We got the ticket, now this is all about the rules...

[bicker]

If you were told that you needed to have your child's birth certificate when you got to the front gate by a CM or buy a ticket and then you want to guest services to complain about it they would not let you in. IT IS NOT DISNEY POLICY.

That sounds like a rationalization to me: They're required to enforce an age limit but not allowed to do anything to verify?

 

[NotUrsula]

By the way DD in in the 4th percentile, which her ped says is fine because she has a petite mama!

I didn't mean to imply that it was impossible for your DD to be that small; I'm sure she is just the size that you say she is, and can't ride whatever you say she can't. I'm also sure she's perfectly healthy. However, you implied that fair criteria for charging full price would be ability to ride everything, and said that you felt age 12 would be a better age.

My point is that for the large majority of children, those ideas are contradictory. If it is right to charge full price when a child can ride everything, then based on statistical probability, age 8 (or 9 at latest) would be the proper time to charge full price. If WDW changed over to the stricter height standard pricing that is used by a lot of other theme park chains, they would be charging at least 50% of children full price before they turned 8. At our local Six Flags DS has been full price since age 7, even though he wasn't brave enough to ride most of their thrill rides for at least a year after he hit 48".

Of course, charging by height would be advantageous for you, but do you really think that it would be wise of WDW to set a policy that penalizes such a large portion of their customer base, just to please such a minority of guests (less than 5% of all children)? I'm sure that you feel shortchanged when your daughter does not get what you feel is your money's worth out of her ticket, but short stature is not at all the only thing that keeps guests off rides. Many, many adult guests have conditions that keep them off the majority of rides, and those customers still have to pay full price. I've got vertigo problems myself, and there are quite a few rides at WDW that I can't do for that reason.

The price break for kids is a marketing move meant to encourage families to get the WDW habit early on, and hopefully come back often while children are still young. As such, it is set up to offer the greatest advantage to the largest number of guests, based on statistical norms. I am absolutely sure that they crunched the numbers very carefully in terms of park traffic and ride line times when they decided on age 10 for the price break.

 

[Makdyn]

My 2 year old (3 in June) is very tall, strong and talkative for her age, so I am bringing along a birth certificate just in case when we go in April. No one ever asked my son how old he was in our 2 trips when he was 2, but he was small and quiet.

It's funny, but I feel guilty about not buying her a ticket, even though it's perfectly within Disney rules. And she won't be going on roller coasters or anything unusual for her age. She is a big eater, but that's a different story!

If asked, she will say she's 5.

Gillian, My dd who is 2 going to be 3 in June also and she talks and acts like she is 2 going on 30. very tall I think when I measure her she was around 38'inches.( I measure my dds to see what rides they can go on with me. dd5 is 48 inches so she is the lucky one who is going on every ride ) and when ask her age she will say five. She think being five is the greatest thing and she will be able to do anything.

 

[beattyfamily]

I am pretty sure I have a close friend who works guest services at the MK.

You're pretty sure you have a close friend who works at Disney? Sorry, I couldn't resist!

 

[KristinU]

...I have an average sized almost 2 year old, and I carried her birth certificate when we flew in case I was asked to prove her age as a lap child.

What is the big deal about carrying a birth certificate? You can easily get copies of it if you don't want to carry the original. In WA, they are $7. I wouldn't dream of traveling without ID for everyone, even if it isn't a photo ID. In fact, you could even make a photocopy of the original since you really don't need the seal on it just to show proof of age.

That's my thought exactly...I always travel with a photocopy of my DS's birth certificate, I just can't imagine traveling without ID but maybe that's just my adult angle. In fact I just always have a copy of his BC in my purse (along with our medical coverage cards, etc.).

I just don't understand why having a photocopy in my purse is an inconvenience or could be considered as "jumping through hoops" its not like a huge concrete slab to carry around.

 

[lclark0621]

They are not doing their job if they insist on a birth certificate. They are going outside of their scope and will be overruled by someone higher up on the foodchain. IF Disney made it a policy that you must show proof of age then they would be enforcing a policy. Since this is not Disney policy it is a low level person MAKING policy.

OF COURSE they can require proof of age if they want to.

What the heck kind of argument is this anyway?

They say UNDER 3 is free. IF a cast member thinks that your kid is over 3, and you are "sneaking them in", OF COURSE they have the right to ask you & require proof of age.

And calling a person doing their job "power hungry entry level person", is a bit much dont you think? Sounds incredibly rude to me. Like they are beneath you for daring to ENTER the work force at Disney.

It is common sense that when a company says "Under 3 is free", they CAN require you to prove you are under 3.

 

[Samar]

Ok... I think we've covered all the bases... How can I lock this thing?

 

[Samar]

Ok, I just now called the Disney Help Line and spoke to a lady and told her our situation. Without hesitation, she said "Tell them he's 2". She admitted that she did the same thing for her grandson after he just turned adult ticket age and they didn't question it.

She said a few days isn't going to matter.

So I guess we'll just play it by ear.

 

[bicker]

Ok... I think we've covered all the bases... How can I lock this thing?

Wow... wouldn't THAT be nice?

