I've heard (rare) reports that some places and/or cast member literally enforce the "eat off of a parent's plate" policy, but most people have no problem preparing a plate for their sub-3-year-olds. (DS3 did just fine a few years back at Hollywood & Vine -- pretty much the only meal he ate all trip!)
At buffets children under 3 are not charged for food.You may or may not be charged for a beverage.At a la carte menu restaurants, they can eat off your plate for free but if you order something off the menu, you will be charged.
Yup, under 3 is free at buffets. Also, when we ate at table meals when our kids were under 3, they just shared our meals or else we brought their baby food (depending on age, of course). Counter service meals -- same thing. They shared our food or else we brought our baby food along. Trips were a lot cheaper back then!
We've never been told we couldn't give our DD her own plate at a buffet when she was under 3! How weird! At 2, she mostly just ate a few pieces of fruit and some bread and yogurt -- it would have been awful if we were charged the high buffet prices for her.
Yes, your under-3 child is free at the buffets as well as at the pre-plated "family-style" restaurants like LTT, 'Ohanas, CRT breakfast, and Whispering Canyon Cafe.