Question about 2 yr old on dining plan

[maxiesmom]

Being "dishonest" in this way is not saving money!!! Saying the child is 3 yrs old will not save the OP any money in any area. They will be PAYING extra for the child to have the dp when they could get it for free!! ***Not, not, not***, saving money - the kid could eat for free at all buffets and share with family members at all other meals. Why is that so hard to understand?

They ARE doing it to save money. The child could share at buffets, but they would have to pay for everything else the child ate. Sure, they could share, but they would have to order more food to begin with. More food=more money. PLus The OP pretty much said that is why she wants to do it. And it is dishonest. Either pay for a park pass, or pay for the meals. That is how Disney has it set up.

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

OP--Remember that the Disney database will keep track of your childrens ages forever!

Sure it keeps track of everyone, but it is NOT always right. When I booked our trip in January their computer had Alex as 13, Matt as 16, Quin as 7 and Em as 3.

Of the 4 only Quin's age was right. Alex is 2 years older, Matt 3 younger and Emily is 2 NOT 3. All my travel documents showed the older kids ages right in 2006, but not this year in the Disney computer system. (Except for Emily who I booked as 1 instead of as infant...my mistake there.)

The girl booking my trip changed all the ages to correct and said HEY- IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME!

 

[AnnetteF]

Sorry but there is nothing dishonest about adding a 2 year old to the dining plan. We are DVC members and 2 years ago when my DD was 2 1/2, we wanted to put her on the DDP, because we don't do buffets and I didn't want the restrictions of having to order something that she would eat for my meal everywhere, nor did I want the inconvenience of paying out of pocket everywhere we went. I simply told the cast member this when I was making the arrangements for the dining plan and she told me that most people just don't find it is worth it to buy the plan for a 2 year so they don't make you take it until age 3 but she just said no problem, I'll just have to put her in as a 3 year old to get the computer to accept it. No dishonesty, and I am purchasing something that I didn't need to.

Just call member services and tell them what you want to do - I'm sure it won't be a problem.

Also, we've done three additional trips since and her true age is now what is reflected on on reservations and there has never been any problem.

 

[carmie3377]

I just talked to DVC member services regarding listing a 2YO as a 3YO. She said it is quite common and that it is allowed as long as room occupancy rules don't conflict. They also make notations on the reservation that the child is actually 2. Since they allow it, how can that be dishonest?

 

[AnnetteF]

They ARE doing it to save money. The child could share at buffets, but they would have to pay for everything else the child ate. Sure, they could share, but they would have to order more food to begin with. More food=more money. PLus The OP pretty much said that is why she wants to do it. And it is dishonest. Either pay for a park pass, or pay for the meals. That is how Disney has it set up.

Pay for a park pass??? WHY? Are you aware that many DVC members visit the Walt Disney World RESORT and never actually even venture into the parks and therefore DO NOT buy a park pass? The Dining Plan is still an option for those DVC members. The rules for buying a package plan is another story entirely, but that does not apply in this case.

Also, Disney "has it set up" this way (for DVC members) because most parents would not want to pay the price of the DP for their 2 year old to eat 2 bites of food. I doubt TPTB were sitting there thinking "and we'll really cash in on all those 2 year olds who can eat like a horse".

 

[pilferk]

I'm looking for some info on the dining plan for my 2 yr old. I called to get the dining plan for all of us ( 3 adults 1 child and my 2yr old) and they told me that i cant add the 2 yr old because they dont have a plan for kids under 3. I was told in the past that i can add it but now i cant. I said then put him down for being 3 and add him. He told me that it will change all my other plans. i.e not so scary, park hopper etc. but i dont see how it will change any of that. just looking for some info. will it change anything that im not thinking of? thanks for any help

We travel with a soon to be 2 yo, too....she was 15 months back in January when we went. She'll be about 27 months for our early December trip.

Remember....under 3 eat free at all buffets and "family style" meals (like Ohanas). Also remember that they'll let the 2 yo eat off your plate, also for free, at any restaurant.

We found (and your mileage may vary) that we only had to buy meals for our little one when doing CS. There was PLENTY of food to share at our non-buffet TS's, between the other 4 of us (2 kids and 2 adults). That being said, we seriously considered adding her as a 3 year old both last year, and this year, just to get the DDP for her. MS actually encouraged us to do so with the Deluxe DDP this trip....

 

[PortieOwner]

We did "free dining" with a 2.75 year old child who had a food allergy. All food was free for him at the buffets, and even at some of the other places they made food to order for him, for free, to deal with the food allergy. WDW restaurants went way above and beyond on that trip for us.

The one drawback these days is no appetizer with the meal plan anymore, and an appetizer is pretty much a meal for many 2 year olds.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

During our stay last month we were not on the dining plan, and they still wanted to see our IDs. Must be something fairly new.

OP--Remember that the Disney database will keep track of your childrens ages forever! So if you go to Disney World when your child is actually 9, they will think he is 10. And you will be paying adult prices for everything a year early. It is actually kind of creepy how much they know about you, once you have stayed on their property! If you plan on going back you might want to try and factor that in to your cost.

Simply not true! They have never asked for birthdays on anyone. They can't know when a person turned the age you tell them. Like DD is 7 on our ressies for our next trip...she will be 8 though. It was a rescheduled trip, when she would have been 7 the day we checked in...turned 8 the next day. Since we just changed the dates, she is still showing up as 7 on the ressie.

Also have a friend that goes every May, and her oldest has been 17 every single year to avoid the extra adult fee. While not honest at all, Disney hasn 't figure it out! If they were worried about it, they would set something up to make us prove it!

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

I agree! Pick an age, and stick with it. The real age would be best.

And people wonder why Disney uses things like finger scans to try and keep people honest.

Oh, lets start the finger scan discussion and how that doesn't work AT ALL!

 

[spaddy]

We did the dining plan 2 times for our 2 year old. He simply is not interested in eating anything off our plate. We stayed at a DVC both times and never had a problem with MS adding the dining plan to him.

I found the dining plan to be a good deal for him.

If MS gives you an answer that you feel is not right, then hang up and call back. You can often get a very different answer from a different person.