AP Dining & Child Under 3

[Skwinkles]

DH & I are AP holders and are doing the AP room rate + dining package in November. We're traveling with our 18 month old daughter. Does anyone know if I can buy her the dining plan as well, even though she is under 3, since I know that I'm going to be ordering her meals of her own?

Thanks!

 

[mbanks21]

I guess you could list her as 3 on the reservation and pay the $10 per night for her...

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I wouldn't. If you're planning to eat at any of the buffets or character meals, she'll be free because she's under 3. One kids' meal at a CS restaurant is around $5 most places, and even if you order a TS meal for her, it's only around $8. At most, you'll only save a couple of dollars a day if you make her 3 to buy the DDP for her. And more than likely, you'll be able to share some of your meal with her.

As a mom who's "been there, done that" with a toddler at that age, I can tell you that we really spent very little OOP on food for our son last year. We ate several buffets (free) and ordered maybe one CS meal for him each day ($5). I only ordered him a separate TS meal 2 times over 6 days.

 

[BellAbbeys Mom]

Just as a little tid bit, I called and asked a CM that exact question, b/c my daughter is 2, I thought I could get her a DP. HOWEVER, the CM told me that if we do that we have to UP her age and then she would have to have a ticket to the parks as well b/c now she is "of age" for admission.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

Just as a little tid bit, I called and asked a CM that exact question, b/c my daughter is 2, I thought I could get her a DP. HOWEVER, the CM told me that if we do that we have to UP her age and then she would have to have a ticket to the parks as well b/c now she is "of age" for admission.

That probably doesn't apply to the OP because she has an AP. AP holders can get a special package that does not include tickets. Since they'll be using separate tickets at the gate anyway, the age of the child on the reservation won't affect their ticketing options. The only hitch may come later on, when/if the OP and her family do not have APs and the child's age is wrong in the WDW system.

In any other scenario, you are completely correct; advancing the child's age would require a ticket purchase.

Even without buying a ticket, I think it would be more trouble than it's worth for the reasons I outlined above.

 

[carmie3377]

That probably doesn't apply to the OP because she has an AP. AP holders can get a special package that does not include tickets. Since they'll be using separate tickets at the gate anyway, the age of the child on the reservation won't affect their ticketing options. The only hitch may come later on, when/if the OP and her family do not have APs and the child's age is wrong in the WDW system.

In any other scenario, you are completely correct; advancing the child's age would require a ticket purchase.

Except for DVC members. We aren't required to purchase a package either to get the DDP so it would work the same way as with an AP.

I'm upping my DS to a 3 YO because he can eat more than his 9 YO sister. I explained my situation to member services and she said it was fine. She actually said that people do it all the time since tickets aren't required for DVC members to buy the DDP.

I know the age issue may come up when he's 9 with the system thinking he's 10. Who knows, if he's still a big eater, I might welcome it if they have him listed as 10 and being able to purchase the adult DDP for him.