Should we add 1 child to DDP?

[Lisa0503]

As DVC members, we have the option adding a child to our DDP without having to buy a child's MYW ticket. When we go in September (no free dinning with DVC so we will be paying for it) my DD will be 2 months shy of her 3rd birthday and DS will be 16 months. Should we plan on adding a child to our DDP so the two kids can split a childs meal? I know that under 3 can eat free at the buffets but we only have 3 planned...(out of 8 TS meals we have ADR's for). I have read posts from other people about the food being plentiful and sharing. Will it be enough to share with two young kids?

 

[indigoxtreme]

Add the child, most children that age want their own. Yes you should find that there will be enough to share with the two children. You will probably even have some of your food to share as the portions are large for everyone.

 

[Dizneydaz]

I totally agree!

 

[3PRINCESSMOM]

I say don't buy it. Pay for kids OOP. They can still get some of their own meals, but with you on the plan at most table service, (with apps., entree and dessert), you'll have more than enough food. I think that its great they give DVC this little perk, not having to purchase for everyone.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

Isn't it just about $10 to add a child to the Dining Plan?

I think you would spend WAY more OOP than you would on the dining plan!

 

[emma'smom]

I'd say add it...it will make paying the bill easier and your children can share the "snacks" too!

 

[patsal]

Add it, you'll spend more than $10.00 OOP between the two of them and the extra snack and a few drinks will be easier on your wallet. The kids CS will come out to about $5.00 with tax, the kids TS we found some as high as $27.99 in value for the kids app, entree, dessert and beverage before tax and tip or as low as $13.00 (same scenario), add the snack and your well over the price you paid for it and still much less than if you paid OOP. Plus for the $10.00 or so you will not be locked into making choices based solely on what the kids like--you can have those wonderful things that you really want but of course would sacrifice to make the kids happier.

 

[Lisa0503]

I think that its great they give DVC this little perk, not having to purchase for everyone.

Actually even with DVC, everyone on the ressie does have to be on the dinning plan. The only benifit is that because I have children under 3, I can opt to purchase a childs dining plan with out buying a childs park ticket. From what I understand, normally you CAN'T buy a childs DDP without also purchasing a childs park ticket (which would not be any savings).

I was thinking, if I do buy the Childs DDP, I would really want to use their TS credits for our TS meals(not the buffets)... We have 8 ADR's (3 are buffets) and we are only staying 5 nights so we have 5 TS meals p/p. We plan to pay for 3 meals OOP. I am a bit worried that we would be forced to use a child's TS credit on the buffets (LTT, PSB & Cape May's Breakfast....which are normally free from what I understand) and then still have to pay OOP or share at Chefs de France, Coral Reef or the other TS ressies that are not buffets. Do you think that will happen?

 

[molly2004]

Just giving you a heads up. There are very strong opinions about using child's credits for adult meals.

That being said, quite honestly, the thought did cross my mind since it has previously been reported that cast members have encouraged it. I don't know if the scenario you describe will happen. Chances are likely that it will vary from place to place and from server to server.

I, personally, would opt against getting a child's DDP if you plan to use it this way simply because I would think it would be too much to try to keep track of (will they deduct the credit or will they not). More stress than it's worth. I prefer not to have to do too much minor accounting while on vacation. But if you're willing to keep up with it and are okay with having to deal with possibly arguing with the servers over the points, you could consider it.

Good luck with your decision! Most of all, have fun!

 

[salmoneous]

Sounds like a good idea. But, being a worrier, I just imagine at some point you are going to run into trouble with park tickets. You ticket will indicate that you are a family of 2 adults and 1 child. When you get to the parks, will somebody ask why are are suddenly a family of 2 adults and 2 "under 3's"?

 

[patsal]

I think that you are correct in assuming that they will expect you to use the credit to pay for the child's buffet--after reading the card they are going to think that you are supposed to pay. As others have pointed out the child for adult credit thing can get pretty heated around here, but if you really are only planning on using the credits for a CS chicken nugget meal, and not planning on ordering a TS that includes app/entree/dessert and drink--maybe it is best that you don't get it. I was thinking you knew that they would likely charge you for the buffets but wanted to be able to order both a kids CS and TS for each day (that you were not doing a buffet). If that is not the case your OOP would be minimal for that and may not even be $10 per day.

 

[patsal]

Sounds like a good idea. But, being a worrier, I just imagine at some point you are going to run into trouble with park tickets. You ticket will indicate that you are a family of 2 adults and 1 child. When you get to the parks, will somebody ask why are are suddenly a family of 2 adults and 2 "under 3's"?

For DVC our park tickets are not usually attached to our room keys. So they need not match.

 

[chris1gill]

I would definitely add one child to the plan... it will give you more flexibility & add one snack credit per day... You may or may not have enough food without the added child, but for ten dollars a day, it's a good bet you'll use it....

Course I was on the phone this morning & they wanted to know if I wanted to upgrade our child's meal to a full adult meal... she's 8 & weighs next to NOTHING... Upgrade her meal? No WAY I asked if I could downgrade the 11 year old since he doesn't eat anything other than burger's and pizza, BLECH

 

[Lisa0503]

Just giving you a heads up. There are very strong opinions about using child's credits for adult meals.

We have no intention of doing that....so no flames please!!! I have read many of those threads and really don't want to start that debate. I just wanted to know if the quantity of food was really enough to feed 2 adults and 2 little ones...

