Looking for honest opinions about "aging up" on the DDP

[mousehappync]

Please be honest (but kind!) I'm wondering about the ethics of aging up a child on the DDP when FD is offered. My oldest will be 8 years, 11 months on our trip. He has a HUGE appetite and loves to try unusual foods (his favorite is sashimi!) he LOVES steak and will often eat a adult portion. We have FD this fall, and I sort-of wished that I had listed him as an adult so that he would have more variety. The only meals where it would really be a different choice are Flying Fish and Be Our Guest; our other ADR's are either buffets/AYCTE. If we were paying for the dining plan I don't think I'd hesitate (although we are paying rack rate for 7 nights at BC, so Disney is definitely getting a lot of our money either way!). I just feel a little icky about it since it's "free." Plus, I'm not sure if I can alter his age at this point, anyway.

I have already decided I'm NOT ok with aging up my youngest, who will be 1 month shy of seven, for the purposes of doing single rider on Test Track. That somehow feels really clearly wrong to me. I guess I'm just wondering how others have handled this. I am 100% certain we will either have to supplement his meals if we use credits at BOG/Flying Fish. Thanks!

 

[jtowntoflorida]

I wouldn't hesitate to do either thing, but that's me. Free dining isn't free...you're paying a really high rack rate for that. Your kids are so close to the age cutoff for both that I wouldn't have any issues...it's just rounding.

You won't be able to change their ages yourself in MDE. MDE hasn't acknowledged my 5 year old's last birthday and still displays him as a 4 year old. It irritates me (for no good reason) so I tried to go in and update his birthday, hoping that would correct the math (his birthdate is correct in MDE, his age just displays incorrectly). There is a notice in MDE that says that you can't change it and that you have to call to have it changed.

 

[porschegrl]

Others' opinions may vary, but to me, there is no ethical dilemma in aging up your 8yo. You would have to buy him an adult park ticket, so you take the good with the bad.

We had FD when my son was 9, and I don't think I knew aging up was even an option. He was a big eater, too (still is), and I just paid OOP for any adult meals he wanted.

Either way works!

 

[wdwrule]

We've aged up our kids' ages for a few years now with FD. It was less than $50 for the whole week to upgrade their tickets and was totally worth it! The CM on the phone told us she didn't blame us and she'd do it herself. Our kids have always loved steak and a bigger variety of foods. This totally beat the couple of chicken nuggets or little burger. And they loooooved the variety (and size) of the desserts. (The little bagged chocolate chip cookie got boring.) It made for an extra pleasant vacation! It gives them so much to choose from.

 

[mousehappync]

Thank you for your responses! I'm going to call and see if it's possible to age him up. It sounds like it's a good option for his appetite and tastes!

 

[Ruminater]

I had no problem with aging up either ethically or logistically. My 9 year old so want's to be like her 13 year old brother I felt she would feel slighted if he got "the grey stuff" cupcake among other desserts and she only got what came with the kids meal. I called and spoke with a very nice CM explaining my situation and saying I would gladly pay the difference. She was very helpful and understood quite well having kids of her own. After 20 minutes she had us all on the free dining adult plan and it cost like $15 bucks more for the park tickets to go from child to adult. Now I'm excited to split the porterhouse at the Yachtsman with my daughter. My only ethical dilemma is eating too much cow in one sitting - but I'll just have to live with that one.

 

[SM101]

If that was my kid, I would age him up.

My daughter is less than thrilled (to put it mildly) with most of the kid options at Disney and I don't want her eating burgers and mac and cheese all vacation either. She's a good eater at home and will try most foods. We sometimes have to change up her adult dinner entrees (sauce on the side, change out a side dish to something she'd like better), but that's never been a problem - they are very accommodating at the restaurants with things like that. Sometimes there's some waste - she'd eat all of a full size piece of fish or filet mignon but probably not all of the sides - but we're both happier in the long run. It's worth the extra dollars to do that.

The only time I would say that it's NOT worth it is if you're doing a ton of buffets, because kids can eat whatever they want from there and a lower cost.

 

[jenf22]

I did this a week or so ago with our 8 year old. We've only got the Quick Service plan so we would probably have been ok ordering adult meals every where anyway, but this way I don't have to worry about it. We only have 3-day tickets since we're doing Universal and LEGOLAND on our trip so it was $20ish to age him up. The CM had no problem with it. I got the sense people do it all the time.

 

[lwc]

I have no ethical issue whatsoever with aging up a child, as multiple CMs have, unprompted, suggested it and told me that they do it with their kids.

 

[gtpoohbear]

If Disney allows it, then I see no ethical issue. I would worry more if I was entering their ages "wrong" on the initial ressie. But if you call and tell the CM exactly what you want to change and why, and they do it, then you HAVE been honest, IMO. I almost aged mine up a few years ago when they were 9 and 2, but we were on the deluxe plan (not FD) and I finally decided it just wasn't worth the extra cost.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Nothing wrong with paying Disney more $$$$!

Age up freely and enjoy the greater selection!