Under 3 and AYCTE

[MudQueen22]

We have ADRs at 4 different AYCTE restaurants.
Our youngest will be 23 months, so well under 3.
I've read that children under 3 don't technically eat free; they can simply eat off parents' plates.
Our issue is that DS is starting to want his own plate, and gets a bit loud when we insinuate that he must share with one of us.
It doesn't even matter if we take food off our plates and put it on his--he just wants his own plate (often, a small plate).
Will they charge us if we ask for a small plate for him?
Or do we need to bring a small melamine plate into the parks with us?

 

[purple figment]

He can have his own plate. Just ask the server to bring an empty plate for him. The "eat off parents' plate" is more in reference to the fact that children 2 and younger will not be charged when they are sharing food from the plates of others at the table. However, if you order something specifically for him then you will be charged for that item.

 

[TandLMommy28]

We've taken three trips with a child under three. They were allowed to eat as much as they wanted from their own plate. I think the "off of parent's plate" refers more to restaurants that are NOT all you can eat/buffet. In those situations, he'd need to share your meal or you would have to pay for him. But even then, I am 99.99% sure they'd give you a plate so that you could put the food you are sharing with him on his own plate.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

KIDS UNDER-3 EAT FREE "411":

1) TECHNICALLY, there is no such thing as a "kids-under-3-eat-free" policy.
. . . no where in ANY Disney brochure is this mentioned
. . . there is no such policy
2) But, when done per policy, they eat almost free.
3) And, based upon CM discretion, they can eat free.
4) The official rules:
. . . kids under three can eat off the adult's plate
. . . they can still get an empty plate for themslves, and take food from an adult's plate
. . . if they order anything, like milk, they are supposed to pay for it
. . . if they order any food, they are supposed to pay for it
. . . this is anywhere, including buffets
5) What really happens:
. . at buffets & AYCTE kids actually "eat buffet food free"
. . . . . . adults could get the food, instead and give it to the kid
. . . . . . the adult could claim it is their plate kid eats from
. . . . . . they might as well have a drink, for same reason
. . . . . . it's tough to determine it was theirs or their parents
. . . . . . thus, kids can have their own plate and beverage without charge
. . at non-buffet, servers can determine if they ordered food
. . . . . . it is easy to tell if they got a drink
. . . . . . the server usually charges for food ordered for the kid
. . . . . . the server usually let's the drink go, but not food
. . . . . . the server, at their own discretion, can charge for beverage
6) So, to wrap-up, in practical terms
. . . at non-buffets, kids under-3 eat without charge ONLY from parent's plate
. . . at buffets & AYCTE, they can actually take food from the buffet table or separate plate
. . . at all meals, items are ordered for the child "might" be charged for them

7) Please remember to add your child to the table count.
. . . if there are four adults and a child, that needs an ADR for five people
. . . this is regardless whether the child is lap, stroller, highchair, or regular chair
. . . also, if the baby makes six people, the AUTOMATIC 18% GRATUITY is in effect
. . . no automatic gratuity at CRT-HDDR-LUAU-BBQ, as tips are already included in the meal price

 

[MudQueen22]

Thank you. This was very helpful.

 

[LSLS]

Yup, you can go up with your kid and get their own plate and pick what they want without being charged for them. Big reason we ate a lot of buffet style until ours turned 3.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Just to add on to the "what really happens" list:
From our personal experience, at fixed priced restaurants (CRT and Akershus) under 3 child is allowed to order their own kids meal with no charge.

 

[RachaelA]

Just to add on to the "what really happens" list:
From our personal experience, at fixed priced restaurants (CRT and Akershus) under 3 child is allowed to order their own kids meal with no charge.

Just chiming in with our experience, 4 of our 5 CRT meals (1 each year for the past 5 years) that was not the case. Akershus has always told us to order something for them (we eat there every trip as well)

Basically who the heck knows what Disney will do.