Can you buy a child's DDP for a 2 year old?

[JodyTG]

I know that this is probably a weird question, but my 2 year old DS eats a lot and is a very picky eater. Would we be able to buy a child's DDP for him even thought it's not required since he gets in the park free and he could eat free at buffets?

Thank you in advance for any information.

 

[formernyer]

I'm not sure if they would allow this. My guess is that they might permit it if you also bought a 1-day park pass to go with it (since a one-day pass is always required in order to get a DDP).

Honestly, I'd hope that Disney would be smart enough to NOT permit this, since there are a lot of people who would use it as an opportunity to rip off Disney. Most 2-year olds don't need the DDP, but I could see a lot of parents trying to get the plan anyway just so they can get themselves additional "adult" credits for only $10.99/day.

 

[bicker]

Disney is begining to crack down on "phantom guests" so I suppose we cannot know how far the enforcement will spread by the time any of our vacations actually take place.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

It's probably not worth the price since most childrens meals are about $5.99 or less anyway. And as you said he eats off your plate at the buffets anyway. We went last year with DS2.5 and just paid OOP for his meals and it really wasn't that expensive.

 

[JodyTG]

That's what my husband said that we should do. We're DVC members and AP holders, so we won't be buying tickets anyway. I would never use a child credit for an adult meal, so was just looking for ease of use. I consider the Dining Plan more as a prepayment of meals rather than as a money saver anyway (kind of like DVC is a vacation prepayment).

We'll just keep a little more cash on us and pay out of pocket for his meals.

Thanks for your input.

 

[formernyer]

Disney is begining to crack down on "phantom guests" so I suppose we cannot know how far the enforcement will spread by the time any of our vacations actually take place.

I'm not sure how they could do this, short of requiring every guest (including children) to be present at the front desk at the time of check-in. I know when I was there last month my kids were in the gift shop while I checked in and the CR never said a word. I probably could have traveled alone with three phantom guests and they never would have known the difference.

 

[bicker]

Well, of course, they only would do it for free dining plan patrons, and I'm sure that you could rustle up the kids if it was necessary for them to validate your credits. It is a shame, though, that companies have to enforce stuff like this, instead of relying on the integrity of their guests.

 

[DMRick]

Free dining hasn't started yet, so how would you know this " Disney is begining to crack down on "phantom guests""

Well, of course, they only would do it for free dining plan patrons,

 

[bicker]

That's a good point. I wonder why they're checking so closely now.

 

[MinnieM3]

My DB and DSIL are thinking about taking their two kids ages 1 and 2 down during the free dining. They are both really good eaters. If kids under 3 eat free, what would these two eat for free???? Anything they want? Only off their parents' plates?? That doesn't seem free. Just curious and I don't know what to tell them.

 

[bicker]

That's correct: Under three years old always eat off their parents' plates, regardless. Under three years old aren't eligible for their own dining plan credits, even when there is no free dining promotion.

 

[formernyer]

My DB and DSIL are thinking about taking their two kids ages 1 and 2 down during the free dining. They are both really good eaters. If kids under 3 eat free, what would these two eat for free???? Anything they want? Only off their parents' plates?? That doesn't seem free. Just curious and I don't know what to tell them.

Many people who have children under 3 with big appetites tend to stick to buffets since the kids can eat as much as they want at no charge.

 

[Pedler]

That's a good point. I wonder why they're checking so closely now.

I think even without the free part of the dinning plan there is an incentive to make up phantom children. The math isn't quite as simple as it is with the free promo but it still works out especially if you are staying at a DVC resort and don't have to purchase park tickets. $12 per day for an extra set of credits isn't that bad. A couple without kids could make up 2 kids, pay aproximatley $100 per day and eat at 2 CS and one signature meal a day or 1 CS and 2 TS meals and have 4 snack credits. That is a bit of an incentive to have those imaginary kids you have always wanted.

 

[beattyfamily]

My DB and DSIL are thinking about taking their two kids ages 1 and 2 down during the free dining. They are both really good eaters. If kids under 3 eat free, what would these two eat for free???? Anything they want? Only off their parents' plates?? That doesn't seem free. Just curious and I don't know what to tell them.

They are only free at all you can eat, buffet and pre-plated restaurants like Chef Mickeys, Crystal Palace, LTT (dinner only), HDDR, CRT, PSB etc...

If you go to a regular sit down restaurant with a menu, you will pay for whatever you order for them off the menu. For example California Grill, Tony's, Kona Cafe, 50's Prime Time, MM, Brown Derby etc....

You will pay for anything you order for them at a Counter Service restaurant.

 

[lordmadcow]

I have 3 kids one 7 year old and twin girls who are 2. When I booked my vacaction for August I told disney I wanted to change one of the babies ages to 3 and pay for a ticket for her. For us it made sense because her and her sister can share a meal. Other wise I would be buying lunch and dinner for them anyways. With two of them it is getting harder to share off our our plates..LOL So it was cost effective to buy a one day ticket and have free dining for 10 days. But unlike other trips to the world this time we are going to more sit down restaurants to fully enjoy the plan. I think we have one buffet planned and I am paying OOP for it using my Disney Dining Card so we can go to the Hoop De Do Review.

 

[MinnieM3]

They are only free at all you can eat, buffet and pre-plated restaurants like Chef Mickeys, Crystal Palace, LTT (dinner only), HDDR, CRT, PSB etc...

If you go to a regular sit down restaurant with a menu, you will pay for whatever you order for them off the menu. For example California Grill, Tony's, Kona Cafe, 50's Prime Time, MM, Brown Derby etc....

You will pay for anything you order for them at a Counter Service restaurant.

Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[JLS]

We will be in this exact same situation in about 3 weeks. I called DVC and added all of us to the dining plan, including my almost-2 year old because he is a big eater and we aren't really going to buffets. I didn't want to have to order for myself only what he would want so he could share. For $11 its a bargain - we are going to a lot of sit-downs, so I will get him a child's meal and probably many of his own counter service meals as well and we can use his snack credits on extra waters or milks, which we will all share. I told the DVC agent that he was under 3 but asked if I could still purchase the dining plan. No problem, I was told.

But - it is inevitable that this thread would cause yet another round of panic as to whether people were acting immorally or stealing from Disney with their Phantom Children, under age children, or if they used one of the "child" credits for an adult meal at some point during the stay.

 

[KristinU]

I have been thinking about the same thing! We're DVC members, AP holders, and have a DS who will be 4 months shy of three on our next visit. When we eat out we always get him his own kids meal and with snacks he most certainly always wants his own (especially bottled water), plus he just has to have the cute Mickey trays! Like JodyTG said, I'd like to get him the DP also just as a form of pre-payment and to keep it simple. I'm sure it would be a wash as far as the price goes compared with paying for his meals out of pocket.

 

[deelam]

I did it for my 2 year old. He has to have his own everything, so it's less of a hassle for us to put him on the plan. I did need to buy a 1 day park ticket that I can save for later.

 

[mommytomy3]

I'm a DVC member, and when I added the DDP , I was asked if I wanted to put my 2 year old on the plan too. I declined, since he isnt a big eater, but if I had the chance again, I would have...it would have been worth it for the few meals that I did buy him, and definately the snacks!