2 Year Old on Dining Plan

[reggiemcp]

Hi

I just tryed called DVC Member Services but there are closed, so I thought I would check with the experts on the DIS boards. We are renting points for our trip in September and have already requested the DDP for hubby and I. We are paying because we are staying at DVC. However, since my son is a hearty eater and we would be paying out of pocket anyway, it would be easier to purchase dining plan for him. Can I do that? I think that having a ticket for him is not needed as we are not on a package. Can anyone help me out with this? Thanks!

 

[JeffZ]

You don't need a ticket or ddp for your son --he is automatically included in your plan. That is to say he can share your plate or if you are dining or at buffets he may have a plate of his own and as much as he likes.So if you are not into sharing your plate the better choice is to go to buffets. I highly recommend 1900 Park Fare Character dinner @Grand Floridian. The Prime rib is excellent and they have a nice childrens bar-with items for the little guy(mac and chz,chicken nuggets,pb&j,french fries ) But he is welcome to items on the "adult" section and vice-versa.
My wife and I took our son --2 at the time --in Oct. '05 We were on the Free dining plan--paid nothing out of pocket for him. We went to :1900 park fare @grand floridian, Donalds Breakfast-o-saurus @AK, Cape May Buffet @Beach Club, Liberty Tree @MK, and numerous Counter Service @various Resorts and Parks.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Don't get it. He can eat off your plate for free at all the buffets. Plus, most kid's meals elsewhere are only about $4-$5 anyway so it is cheaper to P.O.P. then get the dining plan... We did this last fall with DS2.5 and only spent about $40 on his food in 8 days...

 

[Bird-Mom]

I think you can just call member services and add him on at the child's price.

We added our 2 year old on to free dining. We had to buy her a one day ticket, but she eats as much or more than her 4 year old sister, and they are not so happy about sharing. Our dining experiences will be much more pleasant with each child having their own dinner. We are not big buffet eaters and are only doing 3 or 4 on an 8 night trip. I would also have added her on if we were paying for the DDP. It is much more convenient to pay up front.

 

[NurseGodwin]

I tried last week to add my DD age 2 to the DDP (we are Not going during the free dining promotion) as it will be much more relaxing to have her own plate and food brought out, no sharing necessary, plus her own snack each day. The CM checked with a manager, who confirmed that I could add her for $10.99 per night but she would also be required to purchase a child's ticket and there would be an additional charge per night for our hotel room as this would increase the number of people from 4 plus an infant to 5 people. Isn't that crazy?

 

[bicker]

No, not to me. I personally wouldn't expect to have my cake (be allowed to have my 2 year old treated as a child for the Dining Plan) and eat it too (be allowed to have that child treated as a 2 year old for admission). I would hope for some flexibility, yes, but also some consistency.

 

[kcashner]

To go back to the original question...since you are staying at a DVC resort on points, there is no requirement that you buy a park ticket to buy the dining plan. If you plan to eat primarily at "sit down" restaurants (not buffets), it might be a convenience that your son can order a kid's meal. It is true that there is no advantage to having the child on the plan at a buffet--he is free there. However, by having him on the plan, you will get his snack item each day, his CS meal (if you choose not to share), and his own plate with no sharing at "fancy" restaurants. If you go to a buffet, you just tell them he is 2. All you have to do to add him is call member services.

 

[RachelEllen]

This is /not/ in response to the original poster, but instead to the last piece of advice that they just got. Isn't that also trying to have it both ways? If they want their child to be 3+ as far as the dining plan goes, how is it right to then take advantage of them as a 2 year old as during buffets?

Personally, I don't feel all that comfortable about people using the plan this way. It's still misrepresenting a child's age in order to buy an option not offered to them. And, like the advice above shows, it makes it really tempting to 'have it both ways' in order to get extra credits.

(Again, not addressing the original poster, I have no idea what they planned to do about buffets or even if they go to buffets)

 

[bicker]

I also am uncomfortable with such inconsistencies, RachelEllen. However, I think if Disney is endorsing it, it would be okay.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

If you go to a buffet, you just tell them he is 2.

If your resort ID says he is a "child", won't they treat him as a child rather than a 2 year old who eats free? Why would you be able to claim he is 2 when he is on the childrens DP?

 

[momofmmsd5]

We just got back last night from a 5 day trip. We have 5 kid's and one of them is only 1 1/2 and we had the dining plan ( not for him though). IMO you really don't need it for him. At all the buffet's your son can just eat. You don't get charged for him and at some of the TS places my ds got his own( free of charge) plate. At Kona they gave him pasta w/ butter and at 50's Prime time he got chicken nugget's. We also ate at the Cindy's for dinner and again he got a dish of pasta (no charge).
I really think you will be fine with out it.