Ticket Advise For Just Turned 3 Year Old

[SiClone]

My son was 2 weeks shy of turning 3 when we went a few weeks ago. We went to all 4 WDW parks and ony once was he asked his age. He's a fairly tall and weighs like 55 lbs. Like some of the other posters said, having to pay for any of the meals would have been a waste because he is a very picky eater. While everyone was enjoying our dinner at Ohana's, he was enjoying his bag of Cheetos....

OP, make whatever decision you feel comfortable with. The only thing I'd worry about it what your kid will say if they ask her....

 

[jessica52877]

I didn't read through all the responses but wanted to respond to the height comment. Disney to me is not a amusement park where height is a big thing, most parks like that do charge by height (ie. cedar point). Disney is an experience and it is awesome that they allow 2 year olds to be free. Please don't push the issue and have it ruined by them lowering the age you have to buy a ticket.

 

[jessica52877]

omg I would have forced it into the CM's hand. At DLR that's what I do, just hand the CM all three, while one of us goes through the turnstile and the other adult and DS go through the gate thing. They have no choice but to scan it!

I have noticed before too where I am shoving DS's ticket into their hand and they seem irritated I am taking too long through the turnstile! Take the ticket!

ETA: I don't think the restaurants are lenient at all anymore in charging for the buffet. DS at not even 1 piece of pizza, nothing else on his plate, and had water to drink right after he turned 3 and we were still charged the full amount. And always have been since, although he does eat more now.

I will say about 12 years ago myself and my mother ate at Hollywood and Vine and I only had a turkey sandwich. The waitress charged us a kids price for me. I was probably around 18 at the time, although could pass as a 12 or 13 year old (but still those aren't kids prices). My mom told her how old I was and she said well she only ate a sandwich. Enjoy the rest of our day.

 

[justhat]

We've been buying our daughter a ticket since she turned 3yo, and though we were never asked her age, we were asked once or twice if she had a ticket. She did, and an AP, so not like we were trying to hide it to save days or anything, but my husband often had her ticket while I strolled her through.

I guess if we had said "No, she doesn't have a ticket" they would have waived us through, but who knows. I will say that my niece went to WDW with us 3 months before she turned 3yo and my nephew 1 month before he turned 3yo, and they are both huge kids, and were never asked their age. My daughter is tall, but not nearly as tall as her cousins (at 34 months, my nephew was 40 inches, and at 4yo my daughter is only 41 inches), plus they're just bigger kids all around (not fat, but my daughter's skinny and little looking). So after our experiences I think it depends on the CM you get at the gate.

Also, my daughter eats next to nothing, even now at 4yo, but we have never gotten a free buffet for her since she turned 3yo. I guess cause her age is always noted on the ADR, or they ask us when we check in. In fact, even before she turned 3yo, we were charged for her at 2yo, 8 months and had to correct the CM.

 

[JulieNMM]

I took my kids to Disneyland in Calif a week before my DD turned 3 (not because of her bday but that's just when we went). So she did not need a ticket. When we went to the park, I presented my ticket and the ticket for my DS who was 5 at the time and the ticket taker said "Where's her ticket?" and I said she doesn't need one -- she's under 3. My DD is big for her age. So she asked my DD "How old are you?" and DD answered "5". Because she liked to pretend she was as big as her brother, I guess? I told the lady, "No, she's 2 and will be 3 next week" and the lady gave me a very unbelieving look and let us in.

I have heard of people having to buy plane tickets for their kids because kids fly free under 2 and the ticket agents thought the kid was over 2. Eventually (weeks or months later) the parents provided proof in the form of a birth certificate and they were refunded their money.

One more story: When my DS was 6 weeks older than 3 years old, our family went to Disneyland in Calif. As I was buying my ticket, I asked for one for DS. The ticket seller asked how old he was and I said he turned 3 6 weeks ago. She said -- Oh he doesn't need one then! and refused to sell me a ticket.

Just my experiences.

