Being frugal w/ our DDP

[TheCollumsDoDisney]

Trying to be frugal with our DDP points. I have a little one that will have just turned 3 when we go to Disney World in September. She is a light eater and we normally feed her off our plates now instead of ordering her own.

My question is this: If we have a reservation at Ohana and I don't order her a meal will we still be charged a credit for her? I called WDW DINE and that lady said yes, but friends who have been and done the same say no.

 

[catne]

they will charge the child's credit for her if she is 3 or older...unless your friend's child was under 3, they would have been charged a credit (or cash price) for a 3 year old. Makes no difference how much she does or doesn't eat, that's the way the dining is set up - everyone age 3 & up will be charged at buffets & family-style meals like 'ohana. Age 3-9 is charged as a child, age 10+ is charged full price (or adult credit)

I understand the wish to be frugal, but even if they did allow you to not pay for a 3 yr. old there, what would you do with an extra child's table service credit? You can't get anything but a child's meal with it.

 

[TDC Nala]

The general rule at the all you can eat places like 'Ohana is that everyone age 3 and over will be charged for the meal.

There have been some reports of exceptions being allowed, but these are exceptions, and you cannot guarantee that you'll be allowed an exception as well. These exceptions have also been usually granted when the party intends for the child to eat nothing. Per Disney's rule, only children under 3 are supposed to be eating without paying for the meal at a buffet or all you can eat restaurant.

 

[smiths02]

Agree with PP, if they know that she is 3, she will be charged. They may offer her some more "kid friendly" fare such as chicken tenders and fries or soemthing though.

Maybe your friend's child was 1) under 3, 2) the waiter thought the child was under 3 (but they will know your child's age because it will be on your reservation and you will use your KTTW to pay), or 3) the waiter was kind for some reason when he noticed the child did not eat ANYthing (like the child fell asleep or was sick)--although Disney is still in their right to charge in this case.

You also can't just not order her a meal---the meal comes to you, they have no way to police what she eats.

 

[Cafeen]

As mentioned, any Fixed Price type of meal (Buffet, Family Style, Dinner Event, etc), she can, and more than likely will, be charged whether she eats or not.

At normal TS meals, you only pay for what you order, so in these cases (The Plaza for example), you can skip ordering her a meal and no credit would be deducted for that one.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Agree with the PP. Children 3 and up are charged at buffet and family-style restaurants whether they eat or not. I have heard of occassional exceptions for a child who sleeps through the entire meal, but these are rare. If your DD doesn't like the food at Ohana, they do offer kids' the option of ordering something off the kids' menu from Kona Cafe. But even in that case, the kids are charged the regular Ohana price rather than the Kona kids' meal price.

 

[aubriee]

We took our 3 y/o GS to Ohana where we were there Feb 4th-11th. This kid is very, very tiny (most people think he's barely 2 y/o). He could have easily passed for a small 2 y/o, but he's very verbal. We didn't even consider passing him off as a 2 y/o. He knows his age and lets every one else know it--usually holding up four fingers as he says he's "three". He eats next to nothing though. At every single 'all you can eat meal', we were asked how old he was and we were charged a kid's dining credit (including at Ohana's). I don't think he ate anything there, except a small piece of bread, a couple pieces of broccoli and a few bites of ice cream.

We were on the DxDDP and our room key said DxDDP and 2A 1C. At every single all you can eat restaurant they deducted 2 adult and 1 child's credit. That 1C on our KTTW card showed the waiters that he was registered as a 3 y/o, not a 2 y/o and we were charged accordingly. They couldn't care less how little he ate. I know at 1900 Park Fare all he ate was a bite or two of macaroni and cheese, a few grapes, and a strawberry. The waitress even mentioned how little he ate. He was still charged a kid's credit.