Borderline Birthday

[CRZY4DIS]

I have a boy who is borderline on the 9-10 cusp when we go to Disney in August. He will have been 10 for a month. Do I use the age 9 for tickets and dining plan because there is NO WAY he will eat all the food on a regular plate?

My sister is having the same issue with her 2 to 3 year old. He will have turned 3 a month before the trip.

Any suggestions?

 

[livndisney]

I have a boy who is borderline on the 9-10 cusp when we go to Disney in August. He will have been 10 for a month. Do I use the age 9 for tickets and dining plan because there is NO WAY he will eat all the food on a regular plate?

My sister is having the same issue with her 2 to 3 year old. He will have turned 3 a month before the trip.

Any suggestions?

As I understand it Disney policy is you pay the age at travel. If the child is 10the first day of the trip that is the price you pay. If they turn 3 a month before the trip-you pay for them.

So the only suggestion I have would be to travel before their birthdays.

 

[sk!mom]

I have a boy who is borderline on the 9-10 cusp when we go to Disney in August. He will have been 10 for a month. Do I use the age 9 for tickets and dining plan because there is NO WAY he will eat all the food on a regular plate?

My sister is having the same issue with her 2 to 3 year old. He will have turned 3 a month before the trip.

Any suggestions?

If they turned 10 or 3 a month before, how are they borderline???

I would be honest at all costs rather than teach my child that it's ok to lie if it's beneficial to you in some way. If you or your sister need to save then go a month earlier.

 

[Mom2Nick]

No borderline - if the child is 10 he's 10. Same for the 3 year old.

My oldest is 10 - almost 11. He weighs under 40 lbs, is a child with special needs and will not eat like an adult or do most of the rides. However - he's 10 so I am doing the right thing and paying the appropriate amount as per Disney guidelines for him. Disney is not making me go - it is my choice so I am going to be honest and abide by their rules.

 

[CRZY4DIS]

Thanks for the responses -- Happy New Year --- sorry, cannot travel a month earlier. and though it no fault of yours, i think the dining age should be upped like it was in the past. honesty is best policy, correct. so now I have to justify that my 10 year must eat everything on his plate for $39.99 a day (or of course, not do the dining option at all, which is being considered as i write this). as for the ticket price -- here is a question: how is having an annual pass, a child turning 10 during annual pass and still getting in with child ticket price even though he is 10 fair to non-pass holders?

 

[sk!mom]

Thanks for the responses -- Happy New Year --- sorry, cannot travel a month earlier. and though it no fault of yours, i think the dining age should be upped like it was in the past. honesty is best policy, correct. so now I have to justify that my 10 year must eat everything on his plate for $39.99 a day (or of course, not do the dining option at all, which is being considered as i write this). as for the ticket price -- here is a question: how is having an annual pass, a child turning 10 during annual pass and still getting in with child ticket price even though he is 10 fair to non-pass holders?

Then buy an annual pass now, while he's 9 and you can still use it when he's 10.

Borderline is a child having a birthday during a trip and from all I've read, in that case, Disney lets you go with the younger age. Rules are rules.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Well, the non-pass holders always have the option of buying an annual pass!

For my family, I find the dining plan very not worth it, for just this reason. My older two (11 and 13) don't eat enough to justify the costs. So, we get the TIW card with our annual passes instead, and just order what we want. I prefere the flexibility anyway--order whatever snacks you want, appetizers, skip dessert, whatever. I've been on the platinum plan at Disney a number of times, and I found it hugely wasteful.

BTW, my youngest turns 3 before our next trip to WDW. Guess what--I'm buying him a pass! Probably a 10-day one since we'll be there for 2 weeks. I don't understand why people are always trying to get around Disney's rules. It seems to be such a common "dilemma" these days. If you don't like what Disney charges, you're free to take your money elsewhere.

 

[Missy1961]

Thanks for the responses -- Happy New Year --- sorry, cannot travel a month earlier. and though it no fault of yours, i think the dining age should be upped like it was in the past. honesty is best policy, correct. so now I have to justify that my 10 year must eat everything on his plate for $39.99 a day (or of course, not do the dining option at all, which is being considered as i write this). as for the ticket price -- here is a question: how is having an annual pass, a child turning 10 during annual pass and still getting in with child ticket price even though he is 10 fair to non-pass holders?

Because it is your choice to go to Disney--and those are their rules. But you knew that. "Borderline" to most people would be if the child turned 10 or 3 a week before the trip. In your example, the kids will be 10 & 3 when they get there. Not borderline.

 

[livndisney]

Thanks for the responses -- Happy New Year --- sorry, cannot travel a month earlier. and though it no fault of yours, i think the dining age should be upped like it was in the past. honesty is best policy, correct. so now I have to justify that my 10 year must eat everything on his plate for $39.99 a day (or of course, not do the dining option at all, which is being considered as i write this). as for the ticket price -- here is a question: how is having an annual pass, a child turning 10 during annual pass and still getting in with child ticket price even though he is 10 fair to non-pass holders?

