Older looking child??

[Jill Schwartz]

We will be at the parks Oct 29-Nov 3. My daughter turns 10 on Nov 5. She is a fairly tall girl, and it will be just days before her birthday. Has anyone every heard of a CM requiring a birth certificate?? I am pre-ordering on line, so I guess it would be when she puts her pass in the turnstile, since we won't be buying at the ticket window.

This just crossed my mind....if we were staying a couple more days, she would 9 for some of her Hopper Pass days and 10 for some of her Hopper Pass days. How does Disney handle that one??!!

Jill

 

[kilee]

She doesn't officially turn 10 until after the trip. If she's 9 then she's 9. You can bring a copy of a birth certificate if it will make you feel better.

 

[pilotmono]

Technically you will need to upgrade the ticket after the birthday. Understand it is quite common children's tickets are presented that were purchased in the past--adults trying to enter with child's tickets. If you have paperwork that requirement may be waived for your trip, however don't be surprised if you are asked to upgrade.

 

[ChuckGA]

I do not have any personal experience with this but base on experience with other things and posts to the board I have come to the following conclusion:

Disney will not question you about children's ages, AP pass room rates, and a whole bunch of other potential "cheats". They simply take your word for it. I guess it is better to let of few "get away" with something than hassle the other 99.99% of the people.

In your case you have nothing to worry about or feel your are doing anything wrong. Disney lets you exchange a child ticket for an adult one even years after you bought it at no charge. There is no one there checking birth certificates at the gate.

Chuck

 

[PhotobearSam]

Actually, Disney only considers the age of the child at check in.


If the child is 9 at check in, then Disney sees the child as 9 till check out.

 

[heidica]

Technically you will need to upgrade the ticket after the birthday. Understand it is quite common children's tickets are presented that were purchased in the past--adults trying to enter with child's tickets. If you have paperwork that requirement may be waived for your trip, however don't be surprised if you are asked to upgrade.

pilotmono - That is not what I was told
I asked a very similiar question last month on this board and was told that you buy the ticket that fits your child's age for the age they will be when they 1st use the ticket. If the child is 9 on the day the ticket will first be used (which is true in your case), then you buy the child ticket. In my case my godson will be turning 10 2 days after arriving at WDW, but was told that I could still buy the child ticket and Disney would honor it.

Jill - here is a link to the question I posted, to give you some more information
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=632468
I am going to buy the child ticket and go with that.
Hope this helps

 

[Shannon G]

As far as a child who looks older than they are - I was wondering about this too. DD will be 2 1/2 on our trip in January. However, she is very tall for her age (37" at her 2 year check up a few weeks ago). She is also pretty advanced as far as vocabulary & speaking skills go (OT- I was so proud when the pediatrician heard her counting & told me that was "exceptional" for her age!). Will the CMs just take my word for it that she's under 3 & doesn't need ticket, or should I bring her birth cert. just in case?

 

[julia & nicks mom]

My sister's kids all look older than they are and she has never been questioned - Disney will trust your answer if you are questioned

My DD will turn 3 on our trip and I was concerned not only about tickets but also meals -

Disney told me as long as she is 2 when we check-in she will be considered two our entire trip - which means even her character meals are free!! That made my husband do the happy dance!!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Originally posted by pilotmono
Technically you will need to upgrade the ticket after the birthday. Understand it is quite common children's tickets are presented that were purchased in the past--adults trying to enter with child's tickets. If you have paperwork that requirement may be waived for your trip, however don't be surprised if you are asked to upgrade.

My daugher's birtday is Oct 28th. When I was renewing her pass once, the week before her birthday. I went to pay the adult renewal & was told, that she was still considered 9 & would be until the renewal pass expired...next Oct. I was renewing & they were well aware of how old she was & how soon she was turning 10. It goes by the age they are when purchasing, or as others have said...age at check in.... the same goes for a teen of 17 checking in & then has birthday while there, they aren't going to add on the extra adult surcharge during your stay.

 

[missypie]

If they are really "checking" they will look at your DD and casually ask her how old she is. Unless a kid has been very well coached to lie, they will usually spontaneously give their real age. In your case, your DD would truthfully give her real age and all would be well.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

We're instructed to ask the parents how old the child is, not to ask the child themselves. However, if the child answers on their own, and says something different than what the parent is saying, then we'll get very suspicious.

 

[Firepower]

Originally posted by Shannon G
As far as a child who looks older than they are - I was wondering about this too. DD will be 2 1/2 on our trip in January. However, she is very tall for her age (37" at her 2 year check up a few weeks ago). She is also pretty advanced as far as vocabulary & speaking skills go (OT- I was so proud when the pediatrician heard her counting & told me that was "exceptional" for her age!). Will the CMs just take my word for it that she's under 3 & doesn't need ticket, or should I bring her birth cert. just in case?

Shannon G.,

We took DD 2 weeks before her 3rd birthday and didn't have any trouble with CM's asking her age. She was also very advanced in her vocabulary and speech at that time. We did alot of character meals with the buffet and she ate for free, no questions asked.

Ed

 

[goofy4tink]

My dd is very tall for her age also. She was 9 on our trip in '03. I was curious to see if anyone questioned the use of a child's php. And no one did. Now, for our trip this past August she was 10 and we had to get an adult AP for her. She will be 11 when we go at Thanksgiving time and we have our meals booked based on her being a child still. That will end with this trip tho. I believe the meals for kids end at 12, correct? But, I have never been questioned as to her age.

 

[disneyvoice]

You won't have any problem at all. My son is fairly big for his age and on our last trip was still 2 so he was free at the buffets. I was concerned that they might not beleive he was only two. They just asked his age when ever we checked in at the restaurant and, if they thought I was lying, they never batted an eye!

 

[anne60]

I've only seen a CM question the age of a child once, and it was at the turnstiles to get in to Magic Kingdom. The child was in a stroller and the CM seemed to think she was over the age to get in free. I don't know how it turned out because I went through before it was resolved.

We have the opposite problem, my DD is 12 and looks 9 or 10...she gets very insulted if asked if she is under 10!!!

 

[SAWYERMAW1]

My grandson looks several years older than he is and we've never been asked. I'm surprised that we haven't.