Is my daughter 2 or 3?

[tjmw2727]

I will call and ask about the park tickets...

As for the dining, this will be our first time using it and I have not looked into it much... For her, will it be cheaper for us to use the dining plan or to buy her items seperately considering her age? What do most people do with kids her age? I like to save a buck if I can, but also also don't want to take advantage of the system..

OK let me try one more time.

You can call WDW 400 times if you like and regardless of what a CM at some location other than WDW tells you the CM at the admission gate will want an admission ticket for your 3yo. WDW policy says that guests 3-9 and 10+ need admission tickets. Again, arriving a day early will save you the park ticket cost for your 3yo but it will cost you more in room charges and meals for the day. then.... you will have to explain it every day at every park you enter as well as every time you want to use Fast Pass.

As for the dining plan everyone in the reservation must be on the same plan, since she will be three on day one unless you change it she will need to have the dining plan. You really don't have the option of paying oop for her meals if you and dh/dw are on the dining plan. Since she will be charged for her meals when she turns 3yo even if you arrive when she is two - IMHO the dining plan still saves you money.

IMYO, your cheapest option is to arrive on schedule and pay the 3yo price for your 3yo dd for the dining plan and her ticket.

TJ

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

The title of this thread is the funniest I have seen in a long time...


Go a day early and enjoy your unexpectedly less-expensive vacation. If a CM asks... your daughter was two on the day your stay began, and ask them to wish your daughter a happy third birthday! She will travel, visit parks, and dine according to the age category she qualified for when your stay began.

Not only is this less expensive, but it's honest and it's Disney Policy.

Enjoy!!!

 

[TSR6]

The morality police are always out in full force on the DIS. Disney's policies are that if you arrive before 3 years of age, she doesn't need a ticket for the enitre length of your stay. That's that. Go with it. Save money. Enjoy yourself. Buy an extra souvenir if you feel guilty (although I don't think you should one bit).

Since when?

At the hotels and dining, it may be that way - but at park entrace, 3+ needs a ticket to enter.

 

[Quinn222]

Since when?

At the hotels and dining, it may be that way - but at park entrace, 3+ needs a ticket to enter.

Not if they were under three at the time the stay began. That's always been Disney policy.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We have had this happen within the past few months. We were told that we could get into the parks without getting a ticket since the child was 2 at the start of the trip. However at buffets, we needed to pay for them since they were 3 at the time of dining. At the order off the menu places, we didn't order them a meal since they probably wouldn't have eaten it anyway and nothing was said.

 

[renessa]

Jon99...an extra day at Wilderness lodge will cost more than a childs ticket and a childs meal plan....but hey, it's an extra day at WDW!!!!

 

[tjmw2727]

The morality police are always out in full force on the DIS. Disney's policies are that if you arrive before 3 years of age, she doesn't need a ticket for the enitre length of your stay. That's that. Go with it. Save money. Enjoy yourself. Buy an extra souvenir if you feel guilty (although I don't think you should one bit).

Sinc you quoted Jon's response to me - apparantely you are referring to me. If so where and when in any of my posts causes you to bring in the "morality police" line? Often used when someone wants to justify breaking the rules?

I never said my opinion on what the OP should or shouln't do. I wrongly thought the OP was looking for information. I guess I was mistaken.

Done with this and reported the personal attacks and name calling.

TJ

 

[bicker]

... the "morality police" line? Often used when someone wants to justify breaking the rules?

Yes, that's generally the case. You're right to be suspicious when anyone seeks to disparage honesty.

 

[DebIreland]

Wow! What an amazing day to have a birthday!

Good luck! That kinda timing would kill me, lol!! Oh for the sake of a few hours! Yikes! But yeah, I guess you've gotta do it. Or arrive a day earlier and consider your first night at POR to be free (because of the savings on the ticket). Of course it being Christmas Day, that might be tricky, not sure if you'd want to travel then.

I had no idea that even if the child started out at 2 upon check-in, the restaurants would then charge when the child turned 3. I thought *all* components of the package were based upon the check-in age of all guests in the party. Does that mean that if a child is 9 at check-in (and on the dining plan), if they turn 10 a few days into the trip, Disney will charge the adult rate? I hadn't thought so.

