Toddlers & DDP...Rant

[dolfinjuls]

I wish there was a way to purchase the dining plan for the under 3 crowd w/out having to buy a ticket! I know they'd probably be losing out money wise though! I'm hoping that when we go our youngest, will have just turned 2, will be okay w/ eating off of our plates and our oldest daughter's as well. But the youngest is usually a BIG eater! She'll probably end up needing her own meal. I'm hoping she won't have quite as large of an appetite being in the heat and all. We'll see I guess!

 

[star sweeper]

We chose not to do the dining plan at all because we have two 2-year-olds. We decided to watch our budget by eating buffet/family style when possible, and planning our daily meals in the parks at specific locations for each day using online menus/prices. My kids are big eaters at some meals and eat nothing at others.

After reading all the drama about children being charged with/without plates, I plan to bring our own throw away plates or toddler-sized mats to place on the table. One of our 2-year-olds looks like a 3-year-old, so if a CM acts rude to me, I'll complain to a manager and show her ID. My children were born in another country and are of a different race, so I have to carry ID at all times to prove to anyone that may question me that they are in fact my children. I'll have her birth certificate and passport on hand--bring it on!

 

[MamaCoog]

There's nothing at all that says you cannot get the dining plan for a child under 3...but you must then purchase a child's park ticket as part of the package.

This is particularly my problem with the DDP set up. I just dont understand why there cant be an option to purchase the plan without having to pay for the tickets.

 

[DisneyKings]

My 18 month old DD eats like crazy while we can barely get DD3 to eat anything at all. I'm planning on buying kids meals OOP for DD18months - or just giving her what her sister won't eat. Poor thing - even her lunch is hand-me-down.

That sounds EXACTLY like my DD16 mos & DD3!

 

[MamaCoog]

I guess all families eat differently. I worry about seeing posts like this that WDW will start CHARGING for 2 year olds. Back when my kids were under 3 we always considered we got a GREAT deal. The kids got a lot out of the parks when they were near-3 AND got to eat for free at all the buffets. That was a ton of savings for us!

Maybe people just eat bigger meals than we do, but we've never had trouble with our 2 year olds when we split CS meals - on rare occassion buying an extra kids meal - but usually not needed. We always carry drinks and snacks in a cooler - so with some apples or grapes and drinks added to the 'main' course of whatever the CS meal is - we've never had trouble getting it to be enough to feed us. Of course, we usually will use our snack credits for a mickey bar soon after the meal - so no biggie if our bellies aren't 100% full (although they usually are). And, especially my son always ate full meals at age 2 - we still never had a problem.

Of course, we always bring cereal for the room for most breakfasts - so we usually do that in the room, a CS meal (split with the 2 year old) for lunch, and an early buffet dinner (so really, don't want a huge lunch since we're having a BIG dinner early).

I really think that most families with some good planning can work around the 2 year old thing and sit back and realize how much you get for that child for FREE and be happy for that!

My issue is not that we may not have enough food but that I just wish there was an additional option for my son to be included in the plan with us. We normally pay OOP for everything but convincing my husband that DDP would be a good idea is difficult when our everyone in our family is not fully included. I do alot of planning before these trips & I want to make the most of our experience. I am fully aware of how lucky we are that our son is under three and how much money that saves us but I still think that the DDP system is slightly flawed in this respect.

 

[brymolmom]

My issue is not that we may not have enough food but that I just wish there was an additional option for my son to be included in the plan with us. We normally pay OOP for everything but convincing my husband that DDP would be a good idea is difficult when our everyone in our family is not fully included. I do alot of planning before these trips & I want to make the most of our experience. I am fully aware of how lucky we are that our son is under three and how much money that saves us but I still think that the DDP system is slightly flawed in this respect.

I can understand wanting to pre-pay for everything (although since tip isn't included you can't really pay for everything upfront). But that's the beauty of a child under 3. Disney doesn't even count them as a person - they get to stay free in your room (and be the 5th person in a room fitting only 4 'real' people) and come and go into any parks along with you. So, really, they aren't considering them a person at all and that's why we get such a great deal on them. So I guess it makes sense to me that they can't offer them the DDP....since they're not really 'in' the system as part of my party. And with plenty of food to go around and be shared - Disney probably also wants to avoid people taking advantage of this type of situation. If they charge $10 for a 2 year old but you don't need park tickets - you WILL get people with tickets purchased elsewhere to create a fake 2 year old in their party just go get some meals for a small-appetite older child or even adult. I agree with Disney that it is too much hassle (since the 2 year old isn't considered a 'person' I'm thinking it would take computer program changes, etc. to even attach a DDP to a 2 year old) AND too much risk of abuse to set this up.

