upgrade from child to adult dining plan?

[frostymom]

I was just wondering and I am sorry if it has already been asked. How much is it to upgrade a regular dining plan for a child to an adult plan.

After looking at the restaurant offerings, I am really afraid my children will not be able to order what they want to eat. For instance tonight we went out and my 5 year old sat down and stated he wanted grilled chicken, of course not on the menu so we ordered an adult portion for him. I totally endorse a child wanting to eat more than the traditional child fare offerings at most restaurants.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TDC Nala]

You'd pay the difference between the child and adult dining plan, plus the difference between child and adult park tickets, for each child you want to upgrade in age.

For the regular dining plan, the difference in plans will depend on the time of year you go. In a non-peak period the difference is $30 a night. If your trip is between December 17-31 the difference is $35 a night.

If you're on a free dining package, you'll pay only the difference between the child and adult park tickets.

The difference in tickets will depend on what tickets you buy and for how long.

 

[i12go2wdw]

From the look of your ticker it looks like you will be going during free dining. If that is true and you took advantage of free dining you would only have to pay for the difference in park ticket which is minimal. We have done this the past 2 trips, we stay for 14 days and the difference is about $30 or $40, totally worth it and they can still eat off the children's menu if they want too.

 

[squirrel]

I think it's worth the upgrade if you are on the Free Dining offer. Otherwise you are paying a lot more to upgrade.

If you aren't doing Free Dining, share a bit of your meal. I found some of the meals were quite large and shared them with my niece. You can usually get fries, yogurt or other side items for a snack credit.

 

[MBKELmom]

This is good to know... I have an almost 10 year old as well and I was wavering on making her an "adult" this trip. A lot of the items on the childrens menus def. don't appeal to her.

 

[southcarolinagirl]

We did this last year & this upcoming trip for our DS9. Only costs us a little bit and it is so worth it!

 

[Tigge50447]

if you upgrade a child to an adult if they see something on the children's menu can they still order it?

 

[squirrel]

if you upgrade a child to an adult if they see something on the children's menu can they still order it?

It might be worth paying out of pocket if the child wants a kid's meal.

At the TS places you can use the adult credit for a kid's meal (you can even ask for an adult sized portion) or save the adult credit and use it for another TS meal and pay for the kid's meal.

For CS, it would be worth the money to pay out of pocket as the kid's meals are about $5. The credit could then be used for a breakfast or shared as a snack. An adult CS credit is worth more than $5 and could be as much as $15-$20.

 

[Melissa R]

I'm so glad I read this thread - it's making me really consider upgrading our 8 yr old for free dining. From what I can tell, it would run us about $35 to upgrade him to an adult. Over the length of our stay, that works out to between $4.40 and $5 a day (we haven't decided which day we're leaving on) to upgrade him. Split that over meals and I think it'd be worth it.

Here's what I'm thinking, in case it helps anyone else...

First off, we're on the QS plan. With that, we don't have enough credits for everyone to eat three counter service meals. I know that many people get by with no breakfast or a snack for breakfast, but we are breakfast eaters and I don't think we'll make it on snacks for breakfast. However, the 8 yr old and I aren't always huge eaters. So it's possible that by upgrading him to an adult meal would allow us to do a bit more sharing. (Like at breakfast - I think he and I could share an adult breakfast, therefore saving one CS credit for us to use later.)

Also, I know from a quick, one day trip that I made last month that some of the kids' meals aren't going to be enough for him. While he doesn't need a whole adult double cheeseburger, I know that the kids' burger that he got at Pop wasn't enough for him. And he's not a big side dish eater, so I couldn't really fill him up with fries.

But here's my other thought....seems like on the kids' meal, the dessert options that come with the meals are either fruit or the packaged cookie. That means that my 13 yr old will be able to choose a fancier dessert with his CS meal, but the 8 yr old will just get the cookie? I think he'd feel shortchanged at times...so I'm thinking that by making him an adult, then at least his dessert CS options will be the same. If I had to pay OOP for even a few desserts, it's going to quickly add up.

Just my thoughts....if anyone sees someplace where I'm not making a good decision by doing this, please let me know!

 

[lily28]

would disney allow me to upgrade my daughter to a disney adult even though she is obviously not, especially during free dining and even if I pay for the upgrade price for both the meal plan (from qs to ts) and tickets?

 

[squirrel]

I'm so glad I read this thread - it's making me really consider upgrading our 8 yr old for free dining. From what I can tell, it would run us about $35 to upgrade him to an adult. Over the length of our stay, that works out to between $4.40 and $5 a day (we haven't decided which day we're leaving on) to upgrade him. Split that over meals and I think it'd be worth it.

Here's what I'm thinking, in case it helps anyone else...

First off, we're on the QS plan. With that, we don't have enough credits for everyone to eat three counter service meals. I know that many people get by with no breakfast or a snack for breakfast, but we are breakfast eaters and I don't think we'll make it on snacks for breakfast. However, the 8 yr old and I aren't always huge eaters. So it's possible that by upgrading him to an adult meal would allow us to do a bit more sharing. (Like at breakfast - I think he and I could share an adult breakfast, therefore saving one CS credit for us to use later.)

