Finally and officially have had it!!!!

[brianjdu4]

That's it! I want an answer right now. I am so done with this age 10 being an "adult" foolishness. For WDW to charge these prices for a 10 year old is simply insane and crooked. Yep.. I guess my 10 year old now supports the family, only after studying his piano and spelling words! He also is now of the age to join the military, drive a car, vote, go to "R" rated movies. Yep... WDW informs me that he is an adult! Oh really? This is the biggest joke that they pull on families. And how long have they had this pathetic policy? No one can justify this and defend it with a straight face. All for the glorifaction of the mighty dollar!!!!!!

[Dulcee]

... while paying for our wedding 9 and older was considered an adult for meals

... our local theme park starts charging adult prices at 10

... at our local movie theater adult tickets begin at age 11

... mini golf in town, adult tickets begin at age 9

While I agree its frustrating that your child is a child at home but a "adult" on vacation WDW is right on par with the rest of them.

[Tink1]

..... And how long have they had this pathetic policy? ....


This has been the policy since 1987

so......24 years.


Nanc

[John]

Yep - maybe the could call it something else but bottom line is - it's been in place forever. At age 10, you can pretty much ride everything in the parks.

[DNS]

Bad wording to call the higher priced tickets "adult", but my guess would be, at 10 they figure they can enjoy everything at the parks as much as an adult. No rides would be off limits at that age. Just a guess since 2 big theme parks in this state charge by height.

[Zippy 1]

Boy adult here is not to your kid is around 13. For the movies it isn't until 17. Our local theme park has a middle price for kids between ages 9-13. I do think for meals that Disney could come up with a middle range instead of adult. For park admitance I can see adult because as stated they can usually ride all the rides. But not many 10 year olds eat like an adult. I have a 17 year old DD who does not eat like an adult. There really should be a little room for comprimise on meals.

[wdw dude]

If you're talking about meals, I've seen some 10 year olds eat more than I do.

:mickey:

[darthmacho]

Personally, I think 10 is too young to charge adult fare, I've been aware of the policy for some time. I think it's a pretty frustrating to pay extra for our tickets and dining plan just because my baby will be 11 on next year's trip, but ...it won't keep me from going to WDW and enjoying every minute of it.

[Carol]

I don't believe they are considered "Adults'.

The ticket options are 3-9 OR 10+.

[MarkC]

I don't believe they are considered "Adults'.

The ticket options are 3-9 OR 10+.

Carol is correct. And you do have the option to spend your money elsewhere if you are really unhappy about it. That's about the only to speak to a business-- with your pocketbook.

[Melanie]

I don't believe they are considered "Adults'.

The ticket options are 3-9 OR 10+.

Right, because like others have pointed out in previous posts, at age 10 the sky is pretty much the limit as far as enjoying everything the parks have to offer. I don't have a problem with this.

The food thing is kinda bothersome, but we don't ever do the dining plan, so it doesn't affect us. You can still order off the kid's menu when you are 50 if you want to.

[coloradowendyl]

Curiousity peaked this cat! I checked several amusement park sites for pricing charts and then checked 3 websites for average heights of children.

Cedar Point, Elitch Gardens, Six Flags parks, etc use a criteria of 48 inches or more for adult pricing. Kennywood in PA is 46 inches or taller.

Seaworld and Universal price like WDW: over 9.

Then, I googled for a chart showing the AVERAGE height for children by age (which we know many kids aren't..heck mine were hitting 5 ft in by 3rd grade! One wore a mens 10 shoe in 4th grade and I am only 5'4" so who knows where it comes from!!!) Interestingly enough, all 3 charts I checked had 9 yr old boys on the average at 49 inches and 9 yr old girls at 47-48 inches!

This information tells me that quite a bit of the Theme park industry uses the same age criteria for pricing, however, they market it differently! TomAto-ToeMAto lol! 48 inches sounds better than 9 yrs old!

Interesting...at least to me lol!
Wendy

[tazlikesrobots]

Humm... How about airlines! No child ticket, you have to buy the adult fare, so guess in their eyes a 2 year old is an adult.

