Asking for id for a three year old

[nadinec]

My son will just be turned three when we go to WDW. Do they ask for ID if I try to get him in for free example for a 2 year old.What is WDW policey for checking the age of chlldren I am sure parents must of tried to pass a just turned three year old for a nearly three year old.

 

[Bob P]

Just a warning: be prepared to be flamed for asking this question.

 

[LisaNJ25]

try taking your trip earlier or pay for the ticket.

 

[dadof2]

 

[Familyofsix]

I think the room is getting hot. Where is that fire extingusher?

 

[Texas Rob]

I am new to this board and have enjoyed reading all the posts so far. I am a preacher, but I am not going to take my preaching up on this discussion forum. You ask if they are going to grill you will id? Probably not. How do you make someone prove the age of their child? However, they will probably ask your child how old he is...so be prepared to make your child lie.

On a side note, these types of questions I am sure will draw criticism. Everyone wants to save money, but is it worth the long term consequences? I remember when I was a kid my grandmother took me to eat and she walked out of the restraunt without paying. That was perhaps the most embarressing day of my life. I am sure none of us want to embaress our children or make them lie. But don't let me be the judge of your actions, this is the land of the free!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

I have a really tall kid, who at 2 was taller than some 5 year olds. I was so concerned about the appearance that I was lying about his age that I carried his birth certificate everywhere.

Don't teach your kids that lying is ok as long as it saves you some money.

 

[kribit]

Disney asks you to provide the age of the child when you are travelling. Legally, they could ask so be prepared to pay up if you try to pull one over on them.

 

[myprincessgirlisa]

Be honest about this ...


Its the right thing to do

Its not worth the hassle you might cause on your trip or the annoyance you will cause the people in line behind you.

I did see an episode where an airline would not let a couple get on the plane till they got a fax copy of their kids birth certificate from the hospital...those people were really mad, but lucky for them they werent lieing, but imagine the embarassment if they would have been caught

Id just pay & be honest

 

[CampbellScot]

I'll add a to your

Asking a loaded question like this on your first post? Troll much?

 

[Savanah'sMom]

When is your son's birthday? Is in during the trip? As far as I know, if he is 2 on the day you check in, then Disney will concider him 2 for the duration of your trip. I may be wrong, but that is my understanding. Good lunck and you get no flames here.

 

[SueM in MN]

When is your son's birthday? Is in during the trip? As far as I know, if he is 2 on the day you check in, then Disney will concider him 2 for the duration of your trip.

You are correct about that.

I have seen CMs ask a child how old they are. Most 3 year olds are happy to tell everyone their age.

 

[tjmw2727]

I am not going to get into the should/shouldn't on this.

My experience on 2yo's:

We traveled to WDW with my nephew when he was about 2 1/2 and he was often engaged by a CM with very kind, and polite questions regarding his age. I remember this one clearly: "Hi there prince, are you excited for today, I hear Captain Hook is in the park so be on the look out, he is looking for lost boys today, so how old are you big guy?"

FF two years later with my neice who is a peanut and just under 3 on that trip, even today at almost 4 she wears 2t clothing. Not exact but something like: Hi princess, I hear Cinderella is in the park today - how old are you cutie? My sil said they did that all week, she didn't mind because they were very nice and her kids were not yet 3.

So, that said, WDW policy is that children 3 and over need an admission ticket.

Then, if someone does decide to try and "skirt that" and got into the park without a ticket for a child over 3 then there is the issue of FP's. You need an admission ticket to get a FP. CM's will waive in a child under two without a FP but prepare for perhaps even more questions to you or your child and the possibility that they won't allow you to ride if they think the child is over 3 and you don't all have a FP.

TJ

 

[mom2my3kids]

My son turned 3 while we were there. I had no problems with getting him in for free because he was 2 when we started the trip. I don't see a problem with it as long as he looks his age.

 

[LisaNJ25]

When is your son's birthday? Is in during the trip? As far as I know, if he is 2 on the day you check in, then Disney will concider him 2 for the duration of your trip. I may be wrong, but that is my understanding. Good lunck and you get no flames here.

yes, thats true. My oldest dd turned 3 on out last trip 5 years ago and this summer my youngest daughter will turn 3. i will make sure i bring a cop of her birth certificate just like i did last trip.

 

[all4fun]

I'll add a to your

Asking a loaded question like this on your first post? Troll much?

That's what I was thinking...

