This may be an unpopular question

[WDSearcher]

I don't think anyone on these boards is so incredibly wealthy that "$150 means nothing" to them. So that's not really fair. You started your post by saying you knew you were asking an unpopular question, and I think you knew you were going to get some pushback. And you did.

The easy answer is, "No, Disney will not ask for a birth certificate." Disney trusts that what the parent is telling them regarding the ages of their children is accurate. Occasionally, if it seems obvious that a child is older than 3 or older than 10, they will ask, and people have been "caught at the gate." But it happens rarely, and I doubt that any Disney CM would question anyone with a special needs child. If you feel comfortable with your decision for a child's ticket, then that's all you need.

Something to remember though is that there are a lot of people who visit WDW who cannot fully participate in all of the aspects of the park. The admission does not simply pay for the rides and shows -- it covers everything from the garden you may sit in to have a bit of "quiet time" to the parade that your child may truly enjoy to the characters, who are likely to seek him out and spend quality time with him that a more able child may not receive. It covers the atmosphere and the "magic" that make this a destination you chose in the first place. You need to go back to why you chose WDW -- what about it made you think it would be a good destination for your family and, particularly, your son. And then decide what that's worth.

I do understand your point about "what happens if we go into the park at 9am and we have to leave at 9:02?" Well, if that happens, and you go to Guest Relations, my guess is that they will look at your receipt or ticket and refund the price of that day since it is obvious you will not be able to enjoy the park at all.

My question is, though, if you do go into the park and pay the child's price for your son's ticket, and he ends up having the time of his life -- enjoying sights and sounds, meeting characters, watching shows, etc -- would you then go back to Guest Relations and say, "Hi ... I paid the child price for my son to come to the park today because I didn't think he'd be able to get much out of it, but as it turns out, he had a wonderful time. I'd like to pay the difference to cover an adult ticket." Chances are, no ... you wouldn't. And you know, even if you did, I'll bet Disney would say, "Don't worry about it -- we're glad he had a good day." But my bet is that you'll find there's a lot more he can do and enjoy than you think.

You said your son likes water -- you may also want to consider taking him to SeaWorld. There are a lot of places where he can feel the water and get close to the tanks, and most of the shows are water based with liberal "splash sections" if he likes the sensation of getting wet. (You can sit at the edge of the section and get "misted" as opposed to soaked! ) So, that's another suggestion.

Whatever you decide, I hope you all have a wonderful trip!

 

[Trackerbee]

come on people, we are talking about disney here not the real world for heavans sake!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Brian Noble]

You will have to make your own decision about what ticket to buy. I would not buy a child's ticket, but that's just me.

I can tell you that I have a colleague with two autistic children---one low-functioning---that owns in DVC. They go regularly, and with planning and care, they find they have a truly wonderful time. Should you go, I suspect you will too.

 

[Muziqal]

If the OP asked the question in the first place (do they check birth certificates?) then isn't it reasonable to assume now that she has found out that they don't that she'll likely buy the child ticket?

All she wanted was confirmation...really. Her moral dilemma sounded like it was 2nd priority. So a lot of wasted energy and condescension is going into a dead argument. Do you stand outside your local movie theatre making sure teens are paying teen prices? Didn't think so...but if the issue is so important to you, maybe you should start locally and begin a community group for proper pay for proper age groups.

fact. people do cheat the system...everywhere, anywhere...

fact. you're not Disney security...and if they did feel that age verification was more important than guest comfort, you'd hear about it

fact. there's nothing you can do about it...are you gonna become a Disney policy vigilante or something?

fact. there are plenty of worthwhile things to argue in this world...go find one of them...like refillable mugs or something!

 

[MsLefty]

It's just a difference of opinion between people who follow rules and people who try to justify why the rules shouldn't apply to them. And each side thinks they're right. It's a never-ending debate.

 

[cleo]

LOL about the refillable mugs, Muziqal! Now THERE'S a worthwhile arguement!

There are many useful answers here, giving the OP options for saving in other ways so that she can choose the correct ticket for her child and still make the trip affordable. Many posters have given her encouragement in hoping for the best day possible for her family, and suggestions based on experience on how to help make that happen. There are terrific suggestions in case the day does not go as smoothly as we all hope it will, offering ideas on how to salvaging what may otherwise be a less than happy day.

All of those things together may show the value in the Adult ticket for an 11 year old, regardless of how the day plays out. Perhaps it is not a foregone conclusion that she will choose the Child's ticket, since she indicates in her first post that she wants to do the right thing.

