DDP with a 1.5 year old

[thill]

I've had the dining plan a few times now and have gotten used to have it works best for us; however, I've never had it with a child that is under 2 but eating regular foods. When I go in January my son will be 1.5 so he is free to enter the parks and doesn't count on the DDP but he already is eating regular foods. Has anyone done this before and how did you best handle it? The buffets are easy because we can basically make an extra plate for him no problem. The QS and non-buffet TS though seem like they could be a challenge for him to just eat off of our plates. I know that we can make it work but I thought some advice from people who have done this before would be very helpful.

 

[aaarcher86]

I've had the dining plan a few times now and have gotten used to have it works best for us; however, I've never had it with a child that is under 2 but eating regular foods. When I go in January my son will be 1.5 so he is free to enter the parks and doesn't count on the DDP but he already is eating regular foods. Has anyone done this before and how did you best handle it? The buffets are easy because we can basically make an extra plate for him no problem. The QS and non-buffet TS though seem like they could be a challenge for him to just eat off of our plates. I know that we can make it work but I thought some advice from people who have done this before would be very helpful.

Just order him a kids meal and pay out of pocket for it (or whatever he feels like eating).

It'll be a heck of a lot cheaper to do than the alternative - bumping him up to 3 years old and purchasing the DP/ticket for him.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

We did this as we took our daughter just before she turned three. We found that all buffets serve children under three their own meal at no charge (so there's no issue at all with sharing food or an extra plate).
At the other meals, we either ordered her something OOP (which only happened twice over 9 days of meals), or she shared with us. At QS meals there was usually plenty of extra food, and if not we would use a snack credit to get something extra that we would all share. It all went very smoothly for us.

 

[minushka72]

I've had the dining plan a few times now and have gotten used to have it works best for us; however, I've never had it with a child that is under 2 but eating regular foods. When I go in January my son will be 1.5 so he is free to enter the parks and doesn't count on the DDP but he already is eating regular foods. Has anyone done this before and how did you best handle it? The buffets are easy because we can basically make an extra plate for him no problem. The QS and non-buffet TS though seem like they could be a challenge for him to just eat off of our plates. I know that we can make it work but I thought some advice from people who have done this before would be very helpful.

I believe that if you really want to have the DDP for him, you can book your room and dining plan as a ticketless package listing him as age 3. Then you just need to purchase park admission for the rest of the traveling party either from a 3rd party like Undercover Tourist or purchase them when you get to Disney. You have to call CRO to book this type of package. It cannot be booked online. Of course, this would not qualify for any type of free dining discount (if there is one) since that would require tickets for everyone which is the standard Magic Your Way package.

I personally would just pay OOP for his meals.

 

[Suziannie]

I went last year with a 2 1/2 year old who was eating regular foods. We has a split stay, the first part was Deluxe Dining plan for my husband and I, and then regualar dining plan for my husband and I.

I planned to pay out of pocket for her though.

We were able to get her entire plates at all the buffets we went to (including character meals) and they let us share off our plates PLUS order a side dish for her (usually a veggie) at the table service places we went too for no charge. At every single Table Service meal I fully expected the bill to include her and what she ordered. It never once did!
Even at Ohana they brought her a plate so she could eat what she wanted.

The only drink we were charged for for her was one of the ones that light up. And since we were at Disney she mostly drank Chocolate Milk at meals.

When we were at Goofy's Candy Co using up snack credits they threw in a giant sucker for free for her too.

For the record I was more than fine with paying for anything she ate-but we never once were.

When I booked, the CM said "Vivien is under 3 and therefore truly our guest" and they sure meant it!!

 

[disney-inspired]

I went last year with a 2 1/2 year old who was eating regular foods. We has a split stay, the first part was Deluxe Dining plan for my husband and I, and then regualar dining plan for my husband and I.

I planned to pay out of pocket for her though.

We were able to get her entire plates at all the buffets we went to (including character meals) and they let us share off our plates PLUS order a side dish for her (usually a veggie) at the table service places we went too for no charge. At every single Table Service meal I fully expected the bill to include her and what she ordered. It never once did!
Even at Ohana they brought her a plate so she could eat what she wanted.

The only drink we were charged for for her was one of the ones that light up. And since we were at Disney she mostly drank Chocolate Milk at meals.

When we were at Goofy's Candy Co using up snack credits they threw in a giant sucker for free for her too.

For the record I was more than fine with paying for anything she ate-but we never once were.

When I booked, the CM said "Vivien is under 3 and therefore truly our guest" and they sure meant it!!

Well that is great to know! We are going with my niece who will be 1.5 years old and I'm not sure how much she will be eating at that age. We plan on bringing her own food as we are driving so it's not really a problem for us but it's nice knowing we can freely share off our plates.

