Just turning 3 yr old - need ticket for park

[jenseib]

Well I called today to get a quote for Dec . Our DD will be turnign 3 during the trip if we go. The lady siad right now she is free, but she thought it was changing at that she may need a ticket once her b-day hits. She wasn't for sure when that was happening though, and thought that it would be in effect then. She really wasn't too helpful though, and I decided that I am going with the rule thatif she is 2 at the start, then I am not buying her a ticket..BUT if they say no when we get there, we will buy her a ticket and it will be no problem. The bigger deal to me is having to pay for the dining plan when some days she doesn't eat barely anything.

 

[DVCJones]

On our last trip I bought a 10day non exp. hopper for my DD4. She still has 8 days left on it because CM's at the gates didn't seem to care. One time, I handed all our cards to the CM I guess I had confused her card with the room key. DD's card was new and looked the same as the room keys. Adults cards were from last year and looked different than the room keys. By the time I could reach in my pocket to get her card, the CM said "don't worry about it"

Another time, a CM waved my DH to come over to a gate that she had just opened. I was dealing with DD2 and didn't see him move over to that line with DD4. DH did not have her card he only had his own. Again, the CM could have cared less. I did walk over after getting through the gate, but she would not take the card.

So, in four days they only cared to swipe it 2 times.

On out next trip DD2 will be 1 day shy of turning 3. Her birthday is the day we check out. After this it will be park tickets for everyone $$$$

I have staggered them so that we don't need to buy more than one or two at a time.

 

[brooklynheights]

people did this with six flags claiming the kids were still kids long after the kids were kids so they switched to height so some 8 and 9 year olds now had to pay adult fees you lie you loose other parks are looking to the same policy you can't blame them some people try to save a buck we all pay down the road

 

[CastleCreations]

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.

I've traveled while my dd was turning 3, and on their computer it said she was 2, so she didn't need a ticket. I think it's a personal decision. I was told the same thing the others have said. If they are 2 years old when you check in, they are considered 2 for the duration of your trip, even if their 3rd birthday is the next day.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

My concern is that my son "looks" older-he is a little taller then most of his friends that are 2 & some that are 3, his bday is a few days after we leave but we will be "celebrating" both of their bdays when we are down there (DDis turning 7 on Saturday). It's funny though when you ask DS "how old are you?" he'll say "2 but on my next bday I'll be 9" Ok buddy sure you will!!

 

[Golden Rose]

We're another family with a really tall 2 yr old. DS isn't even 2.5 yet, and people think he is three or four. Fortunately, he is generally pretty well behaved, so we don't deal with too many dirty looks from people who assume he is older and just acting like toddler. He'll be 2.5 by our Disney trip, and we've also been wondering if we should carry his birth certificate. Do they ever ask you to produce it for really old looking toddlers? (Seriously, I think he may be 40" tall now, he is TALL. Of course, so is DH, who will be traveling with us.)

We're planning another Disney trip for not too long after his birthday next year, and it will almost be a relief to have a ticket for him. (Of course, buying him the Deluxe DDP is going to be a joke... all he eats right now is cheese, apples, bananas, bacon, yogurt, and crackers. Seriously. Oh, and milk and applesauce. Ah, the joys of a two year old.)

 

[applechips]

I have an almost 3 year old who will be turning 3 on the last day of our trip. I am fretting though about it because if the CMs ask how old he is he has been telling people lately that he is 4.

My daughter though is bold enough to correct him so I guess as long as they believe me and my dd and my dh we are good.

I might just bring a copy of his birth certificate anyway.

 

[strmtroopr96]

Our oldest DD has always been very tall for her age. Actually, she is always the youngest in her classes but always the tallest. LOL Her first WDW trip was a few weeks before her 3rd birthday. Because of her looking so much older, we did bring copies of her birth certificate (but never needed them).

The only place we were ever questioned was while going into MGM. The CM asked how old she was. At the time she did look more like a five year old then an almost 3 year old. Funny thing is, our youngest DD is now 14 months old and the complete opposite! She is barely 20 pounds now (Emily was 20 pounds at 4 months old LOL) and just a more petite little thing. Even now at almost (in October), Emily is still much bigger and older looking than many of her friends.

 

[jenseib]

What if they question your child on his birthday or a day after her b-day. That would be my luck. They would say hey you need a ticket, but I would be like " but!!! I checked in when she was 2." LOL!
Another question. If we got for her b-day we would like to go to the MVMCP and not sure if we wil lgo before her b-day or after, ( I still have to decide) but if we got after she turns 3, even though we checked in before her b-day will she need a ticket for that? I'm asuming not. Since she will be on the computer as 2 anyways.

 

[HLAuburn]

What if they question your child on his birthday or a day after her b-day. That would be my luck. They would say hey you need a ticket, but I would be like " but!!! I checked in when she was 2." LOL!
Another question. If we got for her b-day we would like to go to the MVMCP and not sure if we wil lgo before her b-day or after, ( I still have to decide) but if we got after she turns 3, even though we checked in before her b-day will she need a ticket for that? I'm asuming not. Since she will be on the computer as 2 anyways.

That's why I think the whole "policy" is sketchy. I had Disney on the phone the other day about ADRs, so I asked. The CM was not sure what the policy was, so she put me on hold to ask. She said that if they are 2 when you check in, then they are considered 2 the entire trip. I asked if you just tell the CMs at the gate that the child turned turned 3 during the trip and she said yes. But if she was unsure about the policy, what are the chances that every CM at the gate is going to know that? So you're child yells "I'm 3" and you have to say "well, yes, but she turned three on Monday and we checked in on Sunday"? And how is that supposed to work for off site guests?

Anyway, I guess my point is, everyone can say its "straightforward", but if everyone isn't "up" on the policy, I can see it leading to some confusion. In your case, I would consider your daughter 2 the entire trip.

 

[bumbershoot]

I could be wrong, but I think I read here before that the ADR-taking people are not actually CMs, they aren't on site, and probably aren't to be trusted when it came to WDW policy.

Could be wrong though!

 

[HLAuburn]

I could be wrong, but I think I read here before that the ADR-taking people are not actually CMs, they aren't on site, and probably aren't to be trusted when it came to WDW policy.

Could be wrong though!

Maybe that's why she put me on hold, so she could ask someone else who knew about the policy. When I was done with the ADR questions, I told her I had a general package question too, and asked if I would need to call another department, and she said no, she could help. Last time I called about changing an ADR and that CM was also able to add a room request to my reservation, so apparently they're not JUST dining people.
With so many CMs and other people answering phones for Disney, I have gotten different answers from different people for many questions. I guess you just call until you get the answer you want to hear.