 

[Tissa]

I have a 7 year old autistic son and we took our first trip to Disneyworld last March. I paid for a 4 day park hopper pass for him and he rode one ride(Buzz Lightyear) that was it. He liked the monorail more, the rest of the time he spent in the stroller because it felt safe then would go back to the hotel and sleep. Do I feel like I wasted my money? No, I will wait to take him back until he's a few years older and I'll pay the adult price, and if he just rides the monorail again I'll be ok with that too. Don't let a few dollars keep you from giving it a try. Oh I am a single mom w/two disabled kids and money is very tight around here so it's not like I don't understand. Good luck to you

 

[kdtwiss]

Hi, thank you all.
No it is not a given I will be buying a child's ticket - I am honestly having a hard time with that decision.
But - I do feel as though Disney should offer some kind of discount.
Since we are traveling as a family of 6 and buying tickets/package in advance I was told all of us need to be on the same plan. they will not ake an exception and allow us to buy a one day ticket for my son and one adult. If they would _ I would not even be asking these questions here - I would happily purchase the adult ticket and if the first day goes well assume we would be ok for the rest of our stay.As far as refunds go - I was told once you pay for the ticket there are no refunds - but they MIGHT make an exception in our case. Well might does not do it for me and believe me if ds had to witness me arguing with someone for a refund - our day would be blown.
And - I meant no offense when I said $150 may not mean anything to you - it is just so many people have lots of trips they have been on listed and I feel kind of outclassed here if you KWIM.

 

[tjkraz]

But - I do feel as though Disney should offer some kind of discount. Since we are traveling as a family of 6 and buying tickets/package in advance I was told all of us need to be on the same plan.

Admittedly I have not researched the new package deals that Disney is selling since the first of the year. However, if the old logic holds true, you often end up paying more for the packages than you would booking things separately--moreso in this case where you want different options for different members of your group.

I say your previous comment about needing to budget the trip. That's easy to do, even without an all-inclusive package. Surf over to www.allearsnet.com and click on the Dining link. You'll find descriptions and menus (with prices!) for every single restaurant at WDW. Decide which most appeal to you and use that as the basis for your budget.

You could also look at cutting costs in other ways. Stay at a lower-class hotel or off Disney property. Get a styrofoam cooler for your hotel room and buy bagles, milk and cereal for breakfast.

Disney's dining packages usually require guests to eat large volumes of food and the most expensive menu items in order to meet or exceed the price paid. Until proven otherwise, I suspect this is still the case.

 

[CheshireVal]

No it is not a given I will be buying a child's ticket - I am honestly having a hard time with that decision.
But - I do feel as though Disney should offer some kind of discount.

I understand your dilemma, and I'm not flaming here, but I just had to put in my 2 cents about the above comment.

I really loved what a previous poster said about how your admission ticket buys you the atmosphere, the flowers, the music, etc, as well as the rides.

If they were going to offer discounts to people who can't enjoy all the rides, they'd have to give discounted tickets to pregnant women, people with high blood pressure, heart problems, back/neck problems... or maybe people who are just too scared to ride the Mountains...

What you do regarding your ticket buying decision is your own business, and granted I *do* think Disney should add another price tier for older children.... but the kind of discount you're suggesting just isn't feasible.

 

[WDSearcher]

Sorry ... post I was responding to was deleted!

 

[cleo]

To avoid misunderstanding, the post being referred to in WDSearcher's post has been removed. The DIS does not allow posts which tell guests how to 'cheat Disney's system'. The official policy is, ages 10 and up pay for an Adult ticket. While guests may feel discounts are deserved in certain cases, Disney has set the age limit of 3-9 for a Child's pass, 10 and up for an Adult.

 

[Brian Noble]

kdtwiss: If you are going to need more than one room, you could always book the two rooms separately, getting one as a package, and getting the other as a room-only reservation. If you think about which names go on which rooms, you can arrange things so that only the people who will definitely benefit from the package are listed on the "package" room, with everyone else on the "room only" room.

Once they are both booked, call back and have a note placed into each reservation that you'd like the two rooms to be assigned as connecting.

 

[eeyore0062]

As far as making it affordable/justifiable - my point was that I may enter the park with my son at 9:00 and he may want to leave at 9:02. Now I understand you pay for the experience etc. - but how would you all be able to justify spending several hunderd dollars extra when you do not even know if your child will ENTER the park. The price of the child's ticket is so much less expensive - if I have to leave and eat the ticket - so be it - but an adult ticket is just too much money to have just go to waste. Please be clear I am not saying I hould not have to pay for an adult ticket - or anything like that - just that there is a very real possibility that if we go - myself or my dh may have to leave the park with our son. Again- I don't mind eating my ticket and a child's price ticket - but no I could not afford to just completely waste 2 adult tickets.
I guess I should have posted in Disabilities and I will do so - I can not really expect anyone w/o a child with a disability to understand our situation.
thank you for the replies though I do appreciate it!

If you enter a park and find that he cannot stay, as long as it is no longer than an hour or so since you came into the park, take your ticket to Guest Relations and explain the situation. I have PM'ed you!

 

[Carrieberry]

This will be an unpopular answer since you said: I don't mind doing this at all - but I really need to be able to buy a child's ticket for my son to make this affordable/justifiable.

