Charge for Char. Meals if DD turns 3 in middle of trip ? ?

[mbzelt]

Hi all !

Question: My daughter is turning 3 years old, 2 days ,after we check in to our WDW Resort hotel. I know she doesn't need a park ticket . But what about character meals ? We are set to celebrate her birthday at CRT for dinner and she's listed on the ressie as 2 years old (as she really doesn't turn 3 until later that night)

2 days later we have ressies for Akershus, do we pay for her then ?

I'm getting different answers here looking through threads and was wondering if anyone knows for sure.

*We can't do the dining plan because our sons are doing the Disney YES program and it requires special park tickets that could not be attached to the DDP.

Thanks in advance

 

[eelkmj01]

You may want to call WDW GS, but I'm pretty sure that b/c she will be 2 at the beginning of your trip, she will be considered that for the length of your stay. That is the way it has worked for us in the past.

 

[mbzelt]

Did you pay OOP? Or were you on the dining plan? This seems to be the difference. I spoke with someone at Disney Dining Res. last week just to confirm all our ADR's (since they've disappeared from the system) She told me we would "probably" have to pay for DD when she turns 3. We have it listed on our reservation that DS is celebrating her 3rd BDay.

 

[JimmyV]

Maybe WDW handles it differently, but if your child is 3 years old when she enters the restaurant and picks up the fork, then she should be charged as a three year old. I think that this is the ethical (and right) thing to do. For example, one of your meals is two days after she turns 3, but occurs in the middle of your trip. Suppose someone else has a child that turned 3 two days before their trip began, and they had a character meal on the day they arrived? Both children would be 3 years and two days old when they entered the restaurant. Why should one pay and the other not?

 

[linzbear]

With dining you pay as soon as they turn 3 for buffets & family style meals. They will likely be eating a decent sized portion, anyway. I would look at it as a break to not have to pay for the first part of your trip!

 

[TDC Nala]

A child is considered whatever age they are on the check-in date. If she is 2 when you check in, she is 2 for the full trip as far as Disney is concerned. That definitely applies to park tickets, you shouldn't have to buy her tickets if she turns 3 during the trip. I can't say for sure if it applies to dining. If you were on the dining plan, she'd be considered 2 unless you registered her as a 3 year old. Ask at the restaurant. It's been pretty much established on the boards that most of the time you cannot trust information given out by WDW-DINE about Disney restaurant policy.

 

[tyandskyesmom]

Either way...if she is 2 when you check in she is 2 for the stay even when celebrating her 3rd birthday!!! for tickets and food...always!

 

[SharonZ]

I think she would still be considered the same age as when you check in if we are talking about room reservations. As far as paying for meals OOP, I believe she would be considered a three year old on her birthday and you would be required to pay for her meal, even if she doesn't turn three "until later that night."

 

[Tasmen]

Thank you for posting this. I had the same question as my DD is turning 3 on the 2nd day we are there too. We will be on the DxDP.

I also planned on CRT for her birthday. I figured we could end up paying OOP for her at some places and maybe not others depending on if I could share food with her or not.

She eats a lot but darn if you don't get a lot of food at some of the TS at WDW.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

when we went to celebrate our son 3rd birthday at Disney, we checked in he was under 3 and 2 days later he turned 3. We were not on a DDP that trip. He was free at all buffets and he got his own drink. We ate at CRT breakfast and he got his own plate of food and a chocolate milk and a sword...we were not charged for him. We went to many buffets and he told them he is 3 yrs old and they gave him cupcakes and cards...he was not charged. We went to Narcoossee's and Chef de France ordered from the kids meal and they did not charged but then I think that was pixie dust to celebrate his birthday.
Hope this helps
We went to the Pirate Princess Party and I wanted to buy ticket for him but they said since he was under 3 when we arrived in Disnye he was free even for the special party.

 

[BriarRosie]

I think she would still be considered the same age as when you check in if we are talking about room reservations. As far as paying for meals OOP, I believe she would be considered a three year old on her birthday and you would be required to pay for her meal, even if she doesn't turn three "until later that night."

Disney doesn't penalize for that, because it would be poor guest service. It's part of the "exceeding expectations" training that cast members go through.

