Does Disney keep track of kids ages?

[Laurajean1014]

Be honest and you won't have to worry - besides you will have more options.

 

[justplaingoofy]

I know I am a little off topic.... too bad Disney does not offer a "junior" in the ticket & dining plans....

 

[Minnie824]

Honestly, I think it depends on the CM you talk to. I booked our last years trip 1.5 yrs in advance. My DD was 2, 2nd DD wasn't born. I gave them age at time of the trip, I gave them birthday. After 2nd DD was born, called and gave her name, her bday. They still had my older DD (4 at time of trip) listed as a 2 year old on our reservation. This took over an hour to correct at check in time. I had given the age at the time, and even so, they had her bday and the CM making the reservation still messed it up. I personally wouldn't lie about the age, but I don't think that every CM would notice if you did.

 

[minnie61650]

Does Disney keep track of the kids ages? Heres why I want to know, we went to Disney last year and my daughter was nine, it turns out where going again this year but I would hate to get her adult dining, she just doesn't eat! Would it be possible to say she's nine again? We're booking thru AAA but I wonder if it would come up that we said she was nine last year.

The dining plan is a great option for some families.
But it is not a value for all.
If you feel your families needs are different than perhaps the plan is not a good choice for you.

From this sticky:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1189367

Here is a basic summary of the plan:

Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining

The Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining enhancement provides two meals and one snack at participating Disney restaurants.

The Magic Your Way Package Plus Dining includes:

• Accommodations at a Disney Resort
• Magic Your Way Base ticket
• Disney Dining Plan

Choose from over 100 participating Disney restaurants. For each night of the package you receive:

1 Table-Service meal including appetizer, entrée, dessert, non-alcoholic beverage and/or gratuity/service charge
1 Counter Service meal including entrée and non-alcoholic beverage
1 Snack, such as snack-cart ice cream, popcorn or a non-alcoholic beverage
Children ages 3-9 must choose from children’s menu if available

Meal options are flexible and can be used in a variety of combinations, including:

using multiple meal options in any one day
exchanging one table-service meal for one character dining experience
exchanging two table-service meals for one meal at a dinner show or at a signature restaurant such as the California Grill.

1 Table-Service meal can be exchanged for 1 Character Dining Experience.
2 Table-Service meals may also be exchanged for either 1 Signature Dining Experience at one of Disney’s finer restaurants or for 1 Disney Dinner Show, such as Hoop-De-Doo Musical Review.

Everyone in the room must be on the same package and ticket options.

The Disney Dining Plan may not be added to a reservation at resort check-in, nor can you upgrade to the Disney Dining Plan when you arrive at the resort.

The Disney Dining Plan may not be sold separately, transferred, refunded or redeemed for cash in whole or in part. Theme Park admission is required for some dining locations. Some locations may require Advance Dining Reservations. Operating hours, menus, entertainment, characters, participating locations, components and terms are subject to change without notice.

The offerings on the Disney Dining Plan are redeemed as listed and cannot be renegotiated at time of fulfillment (Ex. Quick Service Meals cannot be exchanged for a Table Service Meal).

The Disney Dining Plan is based on the length of the package stay at a Disney resort. The owners of the Walt Disney World Resort shall not be responsible for the non-utilization of package components due to refurbishing, capacity, inclement weather, or any other circumstances beyond their control.

The Dining Option is a component of the Magic Your Way Vacation Packages and is not available independently of the packages.

Applicable taxes and gratuities are already included!

Disney Vacation Club members staying at a DVC resort using points may also purchase the Dining Plan. No purchase of park tickets is necessary.
__________________

 

[Disneydenise]

Why do people think that they need to be jiminy cricket on the internet?

 

[alacazander]

I don't know if they keep track. They did ask my ds age when I made the ressie.

I personally would just be honest with her age and maybe split some meals with her if she doesn't eat all that much. Order sides, etc. if it's a cost issue.

It's just not worth the guilt or worrying that someone might ask her age, etc.

Usually honestly is the best policy.

 

[gigi1313]

not only does disney have info on you including birthdates, but they really struggle when you try to correct them 'cause they had it wrong! my dd's birthyear was off by a year and it took countless number of phone calls to convince them that she was born in '95 not '96 (and at the time it made her an "adult" and not a "child" so we could have gotten away w/cheaper but that's not how we operate)... it was quite frustrating getting them to correct it!

 

[JKW]

I believe that they do. Every time we have gone since the first trip in 1997 they have asked me if I would be bringing my children. They sited their names and ages. I was actually very surprised that they told me this year would be our 11th trip. That really took me back. We go every year and I guess that I did not realize we had gone that many times. I believe that they keep track of you as well they should. It is their business. We have been in the same position as you with the ages. Coming from experience I would just keep her as an adult. Look at it this way --- You will have extra flexibility if she decides to order off of the childrens menu or off the adult menu. We actually used this to our benefit. We allowed the kids to choose items that they would like to try but have never had the opportunity to try. We look at it as the glass is half full not half empty. If she does not want to use her credits, maybe you could go to a few of the 2TS meals for some special dining. I think you should do what you think is right for your family.

 

[lustergirl]

My sons are ages 13 and 17- can I tell them they are 3 and 7??

 

[Brian Noble]

Why do people think that they need to be jiminy cricket on the internet?

I don't know. Why must others be J. Worthington Foulfellow?

