Disney Dining Plan with a 2 year old!

[Princess_Tanya]

So we've made our reservations and obviously they don't include 2 year olds on the Disney Dining plan. It says that the child can either eat of the parents plate or we can pay OOP for her. My question is what happens at a buffet (like Chef Mickey's). Do we have to pay for the little bit that she eats?
Thank you for the advice!
Tanya

 

[Sparkie]

Children under 3 eat for free at the buffets and free off their parents plates at the other resturants. Most of the time the resturant will throw in the drink for free also..... if it matters, ask if you are being charged for the drink.

We did occasionally order a kids meal for our 2 yo at the sit down resturants. She most liked the places with spaghetti. Or you could ask about just buying a fruit cup or an ice cream for desert.

You will find most of the resturants are very flexible and it never hurts to ask, all they can say is no.

 

[SnipsNSnails]

No, you will not be charged at a buffet or family style and the LO may eat whatever they want. We will have our 2.5 yo in Sept and all but 1 of our TS meals are buffet or family style for partly that reason as he's a big eater and we have a larger party so it's easy to have a large selection. The rest of the time we should do OK as our 4 yo is not as big of an eater so we normally only buy 1 kids meal at a restaurant for them to split anyway. The dining plan gives more than enough food for sharing with a LO. We had no problems when our oldest was 2 sharing.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

We will have our 2.5 yo in Sept and all but 1 of our TS meals are buffet or family style for partly that reason as he's a big eater and we have a larger party so it's easy to have a large selection.

We did the same thing not only for our 2 year old that's a big eater, but also for our 9 year old that likes to eat adult foods but not quite an adult appetite.

 

[3pletprincesses]

Buffets are the best as they can eat all they want and it's free.

 

[Eventer98]

We have never been charged for a drink for our kids under 3 but don't assume, like a PP said, it's true everywhere. We also end up ordering a kids meal for them at the TS that aren't buffets..they run about $8.

 

[smiths02]

We had 4 adults (me, DH, MIL, FIL) and my 2 turning 3 on the trip son...we never had to pay for any drinks. And we never had to order a kids meal even at counter service..of course, like I said he had 4 adult plates to share off of. We chose mostly AYCE (Crystal Palace, H&V-Breakfast, Tusker House breakfast, Boma, Ohana, Chef Mickey). We also did Sci Fi and we bought him a special drink with a Lightning McQueen light, but even there we had plenty of food (when your drink is a milkshake plus you get burger and fries and dessert!). We did OOP at T-Rex and I don't think we ordered him anything there except a specialty drink b/c the portions were HUGE.

 

[dishguy1977]

Just out of curiosity...is it even possible to purchase a dining plan for a 2 year old if you wanted to pay for it? Or would you have to list them as being 3 years old and therefore have to pay for park tickets for them as well??

 

[TDC Nala]

Just out of curiosity...is it even possible to purchase a dining plan for a 2 year old if you wanted to pay for it? Or would you have to list them as being 3 years old and therefore have to pay for park tickets for them as well??

The latter; you'd have to register the child as 3 years old and buy them a park ticket (if you are not a DVC member booking your reservation through DVC Member Services, an annual passholder, or eligible for the military room discount; if you fit these three categories, you still have to register the child as 3 years old but are not required to buy a park ticket in conjunction with your room reservation.)

 

[Eventer98]

Just out of curiosity...is it even possible to purchase a dining plan for a 2 year old if you wanted to pay for it? Or would you have to list them as being 3 years old and therefore have to pay for park tickets for them as well??

Nala's right...I bought my DS the DDP when he was 2...only b/c we are DVC and didn't have to buy the ticket too. It worked out that it was just cheaper (by about $10) to pay OOP for him. The CS meals are only $5 and we only had one TS that wasn't a buffet. You add that with the snacks and it was almost break even for 8 nights.

 

[dishguy1977]

Nala's right...I bought my DS the DDP when he was 2...only b/c we are DVC and didn't have to buy the ticket too. It worked out that it was just cheaper (by about $10) to pay OOP for him. The CS meals are only $5 and we only had one TS that wasn't a buffet. You add that with the snacks and it was almost break even for 8 nights.

Yeah, I obviously wouldn't do it regardless as I'd have to buy him a park ticket but when I was doing the math it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense anyway. We've got a few buffets booked as well and I've got a 5 year old and 7 year old who will be getting kids meals and I think they will be able to share the 2 meals between the 3 of them most of the time with maybe a few OOP extra meals or even just adding extra sides when needed.

 

[Eventer98]

Yeah, I obviously wouldn't do it regardless as I'd have to buy him a park ticket but when I was doing the math it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense anyway. We've got a few buffets booked as well and I've got a 5 year old and 7 year old who will be getting kids meals and I think they will be able to share the 2 meals between the 3 of them most of the time with maybe a few OOP extra meals or even just adding extra sides when needed.

I think it would only make sense if you obviously didn't have to buy the park ticket but also if you were doing a lot of TS that WEREN'T buffets and your child was a big eater...like mine is.

 

[dishguy1977]

I think it would only make sense if you obviously didn't have to buy the park ticket but also if you were doing a lot of TS that WEREN'T buffets and your child was a big eater...like mine is.

It is too bad that Disney doesn't offer the option. It's great that under 3 don't have to pay for park passes but that shouldn't stop you from being able to pay for the dining plan if you so wish. Unless passes somehow subsidize the cost of the dining plan?? I wouldn't think so but who knows.

Normally my little guy isn't much of an eater, in fact, my wife and I often joke about whether or not it is an "eating day" at meals as it seems he only wants to eat every other day!! However, he was sick with the flu last week and wasn't eating much and since he's been better he's been eating non stop which is why we started thinking about adding the dining plan for our trip in 2 weeks!