If the difference between a child ticket and adult ticket will make it unaffordable you should stay home. If you cannot justify the expense don't go. Don't you think the majority of people would like to have cheaper ticket prices???? But they are what they are. Its your choice whether to cheat or not. If you can justify cheating then why are you here asking the question?

You have not walked in the OP's shoes and this type of response just makes my blood boil.

Unreal. I cannot believe you would respond like this. Some of you on these boards need to take a check before posting and think about how you sound. One day you may be in the same situation with a loved one or yourself. I have a sick wife and a response in this manner would be offensive.
Why do so many on here have to accuse everyone of "cheating" or being "inconsiderate" when simply asking a question that could be answered politely.
just as you responded with this answer. I will say "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all".
A response such as this would have been better off kept to yourself. It's just rude!

I totally agree!


Also I wanted to say that I also have an Autistic son. This is the reason we buy our tickets and stuff seperately. I know exactly how the OP feels. It is not merely a question of the park tickets, but the entire package price. We would never do the dining add on specifically for this reason. Our son will only eat chicken fingers and french fries and not every place has that. He also won't utilize the snack portion, and the character meals which he loves, might have been changed to 2 meals (does anyone know for sure?) We book everything seperately so we get the most for our money in our opinion, but you do what feels right for you and your family. Also I wanted to add to what MEM said. Our son does so well at Disney- it really is magical to see and hear from others how it affects our special children!! Truly magical!!

 

[smchan]

I've got a high-functioning autistic son, Noah, who just turned 7. He wasn't at all a problem as my wife took it easy and he spent a lot of time playing in the little water fountains around Epcot and the Magic Kingdom. (Our kid - like other autistics I suspect - is really drawn to water.) Ironically, the problem was my slightly older niece who kept having melt down after melt down cause we weren't doing exactly what she wanted to do! So even if your kid has a melt down, it'll be just like 1,000 other kids that day, I promise.

Our last trip was this past December and my son had an amazing time. We took it easy and didn't push hard and he was a little trooper. He rode Space Mtn, Splash Mtn, Mission: Space, Tower of Terror, and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster with me After Mission: Space, he says "Dad, I feel a little sick. Can we do it again?" Wow! I've got my ride buddy now. He did get a little upset that he couldn't ride Test Track.

There was a lot of magic in that trip for him. For me, it was like discovering Disney World all over again. I had frankly grown tired of WDW but visiting with my kids was a fresh experience and I'm looking forward to our next trip.

I understand the pain of feeling like you've wasted money, but I encourage you to give it a go and if it works out, great! If not, at least you gave your kid a shot at enjoying a Disney vacation.

Sam

 

[goofy4tink]

You know...it's been really terrific to read the posts from those of you in different situations. With kids with special needs especially. It's really wonderful to see how truly magical WDW can be on a lot of different levels. Sometimes we forget to see a different experiece than ours. I remember seeing one little girl with Downs Syndrome last August. The look of pure joy on that child's face was etched in my mind.

So, thank-you for reminding us that we all make our own brand of 'magic', no matter what our circumstances might be. I wish I had the patience some of you other parents have. Incredible. Thanks for sharing your experiences here.

 

[jennymouse]

I just wanted to add that you should go check out the budget board as well. There are folks over there that will boggle your mind the way they can break the costs down and show you the best way to go as far as the package thing goes. Also many ways to save money while there and many ways to save up for your vacation.

 

[roadtripper]

You have all restored my faith in humanity (well, almost all of you ), who have given this mom real advice and strategies for her family's trip. That's why I love the DIS! As a mom of a child with multiple needs, I feel your pain, kdtwiss. I have to agree with the people who suggest skipping the dining plan--there are many ways to save money on food at the parks--- check the Budget Board for advice. NO WAY does my family of 4 spend 150/day on food at the parks! The Disabilities board is great, too. Feel free to PM me for tips--my son is 8, and we have left our share of high-priced events because he couldn't handle them, but we've never had to leave the parks. It truly is a magical place. You've come to the right place for advice! Good luck!

 

[Nik's Mom]

I am the parent of an autistic child. I also want to say that people don't have any idea how difficult it can be to be the Parent of an autistic child when you are out in public. The glares that we get when DS has a meltdown are unbearable.

To the op, go to WDW and have a great time! Taking our DS to WDW has given us truly magical moments, that only a parent of a special needs child can understand. You will not regret it. You will have to be creative in your park touring strategy though. But it will be so worth it.

Now, with that being said, I wouldn't buy him a child's ticket if he was under the adult category. It's just not right (in my opinion), but I won't pass judgement on the op. This is a decision they will have to make.

I think the thing that is making some people so angry is that the OP's statements make it sound like they are trying to "cheat the system", and maybe that they should have special treatment due to their child's disability. I think that is what is offending some people. However, I don't believe that is what the OP means. They are just a Parent trying to do what is right for THEIR child.
I say, good luck to you and have a nice trip.