Does this make sense for 10 yr old?--FD question

[100acreHiker]

We will be at Disney in November during FD. My son will be turning 10 during our trip (birthday celebration!). He sometimes like to eat off the adult menu, and sometimes off the kids menu--generally he's good about trying new things, which is great.

Now, if it weren't free dining, I'd be inclined to keep him as a child, but because the plan is free, and because he sometimes likes to eat off the adult menu, I'm inclined to pay the price difference in park tickets (which totals about $20 more for the whole trip), and let him be an "adult."

Here's my question: If there's a random restaurant that he wants to order off of the kids menu, can we pay out of pocket for just his meal, and keep that adult credit for one of our TS meals (we currently have a 2-credit meal booked and an extra TS meal on one day)? What do you think? I think the cost of upgrading his park ticket is probably worth the savings with the meal plan. Or am I mistaken?
Thanks in advance for you thoughts!

 

[aaarcher86]

We will be at Disney in November during FD. My son will be turning 10 during our trip (birthday celebration!). He sometimes like to eat off the adult menu, and sometimes off the kids menu--generally he's good about trying new things, which is great. Now, if it weren't free dining, I'd be inclined to keep him as a child, but because the plan is free, and because he sometimes likes to eat off the adult menu, I'm inclined to pay the price difference in park tickets (which totals about $20 more for the whole trip), and let him be an "adult." Here's my question: If there's a random restaurant that he wants to order off of the kids menu, can we pay out of pocket for just his meal, and keep that adult credit for one of our TS meals (we currently have a 2-credit meal booked and an extra TS meal on one day)? What do you think? I think the cost of upgrading his park ticket is probably worth the savings with the meal plan. Or am I mistaken? Thanks in advance for you thoughts!

Yes, you can do that.

 

[Hipcat]

Yes, you can do that.

Maybe you can help me with a similar question, so I don't have to open a new thread. I have 2 boys who reject kid food pretty strongly. I have free quick service dining but normally upgrade to regular dining, before we leave.

From what you agreed to up there, I take it it's possible for me to pay extra to make my boys adults for the trip to get them adult dining. Is that correct?

Thanks for the help I've never heard of this before.

 

[robinb]

We will be at Disney in November during FD. My son will be turning 10 during our trip (birthday celebration!). He sometimes like to eat off the adult menu, and sometimes off the kids menu--generally he's good about trying new things, which is great.

Now, if it weren't free dining, I'd be inclined to keep him as a child, but because the plan is free, and because he sometimes likes to eat off the adult menu, I'm inclined to pay the price difference in park tickets (which totals about $20 more for the whole trip), and let him be an "adult."

Here's my question: If there's a random restaurant that he wants to order off of the kids menu, can we pay out of pocket for just his meal, and keep that adult credit for one of our TS meals (we currently have a 2-credit meal booked and an extra TS meal on one day)? What do you think? I think the cost of upgrading his park ticket is probably worth the savings with the meal plan. Or am I mistaken?
Thanks in advance for you thoughts!

If he's 10, he's an "Disney Adult" no matter what and you would have to pay for adult tickets and adult priced meals at buffets, fixed priced meals and dinner shows anyway. At regular table service restaurants you can have him eat off the kids menu and pay OOP with no problem. It's a good way to stretch those TS credits. A number of non-Disney owned restaurants (like La Hacienda in Epcot) don't allow people over the age of 9 to order off the kids menu, but most of the restaurants are happy to give you a menu when asked.

Maybe you can help me with a similar question, so I don't have to open a new thread. I have 2 boys who reject kid food pretty strongly. I have free quick service dining but normally upgrade to regular dining, before we leave.

From what you agreed to up there, I take it it's possible for me to pay extra to make my boys adults for the trip to get them adult dining. Is that correct?

Thanks for the help I've never heard of this before.

Yes, Disney has a loophole while allows you to "age up" your kids on your reservation to be Disney Adults of 10 or older. You will have to pay for adult park passes for your kids and you will have to pay the difference between the adult QSPD and the adult DDP. Is the free dining promotion still available for your dates? You may want to consider upgrading to a moderate resort since you're going to be spending $75 per night for the DDP upgrades (4 adult upgrades). That may bring you pretty close to a moderate and I think it may be worth it to have bigger rooms and better pools. You'll have to run the numbers.

 

[bdoyledimou]

Maybe you can help me with a similar question, so I don't have to open a new thread. I have 2 boys who reject kid food pretty strongly. I have free quick service dining but normally upgrade to regular dining, before we leave.

From what you agreed to up there, I take it it's possible for me to pay extra to make my boys adults for the trip to get them adult dining. Is that correct?

Thanks for the help I've never heard of this before.

Last year we upgraded my nephew from 8 years old to adult during free dining. Just call and ask and they will adjust for you.

you just pay for the ticket price difference between child and adult.
Where it can become stickey though, is if you arranged your plan through a TA, or if you used Disney to get your flight -- as they tie the birthdate together -- but it is possible -- just trickier.

 

[davedmaine]

Maybe you can help me with a similar question, so I don't have to open a new thread. I have 2 boys who reject kid food pretty strongly. I have free quick service dining but normally upgrade to regular dining, before we leave. From what you agreed to up there, I take it it's possible for me to pay extra to make my boys adults for the trip to get them adult dining. Is that correct? Thanks for the help I've never heard of this before.