JULIE

 

[livie1205]

I took my kids to Disneyland in Calif a week before my DD turned 3 (not because of her bday but that's just when we went). So she did not need a ticket. When we went to the park, I presented my ticket and the ticket for my DS who was 5 at the time and the ticket taker said "Where's her ticket?" and I said she doesn't need one -- she's under 3. My DD is big for her age. So she asked my DD "How old are you?" and DD answered "5". Because she liked to pretend she was as big as her brother, I guess? I told the lady, "No, she's 2 and will be 3 next week" and the lady gave me a very unbelieving look and let us in.

I have heard of people having to buy plane tickets for their kids because kids fly free under 2 and the ticket agents thought the kid was over 2. Eventually (weeks or months later) the parents provided proof in the form of a birth certificate and they were refunded their money.

One more story: When my DS was 6 weeks older than 3 years old, our family went to Disneyland in Calif. As I was buying my ticket, I asked for one for DS. The ticket seller asked how old he was and I said he turned 3 6 weeks ago. She said -- Oh he doesn't need one then! and refused to sell me a ticket.

Just my experiences.

JULIE

how mean to be treated that way! this is what i worry about when we go in dec...my dd2 will be 3 a week AFTER out trip...and i will NOT be buying her a ticket, that why we went a week early...

 

[NJFabFour]

Though I can see the desire to put this topic to bed, I can't help but think it is a great topic to discuss! We are on the other end with twins who will turn 10 just a few months before our trip. It is KILLING me to pay 2 adult prices for them, especially since even at almost 10, they eat next to nothing! We will not do DDP or many sit-down dinners because of that . . . we'd basically be paying $24.95 for my son to eat a freakin' dinner roll!
I sympathize completely and, believe me, gave some serious consideration to trying to pull it off, but in the end decided to avoid the stress and let my credit card debt suffer the consequences! My personal philosophy is that "the moral highground" argument is quite silly. It's not as if you're lying under oath!! I would certainly not hold it against someone for missing the cutoff by a few weeks. (Now, the BIL who missed it by 3.5 years is another story! ) Have fun regardless!

 

[Pixeldust Fairy]

Okay, I have a kinda different story. Last year my DD was 2 turning 3 on the last day of our trip, so i did not buy her a ticket as i did not have to. We usually had a pattern on how we went through the turnstiles. First I handed everyone their ticket, I went through, then everyone else followed with my DH and DD at the end. Everyone would hand me their ticket as they came through. DD and DH got stuck at the turnstile, he was calling me back because the CM was requesting my DD's ticket. I told him she didn't need one she was only 2 and the CM was very dis believing of me. He was like wow, shes 3 huh. Hmmmm. Well all right then, and he let them through. This only happend one day and we were there for 10. But I truly wasnt lying, and she is not a big girl, she is quite petite. I dont know what his problem was, but there are the few that will question you about the age of your child. I didn't have anything to prove she was 2, but I didn't think I needed anything.

So you never know.

Ok, maybe not so different after getting through a few more posts. LOL

 

[Pixeldust Fairy]

Though I can see the desire to put this topic to bed, I can't help but think it is a great topic to discuss! We are on the other end with twins who will turn 10 just a few months before our trip. It is KILLING me to pay 2 adult prices for them, especially since even at almost 10, they eat next to nothing! We will not do DDP or many sit-down dinners because of that . . . we'd basically be paying $24.95 for my son to eat a freakin' dinner roll!
I sympathize completely and, believe me, gave some serious consideration to trying to pull it off, but in the end decided to avoid the stress and let my credit card debt suffer the consequences! My personal philosophy is that "the moral highground" argument is quite silly. It's not as if you're lying under oath!! I would certainly not hold it against someone for missing the cutoff by a few weeks. (Now, the BIL who missed it by 3.5 years is another story! ) Have fun regardless!

this is the same thing going on with my family, I have 10 yo twins and they eat like birds. But yet they are being charged like they are adults. Too bad there is not a tween price. I would totaly go for that.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

Do what you feel you need to.

We didn't buy a ticket for DS on several trips after he turned 3, he was big for his age and no one ever blinked an eye.

The airlines are different. I would never chance it with them, they can refuse you admission to the airplane if you cannot prove your child is under 2. Disney won't refuse you admission. You just need to teach your child to lie and you may get an eye roll, but they'll let you in.