Then again I've seen plenty of adults that act as 2 year olds, so can see how they arrived at that conclusion :D

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

still considered child until 18 for resort pricing though...dining and tickets are 9 and older...I do think parents should be able to judge if their child needs adult meals though...I think they should be able to purchase kids meals at least until age 12

[magicofdisney]

In my town, many restaurants use 12 as the cut off age for children's menu selection. There are 1 or 2 that use age 10. We've rarely had an incident when the child plate didn't fill up one of our children. I too wish it were different. As a pp stated, it's been in place 24yrs now, so what are you going to do about it?

[MNNHFLTX]

still considered child until 18 for resort pricing though...dining and tickets are 9 and older...I do think parents should be able to judge if their child needs adult meals though...I think they should be able to purchase kids meals at least until age 12
The age-related ticket pricing for the parks has never bothered me, but I agree that there could be some leeway related to meals.

[Aurora]

There is no such thing anymore as child pricing, no matter what they call it. If they didn't have a 3-10-year-old price, people would start screaming, but a one-day ticket is only a $6 difference anyway, very little to actually help the budget.

Restaurants, theme parks, movie theaters, airlines -- all use different criteria to determine when people will pay full price.

Originally "child" pricing was used to entice parents to bring their children along at lower prices, to make things more affordable for families and to make sure the parents kept spending. Parents and children rode virtually all the same rides. The child/adult distinction has been phased out except for the youngest age groups, and people continue to pay. And as I said above, the lower price is little more than window dressing.

We don't have to like it, but as MarkC said, the only way to really change things is to vote with our wallets.

[NewmanFamily6]

I believe it is silly as well but like others have said it will not stop me from going:mickey:

[1DisneyNut]

We don't have to like it, but as MarkC said, the only way to really change things is to vote with our wallets.
This is exactly what we did...voted with our wallets and have gone elsewhere on our vacations this year. We were going to WDW twice a year but they keep raising prices during a recession along with gas prices soaring. They have also changed other policies to take away from the guests and boost the corporate profits. One thing that they did to save money that burns me up is reducing Fantasmic to a couple nights a week so we didn't get to see it last summer....it is our favorite show.

We started getting a little frustrated with the changes which we feel has taken away from the magic and turned WDW into a corporate money grab. We reduced to one trip a year back several years ago and then decided to go elsewhere this year. For our summer vacation this year we went to the beach, stayed in a condo that we rented for a whole week for what we pay for a few days at similar accommodations at WDW (two bedroom condo/villa). We went to very nice restaurants every night, went to attractions, miniature golf, go carts, etc. every day and still spent half as much money as we do at WDW.

Sure we could go to WDW and try to keep the cost down by staying in one of those little rat hole hotel type resorts but we hate them and we don't stay in those type accommodations elsewhere so we aren't about to do it for a week at WDW. The value just isn't there anymore. It is definitely still a lot of fun and I love the place like a kid but they finally crossed the line to where I just can't justify the expense anymore when I can go on trips and cruises with top notch accommodations and dining for 1/3 or more less than what mediocre accommodations and dining cost at WDW.

It seems many others feel the same as we do because Disney is constantly having to run discount promotions in an attempt to lure in visitors. We have gotten two discount pins this year for a discount to be used within a few months. We looked at the pricing using the pin and then tossed it in the garbage and said no thanks.

[buzznwoodysmom]

I have no problem paying the same price for my 11 year old's ticket as I do for my own. He can ride and enjoy everything I can, why should his ticket be cheaper????

Now the food really bothers me sometimes. Not only do I have a very picky eater for an 11 year old, he is also allergic to seafood and poultry. Feeding him is tough, and he tends to eat very little at a time. Paying adult prices for him at places like Ohana's, where he ends up eating a small portion of steak and a bowl of Mac N Cheese, really is hard to swallow.

However, no one is forcing me to go to WDW or eat at WDW restaurants with my "Disney Adult" child. They are a buisness and choose to charge what they do. If you don't like it that much you completely have the option of not going.

[spoiledraf]

No one can justify this and defend it with a straight face. All for the glorifaction of the mighty dollar!!!!!!

