Age Verification

[ready2 cruise]

Relax people- he already said he was going to do the right thing and buy an adult ticket, yet people keep going at it

 

[WTFetus]

I think it is kind of funny that everyone is implying I would be a) teaching the kid to lie and b) asking him to lie.

At no point did I mention either. If anyone would be lying it would have been me at the ticket window and that is it. I don't advocate lying by any means but sometimes it is ok to stretch the truth when victimless. Disney isn't hurting for money.

And for those who have no read the thread, this is a moot point now as I will buy a ten year old an adult ticket. I guess by Disney standards I should buy him a beer when he's 13? Lol

This forum never ceases to amaze me.

I agree, don't let the social justice warriors get to you.

I've never run into this issue since I never went to DL on those borderline ages, but I have friends who lie about their age to get cheaper bus passes or ski lifts and they're great people. The way people are reacting to it, you'd think these white lies are going to turn your kids into thieves. So much overreaction and hyperbole.
Even if OP told his kid to lie about his age, which he isn't, it's not even like that'd be the end of the conversation. If there was a significant price difference, I'm assuming OP would explain his reasoning. Kids are smart. They'll know the difference. If they turn out to be compulsive liars, I guarantee you it wouldn't be from this. There would be a bigger parenting issue behind it.

This forum would be so much better if people just responded to posts without being judgmental. "How does Disney handle the age verification thing?" "They may ask you or your kid at the turnstyles". That's it. No condescending posts or implications of being a poor parent.

 

[sillybaer]

And how exactly is that ignorant? You messed up by allowing them to be picky.

You can say that until you actually have a naturally picky toddler. Sure there are some parents who feed their children junk and so the child learns to eat junk. But some parents offer their kids all kinds of great, healthy foods. And the child refuses to eat them. It's generally preferable to feed a child something he/she will eat to watching the child starve. (And I mean literally starve. As in refuse to eat more than a couple of bites for days at a time and start losing weight--starve.)

There's actually a great blog post out there from a mom (and you've admitted you aren't even a parent) who was so self-congratulatory about her great eater and so condescending about other parents' picky eaters. Until she had child #2. That was child #2 who turned up his nose at all the good, regular foods big sister ate. And suddenly she realized it isn't all about the parent. Some of it is about the child.

 

[sillybaer]

It crossed my mind to lie about my youngest. He's 3, but he's only 27 lbs and barely reaches 3 feet tall. He wears 18-24 month clothes. Tiny tiny kid. Most people assume he's 2 (or younger), but when he opens his mouth, he talks like a 3 year old. Now the difference from 2 to 3 IS a big price difference, but ultimately I decided to just buy his tickets. I thought about him saying he was 3 when we were passing him off as 2, or any of my other kids saying, "He's 3" if they overheard me say he's 2. And then again, probably no one would ever ask, because no one would assume that he's 3 because of his size. I just decided at the end of the day, I'd feel yucky about lying. It came down to this: Yes, he would get in for free if I lied about his age, and yes, that would save us a lot of money, but with as much as there is to do at Disneyland for kids his age (and his size), I would feel really bad about it. Now, don't judge me on this one, but when we were looking at taking the kids to Six Flags earlier in the year, there was NOTHING he could ride. They have mostly "thrill" rides, even in the kids section of the park, and very strict height restrictions. Literally, the only thing I could find that he could ride was the train that goes around the park. But his ticket would cost $50! We changed trip plans and didn't go, but I was fully prepared to lie for that one.

I have a 4 year old that size and have actually had arguments with people about whether or not I should pay for her ticket this summer. I keep saying "That's not the lesson I want to give my kids." But it really gets annoying when people act like there's something wrong with me for insisting on being honest.

 

[mr.bungle]

I agree, don't let the social justice warriors get to you.

I've never run into this issue since I never went to DL on those borderline ages, but I have friends who lie about their age to get cheaper bus passes or ski lifts and they're great people. The way people are reacting to it, you'd think these white lies are going to turn your kids into thieves. So much overreaction and hyperbole.
Even if OP told his kid to lie about his age, which he isn't, it's not even like that'd be the end of the conversation. If there was a significant price difference, I'm assuming OP would explain his reasoning. Kids are smart. They'll know the difference. If they turn out to be compulsive liars, I guarantee you it wouldn't be from this. There would be a bigger parenting issue behind it.

This forum would be so much better if people just responded to posts without being judgmental. "How does Disney handle the age verification thing?" "They may ask you or your kid at the turnstyles". That's it. No condescending posts or implications of being a poor parent.

Thank you! Finally someone else gets it. I've been on the DIS a while and replies like most of this thread are all too common. It is this "holier than thou - I have to show I'm a better parent/person than everyone" attitude. It gets real old real fast. Everyone on here has some moral opinion they feel they just have to express, for whatever reason.