Honestly you'd save money by not being on 'free' dining..

 

[bdoyledimou]

Honestly you'd save money by not being on 'free' dining..

thats not 100% true -- it really depends on a number of things -- how many people, how many days, at what resort.
I can tell you that for my families 14 day trip the 4 of us at POP saved a ton by using free dining.

the following year, the wife and i at ASSpo did found better value for our 5 day adults trip by getting a room discount.

 

[Hipcat]

Honestly you'd save money by not being on 'free' dining..

Can you explain this a little further? I believe you, but I'm not sure how.

The room only discount was $1000 more for the 8 night package when I added in the dining.

Were you talking about buying the food out of pocket and taking the room discount?

 

[100acreHiker]

If he's 10, he's an "Disney Adult" no matter what and you would have to pay for adult tickets and adult priced meals at buffets, fixed priced meals and dinner shows anyway. At regular table service restaurants you can have him eat off the kids menu and pay OOP with no problem. It's a good way to stretch those TS credits. A number of non-Disney owned restaurants (like La Hacienda in Epcot) don't allow people over the age of 9 to order off the kids menu, but most of the restaurants are happy to give you a menu when asked.]


Thanks for all of your responses. I understand this, but it's not as cut and dry in our situation, because when we arrive and check in, my son will still be nine. So we can go either way--if we want to leave him as a child, we can, but I'm thinking it makes better financial sense to upgrade him to adult.

 

[robinb]

Can you explain this a little further? I believe you, but I'm not sure how.

The room only discount was $1000 more for the 8 night package when I added in the dining.

Were you talking about buying the food out of pocket and taking the room discount?

The way that I determine if "free dining" if worth it or if I should get a room only discount is as follows:

(1) Determine "R" which is rack rate for the room with tax.
(2) Determine "O" which is cost of room with tax with a room only discount.
(3) Subtract O from R and you get "F" the cost of your food on "free dining".
(4) F = R - O
(5) If F is less than the cost of 2 meals and a snack for my family then I go with "free dining" because it would cost me more to feed my family on the room only discount.

You can also just look at the cost of the "free DDP" as a discount off your resort. In general the Values and Moderate resorts are better off with "free dining" and families are better off with "free dining" than couples. That's because the Deluxe rack rates are so high that a 30% or 40% discount often comes out to be more than the value of the DDP for just a couple. For instance, the Polynesian is $528 per night (calculated over 7 days) and 30% off would be $177 per night (with tax saved). The DDP is $60/$20 (A/C) per night. The DDP for 1 adult would be $60, 2 adults would be $120, 1 adult 1 child would be $80, 1 adults 2 children would be $100, 2 adults and 1 child would be $140, 2 adults and 2 kids would be $160. The DDP for 2 adults and 3 children would be $180 which is the same for 3 adults. Clearly the room only discount is better for families all the way up to 2 adults and 2 children while "free dining" is better for all other families.

 

[rainydayplay]

Maybe you can help me with a similar question, so I don't have to open a new thread. I have 2 boys who reject kid food pretty strongly. I have free quick service dining but normally upgrade to regular dining, before we leave.

From what you agreed to up there, I take it it's possible for me to pay extra to make my boys adults for the trip to get them adult dining. Is that correct?

Thanks for the help I've never heard of this before.

If you are just doing QSDP, those credits are listed as QS credits. Not QS Adult and QS Child. I wouldn't "upgrade" your kids to adult status for just QS dining.

 

[WantToGoNow]

If you are just doing QSDP, those credits are listed as QS credits. Not QS Adult and QS Child. I wouldn't "upgrade" your kids to adult status for just QS dining.

But the computer will show the difference and they will have to buy kids meals for any one under 10. You can only buy the number of adult meals that you purchased on your dining plan in a single transaction.

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

To the OP:

Yes, you can upgrade your son to an "adult". Technically, you could keep him as a child because he turns 10 during your trip. BUT, if you think he would mostly want to eat off an adult menu, you can "age up" your child to an adult by listing him as 10 from the start.

I would also suggest doing this as most places will allow a child to eat off of the children's menu even if they are a "Disney Adult" some places will even bring adult sized portions of the children's item (since you are using an adult credit on a childs meal). It can absolutely be done and since you said he is more likely to eat off the adult menu, I think it makes sense to age him up and order kids meals only when necessary

 

[vtownpatty]

I was going to say the same as above. Our last trip our son wanted kids menu food at Rose and Crown as well as T-Rex. We still used his TS credit and they brought him larger portions of the kids food. It was nice for him to have the option of either menu.

 

[100acreHiker]

To the OP:

Yes, you can upgrade your son to an "adult". Technically, you could keep him as a child because he turns 10 during your trip. BUT, if you think he would mostly want to eat off an adult menu, you can "age up" your child to an adult by listing him as 10 from the start.

I would also suggest doing this as most places will allow a child to eat off of the children's menu even if they are a "Disney Adult" some places will even bring adult sized portions of the children's item (since you are using an adult credit on a childs meal). It can absolutely be done and since you said he is more likely to eat off the adult menu, I think it makes sense to age him up and order kids meals only when necessary

Thank you! I am personally relieved he won't be spending the week eating nothing but chicken nuggets or pb&j! DS6, on the other hand...