In any case, the dining isn't so much of a hindrance as 11 dollars a day is good value I think and at your child's age she'd probably want her own meal anyway, as opposed to sharing.

Good luck with your planning!!

 

[bicker]

I thought *all* components of the package were based upon the check-in age of all guests in the party

Well, not even that. What you're recalling is WDW's standard practice in the interest of guest satisfaction -- they're under no obligation to vary from their posted ages, on a day-by-day basis, and when they do so in the guest's favor it should be considered a very generous gesture on WDW's part.

 

[DebIreland]

Well, not even that. What you're recalling is WDW's standard practice in the interest of guest satisfaction -- they're under no obligation to vary from their posted ages, on a day-by-day basis, and when they do so in the guest's favor it should be considered a very generous gesture on WDW's part.

I wasn't debating whether or not it's a generous gesture, just trying to ascertain their policy with regard to age.

 

[boomhauer]

As soon as I read the header for this topic, how did I know it was gonna turn nasty?

 

[disneyjunkie]

Maybe I should have you on ignore so I dont need to listen to your attitude..

I did call, the lady I talked to said to book her as a 2YO if we book a stay on 12/25 and it would be fine. I think I will listen to her over some uptight lady from Delaware with a smart a$$ answer.

Wow, I think it's funny that you're getting nasty with one of the people who is pointing out that it will cost you less money to purchase the park passes and dining plan for your daughter.

If you go a day early you, will have to pay for an extra night at your resort and $75.98 for the extra night of dining for 2 adults. You'll also have to pay for your daugther's meals once she turns 3.

It's cheaper to keep the dates you have and add your daughter to your package.

 

[bicker]

I wasn't debating whether or not it's a generous gesture, just trying to ascertain their policy with regard to age.

Yup, understood. I was only saying that I don't believe you'll see a published policy regarding that.

 

[DebIreland]

NWhat I NOW understand, thanks to others, is that our DD2 will be required to have a dining package regardless of her being considered 2 or 3.

Noooo!!!! A 2 year old is definitely free but must share from your plate and will not get a meal of her own. A 3 year old is charged 11 dollars a day and will have her own meals (1 CS and 1 TS meal per day). What's being said is that whilst she's 2, she can share your meals with no charge, when she turns 3, she will need to pay at the restaurant for whatever meal she orders. I hadn't known that though. I thought she'd be able to share your meals for the duration of the trip as she started out at 2 (that's of course if you check in on 25th). Phew!!

 

[DebIreland]

Yup, understood. I was only saying that I don't believe you'll see a published policy regarding that.

Ah yes, I see now! I thought you were saying I should be darn grateful for the gesture, and not complain.

 

[bicker]

Ah yes, I see now! I thought you were saying I should be darn grateful for the gesture, and not complain.

Yup. Complaints are appropriate when what you get is not what you were explicitly promised. Disappointed maybe, but aggrieved, no.

 

[Jon99]

Noooo!!!! A 2 year old is definitely free but must share from your plate and will not get a meal of her own. A 3 year old is charged 11 dollars a day and will have her own meals (1 CS and 1 TS meal per day). What's being said is that whilst she's 2, she can share your meals with no charge, when she turns 3, she will need to pay at the restaurant for whatever meal she orders. I hadn't known that though. I thought she'd be able to share your meals for the duration of the trip as she started out at 2 (that's of course if you check in on 25th). Phew!!

A very big thanks.. As DVC'ers, this will be our first time using the dining plan and not aware of a lot of these policies. Hopefully our March 07 trip will be smoother..

 

[SnackyStacky]

Folks, bypassing the profanity filter isn't a good thing.

Neither is name calling.

Play nice!

 

[slimplaw]

We had a similar situation in our family last Dec. My sister and her family arrived on Dec. 15 and her DD turned 3 on Dec. 16. She was not required to buy a park ticket because she was 2 on check in day. When she turned 3, we told restaurants she had turned 3 on Dec. 16 and one buffet did not charge us, others did. We only did 3 buffets while there. Other times, we ate at counter services and my niece always wanted macaroni and cheese.

Going on our experience, you will need to buy a park ticket if you check in on her 3rd birthday. I can not help you with the dining plan. We were there through DVC and the dining plan was not available to us then.