division of adults/children/infants to be correct. We did a mock session for a random date to make sure that the whole family group shows up correctly in MDE so we can book the meals easily on our actual date. The problem is that our second child is two right now. She turns 3 in July. When we travel, she'll obviously need to pay for her meals; however, when we do the mock reservation (for an August date, so after her birthday), it classifies her as an infant with a $0 charge. If I manually change her to "3" it changes her birthday to the incorrect year.

How do you handle this? Do I have to call to book? Do I change her age manually so we are charged correctly, then change her age back once her birthday comes? I mean, sure it'd be great to not be charged for her, but I know that she needs to pay, and I don't want the system to incorrectly count us and then lose our spot or cause problems with the ADR.

Thanks for any tips.

Don't forget about park admission for your new 3 yr old as well.

 

[Disney Princess]

Don't forget about park admission for your new 3 yr old as well.

She already has her park ticket, but we haven't put them on MDE yet.

 

[mouserrificmom]

Here is the problem with "what they say" when you arrive. CRT is prepaid, but it is not all you care to eat, so the child is going to be sharing a not so generous meal with Mom or Dad. It is awkward, and it can potentially place a server in an awkward position.

When you add in the AYCTE prepaid meals, the issue is more pronounced. The child can eat from an AYCTE menu, and that is fine however, again, the server is in an awkward position. Do they charge? No?


I am not the Disney police and really do not have a dog in the race, but I am not at all sure if helping folks to manage the ADR so they do not pay upfront for the child is actually helpful. It is postponing the agony, and that is seldom pleasant.

a bit off topic, but was curious as reading through this. Has CRT changed? We have not eaten there since 2015, but it was always "All you care to eat" on all of our visits. Mind you, no one but my husband ever actually took advantage of that, as it was an a la carte menu....but he did, on more than one occasion, order a 2nd entree.....it was always included as they always told us at the start of the mail that the meal was all you care to enjoy.

 

[Regan117]

If you add the child to MDE with their birthdate, it's going to charge you for the age the child WILL BE on the day you dine.

IF it doesn't just pay when you get there.

 

[Nancyg56]

a bit off topic, but was curious as reading through this. Has CRT changed? We have not eaten there since 2015, but it was always "All you care to eat" on all of our visits. Mind you, no one but my husband ever actually took advantage of that, as it was an a la carte menu....but he did, on more than one occasion, order a 2nd entree.....it was always included as they always told us at the start of the mail that the meal was all you care to enjoy.

I cannot speak for breakfast but lunch and dinner is not aycte.

 

[mouserrificmom]

I cannot speak for breakfast but lunch and dinner is not aycte.

Ahhh.....we have only ever eaten breakfast at CRT so I guess that's where the discrepancy lies!

 

[Disney Princess]

If you add the child to MDE with their birthdate, it's going to charge you for the age the child WILL BE on the day you dine.

IF it doesn't just pay when you get there.

That's the problem. It isn't charging me for her will-be age. We'll pay when we get there.

 

[smiths02]

Just book it with the birthdates the proper date and year, and pay what it tells you to. I wouldn't put in incorrect ages/date of birth, as who knows if that will cause problems down the line. When you check in, explain they didn't charge you for your youngest even though the age and date of birth was entered correctly, and ask to pay it. Either they'll give you a bill, or they won't.

But, it's on them that their MDE system is not designed correctly to account for children that turn 3 in the 6 months between ADR booking and vacation. As it's on them, just book it, not worry about it, and let them fix it upon arrival. And be prepared to pay the child's rate, if needed.

This is kind of what I did for Star Was dessert party. I wanted to book myself and my oldest who turned 10 right before the trip but was 9 at the time of booking the ADR. The system charged me one adult and one child. I didn't run around asking how to pay more once we got there. I never lied about his birthday.