Dining Plan for 2 year old?

[kgeerts]

Okay, so I'm VERY new to this whole Disney thing!!! We will be a family of 4 including 2 adults and two children ages 4 and 2. Now, as I understand, anyone under 3 years old get free admission into the park. But, the dinning plan is for kids 3 and older...so what do I do about the 2 year old? When we make reservations for a sit down meal do they just assume that we only have 3 people or do they ask how many will be dining? Do I pay for my 2 year old to eat? My oldest eats hardly anything, and from what I've heard the kids portions are huge...so they could probably just share a meal...is that "legal"!!! Help!!!!

Kristin

 

[sandym718]

Totally legal and that's what we did!! You can choose - either pay out of pocket to buy a meal for your 2 year old, or let him/her share with all of you or just your oldest. Ours were 4 and 2 (almost 5 and 3) when we went in the spring. They both eat like birds, so sharing one kids meal was PLENTY for both of them. At all the table services we ate at, they even gave DD her own chocolate milk free of charge (we planned to pay OOP for those). They usually got some sort of pasta dish and they would bring an extra plate for me to split it, no problem. Dont' think they ever finished a kids meal (except dessert, which we also split!)

AT counter service, most kids meals were an entree (chicken nuggets, burger, etc.) plus 2 sides - we got applesauce and grapes + dessert. They split the entree, each took a side - 1 likes each, and then split the dessert. I'd usually just scoop half of the dessert into the lid to share it. They'd also just share the drink (I'd pour half into cups we had) or one would just drink the water we brought in. They did finish the CS meals, but it was still plenty. You also have snack credits, so you could order something with one of those to supplement if needed.

Also keep in mind that at any buffets/all-you-can eat family styles, your 2 year old gets their own plate and can have whatever they want, no charge.

Hope this helps!

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you order anything for your youngest, you will pay for it. If you eat at any buffet, you can fill a plate for free for the youngest.

 

[danielle782001]

We have been three times with a two year old. Once we did not pay for him to be on the plan. He shared with us or his brother or we bought for him. Second and third time we purchased the plan for him even though he was under three. Let me explain why.... He always wanted his own food- meaning a kids counter meal is often served in a fun way (in Mickey Ears or sand bucket). He always wanted his own dessert. He has an idea (even at two) of whayt he likes and does not like. It OFTEN differs from his brother. I got stuck choosing every meal based on what he would enjoy sharing with me. I got upset with that because I could not always order what I would really enjoy. It is cheaper to buy the plan instead of purchasing all of the extras he wanted out of pocket.

Now, kids are listed as a their own dining count. When you go to a buffet he is free. So we did end up with a couple of extra kids sit-down meals. We used the extras to pay for their last meal on the last day. We paid for ourselves out-of-pocket for the last sit-down.

It worked for us buying him the plan.... even though he was "free".

 

[Deb & Bill]

So, if you buy the plan for a 2 yr old, are you also required to purchase a ticket for them as well???

 

[Elmo888]

We took DD6 and DD2, and I didn't buy anything for DD2. We brought snacks (goldfish, raisins, nuts) and bought large milks from the resort store using snack credits (if you are in a deluxe, mod, or DVC, you will have a fridge for the milk). As others stated, they are free at buffets. At sit-down TS places, I shared or DD6 shared with DD2. Or DD2 just ate bread and raisins and drank milk! I had DD6 share with the promise of sharing my dessert with her (big incentive). It was easy to share at CS places, too. There was just so much food that, even though DD6 is a big eater, she still had plenty even if she shared with DD2. At some CS places, DD6 would get a huge milk, so I would pour some in the disposable sippy cups that we brought for DD2.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

So, if you buy the plan for a 2 yr old, are you also required to purchase a ticket for them as well???

I believe everyone on the DDP must also purchase a ticket, BUT you will not have to use it this trip. As long as the ticket is not activated it will not expire so it can be used at another time.

 

[danielle782001]

So, if you buy the plan for a 2 yr old, are you also required to purchase a ticket for them as well???

It depends. If you are purchasing the package you will need to purchase a ticket.

We did NOT have to purchase our son a ticket because we did not get the package. We are DVC members... So we only had to pay for dining.

 

[dunbarfamily]

You already have lots of great advice here, and I don't have much to add besides that the kids portions seem average to me, not "huge" or "big" like many people say. But I'm in the minority with that opinion. Guess we're just big eaters or something!

Have a super trip to the Motherland!