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

I was a teeny bit concerned that our almost-2-year-old wouldn't be on the DDP with us, but when I thought about it further, she normally shares whatever we get anyway and it wasn't a big deal. At table service restaurants, we chose buffets & family style as much as we could... we did Crystal Palace for dinner and she had her own plate and milk and we weren't charged for either... we did Tusker House for breakfast and the same thing, no charge... we did the Prime Time Cafe and she just shared off our plates (our server brought an empty plate for her to use) and got a milk, and there was no charge and PLENTY of food for all of us... we did the Norway Princess Storybook dinner and expected her to share our meals, but the server actually asked us to choose a kid's meal for her complimentary, so she got that and a milk (and a plate from the cold buffet) all for no charge. There was always plenty of food for TS restaurants (don't forget that you get a dessert, too, which on top of an already-too-huge entree will make sure that everyone is quite full!).

For CS restaurants, the portions are also pretty big so DD always shared with us there, too. If the meal was a teeny bit smaller than others and we were a little hungry later, don't forget that you have all those snack credits! We used a few to share when our reservations or timing were just off, and the rest we had to use up the last day at Goofy's Candy Co because we just were never hungry enough for a snack (after all the food at CS and TS restaurants). The reality is that Disney portions are WAY bigger than most places (or at least bigger than they should be!), so unless you're all extra hungry eaters, you'll have plenty of food amongst you all (and our trip had me, a very-hungry pregnant lady and DH who's 6'5 and has a metabolism like crazy and eats a lot).

OH, and also, don't forget that at some CS restaurants you can get a bowl of fruit as your dessert, so we did that twice for our DD (she's happier with a bowl of fruit for lunch than many entree items and it ensured that she got a little more healthy food), and you can also always get a cup of ice water for free which was great because of we got a soda, she could have the water (she hates soda, and I'm fine with that! ).

 

[bwolfe]

There's nothing at all that says you cannot get the dining plan for a child under 3...but you must then purchase a child's park ticket as part of the package.

Ditto...this is what we've done for our next trip.

 

[TinkPearl]

Well, our last trip our DS was just under 3.....this was also when the DDP included appetizers...so we usually ordered an app for him as his meal or we paid OOP for a kids meal. He is a very picky eater though and back then we practically had to beg him to eat , he just didn't have a big appetite. Now, he's 5 and still picky but he eats a lot! So, I'm happy he'll get his own meals. Now, our 2nd son will be 9 months and will be eating some table food off our plates but I think I'll still have to drag baby food jars with us each day.

 

[geogirl0626]

My children were born in another country and are of a different race, so I have to carry ID at all times to prove to anyone that may question me that they are in fact my children.

Oh my gosh does this really happen to you? People question whether or not they are your children? That is horrible!!! You would think people would understand international adoption these days. I'm so sorry people question that you're the parents. I can't imagine how that would make you feel.

 

[TinkPearl]

Oh yeah, I forgot about buffetts! We do a lot of those and then it's not an issue at all.

 

[DISNEYNV]

That would be great if they offered a meal plan for smaller children but we do get the DDP for our us and our four year old DD who is a very picky eater! There is a ton of food on the meal plan even for kids. Our DS who is one eats way more than she does so it doesn't go to waste at all and we just split it between them or he eats some of ours. The DDP is wonderful and does save us money though and we just buy an extra side or kids meal if we need to.

 

[MamaCoog]

I can understand wanting to pre-pay for everything (although since tip isn't included you can't really pay for everything upfront). But that's the beauty of a child under 3. Disney doesn't even count them as a person - they get to stay free in your room (and be the 5th person in a room fitting only 4 'real' people) and come and go into any parks along with you. So, really, they aren't considering them a person at all and that's why we get such a great deal on them. So I guess it makes sense to me that they can't offer them the DDP....since they're not really 'in' the system as part of my party. And with plenty of food to go around and be shared - Disney probably also wants to avoid people taking advantage of this type of situation. If they charge $10 for a 2 year old but you don't need park tickets - you WILL get people with tickets purchased elsewhere to create a fake 2 year old in their party just go get some meals for a small-appetite older child or even adult. I agree with Disney that it is too much hassle (since the 2 year old isn't considered a 'person' I'm thinking it would take computer program changes, etc. to even attach a DDP to a 2 year old) AND too much risk of abuse to set this up.

Unfortunately, there will always be people that will abuse the system no matter the age limits. (Someone could claim their 4yo is only 3, etc.) If you are implying that this is what I am attempted to do then you are mistaken. I'm not asking for a free meal plan for my child, I am willing to pay for it but I would like the option to do so without purchasing a ticket. As for Disney not having my child in the system, when I make reservations I am required to enter his information. The CM's at the resort also have his information when I check in. Even if Disney doesnt consider my ds a person, I do!

 

[MamaCoog]

Thanks everyone for your input!! I think we have decided to hold off on trying to DDP until our ds is over 3. This will eliminate the arguement all together with my husband lol.

 

[NotUrsula]

This is particularly my problem with the DDP set up. I just dont understand why there cant be an option to purchase the plan without having to pay for the tickets.

Just remember, you don't actually have to USE the tickets that you buy for the under-3 child. Even tickets that expire don't enter the countdown period until they are activated the first time at a park turnstile. So, you keep the "ticket" that you bought for the little one and use it on another trip sometime before he/she turns 10.