DDP and buffet question

[DISNEYLOVER70]

My son will turn 10 a month after we get back from Disney. He is a steak lover and I am wondering if it would be wise for me to call my AAA agent and see if I can convert his park passes and dining to an adult and pay the full shot for him so he can enjoy his dinners like the rest of us ( my daughter is 13) I realize I am paying more for his park tickets as well as his dining plan, but I am not sure how much that would come to. Also, we have 4 nights of ADR's at buffets :
1. Cinderellas Gala Feast
2. Crystal Palace
3. Hollywood and Vine
4. Chef Mickey's

Can he eat anything on the buffet if he has a child credit or does he strictly have to stay at the childs buffet section?

The other nights we are eating at:

Le Cellier
Whispering Canyon Cafe
50's Primetime Cafe

I could just purchase his meal at those. So much to think about! Unfortunatley, my AAA agent isn't the friendliest and I get the feeling I am bothering her each time I call. So if anyone has any ideas or suggestions I would appreciate it. I don't even know if it is "legal" to say he is older than he really is. I am not cheating Disney out of anything, I am paying more for his food and park passes so it shouldn't be a problem I would think.

TIA

 

[emmad1973]

Hi,
we ate at the Crystal Palace and they could have what they wanted - this was also the case at Donald's Breakfastauraus in AK - I am not sure about the other places. If he is a good eater I would deifinately upgrade as the kid's menu's are very similar and to be honest a bit boring after a couple of meals.

 

[BrerMama]

He can eat whatever he'd like off the buffet. In your situation, I think I'd just keep him on the child's plan. If he wants something additional, or a different meal at one of your 3 TS with menus, pay OOP for it. It would be cheaper than upgrading his plan.

 

[hdmichael]

Your son can eat anything at those buffets, including the adult offerings. Le Cellier does have a steak on the kid's menu, and my son liked it. And you can get a kid's skillet at WCC. For the difference in the ticket price, etc., I think you would be better paying OOP for 50s primetime, rather than pay for him as an adult.

 

[DisneyKidds]

You may be able to just change your son to an adult for the dining plan without having to change him to adult tickets. Make your lazy travel agent look into that for you. Remember...he works for you, so bother him all you want or need to.

That said, have you looked at the menus? Wispering Canyon has more of an extensive children's menu than most places and it includes the all you can eat skillet of various meats and veggies......very good. No steak on the kids menu here. At Le Cellier, however, they do have a 6 oz steak on the kids menu, so unless he is particular about his cut of meat you may be ok here. That just leaves you with 50's Prime Time having a sub par kids menu. Perhaps just paying out of pocket for an adult meal here would be better than paying for him as an adult for the plan.

Of course, if you think your son won't be satisfied by the child meals at CS locations that's another reason to upgrade him on the plan.

 

[LindyN]

Do the buffets... the kids gets what he wants.

If you do a TS restaurant then just order him something if he's still hungry, or get something that you can offload to his place. Disney computer systems won't do a selective upgrade--you will need to age him up, which will backfire in the future because Disney computers remember you for future trips. (I'm a TA and do this kind of stuff all day).

Your bigger problem will be at the CS locations, but to be honest with you I'm the one who eats the kids CS meals while I give my adult meal to my hungry son. I'm pretty happy with the kids Uncrustables with applesauce and grapes or the grilled chicken salad.

HTH

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

Thanks, you guys made a lot of good points.

I think I will "bother" my AAA agent and have her check on it for me. I like the idea of leaving it alone and paying OOP for a meal or two if necessary. But then that leaves the CS options......... I will check it out with my AAA rep and let you know how I make out.

None of you mentioned it being dishonest saying he was 10 a month before he actually is.........so you all think Disney would be OK with that?

 

[DISNEYLOVER70]

Do the buffets... the kids gets what he wants.

you will need to age him up, which will backfire in the future because Disney computers remember you for future trips. (I'm a TA and do this kind of stuff all day).

I am only aging him up one month, so in the 'future', one month after we get back from Disney, he will be an adult with Disney anyways.

Your bigger problem will be at the CS locations, but to be honest with you I'm the one who eats the kids CS meals while I give my adult meal to my hungry son. I'm pretty happy with the kids Uncrustables with applesauce and grapes or the grilled chicken salad.

I don't do any salads so I don't think that is an option.
HTH

THank you for the advise. We have 4 buffets and if LeCellier has a childs steak and WCC has a childs skillet, we should be in pretty good shape. Like you said though, the CS is where the problem will arise.

 

[patsal]

Sounds to me like you have your plan now, but I'd just like to say that withthe places you have chosen it makes sense to purchase the kids meal plan. Le Cellier has good food choices on the kids plan, WCC has a kids skillet, and 50's may be your only issue though I think they have a kids version of some of the foods. CS you can always just purchase an entree a la carte OOP. It will still be far less than the difference in park ticket and the difference in A vs. C DDP. When my DD was 9 we did this and I paid for a hot dog, some chicken planks, and a cheeseburger. She was able to find something at the TS that she liked. It isn't so much the fudge now, but the computer will have your child turning 18 sooner than you'd like if you return--then you'd have some straightening out to do later.

 

[LindyN]

Thanks, you guys made a lot of good points.



None of you mentioned it being dishonest saying he was 10 a month before he actually is.........so you all think Disney would be OK with that?

Disney is happy to take more money from you, but when you age him up on the package you're ageing him up for the tickets.

Your TA also will be getting a commission on your ageing up... is that person earning it? The TA should be earning his/her money through service- you shouldn't have to research this or call Disney for info.

JMO--I'm a full time TA and feel pretty strongly that this is a service job and I'm here to work for my guests.

 

[clutter]

I'm upgrading my daughter, but we're at DVC, so it's only the meal plan. Technically, we'll be 2A 2C, and we're doing 2 buffets (of 5 TS). I thought about only paying the difference on those few meals, but then there is the CS problem. So I went ahead and upgraded her for the meal plan. It's just easier to do it and not worry about whether it's costing a little more or not.

And they're not aging her in the computer, I was still able to buy 2A 2C tickets for the Pirate/Princess party. They're just noting that I opted to age her for meals.

 

[cmwade77]

Thanks, you guys made a lot of good points.

I think I will "bother" my AAA agent and have her check on it for me. I like the idea of leaving it alone and paying OOP for a meal or two if necessary. But then that leaves the CS options......... I will check it out with my AAA rep and let you know how I make out.

None of you mentioned it being dishonest saying he was 10 a month before he actually is.........so you all think Disney would be OK with that?

Of course they would be ok with it, you are giving them more money, it's when you want him to still count as a child after he is 10 that they will have a problem with it. ;-)

 

[mary174]

Disney Dining Plan price for Adults $28 more than for kids. Just buy your son anything else he wants at the counter service places and you will still be saving more money than by upgrading his age. This doesn't even consider park tickets.