Split stay when turning 3

[kastoney]

I know I've seen this before but can't seem to put my finger on it. We are headed to WDW in Feb and will be arriving the day before my daughter turns 3. I know she is usually considered 3 for the whole trip and therefore free but if we switch resorts after she turns 3 does this reset the clock so she wouldn't be free? Won't o it if that is the case.

 

[vicki_c]

I know I've seen this before but can't seem to put my finger on it. We are headed to WDW in Feb and will be arriving the day before my daughter turns 3. I know she is usually considered 3 for the whole trip and therefore free but if we switch resorts after she turns 3 does this reset the clock so she wouldn't be free? Won't o it if that is the case.

What are you doing about tickets and the dining plan? And do you have other children - how many people will be in your room and where are you staying?

 

[kastoney]

What are you doing about tickets and the dining plan? And do you have other children - how many people will be in your room and where are you staying?

My hubby and I will most likely have annual passes and no plans for the ddp. She is the only child so it will just be the 3 of us. Waiting on 2014 pricing but will likely start at pop and then move to a deluxe, right now WL is the front runner.

 

[vicki_c]

My hubby and I will most likely have annual passes and no plans for the ddp. She is the only child so it will just be the 3 of us. Waiting on 2014 pricing but will likely start at pop and then move to a deluxe, right now WL is the front runner.

If you're just doing room only, you probably won't have any issues with anything BUT Disney's policies say children who are 3 need a park ticket. I think it's a gray area for you if you switch resorts. In Disney's view, that's not one stay, but two. The policy about if they're under 3 at the beginning of your stay, they can be considered under 3 for the entire stay truly wouldn't apply with a split stay. I'm sure others will have differing opinions - on both sides of the issue! I land more in the middle on your situation.

 

[lajspeech]

Im by no means an expert with split stays, but it would seem to me that if you aren't doing dining and will have APs for the adults, then you will also probably get the best room rates booking AP room-only discounts, in which case your children's park passes would need to be purchased separately. You would just buy them enough park ticket days to cover your whole stay and therefore you would be correct that since she was under 3 at beginning she would be free the entire time. Basically, I think if you just don't buy a package (keep everything separate) you'll be fine.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I know I've seen this before but can't seem to put my finger on it. We are headed to WDW in Feb and will be arriving the day before my daughter turns 3. I know she is usually considered 3 for the whole trip and therefore free but if we switch resorts after she turns 3 does this reset the clock so she wouldn't be free? Won't o it if that is the case.

It's a new reservation at a new resort. She now counts as a guest, will count towards room occupancy and will need a ticket. Stay at one resort or leave home earlier.

 

[Dis703]

Like pp said split stays are considered totally separate bookings. So the second resort following the rules she would be already 3 and count towards occupancy and require a ticket. I would just stay at one resort and avoid the issue entirely if I were you.

 

[lajspeech]

It's a new reservation at a new resort. She now counts as a guest, will count towards room occupancy and will need a ticket. Stay at one resort or leave home earlier.

yes she would count toward occupancy, but why would the ticket rule change if she wasnt booking a package? Disney freely admits that if you are 2 at the start of your stay you are free for the duration of your trip. Its not bending the rules, its their policy. They are still on the same trip even if they changed resorts... why would it matter if they aren't buying tix connected to their hotel stay?

 

[vicki_c]

yes she would count toward occupancy, but why would the ticket rule change if she wasnt booking a package? Disney freely admits that if you are 2 at the start of your stay you are free for the duration of your trip. Its not bending the rules, its their policy. They are still on the same trip even if they changed resorts... why would it matter if they aren't buying tix connected to their hotel stay?

Because her first "stay" ends when she switches hotels. That is how Disney views your stay/trip since there is no such thing as a split stay to Disney. For the cleanest approach,I agree with the PP who said don't change hotels.

 

[lajspeech]

really not trying to be argumentative here, but we've had 7 day park hoppers and stayed off property in our condo... in which case our "trip duration" according to disney is the 7 days of tix that we have. If you purchase your tix separate from your hotel room, the hotel wont have anything to do with your tix.

 

[vicki_c]

As I said...

. I'm sure others will have differing opinions - on both sides of the issue! I land more in the middle on your situation.

 

[Bob NC]

really not trying to be argumentative here, but we've had 7 day park hoppers and stayed off property in our condo... in which case our "trip duration" according to disney is the 7 days of tix that we have. If you purchase your tix separate from your hotel room, the hotel wont have anything to do with your tix.

LOL, I think you are.

Yes, when you purchase a 7 day ticket 'trip duration' has nothing to do with it.

In this case in order to relate it to your scenario you are basically saying your DD has 'no ticket'.

You have a 3 day stay during which she turns 3, then when you check in for a new stay when she is 3 you basically want to extend the life of her 'no ticket'.

Doesn't work that way no matter how much you want it to.

Now they very well may say they are okay with however you want to work it with your 3 year old. If I were you I would get it in writing though, because it would seem to be a deviation from the written rules.

 

[vicki_c]

LOL, I think you are.

