how much of a stickler are they on 3yo?

[nicbic97]

My son will be turning 3 just a few weeks before we go to disney. He does not eat anything and I know the dining plan will be a waste for him. Do you think I can get away with passing him for 2? He is tall for his age so he definitely looks 3.

 

[Anthony1971]

You can share anywhere except at Buffets where you need to pay. Likely everwhere else you will need to pay for a drink unless you bring your own. It is not a mtter if he eats very little.. he eats so he must pay when he is 3 at least at a buffet everywhere else feel free to share.
when my Son was 3 we went to one Buffet he fell asleep when we walked in so the waiter removed him but he did not eat...other TS we ordered him sides we knew he would eat and shared at CS he got his own meal.
however the rule is that everyone in your room needs to be on the DP or not so it is a mute point unless you do not get the DP.

 

[A_Princess'_Daddy]

My son will be turning 3 just a few weeks before we go to disney. He does not eat anything and I know the dining plan will be a waste for him. Do you think I can get away with passing him for 2? He is tall for his age so he definitely looks 3.

To answer your question, yes, you probably COULD get away with it.

However, (and I suspect you must have known there was going to be a however), doing so is stealing. Also, since everybody in your room has to be on the DDP, in order to avoid buying it for him you'd have to list him on the reservation as being two years old. Then you wouldn't have park tickets for him, so you'd have to sneak him into the parks, as well, and that's another pretty big deal.

The dining plan for a child is $12 per day. It's not a huge cost, and it's the price of poker at WDW. If you really think he won't eat and can subsist solely off of your plate for the duration of your vacation, then the whole family can forego the dining plan and pay OOP for everybody. However, if you go to any buffets/family-style meals, you'll still have to pay the child price for him, since he's over 3, whether he eats much or not.

I realize three is an arbitrary cut-off and for some children can seem like a huge waste of money, but it's the age WDW set for kids to begin paying and so choosing to do otherwise isn't right, in my opinion.

 

[patsal]

If possible, why not change your vacation dates so that he will be under 3 when you arrive. No worries, no deception.

 

[juliebean]

If possible, why not change your vacation dates so that he will be under 3 when you arrive. No worries, no deception.

Ditto - the last time we went was deliberately planned to be when the youngest was 2 1/2 - any wiggle room on your dates? Everyone is different, but I would not feel right about the whole vacation if we weren't forthright.

 

[Allison]

There is no wiggle room here. If the child is 3, they need a ticket and must be on the same dining plan the rest of the group is on.

 

[LilyWDW]

If the child is 3 then you will have to pay for him. Those are Disney's rules and thus what you should do.

Posting ways to get around Disney policies is frowned upon on the boards.

 

[maxiesmom]

Thre is no wiggle room on this one. If your child is 3 they must have a park pass, and must be included in the room count. And you must include them dining plan.

Put yourself on the other side. How would you feel if you ran a business, and people asked if there was any wiggle room on paying or not paying?

If there is any way to move your trip back a little, that would save you a lot of money. Even if you are at WDW when your child has their 3rd birthday, Disney will consider them 2 for the whole trip. But you have to start the trip before they turn 3.

 

[TDC Nala]

According to the rules of Walt Disney World, if your child turns 3 before the trip then you need to purchase park tickets for him, AND the dining plan if you want the rest of the party to get it, because once they are 3 they count toward resort room capacity and must be registered as a guest.

If the child won't eat, any member of the party can use his credits and eat his kids' meals.

Best way to keep from having to pay for your child is adjusting your trip dates so that he turns 3 during or after the trip.

Am closing this as it's basically a discussion of passing off three year olds as two.