Sure, I don't have kids. I'm not a bad person and I would never teach kids I'm around to do bad things or be bad people. On the DIS, apparently I am akin to Hitler.

The kid is going to lie or stretch the truth eventually in their life whether as a child or adult. It's going to happen. I'm not saying it is right or wrong but it's better to have them do it in a situation like this rather than something that actually matters. This forum is always a great source of entertainment for me. You guys always deliver more than what was ordered.

 

[starshine514]

I personally don't agree with kids menus but it is not my kid nor my call. I just picture all small children to eat grilled cheese or nuggets or something. I disagree with picky eating kids. But like I said, I'm not a parent. These are my girlfriend's kids.

I can see not agreeing with "kid food" on kids menus, but I'm sure you have nothing against kid-sized portions. My 10-year old still orders off the kids menu, but we do counter service. At Flo's, for example, she gets a little sandwhich with fruit and milk. That's a meal I approve of for her.

 

[sets14]

I agree, don't let the social justice warriors get to you.

I've never run into this issue since I never went to DL on those borderline ages, but I have friends who lie about their age to get cheaper bus passes or ski lifts and they're great people. The way people are reacting to it, you'd think these white lies are going to turn your kids into thieves. So much overreaction and hyperbole.
Even if OP told his kid to lie about his age, which he isn't, it's not even like that'd be the end of the conversation. If there was a significant price difference, I'm assuming OP would explain his reasoning. Kids are smart. They'll know the difference. If they turn out to be compulsive liars, I guarantee you it wouldn't be from this. There would be a bigger parenting issue behind it.

This forum would be so much better if people just responded to posts without being judgmental. "How does Disney handle the age verification thing?" "They may ask you or your kid at the turnstyles". That's it. No condescending posts or implications of being a poor parent.

Like modeling for your child that the rules don't apply? That if you don't like a company's policy/price, well stick it to the man? How about teaching your child that for a society to operate smoothly there are some moral guidelines to follow. Like either paying for the correct ticket or choosing not to go until you can? What's next, sneaking a soda under your shirt at the grocery store because you feel it's only worth 50 cents, not a dollar? I don't care if the price difference was $500 on a kids versus adult ticket. The RIGHT thing to do is to pay the price each particular person is charged by Disney.

You say someone should not be judgmental in answering the question "How does Disney handle the age verification thing?', but really, that's a loaded question- why would you even ask unless planning to go around the policy? It's like me asking "How will the contractor handle me paying him 10% less?".

OP, glad you are getting the tickets you need. I hope you and your GF and her kids have a great visit.

 

[sets14]

Thank you! Finally someone else gets it. I've been on the DIS a while and replies like most of this thread are all too common. It is this "holier than thou - I have to show I'm a better parent/person than everyone" attitude. It gets real old real fast. Everyone on here has some moral opinion they feel they just have to express, for whatever reason.

Sure, I don't have kids. I'm not a bad person and I would never teach kids I'm around to do bad things or be bad people. On the DIS, apparently I am akin to Hitler.

The kid is going to lie or stretch the truth eventually in their life whether as a child or adult. It's going to happen. I'm not saying it is right or wrong but it's better to have them do it in a situation like this rather than something that actually matters. This forum is always a great source of entertainment for me. You guys always deliver more than what was ordered.

And when that situation that really matters occurs, what will they think? A) I know it's best to be honest, no matter the cost or B) Well, I've seen people lie before over little things so I better lie over this big thing to cover it up since it's even more important then that little stuff?

 

[Canadian Harmony]

When it comes to food, I made a decision when my kids were infants: It's MY job to provide health, nutritious food, at regular times. It's THEIR job to determine how much of it they'll eat. Takes the power struggle away and I don't EVER make two meals. Since they were 3 or 4 they knew how to slap a sandwich together if they didn't like what I served. I look at their diet over a week as opposed to just a day.

Now, my kids (10 and 8) eat like birds and I know for a fact that when we order an adult meal for the 10 year-old at the TS restaurants we're going to go to, she'll pick at her food. I've accepted that we'll have to bag up the remainder and DH can have his midnight snack on that.

Telling other parents how to parent is not on. You can have all the answers you want, but the karma truck will run you over... and then back up again for good measure.

 

[nugov2]

And when that situation that really matters occurs, what will they think? A) I know it's best to be honest, no matter the cost or B) Well, I've seen people lie before over little things so I better lie over this big thing to cover it up since it's even more important then that little stuff?

Everyone has a moral compass that will vary on certain minor infractions, but by your point a child learns this lesson through Santa and any other fantasy we fabricate. Even the simple that place you want to go to is closed or we are out of chocolate. I am not advocating lying, but every white lie we tell our kids can have this impact and none of us are free from this type of behavior. It is only that our compasses vary and your white lie is justifiable in your mind while his isn't. Doesn't make the person a bad parent and let's be real we all set a bad example to our kids. We aren't perfect.

