just turning 10

[kimberlym4]

What have you guys done if one of your kids has just turned 10 when you visit. The price for everything (tickets, dinner) really jumps. I hate to advocate lying and I don't know if the kids get put on the spot by CMs asking their age a lot but it sure is tempting to be less than honest.

Move away from your terminal - lightening will be striking soon!

What do you think?

 

[java]

Well if you have stayed at Disney onsite before they have your kids ages in their database. So when you make a reservation they will know. I personally wouldn't lie but that is just me. I figure at 10 your child is old enough to understand what you are doing and I don't think it is worth it to lose all the times you have stressed the no - lying into your kids to save some $.
Oh and you better put on your flame suit because I think you may get some that are more vocal in their opinion on this matter.

 

[Sue Sullivan]

If they are 10, they are 10 and I pay full price. At some counter service restaurants, they can order off the kids menu if they still have a kid sized appetite, but other than that, they pay the adult rate. I personally think it should be 13, but I don't make the rules, just follow them.

 

[Allison]

Well, here's what I think-I think it's not tempting at all for me. I have a 10 year old and the thought never crossed my mind to say she was anything other than 10.

 

[slp87]

We've just planned to not eat at very many buffets/preplated meals this trip as a way to save $$. I've also heard that many of the sitdown restaurants are also letting "older" kids still order off the kids menus with no problems. If we have any problems with that, DD and I will be doing a lot of sharing.

 

[DisneyGeek2000]

If they are 9 when the trip starts, I see no problem.

 

[mistydoodles]

My daughter will be turning 10 just 7 days before we leave for our next trip on Dec 9th.

I am considering stating she is still 9 because of it being such a short time after her birthday.

Just my opinion though.

 

[vicceja]

Hi!

My son just turned 9 last week - because our trip is in April I have no choice but to update his Annual Pass to an Adult! I'm a worry wart - I don't want to ruin my trip just thinking about if someone is going to stop us or question why we haven't updated his ticket....

 

[CF'er]

is close. We are staying from 4-1 through 4-7. My DS bday is 4-5. I look at it like this.... if you can stay one day at a chaper rate and get your whole stay at that lower rate when the rates skyrocket the next day...then for this trip my DS is 9. He starts at 9 and will stay 9 for the last 3 days of the trip. I believe that our tickets etc will reflect that he is 9. Disney does have all the correct info in their system. If our stay were after I *think* I'd have to go with their actual age.

Kalen

 

[dixiedizfan]

I wouldn't take the chance of having the child's age questioned by a CM. When we were there last month, going thru the entrance styles at MK, a CM LOUDLY questioned a family next to us who had a small child in a stroller, how old their child was. Turns out the child had turned 3 the month before, and the CM practically YELLED to them that they had to buy him a ticket. They were so embarrassed!

 

[*Megara*]

Hi!

My son just turned 9 last week - because our trip is in April I have no choice but to update his Annual Pass to an Adult! I'm a worry wart - I don't want to ruin my trip just thinking about if someone is going to stop us or question why we haven't updated his ticket....

You don't need an adult AP until 10 years old, so you have no worries he can still use his child pass.

 

[Mickey Fliers]

Hi!

My son just turned 9 last week - because our trip is in April I have no choice but to update his Annual Pass to an Adult! I'm a worry wart - I don't want to ruin my trip just thinking about if someone is going to stop us or question why we haven't updated his ticket....

I don't think I quite understand. I thought that the Child's AP was for ages 3-9 and then the Adults AP was for 10+. So, why would you have to update his AP before he turns 10? Just wondering.

 

[TikiGoddess]

CF'er, I have read that if the child is a certain age when the trip starts and has a birthday while there at Disney, the age they were when the trip started is the age Disney considers them. As for the OP, I too wouldn't chance it. I'm having the no lying battle w/my five year old right now and it would bother me to lie about his age. Besides I'm a terrible liar...I must give off some type of pheremones or have a serious tell because people can always tell when I'm lying!! Maybe that's been my problem at the poker table lately!

 

[Merriwind]

is close. We are staying from 4-1 through 4-7. My DS bday is 4-5. I look at it like this.... if you can stay one day at a chaper rate and get your whole stay at that lower rate when the rates skyrocket the next day...then for this trip my DS is 9. He starts at 9 and will stay 9 for the last 3 days of the trip. I believe that our tickets etc will reflect that he is 9. Disney does have all the correct info in their system. If our stay were after I *think* I'd have to go with their actual age.

Kalen

Actually, Disney's philosophy is the same as yours. They don't penalize kids for having birthdays while vacationing. The day your child is on day one of your vacation is their age throughout your vacation. So no worries! Enjoy!

 

[BYC]

I believe if they are 9 when the trip starts, it doesn't matter if they turn 10 during the trip. Disney will still count them as a 9 year old.

 

[In a hurry]

My sister is bemoaning the fact that her 9 year old will be 10 for the next trip. The child eats next to nothing, and she knows that she will be giving up buffets for a while. There isn't any way she would pay that kind of money for him to eat a piece of fruit and a roll! He also would never stand for being called a nine-year old when actually 10. And he is smart enough to have read the literature and know that he will need a new ticket and use the scanner. I don't now how your child thinks, but you might want to look at changing your plans a bit to incorporate his age. Buy the ticket, skip the buffet, kind of thing. You can't get much by a 10 year old.

 

[wrldpossibility]

Yes, I understand the temptation, believe me. But when I was a teen, my parents did this to me. We were at a ski resort, I was 14, and my mom bought me a 12 and under ticket. I'm short, and in ski clothes it's hard to tell age, but sure enough the first line checker looked at my ticket and asked what year I was born. I've always been lousy at math, and under pressure, I I said the wrong year. My ticket was pulled, and my mom had to sit with me in the lodge while the rest of the family skiied. I was MORTIFIED (remember, I was a teen ),and my mom was not much better off. She was humiliated. None of us have ever lied about age again, anywhere!

Anyway, that's my horror story, and it sure taught our family a lesson. I realize my mom was only trying to save about $20, and there's more incentive to lie at Disney, were you can "save" big bucks, but trust me, the humiliation is terrible!

 

[shasess]

IMO you should do what you feel is best for your family. Whatever you decide have loads of fun on your vacation and don't let anyone's judgment spoil your fun.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

My DS turns 10 in June. It is something we know is going to happen, and we plan for it. My Dh and I are already realizing when we go for a day trip from Vero, to ride EE, we will be paying for 3 adults and 2 kids, instead of vice versa...in 2 years, it will be 4 adults and only 1 child. It's life. Kids get older.

By the age of 10, they are tall enough to ride every single ride Disney offers, so why shouldn't they pay full admission? Now, if you have a tiny 10 year, where they wouldn't meet the height requirement on all the rides, I would consider buying a child's pass, only because he won't get full access to all the rides.

 

[justhat]

If your trip is within a few days of his birthday, and your kid is tiny, I might consider having your kid say that he just turned 10 if someone asked. It wouldn't be a lie at all, and you wouldn't need a new ticket cause the CM wouldn't know if he was 9 the day you checked in or not.