There are plenty out there who wear birthday buttons and its not even anywhere near their birthdays, who are looking for free hand-outs. Like I said, do with what you need to.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Perhaps it does seem unfair to you at the moment that you have to pay for children who may not eat anything or may not ride anything... but there will come a time when those same children will be making 8 trips through the one-low-price buffet and riding Space Mountain 10 times in a row.

It all washes out. Whether they are 3, or 10, or 19... you are setting the honesty and behavioral standards for them. Can you really be bought for the price of a child's ticket, or the difference between a child's ticket and that of an adult? Just because you may never be asked is not a reason to knowingly cheat the system... a system that keeps track of your kids' ages...

Just go when you want, pay the appropriate price, and have a great trip!

 

[Nanu57v]

You've got to be honest. We are in this EXACT same situation. DD turned 3 on the 15th, and my parents invited us to stay with them starting the 16th of April. DD is also tall (37.5 inches) but only 28 pounds so she's petite. The thought never crossed my mind NOT to buy her a ticket. And because of this, we're just not going. We could've swung the $300 for airfare, but not the $600 for airfare plus ticket, so we'll wait till we can. Even if you did sneak her through (which I'm sure you could), wouldn't you feel unsettled about it through the trip and when you looked back at the pics?

 

[Sleeping~Beauty]

Do what you feel you need to.

We didn't buy a ticket for DS on several trips after he turned 3, he was big for his age and no one ever blinked an eye.

The airlines are different. I would never chance it with them, they can refuse you admission to the airplane if you cannot prove your child is under 2. Disney won't refuse you admission. You just need to teach your child to lie and you may get an eye roll, but they'll let you in.

I completely disagree with this. So many people are in the same boat. Their child is three or just turned three last month. Disney is expensive and so many work hard to have a vacation there. I don't understand the thinking that it's ok to beat the system, or not have the prices apply to a particular family. If we all decided to do that, no one would ever pay for a three year old, that's a lot of three year olds!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I completely disagree with this. So many people are in the same boat. Their child is three or just turned three last month. Disney is expensive and so many work hard to have a vacation there. I don't understand the thinking that it's ok to beat the system, or not have the prices apply to a particular family. If we all decided to do that, no one would ever pay for a three year old, that's a lot of three year olds!

Thats fine, disagree if you want. I don't need anyone to tell me what to do. I did it and I slept fine. I never asked on this board what I should do, because I knew the moral police would convict me.

DS is now 9yo. So my "crime" was committed long ago.

OP asked for opinions , I gave mine. Shoot DD is 4 1/2 and only now 40", and 35 pounds. I've been waved through with her. Though we did have a ticket for her. I figured I better not press my luck, since she is actually 18 months over the paying age.

 

[Merriwind]

this is the same thing going on with my family, I have 10 yo twins and they eat like birds. But yet they are being charged like they are adults. Too bad there is not a tween price. I would totaly go for that.

Us too! DD turned 10 a few weeks ago. Luckily, seasonal passes aren't a huge difference in price, but the food--ouch! She loves Chef Mickey's and Boma and those buffet meals now are painfully expensive. DD's tall and slim. She's a good eater, but eats like a 75 pound 10yo girl. I'm barely 5'1" and just over 100#, so combined, we're about the size of an average adult. $60 for the two of us to eat a buffet dinner is steep.

Despite my complaining though, I couldn't ask DD to say that she's nine to save some money. We'll change our eating style a bit. So, while we'll splurge once in a while on a visit to Chef Mickey's, we'll probably visit more sit-down places, where DD can happily order a soup or appetizer for dinner. (Who am I kidding, that plus dessert works for me too!) CS are great too. We can usually split one meal--and have room for dessert just a little later. But, we'll miss Boma, Biergarten, Garden Grill and more.

 

[bumbershoot]

$60 for the two of us to eat a buffet dinner is steep.

Despite my complaining though, I couldn't ask DD to say that she's nine to save some money. We'll change our eating style a bit.