As far as picky eaters, OP you are way off base
My youngest eats nothing and was exposed to healthy homemade options from the time he could eat solids. I have 3 kids and they are all different.

 

[mr.bungle]

I'm just saying kids should be eating grilled cheese and chicken nuggets all the time. It's not healthy and it's why Americans are so fat. Well, part of why. It's ok if they don't eat s lot or they get picky but they shouldn't be given incredibly unhealthy options that lack any nutritional value. That's my entire point and it's your job as a parent to mold them.

Kids menus should just be the regular menu with smaller portions and maybe fruit rather than fries.

 

[Flower1]

Going back to the asking the age thing, my girls are 7 and 8. At 7 Disney allows them to ride alone on rides, and as you can imagine, that's like the biggest thrill for my little one who is finally 7 and can ride with her sister or alone. Every single time we get on a ride and the girls in a car together they ask the girls directly how old they are- they never ask me.

 

[violentlyserene]

Picky kids do not care what they "should" be eating as determined by someone with no kids and clearly no actual experience with small picky children. There is no molding a two year old who doesn't like spaghetti, pork loin, roast chicken, hamburgers, or any of the other things myself and other parents have lovingly made for our children. A temporary diet that's largely applesauce, peas, and chicken nuggets (despite the consistent availability of a large variety of other food) isn't going to kill them and it's certainly not worth ruining my relationship with by turning meals into a completely pointless power battle. Which I will lose unless I'm willing to literally force food down their throats. It's nice that you can disagree with this but us down here in the reality of it don't get that luxury.

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

I'm just saying kids should be eating grilled cheese and chicken nuggets all the time. It's not healthy and it's why Americans are so fat. Well, part of why. It's ok if they don't eat s lot or they get picky but they shouldn't be given incredibly unhealthy options that lack any nutritional value. That's my entire point and it's your job as a parent to mold them.

Kids menus should just be the regular menu with smaller portions and maybe fruit rather than fries.

Totally agree!! I hate that kids menu choices are usually nuggets or grilled cheese sandwiches. Lame! My DD is 10 and if the kids menu doesn't have anything good then she orders from the adult one and always has. Problem is its way too much food for her. Heck, it's usually way too much for an adult

 

[NannyBeBe]

Please allow me to share a little story. The last time we went to DLR, we made reservations at Goofy's. My twin granddaughters are extremely tiny and if the calculations are correct, one of them may not grow past 4 ft. 9 in. and will be classified as a dwarf. Anyway, when we made our reservations, they were too old to qualify for a free meal so we added them on our reservation as paying guests. When we got to Goofy's, the CM asked us how old they were and we told them. The CM looked at them and say Well, they're so tiny they won't eat much so we won't charge you. I thought that was very nice of them.
As to kids meals, I agree they should just be smaller adult meals. Of course it does not set a good example to eat french fries while we expect the kids to eat apple slices.

 

[agamble]

Totally agree!! I hate that kids menu choices are usually nuggets or grilled cheese sandwiches. Lame! My DD is 10 and if the kids menu doesn't have anything good then she orders from the adult one and always has. Problem is its way too much food for her. Heck, it's usually way too much for an adult

I agree. Many of the kids' menus at Disneyland are awful. Most CS restaurants offer ONLY Mac and Cheese for toddlers and the most common kids' meal is the one that is just snacks: Yogurt, Sliced Apples, Carrots, Petite Banana, Whole-Grain "Fish" Crackers. Although that one is pretty healthy, it's a bit boring. We counter this by bringing our own snacks and sharing our adult food (portions are often too big) with the kids.

As far as picky eating, my son is a lot pickier than his sister. Some of it is age, but it's just him. She's adventurous in all things and has always eagerly tried new food and new activities. He's much more hesitant about food and activities. He's 2 and tall enough for Gadget's, but my husband thinks he won't like it because he's not as adventurous as his big sister. Kids are just different, even when they're raised by the same people.

 

[sets14]

Everyone has a moral compass that will vary on certain minor infractions, but by your point a child learns this lesson through Santa and any other fantasy we fabricate. Even the simple that place you want to go to is closed or we are out of chocolate. I am not advocating lying, but every white lie we tell our kids can have this impact and none of us are free from this type of behavior. It is only that our compasses vary and your white lie is justifiable in your mind while his isn't. Doesn't make the person a bad parent and let's be real we all set a bad example to our kids. We aren't perfect.

As far as picky eaters, OP you are way off base
My youngest eats nothing and was exposed to healthy homemade options from the time he could eat solids. I have 3 kids and they are all different.

