Does a 3 year old really need a ticket?

[wdwfan16]

We purchased Annual Passes for me, DH and our 7 year old son for our trip last December. DD was only 2 at the time so she didn't need a ticket. We are planning on going back in October but DD will be 3 at the time. Will the cast members at the entrance ask her age or for proof of her age? I'd like to not have to buy a ticket for her until our passes come up for renewal in December...

She is 3 so she needs a ticket. I have seen CM ask the kid their age. Get her a ticket that is just enough to cover this trip and then next visit get all four of you APs.

 

[wdwfan16]

Cheshire Figment has told stories of parents trying to sneak in their kid into TL and having security called.

Granted it was something like an embarrassed 5 year old stuffed into a stroller with a teddy bear and a pacifier.

 

[pixarmom]

We are DVC annual pass holders and purchased our renewals in December, when our boys were only 2. As twins they are on the smaller side, and I KNOW that CM's would never question how old they are... BUT

We are going again next weekend, and we purchased them tickets which we will upgrade to annual passes once we arrive. They are 3. I know they are 3, they know they are 3.... and I know the rules say "3 and over" must pay entry. Is it inconvenient to have our children's anniversary date for their passes not match ours? Yes you bet... but doing what's right vs. a minor inconvenience for a year is worth it for us. (We wont renew their passes until December 2011, when we would all match up again).

You do what's right for you and your family... I like to teach my children to respect others and themselves by being truthful, and that's worth more than the $600 it costs to get their passes now that they are 3.

Absolutely, completely agree! Our pre-schooler has an AP, given how much each of our three boys have enjoyed WDW at age 3, I think it's entirely reasonable for Disney to charge for 3-year-olds.

And Sueellen, really happy to see you posting! Yay!

 

[Ryansdad0727]

Hi,
We had the same situation. We bought into the DVC and upgraded our tickets to annual passes.Our daughter didn't have a ticket since she was 2. This was Aug. Her birthday was Nov. Our son was 9 when we got the tickets, but 10 yrs 3 wks after we got the passes. The cast member we spoke to told us that we didn't need to upgrade our son's child ticket to an adult also our daughter was "OK" because families like to have passes that need to be renewed together. We went twice while our daughter was 3 and our son was 10--we did go to guest relations AGAIN to upgrade our son's ticket to an adult and to discuss our daughter's situation. We were told, "Have a Magical Day!" We did!
Deanna
ps I was worried. I would have been upset if we would have had a problem because I would have had to buy tickets that were much more expensive than the passes we had with the dvc discount.

OP, do what this person did. Be prepared to buy a ticket but go to guest services and explain that you want to wait until Dec so that all of your AP's will be together and then ask if she will need a ticket. Be honest with them and they may let you go ahead and enter the park. Often times Disney understands these things and if they say it's ok then it's ok.

 

[TDC Nala]

Disney's rules are: ages 3-9 buy a child's ticket. So yes, your three year old needs a child's ticket.

 

[maxiesmom]

OP, do what this person did. Be prepared to buy a ticket but go to guest services and explain that you want to wait until Dec so that all of your AP's will be together and then ask if she will need a ticket. Be honest with them and they may let you go ahead and enter the park. Often times Disney understands these things and if they say it's ok then it's ok.

But wouldn't you have to do that every time you wanted to go in a park? That would seem like a huge hassle, and then to sit there, hoping the CM tells you ok each time. Too much hassle and too much anxiety.

 

[Tara922c]

Yes the 3 year old is supposed to have a ticket, is Disney going to question you? they might. Are they going to require proof, only if the child looks way over 3.

I just wanted to add for all the people out there who think they can look at a kid and tell their age, you can't. Some kids are big for their age, and some are small for their age. Example. My cousin has always been very tall for her age, and when I say tall, not the 95th percentile, she was off the charts. At 2, she wore a size 6X, (because she needed the extra legnth), and was over a head taller than all the other kids in her daycare. I remember picking her up from school when she was in kindergarden. They would be walking in line, and they next kid would be at her shoulders. Once I took her somewhere, and 13 and over was a certain price, and under 13 was a certain price. She was 8. The lady selling the tickets argued with me, and my cousin cried the whole time because she was so embarrassed. Afterthat, I just paid more to spare my cousin tears.