 

[mbzelt]

Hmmm ...more conflicting answers. Thanks for your replies. I called Disney Dining 2X. and got conflicting answers. Guess I'll just wait to see what the servers say. Thanks again for you thughts !

@ JimmyV I wasn't looking for the "un-ethical" answer, just the correct one, according to Disney's policy. Sorry if if sounded like I was trying to somehow cheat the system. I have no problem paying for my daughters meals.

 

[Tricia1972]

Disney has been pretty consistent on this policy of theirs in the past. Though you might celebrate your birthday at Disney, you never age there.

You don't need to buy adult tickets mid-trip for your 9 year old who turns 10 mid-trip.

You don't need to buy park tickets for your 2 year old who turns 3 mid trip.

You don't need to pay the adult room rate for a Junior who turns 18 mid trip.

You don't need to start paying for buffets for infants who turn 3 mid trip.

I think the only time a birthday 'counts' at Disney is when you turn 21, and you CAN drink adult beverages mid trip. (Thanks to the state of Florida)

Booking agents (for rooms) will know the answer more than dining representatives. They deal with the ticket/age issue on a daily basis. Dining agents do nothing at the restaurants, they simply book ADRs and know about ADR availability. They're notoriously bad at conveying ALL restaurant policies.

 

[IndyClown]

Nobody ages while at Disney.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

I can understand the room and even park tickets, so long as you're not buying them after the birthday (one day pass, etc.). But dining? You are the age you are when you enter the restaurant ... Otherwise I'm going to demand free dining for my 17 year old. She was 2 when we started planning these trips AND the first time she visited and she doesn't eat much so I can't see how the rule should apply to us????

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I can understand the room and even park tickets, so long as you're not buying them after the birthday (one day pass, etc.). But dining? You are the age you are when you enter the restaurant ... Otherwise I'm going to demand free dining for my 17 year old. She was 2 when we started planning these trips AND the first time she visited and she doesn't eat much so I can't see how the rule should apply to us????

It is the policy at Disney not to penalize kids for growing up during their trip. If you don't need a ticket, you don't need to pay to eat the buffet.

 

[Tricia1972]

I think it's nice that Disney has one policy regarding aging during a trip. It's confusing enough to plan your vacation that it seems like overkill to remember all of the "What if" and "If then" clauses that you might run into.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Nobody ages while at Disney.

. . . not sure if this is true physically
. . . but, certainly true mentally

Either way . . . if she is 2 when you check in she is 2 for the stay even when celebrating her 3rd birthday!!! for tickets and food . . .

. . . correct
. . . the age at the beginning of the stay is the age throughout the stay
. . . some may disagree, but as PP mentioned, it has always been this way
. . . personally, I think it is a good policy
. . . sure makes things easier
. . . AND, makes you more willing to come back soon

 

[clanmcculloch]

I can understand the room and even park tickets, so long as you're not buying them after the birthday (one day pass, etc.). But dining? You are the age you are when you enter the restaurant ... Otherwise I'm going to demand free dining for my 17 year old. She was 2 when we started planning these trips AND the first time she visited and she doesn't eat much so I can't see how the rule should apply to us????

Wow, this really rubs you the wrong way for some reason. I can't understand why though.

DISNEY decides Disney policy. Disney has consistently told families that their children are treated through their whole trip as the age they are when checking in. This is Disney's policy. Why does it seem to you as though people are cheating somehow when they follow Disney's policy?

Your example is nowhere near the same thing. I know you were trying to make a point with an exageration, but a 17 year old is not starting the trip as a 2 year old. When your 17 year old was 9, if you arrived the day before her 10th birthday then you would have paid children's prices at buffets for your entire trip.

Once again, this is Disney who has made this call, not the people on this thread. There is nothing unethical about following Disney policy and being honest about it. Disney determines their own cutoff ages and how to implement them and people are simply following that. Totally legitimate, ethical and honest.

 

[BriarRosie]

I think it's nice that Disney has one policy regarding aging during a trip. It's confusing enough to plan your vacation that it seems like overkill to remember all of the "What if" and "If then" clauses that you might run into.

It also avoids a potential angry guest confrontation. Disney knows how to manage expectations.