I agree we all have a moral compass that is set based on our own experiences. My family does Santa. I have told my mom we were going out to eat when in reality we went to a surprise party for her. I think my line or "justification" to use your words, is that those things do not hurt or take from anyone else. And more then anything, I don't want my kids to feel you can lie when it best suits you to the disregard of others. Your chocolate example? My youngest is a chocolate milk junky. I have never lied to him and told him we are out of it. I tell him he has to wait until X time, or has to eat XYZ first, or sometimes, I just tell him "No, you may not have any now". My kids want to go look at toys at Target? I say no if I don't want to. I don't lie about the store being closed just to make my life easier in that moment.

You are right, we all make mistakes as parents and we all do things we regret. But I disagree that we all set a bad example to our kids. For me, the times I have messed up I explain to my kids why I did what I did and how I feel afterwards, or I ask forgiveness if my mistake affects them. Just last week I was yelling about a "stupid driver" and my kids and I have had a few talks about what mommy said, why she said it, how bad I felt, and how I could have done it differently. I want my kids to know mistakes don't define them, you can always do better, but at the end of the day there are some things you just don't do to others. Really setting a bad example for our kids is blatantly and willing disregarding others and acting as if we are separate from society as far as expectations, etc.

But I have digressed from the thread topic.

Again, OP have a great time at Disney!

 

[Bubblegum1286]

I'm just saying kids should be eating grilled cheese and chicken nuggets all the time. It's not healthy and it's why Americans are so fat. Well, part of why. It's ok if they don't eat s lot or they get picky but they shouldn't be given incredibly unhealthy options that lack any nutritional value. That's my entire point and it's your job as a parent to mold them.

Kids menus should just be the regular menu with smaller portions and maybe fruit rather than fries.

Definitely agree with you there. We were making special food for our kids for a while at dinner time. They were refusing to eat the food I cooked for my husband and myself, and I fell into that "I'd rather them eat something than go to bed hungry" nonsense, so I would make them "kid food." I stopped doing that about a year ago. That's so dumb!!! First of all, the "kid food" wasn't very healthy or nutritious. Secondly, life's hard, then you die. Get over it. You go to someone else's house, do you think their mom is going to cook something special for you? Nope. I'm a foster/adoptive mom, so I fell into my habit of cooking special meals with the best of intentions- I just wanted my kids to gain some weight and feel full since they really hadn't known that feeling before. But it backfired on me, and I was just creating brats. I meant well, honestly, but it wasn't a good idea.

Now they eat what we eat, and my kids try new things all the time. They used to refuse green beans, now they devour them. They used to hate spicy things and cry when I would make anything with even the slightest kick. Now they love it but go through more water at meal times. They've adapted and are eating better, and I'm proud of them for that. I honestly prefer it when we go to a restaurant and the kids' menu items don't include chicken nuggets. It forces my 6 year old in particular to try something new.

 

[violentlyserene]

I do agree that it would be nice if kids meals had more variety to them. Mac n cheese and chicken nuggets plus snacky stuff are all that mine are likely to eat regardless of what else is available but they are certainly not the only kids in the world. Others are less particular or differently particular.

 

[nugov2]

I agree we all have a moral compass that is set based on our own experiences. My family does Santa. I have told my mom we were going out to eat when in reality we went to a surprise party for her. I think my line or "justification" to use your words, is that those things do not hurt or take from anyone else. And more then anything, I don't want my kids to feel you can lie when it best suits you to the disregard of others. Your chocolate example? My youngest is a chocolate milk junky. I have never lied to him and told him we are out of it. I tell him he has to wait until X time, or has to eat XYZ first, or sometimes, I just tell him "No, you may not have any now". My kids want to go look at toys at Target? I say no if I don't want to. I don't lie about the store being closed just to make my life easier in that moment.

You are right, we all make mistakes as parents and we all do things we regret. But I disagree that we all set a bad example to our kids. For me, the times I have messed up I explain to my kids why I did what I did and how I feel afterwards, or I ask forgiveness if my mistake affects them. Just last week I was yelling about a "stupid driver" and my kids and I have had a few talks about what mommy said, why she said it, how bad I felt, and how I could have done it differently. I want my kids to know mistakes don't define them, you can always do better, but at the end of the day there are some things you just don't do to others. Really setting a bad example for our kids is blatantly and willing disregarding others and acting as if we are separate from society as far as expectations, etc.

But I have digressed from the thread topic.

Again, OP have a great time at Disney!

I'm not sure why you think each example applies to you or even me so no need to give examples of how you handle them in your house. I'm sure none of us need to be given examples of the "right" way to deal with them. They were just simple examples and I'm sure each of us could give a ton more of a time where a parent will do something another wouldn't. Also by your example a parent could lie about their child's age as long as they explain to them after why it was wrong and apologize for the mistake so I guess there is that lesson