The same as Disney policy for ticket holders. If I buy my childs AP before they turn 10 I pay the childs price. If I buy my child a ticket at the start of my trip and they turn 10 during my trip I pay the childs price.

 

[CRZY4DIS]

Can I ask what a TIW card is? Do you have to have one with an annual pass? Those with annual passes, do you live in Florida where you can go more than once? I do not, I live in the East and we make the trip once every two years, so annual pass would not seem worth it? I don't have a problem with the pricing and I love the dining plan, many do not, I do. There is no need to jump down my case because I asked a simple question -- I haven't done anything wrong. No one has ordered the tickets. I was just posing a question and I thank you all for responses. I am interested in the annual pass but don't think it will fit my scenario and I am really curious about the TIW card? The board is here to answer questions I can't find elsewhere.

 

[monsterkitty]

The same as Disney policy for ticket holders. If I buy my childs AP before they turn 10 I pay the childs price. If I buy my child a ticket at the start of my trip and they turn 10 during my trip I pay the childs price.

I thought the age was for the first day the pass was activated, not when purchased.

In the past when we have taken our nieces and nephews, we have purchased the passes according to the age they will be when we are at WDW. However, in 2007, we had days leftover from park hoppers we purchased when 2 of the kids were 7 and 8. When we got to WDW, we tried to upgrade them to adult passes and pay the difference as they were now considered adults. The CM said they went with the age of the child when the pass was activated, not purchased. They upgraded the 2 tickets for no charge.

Has this policy changed?

 

[livndisney]

I thought the age was for the first day the pass was activated, not when purchased.

In the past when we have taken our nieces and nephews, we have purchased the passes according to the age they will be when we are at WDW. However, in 2007, we had days leftover from park hoppers we purchased when 2 of the kids were 7 and 8. When we got to WDW, we tried to upgrade them to adult passes and pay the difference as they were now considered adults. The CM said they went with the age of the child when the pass was activated, not purchased. They upgraded the 2 tickets for no charge.

Has this policy changed?

It may depend on the type of AP. We are Florida residents with current passes. So when the renew came in the mail it was for the childs rate.

 

[livndisney]

TIW=Tables in Wonderland card. It has nothing to do with park tickets. It a discount card you buy for a discount on dining.

 

[monsterkitty]

It may depend on the type of AP. We are Florida residents with current passes. So when the renew came in the mail it was for the childs rate.

I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. These were for just regular park hoppers, not APs.

Thanks for that info, though!

 

[Brian Noble]

For better or worse, DDP doesn't work for everyone. You may be better off going a la carte if you can't take your trip earlier in the year.

I know how you feel---my eldest is now a Disney Adult. We never get the dining plan, but we are cutting back on the all-you-can-eat meals, and doing other things instead.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Our last WDW trip (October '08) was our last with the Dining Plan. Our DS is now 10 and there is no way I can justify spending $40.00 a day for him to eat when he'll still only eat chicken fingers and fries at all meals.

So from now on, its alacarte for us.

 

[maxiesmom]

I have a boy who is borderline on the 9-10 cusp when we go to Disney in August. He will have been 10 for a month. Do I use the age 9 for tickets and dining plan because there is NO WAY he will eat all the food on a regular plate?

My sister is having the same issue with her 2 to 3 year old. He will have turned 3 a month before the trip.

Any suggestions?

Yes. You pay for the age they are, which is what you should do, and what Disney expects you to do. Sit down and run the numbers on the dining plan. It may be that it is just not cost effective for your family.

 

[mrs.beast]

I have a boy who is borderline on the 9-10 cusp when we go to Disney in August. He will have been 10 for a month. Do I use the age 9 for tickets and dining plan because there is NO WAY he will eat all the food on a regular plate?

My sister is having the same issue with her 2 to 3 year old. He will have turned 3 a month before the trip.

Any suggestions?

suggestion: tell the truth and pay the correct price, also, don't try and rally others behind being deceitful to ease your conscience. he is ten, no if ands or buts about it. If you don't want to pay, don't go.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

TIW is available for purchase if you have an Annual Pass, and I believe if you're a Florida resident. It gives you 20% off most TS meals. OTOH, they automatically add in 18% gratuity regardless of party size.

We currently have AP's, because our trip last year was going to be 12 days. DVC-ers get an AP discount, it made fiscal sense. But then we had to shorten that trip, and add a trip this June. 5 of us still have valid AP's, the little guy turns 3 so we'll buy him a pass. We don't intend to renew the AP's, because after this trip, we aren't going again until 2011.

I really don't care for the dining plans, but if they fit the way you eat, they can be a good savings. After much discussion, we decided to forgo TS meals entirely on this next trip.

Keep in mind, sometimes Disney does "holiday pricing" where they add a few $ pp to the cost of each meal, mostly at the character meals. They apply the entire month of June, despite there being no actual holidays in June. That was the straw that broke the camel's back for the Buzznbelle family. I don't recall that being the case in August, though.

 

[The Disney Bunch]

That is not borderline - he is 10, no ifs ands or buts. So you will need to pay for a 10 year old. Same with the 3 year old. A month over is not borderline.