 

[thill]

Thank you everyone for your responses. I thought that we would be ok with him eating some off of our plane and some OOP if needed and it sounds like that has worked great for others in the past. We will likely go with that plan and since we are driving we will also bring some snacks and other items as well. If most places are as helpful with young ones as suggested then we will be great. If not, then we will just pay some OOP when needed and still be great. Thanks again for all of the feedback.

 

[smiths02]

We went on the DDP when my son turned 3 on the trip. We had grandparents with us, so we always had enough to share. We were never charged drinks at buffet or AYCE (Ohana). We had 4 adults, so there was always enough food, and he was nearly 3 so he had a more mature tastes.

If you don't think you will have enough food or don't want to order your food to feed the baby (I hated having to order my burgers cooked well done!)...order a kids meal or just order sides and pay for it, it really isn't that expensive. You can get sides of french fries, green beans, mashed potatoes, broccoli, applesauce, etc. at most places QS and TS. Some of the QS places you can get these sides with your meal or as a snack credit.

Maybe consider a grocery order for some snacks and milk.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

If you eat QS at your resort you can use your refillable mugs for your drinks and then stock up on milk or juice etc. for your little one with the drink credits and stick it in your fridge and take along as needed. You can use your snack credits at QS locations to grab another side. We always had plenty of food to share when our boys were under 3 and we experienced some restaurants allowing our son to order a whole kids meal and not charging (that was with our second son since our older son had a kids meal).

 

[davedmaine]

I've had the dining plan a few times now and have gotten used to have it works best for us; however, I've never had it with a child that is under 2 but eating regular foods. When I go in January my son will be 1.5 so he is free to enter the parks and doesn't count on the DDP but he already is eating regular foods. Has anyone done this before and how did you best handle it? The buffets are easy because we can basically make an extra plate for him no problem. The QS and non-buffet TS though seem like they could be a challenge for him to just eat off of our plates. I know that we can make it work but I thought some advice from people who have done this before would be very helpful.

Incredible waste of money to have a 1.5 year old on the Ddp..

 

[disney-inspired]

Incredible waste of money to have a 1.5 year old on the Ddp..

You can't have a 1.5 year old on the DDP unless you lie about their age.

 

[quakechicago]

I've had the dining plan a few times now and have gotten used to have it works best for us; however, I've never had it with a child that is under 2 but eating regular foods. When I go in January my son will be 1.5 so he is free to enter the parks and doesn't count on the DDP but he already is eating regular foods. Has anyone done this before and how did you best handle it? The buffets are easy because we can basically make an extra plate for him no problem. The QS and non-buffet TS though seem like they could be a challenge for him to just eat off of our plates. I know that we can make it work but I thought some advice from people who have done this before would be very helpful.

I was worried about this too and didn't need to be. Our kiddo was a month and a half away from 3 and the CM when I booked the trip said not to worry. No one questioned kiddo having her own plate which I went to get anyway at a buffet and several table service meals even when I told them she wasn't on the plan and offered to pay, they offered her from the kid's menu, brought her food and a drink (apple juice usually) and waved our offer of payment away. Even a manager said it was no problem and their pleasure.

Now we certainly didn't expect it (we expected to be charged and of course tipped generously), but everyone was only super kind. The only meals for her we paid for was at Flame Tree and Columbia House and they were our only non-TS meals. We did deluxe dining plan and our goal was (is for next trip too) to do as many character meals as we could a day. No one was hungry. You should be okay.

 

[Mikie]

I think it will be pretty darn easy to share with the relatively light appetite of a 1.5 year old. We went with each of our 3 kids when they were just a month or so shy of 3 (getting bigger appetites and slightly more sophisticated tastes, but still too young for being on the plan) and still had no troubles. As previous folks have said, at buffets, it works out exactly as if she were on the dining plan herself - get her own plate and drink, no sneaking or shyness necessary! It's what they intend when they tell you under 3 is free. At regular table service/menu places, we were also always prepared to order and pay for a side item or kids meal, but in 3 trips of 7 table service meals each, i bet we maybe paid for a food or beverage once. When I indicated we'd just let the child share with us, CMs often encouraged us to let them order something and never charged for it.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Some of you have been very lucky, I was usually charged if they brought my toddler son something at a TS meal (other than at a buffet or family style).

 

[mom2of2]

those not charged were pixie dusted. It doesn't always happen.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

You can't have a 1.5 year old on the DDP unless you lie about their age.

Actually you can bump up a child if you are willing to pay. Disney is always willing to take more of your money.

 

[thill]

Actually you can bump up a child if you are willing to pay. Disney is always willing to take more of your money.

I'm sure they would let us if we wanted to but I doubt it's worth the effort. We'll just pick up food for him from buffets and for non buffet we'll either let him eat off our plates or get him something small, whether it's OOP or not.