Dining plan with a 2 year old

[kappa]

Ok, so for our daughters' birthdays we are going to Disney!!! They will both have their birthday while we are on our trip (!!!!), and we think they are going to have a blast =) My confusion is this: My daughters are currently 2 and 6. They will both turn 3 and 7 while we are traveling. My travel agent has told us that we will not pay for anything for our 2 year old even though she will be turning 3. I have googled, it makes sense. Happy Birthday to her! However, we plan on doing the dining plan, and here is where I get REALLY confused. She will be 3 for most of the trip.

We are doing the dining plan again, and we want to do Cinderella's castle (again). When we went and our youngest was an infant, I kind of remember them just giving her a wand and place setting at Cinderella's castle and we didn't pay for it on the dining plan since she was a baby. How will this work this time around as she is older? She doesn't eat much and in general, eating off our plate is easy- to be honest, our 6 year old doesn't even eat her kids meal. However, at Cinderella's castle, I want it to be special for both of them! Even a 2 turning 3 year old knows when they are getting left out! She will also want a wand. Should we purchase her a meal separately (or can we just use some of our unused dining credits to get her a meal-- that would be the best scenario as we always have some leftover!), in order to make sure she gets a wand and special attention or will they give her a wand and allow her to eat off our plate? I just want to do whatever is "normal" and appropriate for a child her age.

Also, when we book reservations, do we include her in the number and say a family of 4 or do we just say reservations for 3 people and treat it like a fast pass? Also, I assume she can wear the birthday button from the time she turns 3 until the trip ends? Will this cause us a problem when we are dining and with our fast passes? I'm glad for the $ savings, but don't want any issues to arise. It's almost making the planning more stressful.

TIA!!! Can't wait!!! I tried to find my exact question online and asked our travel agent, but I couldn't really get a straight answer... it's just the "eat of your plate" response.

 

[Faldred]

Under 3 is included for free. My 2yos were treated as full paying guests when I did it in 2009. And ALWAYS include the infants (0-2) in the reservation count.

 

[kappa]

Thanks for the fast reply. So she will get a wand even if she eats off our plate?

 

[Faldred]

Yes, assuming things haven't changed.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Whatever age she is when you arrive for your vacation is the age she will be treated as for the entity of the trip.
She will not need park tickets or a dining plan.
She will still be able to eat off your plate and gets her own plate at buffets at no charge to you.
Wearing the button is fine.
You must include everyone in the dining reservation for capacity and fire code reasons.

 

[lovethesun12]

I went in April and my 1 (almost 2) year old got a wand. I can't remember for sure she had a meal but I think she did. We had breakfast and she was too busy trying the pastries to worry about a meal

 

[HeidiGW]

When my son was a toddler, at CRT they gave him whatever it was they were passing out then AND brought him a bowl of buttered noodles--his favorite thing--without me asking.

 

[Pluginbaby]

This thread has been very useful to me.

We will be taking our (at that point) 16 month old daughter with us next year, and are on the DDP. I was lost how it works with reservations, as she obviously isn't on the DDP so when it came to booking tables was unsure if we would book for four or five (one set of grandparents going too ). It makes perfect sense really, as one of the replies above states around fire safety, something so obvious but it hadn't occurred to me!

Do I have my understanding right then on the actual food options for infants though. As I get it, I will be booking for four adults for each table service meal, when it is a buffet meal I will be able to plate up food for her, but when it is a menu based meal we would provide food from our plate (or take alternative food options in with us? Is that allowed too?). Is that roughly correct?

Thanks

 

[Faldred]

This thread has been very useful to me.

We will be taking our (at that point) 16 month old daughter with us next year, and are on the DDP. I was lost how it works with reservations, as she obviously isn't on the DDP so when it came to booking tables was unsure if we would book for four or five (one set of grandparents going too ). It makes perfect sense really, as one of the replies above states around fire safety, something so obvious but it hadn't occurred to me!

Do I have my understanding right then on the actual food options for infants though. As I get it, I will be booking for four adults for each table service meal, when it is a buffet meal I will be able to plate up food for her, but when it is a menu based meal we would provide food from our plate (or take alternative food options in with us? Is that allowed too?). Is that roughly correct?

Thanks

That is more than roughly, it's pretty much exactly correct.

 

[kappa]

I went in April and my 1 (almost 2) year old got a wand. I can't remember for sure she had a meal but I think she did. We had breakfast and she was too busy trying the pastries to worry about a meal

Thanks for this! I thought I remembered that when we went last time, but I have (or I should say haven't ) slept since then.

 

[kappa]

This thread has been very useful to me.

We will be taking our (at that point) 16 month old daughter with us next year, and are on the DDP. I was lost how it works with reservations, as she obviously isn't on the DDP so when it came to booking tables was unsure if we would book for four or five (one set of grandparents going too ). It makes perfect sense really, as one of the replies above states around fire safety, something so obvious but it hadn't occurred to me!

Do I have my understanding right then on the actual food options for infants though. As I get it, I will be booking for four adults for each table service meal, when it is a buffet meal I will be able to plate up food for her, but when it is a menu based meal we would provide food from our plate (or take alternative food options in with us? Is that allowed too?). Is that roughly correct?

Thanks

Yes! I think you are correct. When we went last time, our youngest was an infant, and at buffets she was given a plate (she didn't use), and at table service we just gave her squeeze packs we brought from the hotel.