Free Dining for Under 3 years of Age?

[Denise Thies]

I am going in September and also received the Magic You way plus Dining and was told the kids under 3 would dine free (I have 3 kids, 2 years and 1 year and a 4 year old). Does anyone know how this works? Do they get cards also? Also does anyone know if I need car seats to get them from the airport on the Magical Express to the Hotel? How about traveling on the local buses from park to park?

Denise Ray Evan Ethan lauren

 

[MareQ]

I am going in September and also received the Magic You way plus Dining and was told the kids under 3 would dine free (I have 3 kids, 2 years and 1 year and a 4 year old). Does anyone know how this works? Do they get cards also? Also does anyone know if I need car seats to get them from the airport on the Magical Express to the Hotel? How about traveling on the local buses from park to park?

Denise Ray Evan Ethan lauren

Can't help you with the dining but as far as teh car seats - definitely no need to bring them for the buses. There's no way to hook the car seats up as the busses do not have seatbelts.

 

[my4kids]

No car seats - no way to hook them -

The dining plan under 3 can be hard to figure out - I was very frustrated with this issue and found every restaurant handles it different. I just figured under 3 eat free and kids order off child menu, meant that I could order them a child meal in every restaurant we went to - but I found many restaurants took an adult TS off for this. The CM at the hotel added credits back to my acct. and said the kids meals should be free for my DS2. Then I got a bill from Disney charging me for meals when we got home because they said the credits should not have been used. (IT WAS AWLFUL!!!) MY DH was so sick of me worrying over the plan and money, he said never again. Later I read on DIS that kids under 3 can eat off any buffet for free, but at table service restaurants they will be charged a full adult credit....It was very misleading and I would suggest you iron it out with Disney prior to arrival...we were there in Oct. when the plan was fairly new, so I'm hoping they have ironed it out and it is more clear now.

 

[ReneeA]

You will receive only dining "credits" for the three people that you paid for. The 2 younger ones will be able to get plates and eat off buffets and family style meals, but you will have to use your credits for them if you order them their own meals at other restaurants. Unless your kids are really big eaters, there should be plenty of food to share. The portions are huge, and everyone gets an appetizer, entree and dessert at TS meals, and an entree and dessert at CS meals.

My DD was only 2 when we went, and she shared meals with my 3 year old DS, and they both ate off of my DH and my lates, also. We also had tons of food left - enough to feed another young child for sure.

As for the car seats, you won't need them on the busses.

 

[Billmel]

You will receive only dining "credits" for the three people that you paid for. The 2 younger ones will be able to get plates and eat off buffets and family style meals, but you will have to use your credits for them if you order them their own meals at other restaurants. Unless your kids are really big eaters, there should be plenty of food to share. The portions are huge, and everyone gets an appetizer, entree and dessert at TS meals, and an entree and dessert at CS meals.

Why do you have to use credits at all. If they will let you not use an adult TS credit for one and use TS credits for the other diner, why can't you pay cash for the childs dinner? We are bringing our DGD for the 1st 3 days of our 12 day trip, and her parents are picking her up. I called Disney today and the person I spoke with said we didn't have to change anything on our reservations because she is free anyway, and we could just order a kids dinner off the menu for her at the restaurants we ADR's.

 

[beattyfamily]

Children under 3 eat free at WDW at all you can eat and buffets and preplated restaurants. It has NOTHING to do with the dining plan and they will NOT get credits for the dining plan.

If you go to a restaurant with a menu and order them food, you must pay for it.

Hope this clears things.

 

[Billmel]

Children under 3 eat free at WDW at all you can eat and buffets and preplated restaurants. It has NOTHING to do with the dining plan and they will NOT get credits for the dining plan.

If you go to a restaurant with a menu and order them food, you must pay for it.

Hope this clears things.

Clears things up for me. Thanks!!

 

[SnoWhiteRabbit]

Children under 3 eat free at WDW at all you can eat and buffets and preplated restaurants. It has NOTHING to do with the dining plan and they will NOT get credits for the dining plan.

If you go to a restaurant with a menu and order them food, you must pay for it.

Hope this clears things.

Perfectly said. This has always been simple for us because we have never been on a meal plan. Anyone on a meal plan should now just specify that they wish to PAY for the child meal -- not use meal plan credits. Kids meals are about $5.00 at most places. Just be sure to pay separately for these and not let them debit your meal plan for them.

HTH!