In the past few years, WDW (and in fact all of Disney) adopted a new piece of CRM software---customer relations management. They track an AWFUL lot of stuff in addition to kids names/ages---if you use the same few credit cards each trip, and ever link those cards to your named reservations w/phone numbers, or something shipped to your address, then they pretty much know your entire purchase history, and track it for directed marketing.

If you want to buy DDP and pay child rates, and want to be sure that you don't get caught, you'll have to invent a new name and birthday. You get to decide if this is something you want to do. None of us can make that decision for you.

However, you also may find yourself explaining to your daughter why she has a new name on her Resort card. For example, CMs are trained to address guests by their name whenever they can, because it personalizes the Park experience. I can easily imagine the CM giving little Suzie her wristband for EMH saying "Have a nice evening, Jane".

However, you can almost guarantee that if you do this no one will call you on it, because if there is one thing that WDW CMs are taught to avoid, it is creating a "dissatisfier" for a Guest. And, challenging the ages of children certainly falls under that category.

If it were me, I wouldn't do this with my kids, in part because my seven year old is already rather fond of omitting, stretching, or fabricating the truth. The last thing I would want to do is to let her know that I think it's okay to lie if it's important enough.

 

[Brian Noble]

There is another way to deal with this: if you have a traveling party that is large enough to want or need two rooms, put her with one other adult in the separate room, under a separate reservation, and don't get DDP for that one; then, call back and link the two reservations, and the room assigner will try to assign contiguous or (if requested) connecting rooms. You'll have one or two fewer meals paid for by DDP, but you can avoid most of the uncomfortable situations that might arise.

If you want, you can even double-book one of the adults in both rooms, put one room on a package, and book the other room-only, so that you can avoid buying DDP only for your daughter.

 

[Lewisc]

Why do people think that they need to be jiminy cricket on the internet?

I don't really care if some customers cheat. I think posts asking how to cheat without getting caught should be off topic. I particularly have a problem with guests who think that if enough DIS members tell them its OK then it is OK. Cheat if you want to but don't ask us if how to do it without getting caught or hope enough posters will tell you it's OK.

If the Dining plan doesn't work for your family don't buy it. The savings for the rest of your party may far exceed the loss for one of your kids.

I'm assuming you're planning on cheating and paying child prices for your kids. Child character meals cost around $15 (with tax and tip). You can use the adult CS meal for others in your group. That's worth at least $10 and the snack is worth at least $3. The rest of your group will be getting far more than $10 worth of food over and above what you pay for dining.

 

[Pkdcoastrs]

Yes they do! When we booked last year, after my parents gave their information...the person on the phone said "and your son <name> is <age>, correct". We weren't trying to do anything sneaky lol, they just have the information on the computer and confirm it with you.

 

[TJA]

My twins turned 3 at the tail end of our last WDW trip and we didn't tell the CM's at the character meal we went to. Our girls don't eat much, if anything at all, at the character meals (characters scare them, so they tend to just sit on our laps during the entire meal). However, when I called to make a new reservation last month, I requested a king bed and the CM said "now that your twins are 3, you'll probably want the 2 queens....." I almost died because the CM took me totally off-guard. I don't recall ever telling Disney the birthdate of my twins. In any event, they know!!

 

[Trekker]

I have had to have them correct my kids ages several times because they were wrong in the computer. I don't know if it is just us or what but they just don't seem to get it right. I had to call last week because I realized that they had my dd who is 11 listed as 9 and my ds who is 14 listed as a 12 yr old. Our trip is in a couple days and I didn't want to have any problems with free dining.

To the OP, I posted a ? the other day with just your concerns. Even though my dd is 11, she eats like a bird. If I pay for her as an adult then I feel that anyone in our party should be able to use her adult credits and I will pay oop for her mac & cheese kids meal. Of course I would only be able to do this for non buffet meals. I will not be doing this for our upcoming trip as we have free dining and do not feel as though disney is taking advantage of me. For our next trip however, we will be paying full price for her so I am pretty sure we will use some of her credits for a signature meal or towards an additional meal.

What a great idea - I never thought of this - my DD even though she is 16 rarely will eat a full blown sit down off the adult menu meal! She just cannot eat that much.

Buying her what she wants OOP and using her meal credits to be able to do an additional meal or signature is a great idea! Thanks!

 

[turnlisa]

Trekker,

I apologize in advance for anything anyone says about this. I know that some people do pay OOP and save the credits. For those of us that don't, it can be a sore spot. Best not to mention that here. Have a great trip!

 

[HaleyB]

We go often. They always have ages in the computer, although they were wrong and I needed to correct them at one point.

 

[MommyPoppins]

We go often. They always have ages in the computer, although they were wrong and I needed to correct them at one point.

What? You couldn't help yourself?

 

[Lewisc]

Trekker,

I apologize in advance for anything anyone says about this. I know that some people do pay OOP and save the credits. For those of us that don't, it can be a sore spot. Best not to mention that here. Have a great trip!

Poster is saving "adult" credits to purchase adult meals for family members on the plan. That is not a problem.

It's up to the CM at the restaurant to decide what to charge a 16 year old that orders from the 3-9 menu.

 

[frayedend]

Trekker,

I apologize in advance for anything anyone says about this. I know that some people do pay OOP and save the credits. For those of us that don't, it can be a sore spot. Best not to mention that here. Have a great trip!

I gotta agree with Lewis here. If you don't pay OOP for something then how would you ever have the extra credit for signature dining? That just can't be a sore spot. If it is you need to look at your reasoning again.