Also, I know from a quick, one day trip that I made last month that some of the kids' meals aren't going to be enough for him. While he doesn't need a whole adult double cheeseburger, I know that the kids' burger that he got at Pop wasn't enough for him. And he's not a big side dish eater, so I couldn't really fill him up with fries.

But here's my other thought....seems like on the kids' meal, the dessert options that come with the meals are either fruit or the packaged cookie. That means that my 13 yr old will be able to choose a fancier dessert with his CS meal, but the 8 yr old will just get the cookie? I think he'd feel shortchanged at times...so I'm thinking that by making him an adult, then at least his dessert CS options will be the same. If I had to pay OOP for even a few desserts, it's going to quickly add up.

Just my thoughts....if anyone sees someplace where I'm not making a good decision by doing this, please let me know!

I think uping your son to 10 is a great idea. During free dining the upgrade cost is very little. Are you sure the price difference between and adult ticket and child ticket is $35 for the length of days you need? I thought it was less than that for a 10 day park pass.

Most of the CS desserts aren't very good, they are pre-packaged. Sunshine Seasons has a really good selection of fresh desserts.

 

[squirrel]

would disney allow me to upgrade my daughter to a disney adult even though she is obviously not, especially during free dining and even if I pay for the upgrade price for both the meal plan (from qs to ts) and tickets?

How old is she? Now you are adding in a lot more money as the DDP for adults is $10 more per night. The child's price is only $2. Also remember your tips should be larger as now she would be charged the higher price of meals at the TS.

I have taken my niece at 5.5 yrs and at 4.5 yrs. I didn't upgrade her. We shared my CS sometimes when I ordered the 1/2 chicken meal. She was fine with the kid's meals.

 

[My2BabiesLexis&Dill]

I have a question about this. I'm interested in changing my kids ages so they can eat off the regular menu but to get a price quote from Disney.com, what do I enter? Do I enter them at kids but at an older age or do I change it to all adults?

I tried changing their ages to 11 and 12 and there was no price difference but if I change it to all 3 adults then it cost me 236.48 more. I'm soo confused! Can someone tell me how to put it in so that the kids can eat off of the regular menu?

TIA!!!

 

[pha1226]

I just upgraded my 8 yo to an adult. I just knew her 10 yo sister would be in her face about having to eat kids meals so now they can each order whatever they want. The cost was $91 to upgrade her 7 day park ticket to adult and for the price difference because we upgraded from QS to regular DDP. I was sooooo worth is for a vacation undisturbed by bickering about food!!

MY2babies...makng them adults probably increased your room costs. Although the kids over 9 are adults for dining, they are juniors for the room and you don't have to pay extra adult fees.

 

[Gwendolyn]

A castmember told me that kids can either choose of the kids menu or get a kids sized adult menu.
Would that help for you?

 

[bdoyledimou]

Just bump the kids to the 10 year old level. They don't count as an adult, (as they are Jr's) so that doesn't affect the costs.

We upgraded our Nephew (who is 8, and turning 9 on the trip) to the Adult plan and i think it costs $1.41 or some stupid low number like that.

 

[pha1226]

A castmember told me that kids can either choose of the kids menu or get a kids sized adult menu.
Would that help for you?

I had read here that not all restaurants will do this (prepare a child sized portion of an adult meal).

 

[squirrel]

I have a question about this. I'm interested in changing my kids ages so they can eat off the regular menu but to get a price quote from Disney.com, what do I enter? Do I enter them at kids but at an older age or do I change it to all adults?

I tried changing their ages to 11 and 12 and there was no price difference but if I change it to all 3 adults then it cost me 236.48 more. I'm soo confused! Can someone tell me how to put it in so that the kids can eat off of the regular menu?

TIA!!!

What do you have now? QSDP or DDP? Are you paying for the dining plan or is it Free Dining?

If you put your children in as 10 the price difference will only be the price difference of going from a child's ticket to an adult ticket if you are on Free Dining. If you upgraded the QSDP to DDP then you need to add in another $10 per child. If you have 2 children that are 10 and up then it might be better to switch to a moderate resort as the price difference between upgrading 4 adult's QSDP to the DDP is about the same as staying at a moderate.

Most rooms only allow 4 people per room, child under three is fine. If there are only 2 adults and two children (10-18) they are considered juniors so they don't affect the extra adult charge per night which is I believe is $10 at a value resort, $15 at a moderate.

 

[mad hatter fan]

Ok, I have another question about doing this. We are a family of 5 staying at POR. If we bump up our 7 yr old to 10 during our free dining stay, will they have a problem because it looks like we have a 10 yr old sleeping on the trundle bed? Also, what if we come back the next year. Will they insist my then 8 yr old is 11 and so needs an adult ticket? I guess what I am asking is will his age be forever thrown off by 3 yrs according to Disney and I be charged for an extra adult in the room when he is only 15?

Other than all of these worries, LOL, it might be worth it to spend $35 for having him not be the only one who can't choose the same type of desserts especially for TS.

 

[Melissa R]

will his age be forever thrown off by 3 yrs according to Disney and I be charged for an extra adult in the room when he is only 15?

I wondered that exact same thing!