My son turned 3 while we were there. I had no problems with getting him in for free because he was 2 when we started the trip. I don't see a problem with it as long as he looks his age.

It is also the policy at WDW if your dc turns from 2 to 3 after the start of your vacation then they are considered to be two for the remainder of the trip. This is only true if the childs birthday falls during the trip. Same goes for if the child turns ten while on the trip: they will be allowed to continue entering the park with a child pass for that trip only. Think of it as a little birthday present.

 

[dunnhorn]

Please don't flame me for what I'm about to say - it is honest, and it is our decision. If it makes you uncomfortable - please don't read...

Our kids birthdays are in September, and we have taken a big December trip every year. As it turned out, at some points in these vacations our kids were 3 and 3 months, respectively, when we went. We did not get them a ticket and we were never asked at all.

First off - why??? We go to Disney about 3 or 4 times a year and all and all I can attest that Disney gets plenty of dough from us. I didn't particularly feel guilty, because the rest of us had annual passes, and the youngest kid (3 years 3 months) really didn't ride anything other than an occasional Small World, Carrousel or watched a parade. Seriously - our kids were not adventurous at that age, so we were actually spending more $$ when you think of counter service costs, souveniers, etc (which we definitely bought.) We will continue to go there multiple times a year for the rest of our lives, so over time that one trip will really come out in the wash. Plus - since we had annual passes, we would have either had to buy a totally new annual pass for the just turned 3 kid (with new expiration dates different from the family) or park hopper that would just sit, because we would be buying a new AP the following year. And really when you buy an annual pass it is not like Disney gets a buck for each time you enter. Anyway, I can justify it all day long - but the bottom line is that either you feel comfortable doing it or you don't. There are certainly excellent arguments for both, so I would say do what is in your comfort zone and what, all things considered, would be reasonable for everyone involved.

That said - if you want to do it, my best advice is to try to keep the kid from talking. Size won't distinguish a 2, 3 or 4 year old necessarily, but verbal ability will. I wasn't the least bit worried when my now 5 year old was 3 years 3 months, because he was sitting in the double stroller next to his sister who was 2 years younger, and therefore he looked younger. However, when she was 3 years 3 months, she could really talk well... plus he was huge so I wasn't quite as confident.

Anyway - remember that 3 is generally the universal age when most kids can tell you how old they are, so if you are worried try to make sure you just go through quickly so CM won't talk to you or child.

However, what we found is - by and large CMs don't care. The wait staff doesn't care at a buffet, because they are looking for a better tip. They aren't going to cross examine you - and for that reason we tipped VERY well if we ever took her to a buffet (she ate like next to nothing.) The front guard folks generally don't care either. Just carry the child in, or put child in a stroller and give them something to eat/drink or a map to look at so they won't talk.

I wouldn't push it past a couple months though.

 

[Hannathy]

And for all the folks who steal by not paying for their 3 yr olds remember this when Disney adjusts the free age to under 2 or even under 1 like Sesame Place. I think Disney is quite generous with 3 yrs of age, but If people keep cheating I see them lowering it soon like they did with the dining age.

 

[Texas Rob]

I am going to cordially disagree with the last poster. Disney is hardly generious with 3 year olds. It is ridiculous to pay for a child who is going to hardly ride any rides, eat very little food and do very much at a theme park. I would like to find out what the free age was when Walt Disney first opened Disneyland. That might change my disagreement.

Again, I cordially disagree, not trying to be a pain.

 

[dunnhorn]

Yes, the fact is that if we were forced to buy a ticket for our just-turned 3 year old, we would have probably waited, and then Disney wouldn't have gotten the money for our ENTIRE trip. So - who lost money -- ?

Anyway - different strokes for different folks. I am comfortable with our decision, but if you are not comfortable with the decision it is easy - don't do it.

There are shows that come to our town and every seat requires a ticket for anyone over the age of 1. The tickets are 40 bucks - we don't go to those either because I'd rather save for Disney.

My guess is that Disney is not going to go bankrupt because the number of "free" 3 year olds taking up floor seats at Playhouse Disney or stroller space in a parade. My kids at that age did no other attractions - if Disney forced us to pay for a 2 year old, well... we probably wouldn't have gone as much as we did.

It is quite another thing to lower the age of the upper end of a childs meal, especially when the DDP is so popular. It just forces more folks to eat counter service, which is the great equalizer. Plus, the price difference is only like five bucks or so - not 45.