would this be bad of me???

[phamton]

What is the age limit anyway? If a 3 year old doesn't classify I don't know what the point would be to have age limits at all.

Maybe no one should pay if they are pregnant and can't ride many of the rides. How about in a wheelchair or with a broken leg? And the elderly that won't ride the rides? If you only speak and understand Spanish, you shouldn't pay as the shows are in English. My sister gets motion sickness and can't ride the coasters, should she pay?

You pay for the themepark experience which includes shows, characters, eating, and rides. Just because you can't ride every single ride in the park is no reason to get in free. Sometimes I go to Epcot just to walk around and see the Christmas decorations or hear the storytelling at Christmas or just to watch Illuminations. Should I get in free for that since I didn't ride Mission Space or any other rides there?

If your child is 3 years old, just buy her a ticket. It is the right thing to do.

 

[aztecgoods]

I think they should have a kids get in free age limit of about 5 or 6 years old. Younger than that and the kids not only can't ride anything because of the heighth restrictions, but are just too young to understand anything. At least age 4 I would think should be the cut off. Definitely age 3. I don't think I would even take a child unless they were 4 or 5 years old. Thats what grandparents are for.

 

[phamton]

I think they should have a kids get in free age limit of about 5 or 6 years old. Younger than that and the kids not only can't ride anything because of the heighth restrictions, but are just too young to understand anything.

They don't understand birthdays either but we still give them presents and/or give them a party when they are under 3 years old. You take them to meet Santa for the joy of seeing it in their eyes not so they will remember it all their lives. The same thing applies with meeting Dora.

They may not remember many of the things they experience before age 4 years old. Even so, we still play and have fun with them and they enjoy it while they are there even if they won't remember it in a few year. A 3 year old will enjoy tons of stuff at both IoA and Universal.

 

[aztecgoods]

Okay, I don't have kids yet so I'm no expert on the subject at all. I'll take your word for it. (So your saying I shouldn't blow off my 2 or 3 or 4 year olds birthday with the excuse, oh they won't remember it anyway?) Just kidding!

 

[sha_lyn]

I think they should have a kids get in free age limit of about 5 or 6 years old. Younger than that and the kids not only can't ride anything because of the heighth restrictions,

You are joking right. You really think that kids under 5 or 6 can't ride anything
At 3 1/2 DD was riding spiderman, at 4 1/2 she was riding MIB. Then of course there is everything in Seusslanding, and all the other kid friendly rides.

 

[riu girl]

My ? to the OP is this:

How will you respond if the Universal staff person at the gate asks your child how old she is and your child responds 3? That would be incredibly awkward.

I have yet to visit US/IOA but have been studying this forum as well as the universal web site extensively. If you read this forum as well as the Universal web site, I'm sure you will be able to find several attractions/shows that your child will be able to enjoy.

 

[cleo]

If the problem is your worried she won't be able to do anything at the parks, you could go elsewhere or you could consider the following:

At Universal Studios she won't be restricted from Jimmy Neutron (stationary seating), Shrek, Twister, Blues Brothers, Beetlejuice's Graveyard Revue, Earthquake, Jaws (scary, but she can do it), Terminator 2, Animal Planet Live, A Day in the Park with Barney, Curious George, Woody Woodpeckers Nuthouse Coaster, Fivel's Playland, ET and all the character meet 'n greets and street entertainment.

At IoA she won't be restricted from Me Ship, The Olive, Jurassic Park Discovery Center, Camp Jurassic, Pteranodon Flyers (if she's 36"), Poseidon's Fury, Mystic Fountain, Sinbad, Flying Unicorn (again, 36") Storm Force Accelatron, If I Ran The Zoo, Cat in the Hat, One Fish, Two Fish, Caro-Seuss-el and all the street entertainment and meet 'n greets.

There is very little she would be restricted from if she is under 40", even less if she's 40". So it's more a matter of what you CHOOSE to take her on, not what she can actually GO on. Seems like paying for a ticket isn't such a big demand on Universal's part, is it?

 

[Amity 3]

Amity, you're not fooling me because I know your daughter has an AP. There is no childs AP at Universal. You can't sit at the cool kids table for lunch. You gotta sit with the rest of us on the rule-following, straight A students, Band-nerd table.

but she likes to order kids meals most of the time, and she sure isn't nine. the next time she wants corn dogs for lunch at Cosmic Rays' I'll force her to order some adult meal she doesn't like and will waste because it's the rules.


there's no room for felons like us at the nerd table. we also go into Burger Digs and Richter's and take a handful of pickles to munch on between meals. soon there'll be a wanted poster up for us.

 

[chrisn]

Opened a little can of worms didn't ya? Poor thing! I'm sure most peeps pay for a childs ticket but I'm sure there are also tons of people who do not. They probably wouldn't ask but if they did, it could be awkward. What if when they asked your childs age and you said "2" you kid pipes up with "Nu-uh mommy, I'm 3!" I guess just let your conscience be your guide but be prepared for anything. BTW, it's always a good thing to steer clear from contraversial topics, unless of course you like being flamed!

 

[nymomof3]

i can't believe the kind of responses that i got on this subject. i was not thinking of stealing or anything like that. it was just a general question about what other people with little one's do. i never made up my mind already as someone said im the total opposite of what everyone is saying. i was planning on paying but with my daughter turning 3 2months before i go it was just a general question so people should stop judging people before u know who your talking about. i don't believe in stealing services and would probable be scared of being embarrased that i would just pay the $85 but i have to say people shouldn't take this stuff so seriously. and i now know not to ask this kind of question cause people love to jump on judgement wagon so quick.

