Just turning 3 yr old - need ticket for park

[Lucky44]

We are going to Disney in April and our son will just be turning 3. Some people have told me don't pay for a theme part ticket as they won't question his age if in stroller. Is this right?

 

[flipflop]

If the child is 2 at the beginning of the trip he does not need a ticket, even if he turns 3 while he is there. If he is three at the beginning of the trip, he needs a ticket. To not buy him one is dishonest.

 

[Hannathy]

If the child is 2 at the beginning of the trip he does not need a ticket, even if he turns 3 while he is there. If he is three at the beginning of the trip, he needs a ticket. To not buy him one is dishonest.

Good response!!! Short, sweet and correct.

 

[mom2aredhead]

Oh Good grief, was all of that really necessary?

To OP, see flipflop's response.

 

[Lucky44]

Thanks for feedback as I have every intention of buying a ticket for him. I was just asking to find out if I was in the minority as I was surprised to hear the comment to me.

 

[rrobin3051]

i sent u a private message

 

[magic mouse]

If he is three you are supposed to buy him a ticket. I did not buy the ticket when my child was three and no one asked. I also did not buy her one at Typhoon Lagoon and no Cm asked there either.

 

[kaysmommie]

If he is three you are supposed to buy him a ticket. I did not buy the ticket when my child was three and no one asked. I also did not buy her one at Typhoon Lagoon and no Cm asked there either.

Disney should not trust people to be honest I guess. I just don't think this is right. My son could easily pass for 2 (just turned 3) and we bought his ticket and he's not tall enough to ride anything but barnstormer. But I guess I would feel badly about stealing admission into the Happiest Place on Earth.

 

[G8RFAN]

DS was always in the 95-99 percentile in height. I remember at least a couple of times when he was 2, a CM at the turnstiles greeting DS and tactfuly asking him how old he was. His 3rd birthday was at WDW and while we didn't need to buy him a ticket, we bought him his own AP which he could wear with his lanyard plus it coincided with our renewal period. He love it but strangely enough the first time he used it on his birthday, the CM said to us that he really didn't need one.

 

[all4fun]

Disney's rules are if the child turns three during their stay they do not need a ticket and if they turn ten during their stay they can use a child ticket for the entire stay. If they have their 3rd or 10th b-day before the start of their stay, then they need to buy the appropriate pass.

We actually decided to take a trip to Disneyland (we're on the west cost and we had annual passes to DL that year) to get one last trip in before ds turned 3. He was just a couple weeks shy of his 3rd b-day at the time. We were asked about his age a couple of times and I came prepared with a copy of his bc just in case (because he's tall for his age) but they never wanted to see it even when I offered. I really didn't expect to be "hassled" about it but having the copy of the bc on hand just put our minds at ease that if it was questioned we wouldn't have to deal with buying a pass and then proving his age later to get a refund (which I've heard of them doing at WDW).

hth

 

[HLAuburn]

Disney's rules are if the child turns three during their stay they do not need a ticket and if they turn ten during their stay they can use a child ticket for the entire stay. If they have their 3rd or 10th b-day before the start of their stay, then they need to buy the appropriate pass.

Can someone explain to me how this works? If you check in on the day your child turns 3 for instance, you don't need tickets the entire trip? And how is that verified, as far as when your vacation started?

I keep hearing these "stories" of CMs asking a child his/her age, and if they say 3, then the parents are told to go buy a ticket. So if the child is indeed 3, but turned 3 on the trip, do you just hold up the line explaining that yes she is 3, but she turned 3 during our trip, and here's our room key to verify that?

I can't find on the Disney website where they talk this policy. Anyone have a link?

Thanks!

 

[flipflop]

It's really pretty straightforward. If your child is three at the start of the trip he/she needs a ticket for the whole trip. So if he/she turns three the day your trip starts, yes he/she needs a ticket. If he or she is 2 at the start of your trip, then he/she does not need a ticket, even if his/her birthday is the 2nd day of your vacation.

If questioned about age and your child turned three on the trip, you would simply tell the CM that your child's birthday happened while on vacation (I am sure your child would offer this up on his/her own).

You are asked for the ages of your children at the time the trip will be taken when you make your ressie. No one is going to ask you for a birth certificate when you check in. It comes down to the honor system and what morals/values you would like to teach your child (though people have certainly been questioned when trying to get an over-age child into a park).