In fact, I am not even sure we will even bother with getting the childs meal added to our DDP. I would hate to purchase it and then HAVE to use it at the few buffets and then not be able get a childs meal at the sit down TS we have ressies for (which is what we would mostly be getting it for). Although the extra snack credits would be nice, I am still debating on wether it is worth it for us. We will already have extra CS meals since we have so many TS planned. We could definately use those to feed the kids on the nights we are going to TS where they may not like the food we are ordering. Also, we will have a kitchen in our villa so we could feed the kids before we go to dinner too. My DS just turned one and is still eating baby food since he doesn't have many teeth yet so he may not even be eating much. I will probably bring some toddler meals for him to eat in our room...

 

[patsal]

Oh, Lisa your kids are young--not much damage they could do to a food bill. Now if your youngest were the age of your oldest and the oldest was like five or something then I'd say buy it for the youngest since they always feel they have to be like their siblings! Your OOP would be so very littel and paying for what should be a free buffet would bring you littel to no advantage.

 

[molly2004]

We have no intention of doing that....so no flames please!!!

Sorry, I must have misunderstood your post. You said:

I was thinking, if I do buy the Childs DDP, I would really want to use their TS credits for our TS meals(not the buffets)... We have 8 ADR's (3 are buffets) and we are only staying 5 nights so we have 5 TS meals p/p. We plan to pay for 3 meals OOP. I am a bit worried that we would be forced to use a child's TS credit on the buffets (LTT, PSB & Cape May's Breakfast....which are normally free from what I understand) and then still have to pay OOP or share at Chefs de France, Coral Reef or the other TS ressies that are not buffets. Do you think that will happen?

With all the controversy on these boards about child credits and adult meals, I subconsciously I gravitated toward that meaning. My apologies. Still friends?

 

[Lisa0503]

Molly2004 - Gosh, I did not take your post as a flame AT ALL!!!!! I took it as I thought it was intended, a friendly heads up about the controversy. I just wanted to correct any misunderstanding before this thread became another in the debate about using childs credits for adult meals....YadaYadaYada.... After re-reading what I posted, I could totally understand how it could have been misleading. What I should have said was "I would really want to use my child's TS credits for my child's TS meals(not the buffets, which would normally be free for them since they are both under 3)."

Anyway, if we did end up buying the DDP, do you think the servers at the buffets would give me a really hard time about NOT using a childs TS credit if we brought copies of their birth certificate and explained that we purchased the Childs DDP to use at the non-buffet TS restaurants? (We planned on bringing our DD's birth certificate anyway since she is sooo big for her age, we didn't want any problems with not having a park ticket for her.)

 

[molly2004]

Molly2004 - Gosh, I did not take your post as a flame AT ALL!!!!! I took it as I thought it was intended, a friendly heads up about the controversy. I just wanted to correct any misunderstanding before this thread became another in the debate about using childs credits for adult meals....YadaYadaYada.... After re-reading what I posted, I could totally understand how it could have been misleading. What I should have said was "I would really want to use my child's TS credits for my child's TS meals(not the buffets, which would normally be free for them since they are both under 3)."

Anyway, if we did end up buying the DDP, do you think the servers at the buffets would give me a really hard time about NOT using a childs TS credit if we brought copies of their birth certificate and explained that we purchased the Childs DDP to use at the non-buffet TS restaurants? (We planned on bringing our DD's birth certificate anyway since she is sooo big for her age, we didn't want any problems with not having a park ticket for her.)

Ok I thought I was being mean when i hadn't meant to.

Let me add a disclaimer to my response. I've never tried this before; these are just my impressions. From the general vibe I get from what people have reported on servers' behaviors, it seems that it will be totally hit or miss. I'm not sure how many people actually buy DDP for their under 3 child (we have 2 such kiddos and were considering doing it. I asked about it here and got a lot of "why would you want to do that?" we're also doing DVC). If it is a rare occurrence, servers may end up questioning you why you ever bought the plan for your kid anyway. I just know that I, personally, and DH will get annoyed at having to explain this to servers more than once after a long tiring day.

I think I will just plan to hit many of the places that have large portions. Without a doubt, the buffets and other TS meals will not be a problem. As for counter service, I noticed that people say there are places with healthy portions. I think with the snacks, there will be plenty for DH and I (we're relatively lunch eaters, dinner is a different story!) to share with our twins. After lots of thought about it, I don't think I'll be getting DDP for them.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

Anyway, if we did end up buying the DDP, do you think the servers at the buffets would give me a really hard time about NOT using a childs TS credit if we brought copies of their birth certificate and explained that we purchased the Childs DDP to use at the non-buffet TS restaurants?

IMO, I would call and ask. A case could definitely be made that if you want the benefit of your child to be able to purchase and use the plan when the child is not 3, then the child must use the plan for all meals. For the hassle of carrying around birth certificates and having to potentially argue at restaurants, I wouldn't bother getting the plan for your child. There is so much food, and kids meals are cheap when you don't want to share.

I have never seen or heard of anyone being questioned about their child being 3 when getting into the park - I don't think you will need to carry your child's birth certificate. Disney has a good honor system!

 

[patsal]

I bring my children's birth certificates with me--I have never had to use them, but DS is so big for his age and though 14 he really looks like he is 18. It is easier for me to have the birth certificate at check-in. I have only had to use it once--at PORFQ the person checking me in was going to charge me the extra for the extra adult, I explained, asked my DS to take out his school photo ID and then pulled out his birth certificate--the CM was embarassed and apologized. It really was not a big deal, and I know everyone around here says you'll never be asked to see it--it sure made me feel better not to have to insist without proof or to be thought of as a cheater. I'd bring the birth certificates and not worry about it--keep track of your credits and if they do charge you for the buffet, have it adjusted at the resort.