 

[Bird-Mom]

Ok, I just now called the Disney Help Line and spoke to a lady and told her our situation. Without hesitation, she said "Tell them he's 2". She admitted that she did the same thing for her grandson after he just turned adult ticket age and they didn't question it.

That doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. It is against policy and is, in effect, stealing. My father owned a business when we were growing up, and employees stealing forced him to close. Not cool.

 

[mjmcca]

OF COURSE they can require proof of age if they want to.

What the heck kind of argument is this anyway?

They say UNDER 3 is free. IF a cast member thinks that your kid is over 3, and you are "sneaking them in", OF COURSE they have the right to ask you & require proof of age.

And calling a person doing their job "power hungry entry level person", is a bit much dont you think? Sounds incredibly rude to me. Like they are beneath you for daring to ENTER the work force at Disney.

It is common sense that when a company says "Under 3 is free", they CAN require you to prove you are under 3.

We are not talking about Dinsey requiring proof of age. The corporate policy does not require proof of age. For the one area they do require proof of age (PLEASURE ISLAND) they let you know up front thta it is required and the types of ID they will accept. Some CM at the gate making policy is different that Disney corporate making policy. IT IS NOT THE POLICY OF DISNEY TO REQUIRE PROOF OF AGE FOR A CHILD.

 

[mjmcca]

That sounds like a rationalization to me: They're required to enforce an age limit but not allowed to do anything to verify?

It is not a rationalization. I am talking from the point of view of someone who did buy a ticket when her children turned of age but was questioned more at a meal where my child was free when she was under 3. DIsney DOES NOT REQUIRE PROOF OF AGE. If they did it would be inthe literature they send you with your room and tickets so that you are not caught unawares when you get to the front gate with out said proof.

 

[Vickie46]

That is one thing I can't do is lie about my child.. my child would tell you how old she is too.. I can't imagine getting caught in that lie.. but that all your choice.. everyone is going to have a different opinion.. just go with what you think..

Have fun at Disney!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Samar]

That doesn't mean it is the right thing to do. It is against policy and is, in effect, stealing. My father owned a business when we were growing up, and employees stealing forced him to close. Not cool.

It's not like I'm stealing food. Like I said, the ticket thing is DH's issue. However, I called the Disney line and the lady flat out told me that if he's 3 for only a few days, it's not a big difference. Now if he was 3 for like a few months, then she said it would be an issue.

I am going to go with the flow. If a DISNEY EMPLOYEE is telling me this, then I can't be the only one with this question.

So don't shake your head at me for asking opinions. You gave it, you disapprove, thank you.

 

[Bird-Mom]

It's not like I'm stealing food. Like I said, the ticket thing is DH's issue. However, I called the Disney line and the lady flat out told me that if he's 3 for only a few days, it's not a big difference. Now if he was 3 for like a few months, then she said it would be an issue.

I am going to go with the flow. If a DISNEY EMPLOYEE is telling me this, then I can't be the only one with this question.

So don't shake your head at me for asking opinions. You gave it, you disapprove, thank you.

Ok, so stealing clothes, books, admission or whatever else is ok...as long as it isn't food? What kind of rationalization is that? Your dh is breaking the rules; you are going along with it...just because he is the breadwinner (I think you said that in your OP maybe?) doesn't mean that he is the only one who can make a decision. If he is 3, he needs a ticket. Period. Just because a cast member suggested it would be ok to sneak him in doesn't mean that is right. The rules are there for a reason.

Shake, shake, shake

 

[bicker]

Yup, I agree. Still sounds like a rationalization to me. Sorry.

 

[Schmeck]

The Disney employee who said it was OK for a 3 yr old not to have a ticket for entry should be fired. People sneaking their 3 yr olds in without a ticket should have their tickets revoked. Parents who lie about their kid's age should remember that when their kid lies about something illegal. Remember that you taught the kid well!

If you can't afford to pay for your kid to go to WDW, then don't go! It's not your civil right to go to WDW, it's a paid vacation.

 

[maxiesmom]

I would be afraid that when I got to the gate a different Disney employee would tell me that I did in fact need a pass. I like the idea of making your hubby take the child in question thru the line. Then if he is questioned, it will be him that is embarrassed. You might want to make sure you have the extra money on hand for a ticket, just in case.

 

[Hannathy]

The person who answered could have been a college cm and believe me they will answer anything! My nephew was a college Cm and we spent some time with his roommates and fellow cm's and the things they told guests were amazing! As long as it made their life easier they would do anything or say whatever the guest wanted to hear.

Again it is the age old "the rules are for everyone else but me."

 

[jodifla]

The Disney employee who said it was OK for a 3 yr old not to have a ticket for entry should be fired. People sneaking their 3 yr olds in without a ticket should have their tickets revoked. Parents who lie about their kid's age should remember that when their kid lies about something illegal. Remember that you taught the kid well!

If you can't afford to pay for your kid to go to WDW, then don't go! It's not your civil right to go to WDW, it's a paid vacation.

Wow, why don't you just say she should be killed? On-the-spot firing squads for anyone who gives an answer you don't like.

Truth is, rules are stretched and broken all the time, without the downfall of civilization occurring.

And it's not a law that children 3 and over need tickets. It's a corporate requirement. You won't find it in city code anyplace.