I am the opposite, my mom had to convince people that I was really 3! DD is the same way.

Point, you can judge someone on how big they are. Some 2 year olds are the size of 5 year olds, and in that case, bring the kids b/c.

 

[BlondeAlligator]

OP, do what this person did. Be prepared to buy a ticket but go to guest services and explain that you want to wait until Dec so that all of your AP's will be together and then ask if she will need a ticket. Be honest with them and they may let you go ahead and enter the park. Often times Disney understands these things and if they say it's ok then it's ok.

I disagree...the problem here is that what one CM says is OK might not be OK with another CM, and since it's not like they'd be issuing a ticket you might have to go through this several times at the different parks.

I think you just need to buy a ticket for the 3yo...Disney clearly states the policy & if they bent the rules for one, they'd have to bend it for everyone and what a nightmare that would be! It can't and shouldn't be decided on a case by case basis...

 

[dzorn]

I'm not going to get into whether its "right" to do this or not (because I would just buy a ticket IMO), but I will share this:

When we went 1.5 yrs ago, our DD was 2yrs and 10 months old. She is very big for her age (always in the 90 percentile at doc's office). We took her birth certificate with us just in case we were questioned, but we never were.

I guess it might depend on how old your child looks, whether or not they would question.

It really depends on how honest you are not how your child looks.

Denise in MI

 

[maxiesmom]

It really depends on how honest you are not how your child looks.

Denise in MI

And honestly, I wish Disney would just say that if you are getting in your child for free, then you need to have some sort of ID that proves it. Think of all the confusion and debate that would stop!

 

[r&kmommy]

I have Michael.... Oh.... that's a WHOLE "nother" thread.... oops!

 

[Robo]

Still debating?

 

[ses1230]

We purchased Annual Passes for me, DH and our 7 year old son for our trip last December. DD was only 2 at the time so she didn't need a ticket. We are planning on going back in October but DD will be 3 at the time. Will the cast members at the entrance ask her age or for proof of her age? I'd like to not have to buy a ticket for her until our passes come up for renewal in December...

Id like to know the answer to this as well...

The answer is a 3 year old needs a ticket. It's Disney's rule and you obviously knew that before you posted.

 

[tinka-belle]

Please don't set yourself up for embarrassment each time you enter a park or retaurant. Once I was seated near a famiy when a CM asked the little "princess" how old she was in case she needed a child meal or just a plate to share. The little darling loudly asked accross the table "mommy, how old am I here?"

 

[Maggie'sMom]

That being said, ticket prices for a 3 year old are ridiculous. Most 3 year olds will not be able to remember everything they did and can't ride many of the rides due to height requirements so I do feel that a child of that age should pay a lot less or get in free.

But there are relatively few rides a 3 year old can't go on. The majority of rides have no height restrictions. And while a 3 year old won't remember everything they did later, they will certainly enjoy it while they are there. Should I get a discount because I won't remember everything I did on my last trip? My memory isn't what it used to be so I guess I'll just ask WDW if I can get in free on my next trip. Think they'll buy it?

 

[Skylarr29]

Yes, you need to buy a ticket. Not doing so is theft no matter how you want to look at it.

 

[melly]

we went two months after DD turned three. it never crossed my mind to NOT buy her a ticket. she was three. she needed a ticket.

bravo for you....your so much better than the OP. I might make you a sticker to prove it. Give yourself a pat on the back.

 

[melly]

To the OP- If you do not purchase a ticket for a three year old and attempt to enter the parks by lying that constitutes fraud against Disney. .

Im sure they can roll with the cost of that.

 

[melly]

We purchased Annual Passes for me, DH and our 7 year old son for our trip last December. DD was only 2 at the time so she didn't need a ticket. We are planning on going back in October but DD will be 3 at the time. Will the cast members at the entrance ask her age or for proof of her age? I'd like to not have to buy a ticket for her until our passes come up for renewal in December...

pay no attention to all the do gooders here. Just practice getting your kid to say she's 2 and waltz her in there. When your in there claim its her birthday and that she's only just 2 so that you get a few treats then pop out the wheel chair and roll her to the front of all the lines. Worked for me in the past.

 

[BrettS]

Im sure they can roll with the cost of that.

Indeed they can... by raising the cost of tickets for the rest of us who do pay.