 

[cleo]

I am getting ready to purchase the special tickets for next year, my daughter will be 3 when we go but she really doesn;t go on anything, would they check her real age or should i just buy the ticket for only $85. i know its not alot of money but it doesn't make sense to pay the same as an adult when she's to young and scared to go on anything. anyone else have this problem? thanks

It seems you're unhappy about getting replies to your question, but.....you asked it!

If it isn't something you would do, why would you say you don't think YOU should pay for something your daughter is too young and too scared to do?

If you wouldn't think of stealing, why would you wonder about getting YOUR child in without a ticket when they are required to have one?

If you didn't want to know if they were going to check to see if SHE is old enough for a ticket, why did you say "would they check her real age"?

If you weren't wondering if YOU could get away without buying a ticket, why would you say "or should I just buy the ticket for $85"?

I apoligize if I misread your question. It sure sounds like you're asking if it's ok to slide your 3 year old in under the radar, since you keep referring to her as the person needing a ticket and to yourself as the person with the quandry about buying one. If those of us who think that's what you asked are wrong, it was certainly a nasty misunderstanding, but I wonder if you could agree it's pretty easy to read it as if you're asking for your OWN knowledge, not as a matter of curiosity about the parks and their guests in general.

I'm sure you're a very nice person who would never rip off Universal for the sake of $85, but you have to admit, that's what your post sounds like you are considering doing. And then you asked for opinions about whether or not that's bad. Why get mad at the people who replied to the question it seems you asked?

 

[nymomof3]

cleo, 1st i am not happy about the answers i got from my question thats why i asked it, 2nd i don't agree with paying $3.50 for gas but i still buy it, so just cause i said i didn't like it doesn't mean i wasn't going to pay it. and then i was just asking if other people in my situation felt the same. and i don't remember asking if its ok to slide her in, maybe it was wrong to ask about checking the age, i didn't think people were gonna read into it so much. i am going to be more careful how i ask questions and how i word them. i am not sorry i asked this question cause i bet there is alot of people out there who wondered the same thing and just don't have any u know whats to ask it. i am sorry if i offended anyone but we all complain about something it being gas, taxes or whatever but u know what we still pay it. thanks for all your replys, i did not take offense to them at all. we all have our opinions.

 

[cleo]

The question gets asked a lot, which could be why many of us (myself included) didn't read anything into it, but took it at face value. You'd be amazed at how many people ask how to get a 3 year old in free or ask for support in wanting to get their 3 year old in free. When I read your subject line, and it said 'Would this be bad of me?' I had to assume by 'me' you meant yourself and that it was something you were considering doing (hence, would what you were considering doing be bad of you to do). And I admit, I knew what your question was before I even opened the thread...that's how often it gets asked.

No offense was intended on my part either, it's just a question that has a pretty obvious answer. I'm really glad to hear you wouldn't try to get your daughter in for free if she needs a ticket, and I apologize if I misread your intent.

 

[bschiffler]

Hey people! There are much more important things going on in this world than getting a 3 year old into Universal Studios. I came across this thread and am just amazed and the comments people are making.

 

[cleo]

Hey people! There are much more important things going on in this world than getting a 3 year old into Universal Studios. I came across this thread and am just amazed and the comments people are making.

True, but this is a Disney/Universal discussion forum, so that's what we discuss.

If someone asks a question, they get answers. Some are pixie-dusted, some are not, just like in real life. It's ok to talk about trivial things and even to give negative replies to questions. No disrespect is intended, people are just posting their opinons. That's what we do on discussion boards.

And sometimes we even come to new understandings. I would never have guessed the OP here meant her question as a general question, but she set me straight by saying she was talking about guests in general, not about her own situation. So now I know something I didn't know before.

 

[mill4023]

They don't understand birthdays either but we still give them presents and/or give them a party when they are under 3 years old. You take them to meet Santa for the joy of seeing it in their eyes not so they will remember it all their lives. The same thing applies with meeting Dora.

They may not remember many of the things they experience before age 4 years old. Even so, we still play and have fun with them and they enjoy it while they are there even if they won't remember it in a few year. A 3 year old will enjoy tons of stuff at both IoA and Universal.

Our 1 year old had a fantastic time at Universal. The look in her eyes watching the Barney show was priceless. Will she remember it? Of course not, but everything they experience has an effect on their mental and emotional development. Experiencing joy like that has to be good for them.

 

[aztecgoods]

I guess I better not ask anyone on this thread if It would be ok to take a stamp from the office, or a pen. That would be stealing and I would go to hell.

 

[marciemi]

Our 1 year old had a fantastic time at Universal. The look in her eyes watching the Barney show was priceless. Will she remember it? Of course not, but everything they experience has an effect on their mental and emotional development. Experiencing joy like that has to be good for them.

Not only them, but you! People ask why we would take a 1 or 2 year old to Disney (many years ago, mind you!) when they wouldn't remember it. But WE do! As you mentioned the look in their eyes, the excitement when they see a character or something they recognize. For our oldest son, it was the huge Coke cup staircases at the All Star Sports. I remember him just staring at them in awe, turning to my husband and saying very seriously "Daddy, this is good!"

I also sat through the Barney show not once, but 3 times with my youngest DS (then almost 2) on our visit to US. After so many dark and/or scary rides, or rides that he was too young or small for at both Disney and US, once he found something that thrilled him, I couldn't pull him away.

OP - not only will your child not get to ride alot, YOU won't either as a result. But there will be a lot of things that will make up for it - the joy of watching a 3 year old is nothing like having teenagers (I'm bored, this is stupid, tell him to shut up) so enjoy it now!