Yes, when you purchase a 7 day ticket 'trip duration' has nothing to do with it.

In this case in order to relate it to your scenario you are basically saying your DD has 'no ticket'.

You have a 3 day stay during which she turns 3, then when you check in for a new stay when she is 3 you basically want to extend the life of her 'no ticket'.

Doesn't work that way no matter how much you want it to.

Now they very well may say they are okay with however you want to work it with your 3 year old. If I were you I would get it in writing though, because it would seem to be a deviation from the written rules.

Just to be clear, it wasn't the OP who posted what what you responded to, Bob. I don't think the OP has been back to the thread yet (or not posted anyway).

 

[Bob NC]

It to be clear, it wasn't the OP who posted what what you responded to, Bob. I don't think the OP has been back to the thread yet (or not posted anyway).

Right. Thanks!

Same answer, different poster.

 

[kastoney]

Wow just getting home from work and checking in on all the action. We don't want to back start date up as it will put us into Presidents' Day. Sounds like best bet is not to move and she is free the whole trip. But of course I'm a girl who loves gray area and rules not so much so when we book I may push it with a CM and see what response I get. Doesn't quite make sense in my head that staying on their property the whole time and just switching hotel rooms is a whole new trip. Now of course if I fly home and back one day that of course would be a separate trip..... : ).

 

[Goofy4]

For ticket purposes she's free, unless you're also splitting your tickets.

Just put all of your tickets on the first ressie and room only on the second or don't use the second set of tickets. Extend the tickets on your first day if needed. "Final Answer"

 

[Deb & Bill]

Wow just getting home from work and checking in on all the action. We don't want to back start date up as it will put us into Presidents' Day. Sounds like best bet is not to move and she is free the whole trip. But of course I'm a girl who loves gray area and rules not so much so when we book I may push it with a CM and see what response I get. Doesn't quite make sense in my head that staying on their property the whole time and just switching hotel rooms is a whole new trip. Now of course if I fly home and back one day that of course would be a separate trip..... : ).

Think of it this way. If you had a package and had the dining plan, it would end for the first part of your stay at midnight the day you checked out. You would need a second dining plan for the next resort. It is a different stay. You check in and she is three.

 

[maxiesmom]

Doesn't quite make sense in my head that staying on their property the whole time and just switching hotel rooms is a whole new trip. Now of course if I fly home and back one day that of course would be a separate trip..... : ).

Disney doesn't see split stays as one continuous stay. To them, they are 2 separate stays. Flying home has nothing to do with it. Your second stay starts when you check in to the second resort. Doesn't matter if you flew home, or if it is a week after the first stay, or mere hours after the first stay. It is still a second, separate stay.

It will be much simpler to just stay put on your trip. But if you are willing to take a chance, and to follow whatever rules the CM tells you you need to follow, they all is good. Just be prepared to have to pay, and if you don't, it is gravy.

 

[lajspeech]

I still cheerfully disagree with both of the above answers. Sorry!

I mean, if you were booking a split stay for say 7 days with 3 days at one resort and 4 at another, you wouldn't book a 3 day park ticket package with the first resi and a 4 day ticket package with the second stay... would you? Because that would just be financially stupid. You would book 7 day tickets with your first resort check-in (or if you were really smart just book them totally separately from room to avoid all confusion with tickets linked to room cards), and book room only for the second half... right? Your tickets dont change just because your room does. And I truly believe if you call Disney and ask them thats the answer they will give you. I could be wrong. Those posters above saying that Im wrong DO have way more posts than me...

 

[maxiesmom]

I still cheerfully disagree with both of the above answers. Sorry!

I mean, if you were booking a split stay for say 7 days with 3 days at one resort and 4 at another, you wouldn't book a 3 day park ticket package with the first resi and a 4 day ticket package with the second stay... would you? Because that would just be financially stupid. You would book 7 day tickets with your first resort check-in (or if you were really smart just book them totally separately from room to avoid all confusion with tickets linked to room cards), and book room only for the second half... right? Your tickets dont change just because your room does. And I truly believe if you call Disney and ask them thats the answer they will give you. I could be wrong. Those posters above saying that Im wrong DO have way more posts than me...

I don't doubt that once you are at Disney they may not have a problem with allowing the OP's child to remain technically 2 for the whole trip. But calling ahead won't help, as they can say one thing now and then tell the OP another at the time of the trip.

All I (and others) are saying is following Disney rules the OP is doing 2 separate trips. Disney doesn't view moving from one resort to another as the same trip. To them it is 2 trips back to back. Which is why when you switch resorts you have to put down 2 deposits. Separate stays. If the OP doesn't say anything odds are they can say their child is 2 for the whole trip. But that is not technically true. For the second trip their child is 3.

The only issue is that the child is going from being free to being not free. There is no way any of us can no ahead of time who may ask what question of the OP and if any CM will care or not. We can just explain what the exact rules are, and they are when you are 3 during a trip, you pay for a park ticket. The age clock does indeed reset during the second part of their stay if they do a split stay. Thems the rules! If it is enforced or not is up to Disney.