Can we PAY for our 2 yo?

[pilferk]

We're planning a trip in Dec of this year.

It'll be 2 adults, 2 children, and one child under 3. We're going to do the Deluxe DDP this trip.

We'd LIKE to pay for our 2 yo, so she gets her own credits to use. We were able to do OK this past visit, sticking to many buffets and family style meals, and sharing our CS meals, but want to branch out to more "real" TS offerings this time. In addition, we want to do the Hoop De doo on credits, and another 2 TS meal at Jiko's.

Has anyone done this before? Will Disney allow it? Do they care?

It won't effect room occupancy limits (we're in a 1 BR at AKV, occupancy is 5, we'll be exactly that if she has to be considered an "occupant"), FYI.

 

[jjohnson]

They don't care if you age your child to 3 to have their own dining credits but you will be required to purchase a TP ticket for them too.

 

[Melissa_E]

Depending on the restaurants and what you expect your child to eat, it may make sense to pay for him/her OOP and share from everyone else's plate.

 

[pilferk]

They don't care if you age your child to 3 to have their own dining credits but you will be required to purchase a TP ticket for them too.

We're DVC members, so luckily that "restriction" doesn't apply to us. We don't have to buy tickets to get the DDP.

 

[pilferk]

Depending on the restaurants and what you expect your child to eat, it may make sense to pay for him/her OOP and share from everyone else's plate.

That's what we did a couple weeks ago...and it worked well.

But the little one is a good eater, and so are her brother and sister. We'd just prefer to be able to let them order their OWN kids meals, rather than try to "stretch" the food.

 

[jjohnson]

Then you can. I always worry though that in the future when they are 9 but Disneys records now show 10 that I'll be hard to change it to the correct age.

 

[septbaby]

Doing that will cost you $20/day will he/she really eat $20 per day? You'll be paying OOP anyway for tips, just pay as you go for the little one too and you won't be restricted to the children's menus either. So you can let the baby eat the kid's item and pay OOP if an older child wants something else.

 

[rdevine10]

Ive been wondering the same thing. We are going during Free Dining and our youngest will be just shy of 3. Im wondering how to go about doing this.....

Right now we have park hoppers for 8 days for the other 3 of us. Can I purchase just a one day base ticket for her? Or do all the tickets have to be the same for our party?

Im wondering if I would have to make us all one day base tickets and then upgrade the rest of us at the parks?



Any insight????

 

[PictureJumpr]

Not 100 percent positive, but from what I remember all people in the same room/party have to have the same tickets. I.e., if three of you have 8-day parkhoppers, the fourth ticket would also have to be an 8-day parkhopper. That is to say, even if you booked all four one-day base tickets, if you went to upgrade then all four would have to be upgraded.

At that point, it probably would make better financial sense to pay for the under-3's meals out of pocket, even if she eats every time you all do she'll only spend $150 at most. And if your family goes to a buffet or a large-portioned TS, and she eats off the others, that figure goes down. Buying her her own kids meals once or maybe twice a day will not be as expensive as the ticketing involved in getting her 'free' dining.

 

[septbaby]

... even if you booked all four one-day base tickets, if you went to upgrade then all four would have to be upgraded.
.

Actually, they can be upgraded individually.

I do agree with you, just buy what extras you want for the 3yo.

 

[n2mm]

Then you can. I always worry though that in the future when they are 9 but Disneys records now show 10 that I'll be hard to change it to the correct age.

Actually that's not an issue. Disney gets the ages wrong all of the time. All you have to do is correct it the next time you call. We've taken our grandson about 20 times and he's an AP holder (he's 13 now). Last year on our reservation they had him listed as 16 (though he thought that was cool), the next reservation he was 13 again. So even if they have it wrong, it's not a big deal to change.

I agree with the OP, as DVC members we do not have the ticket requirement to get the DDP, so I would certainly buy it for the 2 year old.

 

[pilferk]

Doing that will cost you $20/day will he/she really eat $20 per day? You'll be paying OOP anyway for tips, just pay as you go for the little one too and you won't be restricted to the children's menus either. So you can let the baby eat the kid's item and pay OOP if an older child wants something else.

Hmmm....good question. I'll have to work the numbers.

I THINK she will. We planned this last trip so we'd have an "extra" 4 CS credits (basically one meal for the whole party's worth)...so we could then get her her own kids CS meal (Mom would go up, get her food and the food for the 2 kids...then I'd go up and get my food and the food for the baby...worked quite well). She was MUCH happier that way....and she did eat most of it. I mean..the portion sizes on the grapes, carrots, apples, etc aren't that big.

I think (though I won't be sure til I work the numbers) we'd cover the cost for her. It might be close. The kicker is she eats free at buffets if she's under 3, so I can't count those meals, nor can I count Hoop De Doo (also a freebie for her, as an infant). You may be right.....we might not recoup the OOP cost of just buying her meals and I'd have to consider whether the "convenience cost" is worth it. Maybe not.

The flexibility you mention is another thing to consider, though.....I'll have to think about it, and pose the question to my DW.

 

[mom2alix]

It's really not much difference in convenience any more. Since you'll already have a bill for tip, a bill to pay for a child's meal OOP when you need to order one won't be any additional paper. I wouldn't do the DXDP for her, just pay OOP when you want to order her a meal. You should come out ahead in the end, espeically since she's free at buffets. Enjoy that while you can. DS will be 3.5 on this next trip and it's the first time we've had to pay for 2 kids. It really adds up!

 

[MAGGIED]

Not 100 percent positive, but from what I remember all people in the same room/party have to have the same tickets. I.e., if three of you have 8-day parkhoppers, the fourth ticket would also have to be an 8-day parkhopper. That is to say, even if you booked all four one-day base tickets, if you went to upgrade then all four would have to be upgraded..

With the regular MYW plan that includes dining you only have to purchase a ONE day ticket. Then the tickets can be upgraded individually. My DD and I are AP holders and when we travel with my mom (she is not) we all just get the one day ticket and mom upgrades hers to the days she needs.... we save ours an apply it towards our annual pass