It's too bad there aren't menus to order from at the WDW character meals. At Disneyland there are 2 character b'fasts with a menu OR a buffet (Storyteller's with Chip and Dale at Grand Californian and PCH Grill with Lilo and Stitch at Paradise Pier). The meals are expensive, but at least you are only paying for a meal you want, instead of all the options out on the buffet.

how mean to be treated that way! this is what i worry about when we go in dec...my dd2 will be 3 a week AFTER out trip...and i will NOT be buying her a ticket, that why we went a week early...

I'm not seeing the rudeness in any of the things the poster said happened to her family or friends. It's known that the CMs will often ask a child how old they are, and after the Dis'er said they were under 3, they were let through.

The airlines...well, anyone who takes a lap child and doesn't know they NEED the birth certificate to prove they are under 2...well, it's splashed all over any airline pages I have seen, so I don't know how anyone can miss that vital information.

I think it's weird that the CM refused to sell them a ticket for an over 3, because who knows what the CMs the next day will want, but it still didin't seem rude, ya know?

 

[Sleeping~Beauty]

Thats fine, disagree if you want. I don't need anyone to tell me what to do. I did it and I slept fine. I never asked on this board what I should do, because I knew the moral police would convict me.

DS is now 9yo. So my "crime" was committed long ago.

OP asked for opinions , I gave mine. Shoot DD is 4 1/2 and only now 40", and 35 pounds. I've been waved through with her. Though we did have a ticket for her. I figured I better not press my luck, since she is actually 18 months over the paying age.

I'm not the moral police. I am giving my perspective, which disagreed with yours. Disney charges for three year olds.

No need to get so out of shape over it.


OP, I think you came up with a great solution.

Also, I love the idea of a tween plan. My kids are so little, but it would be nice for the future.

 

[las3888]

Though I can see the desire to put this topic to bed, I can't help but think it is a great topic to discuss! We are on the other end with twins who will turn 10 just a few months before our trip. It is KILLING me to pay 2 adult prices for them, especially since even at almost 10, they eat next to nothing! We will not do DDP or many sit-down dinners because of that . . . we'd basically be paying $24.95 for my son to eat a freakin' dinner roll!
I sympathize completely and, believe me, gave some serious consideration to trying to pull it off, but in the end decided to avoid the stress and let my credit card debt suffer the consequences! My personal philosophy is that "the moral highground" argument is quite silly. It's not as if you're lying under oath!! I would certainly not hold it against someone for missing the cutoff by a few weeks. (Now, the BIL who missed it by 3.5 years is another story! ) Have fun regardless!

ITA!!!!

 

[nancy drew]

i can absolutely understand the argument for amendments to the dining plan and prices. my dd (4yo) eats like a bird, and always has. yet i have to pay child's price for her food. meanwhile my ds (2.5yo) eats everything and anything, and always has. and his food is supposedly free (buffets work best for us as far as maximizing our needs, as i can just take food for myself and ds and keep going back for more). some kids (regardless of age) eat a ton while some subsist on air and water, apparently, like my dd ).

but with regard to park admission, i think it is absolutely fair to set an age limit and require a higher price. do i think my 4yo, who has paid admission, is getting "more" out if it than my 2.5yo, who gets in free? no!!! but how on earth can you determine such a thing? i think you just have to set an age and say "Thats the limit, period!"

heck, an argument could be made for charging teenagers a higher admission and dining price since they (the locals, anyway) are more likely to visit more frequently and ride more often and eat their weight in park food. im not saying that should happen, but if you are basing price on ride usage and food consumed, i think its fair to say teenagers have a much higher tolerance for rides and lines and eat far more than adults do. i know i did, when i was a teen.

at any rate, im all about honesty. karma catches up with you. you may have instant karma like i do, where you drop a penny and neglect to pick it up and then lose a $20 bill. or it may lie in wait like it apparently does for my ex-husband (and the exes of many of my friends). but it absolutely comes back and haunts you.

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

I'm not the moral police. I am giving my perspective, which disagreed with yours. Disney charges for three year olds.

No need to get so out of shape over it.

Not getting out of shape.

As you stated yourself , I gave my perspective, you gave yours, and I gave mine right back at ya, we disagreed, the end.

Don't see anyone getting out of shape, again

You must have not contributed alot to controversial subjects. Do some searching, then you'll see people getting out of shape. Me included, I have the expired points to prove it.