Kids under 3 still free at buffets?

[KrazeeK120]

Can kids under 3 "eat off an adult's plate" at buffets/all you care to eat meals? I'm considering booking one for our trip next year but not if we would have to pay for our toddler!

Also, can you request a drink for them? If not, can they at least get water?

 

[Hopefully]

Kids under 3 still eat off an adult plate, yes.
You can order them an extra drink. They can charge you for the drink, but seldom do.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

KIDS UNDER-3 EAT FREE "411":

1) TECHNICALLY, there is no such thing as a "kids-under-3-eat-free" policy.
. . . no where in ANY Disney brochure is this mentioned
. . . there is no such policy
2) But, when done per policy, they eat almost free.
3) And, based upon CM discretion, they can eat free.
4) The official rules:
. . . kids under three can eat off the adult's plate
. . . if they order anything, like milk, they are supposed to pay for it
. . . if they order any food, they are supposed to pay for it
. . . this is anywhere, including buffets
5) What really happens:
. . at buffets & AYCTE kids actually "eat buffet food free"
. . . . . . adults could get the food, instead and give it to the kid
. . . . . . the adult could claim it is their plate kid eats from
. . . . . . they might as well have a drink, for same reason
. . . . . . it's tough to determine it was theirs or their parents
. . . . . . thus, kids can have their own plate and beverage without charge
. . at non-buffet, servers can determine if they ordered food
. . . . . . it is easy to tell if they got a drink
. . . . . . the server usually charges for food ordered for the kid
. . . . . . the server usually let's the drink go, but not food
. . . . . . the server, at their own discretion, can charge for beverage
6) So, to wrap-up, in practical terms
. . . at non-buffets, kids under-3 eat without charge ONLY from parent's plate
. . . at buffets & AYCTE, they can actually take food from the buffet table or separate plate
. . . at all meals, items are ordered for the child "might" be charged for them

7) Please remember to add your child to the table count.
. . . if there are four adults and a child, that needs an ADR for five people
. . . this is regardless whether the child is lap, stroller, highchair, or regular chair
. . . also, if the baby makes six people, the AUTOMATIC 18% GRATUITY is in effect
. . . no automatic gratuity at CRT-HDDR-LUAU-BBQ, as tips are already included in the meal price

 

[cgh]

FYI- We have a severely allergic child who is under 3, so we need to order/speak to chef and sometimes get non buffet food at buffets. We have not been charged for him at buffets. QS meals we pay for and other TS meals. (order him separate normally sometimes on menus, sometimes off)

 

[Regan117]

Yes, they're free. If you order anything additional, they will charge you for it. We have kids who are 4, 3 and 3 and go frequently and have never had an issue with this. In fact, we upgraded to the Deluxe Dining Plan last trip because we weren't able to purchase a dining plan for them, as they are under 3. So we usually used our appetizers for the kids and ate the entrees ourselves.

 

[JimmyV]

1) TECHNICALLY, there is such thing as a "kids-under-3-eat-free" policy.
. . . no where in ANY Disney brochure is this mentioned
. . . there is no such policy

Rusty: If I am reading this correctly, then the bolded should have the word "no" in there.....no?

 

[pd1138]

We ate in Japan in EP and even though our son was 14 months old we ordered milk for him ( no meal) and we were charged. However we ordered milk for him at a couple of character buffets and we were not charged for the milk separately.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Rusty: If I am reading this correctly, then the bolded should have the word "no" in there.....no?

Yep . . . let's call it "A Senior Thing".