 

[HLAuburn]

It's really pretty straightforward. If your child is three at the start of the trip he/she needs a ticket for the whole trip. So if he/she turns three the day your trip starts, yes he/she needs a ticket. If he or she is 2 at the start of your trip, then he/she does not need a ticket, even if his/her birthday is the 2nd day of your vacation.

If questioned about age and your child turned three on the trip, you would simply tell the CM that your child's birthday happened while on vacation (I am sure your child would offer this up on his/her own).

You are asked for the ages of your children at the time the trip will be taken when you make your ressie. No one is going to ask you for a birth certificate when you check in. It comes down to the honor system and what morals/values you would like to teach your child (though people have certainly been questioned when trying to get an over-age child into a park).

That's not straightforward to me at all...actually, it really doesn't make much sense. Not to mention I can't seem to find anywhere that Disney states that this is the policy. So if you check in on a kid's birthday, then YES they need a ticket, but if its day 2 or your trip or later, then NO they don't. That doesn't make a bit of sense to me, but oh well...
I think that if Disney was gung-ho on making every 3 year old pay, they would either ask for proof of age (like on flights) or make the cut off by height so they could determine who pays and who doesn't rather than the honesty policy they have now.

 

[all4fun]

That's not straightforward to me at all...actually, it really doesn't make much sense. Not to mention I can't seem to find anywhere that Disney states that this is the policy. So if you check in on a kid's birthday, then YES they need a ticket, but if its day 2 or your trip or later, then NO they don't. That doesn't make a bit of sense to me, but oh well...
I think that if Disney was gung-ho on making every 3 year old pay, they would either ask for proof of age (like on flights) or make the cut off by height so they could determine who pays and who doesn't rather than the honesty policy they have now.

When you book a trip with Disney they ask what the childrens ages are at the start of the trip. As far as they're concerned that is their age for the entire trip. They're not going to make someone purchase a ticket for their just turned 3yr old mid trip or make them upgrade from child to adult for their newly turned 10-yr old. Simple as that. And of course this applies to people staying off property as well.

 

[maxiesmom]

Keep in mind that once you vacation at Disney, they will know your children's ages forever. It all stays in their handy dandy computer system. So if you do go when you child is two, they will know the next year that they are now three.

Disney requires anyone 3 or older to have a ticket. Why should they have to be "gung ho" and make everyone have proof of age for their child? Would you really like it if they did? The lines would be so much longer, and I can imagine the time they would have checking foreign ids. Disney should be able to trust their guest to do the right thing. Why is it ok to break the rules just because you probably won't get caught?

 

[Princess Roo]

I can't find on the Disney website where they talk this policy. Anyone have a link?

I couldn't find it on their website, but had read this on the DIS several times so I asked the CM when we booked our upcoming vacation (DS turns 3 on the trip). I was told that policy (free the whole trip for admission and buffet meals, since he's 2 when we arrive) is correct. So, either that CM also got her info from the DIS, or it's true.

It makes sense to me. They have to have a cutoff at some age, and it's silly to have one member of a party need to buy different length tickets than the rest. Remember until recently you also got to keep the same room rate the whole trip even if you went into a more expensive season before your trip ended.

 

[ahilly]

I understand the policy, DS is 2.5 (today actually) and for our November trip he will still be 2.5 (won't turn 3 until Feb), he is very tall for his age and people always think he is older than he is. He is still not talking so if a cast member asked his age he won't answer, we would have to answer for him, so should I bring a copy of his birth certificate as proof of age? We are not being dishonest about his age but I don't want anyone to ? him not answering the ? asked of him. Any thoughts???

 

[abrownfamily]

Here is our experience. Our son will be three in October. He is 40 inches tall, and people always believe he is older than he really is. We go often to Disney, with the latest trip in June. I carry his birth certificate in case someone should ask. We have never been asked by a CM how old he was, nor has he even been asked. So, they really do seem to "trust" you to do the right thing here. In fact, the only odd looks I have ever gotten were from people who see me changing him in the bathrooms. I feel like shouting that he is really only two.

 

[VMKPrince]

who would know??

 

[Nom]

Here is our experience. Our son will be three in October. He is 40 inches tall, and people always believe he is older than he really is. We go often to Disney, with the latest trip in June. I carry his birth certificate in case someone should ask. We have never been asked by a CM how old he was, nor has he even been asked. So, they really do seem to "trust" you to do the right thing here. In fact, the only odd looks I have ever gotten were from people who see me changing him in the bathrooms. I feel like shouting that he is really only two.

This is my experience exactly. My dd will turn 3 on our oct trip and she is 40 in... I plan to bring her birth certificate as well just to put my own mind at ease.