And your complaint has nothing to do with your concern for your own almighty dollar, I'm sure. They got it, you want it. Are you willing to pay for it? As long as they keep making record profits, the prices will keep going up! It's called "capitalism"! The foundation of this countries success. Although the foundation seems a bit fractured of late.

[lighteningqueen]

I kinda feel <snip> here do the values are RAT HOLES??? I dont think so....I choose to spend my money throughout the parks,the gas to nd from which is 2400 miles round trip plus hotels on the road than to spend what amounts to 50.00 hour to lay my head down and be in the room maybe 9 hours??? It might be fun for a night but I wont sleep any less or better in a dlx..Actually better because I didn't charge the tar out of several credit cards to go there.Cash and no worries on the way home..

[Aurora]

Just one more note: If you're buying a 10-day ticket, you know how much you save with a "child's" (aka age 3-10) ticket? A whopping $1.90 a day. Talk about smoke and mirrors.

[finaldynasty]

Just one more note: If you're buying a 10-day ticket, you know how much you save with a "child's" (aka age 3-10) ticket? A whopping $1.90 a day. Talk about smoke and mirrors.

Wow! Really!?! This is a great discussion. It has me on the fence because it is tough to justify spending 3-5k for a trip when you could have a nice trip somewhere else that is 1/2 or 1/2 the cost. Because of the size of my family we can not stay in a value, well maybe the All Star music suites. But, those are just as expense as staying in a moderate. As other PP have mentioned it can be tough to justify spending 1k per person, but in my case I have feel like I have to feed my Disney addiction...I know alot of us have it, but I am getting to the point of wondering when is enough enough...I have not reached that point yet, but other trip options are being more appealing...:mickey:

[DizneyRox]

My three year old cost the same to fly to Orlando as me this summer. Almost cost as much as me as the third person in the cabin.

Them's the breaks...

And yeah, I the difference between an "adult" ticket and "child" is pretty tiny. I'd certainly get an adult tickets during "free" dining to get access to the better food/choices.

[crltkcagle]

I am on the other end of the spectrum and actually enjoy the fact that this year my ten year old is considered an adult. We always do the dining plan and the kid meals were never enough for him. He usually ate my meal while I was stuck with the nasty chicken nuggets! LOL So this year he gets adult meals and I will get to eat my own meal. Well as long as my 8 and 6 year old boys eat their own meals! :eat:

[Tink1]

I am on the other end of the spectrum and actually enjoy the fact that this year my ten year old is considered an adult. We always do the dining plan and the kid meals were never enough for him. He usually ate my meal while I was stuck with the nasty chicken nuggets! LOL So this year he gets adult meals and I will get to eat my own meal. Well as long as my 8 and 6 year old boys eat their own meals! :eat:

My kids were the same way, Kelly. I always had to order what they liked to eat since I knew the kids meals would never be what they would like. Luckily, the portions were always decent enough for sharing. We also did a lot of Cape May Clambake buffets.

Chicken Nuggets were not a staple in our house, probably because I never liked them or cooked them. :) I tend to only cook what I like.

Nanc

[Niecyboo]

I always tell people my kids are very unusual. They pick Akerhaus for the food instead of the Princesses (oldest eats her own weight in Smoked Salmon), skip the kid's section at Boma's because where else can they eat African food and spend their snack credits in World Showcase to try new things. My oldest looks like she could be blown over by a strong wind she's so skinny, and she eats like a lumberjack. I think that is one of the things they love about Disney. They get to eat almost anything they want. (They are 16, 13 and 9 now, but they have been doing this since the oldest was 3).

[BrerSchultzy]

To get back to the original OP, what do you think IS a fair price for a 10 year old? I personally don't see a problem with Disney, or anyone for that matter, charging the same for 10 as they do for 20. Teenagers and pre-teens are sort of the target market for most things Disney and theme parks. That's the age theme parks fight for.

[lighteningqueen]

I think 10 is far from teen.. They cannot go off on their own.. This is dangerous to think that parents would let them. I think there could be an in between price. It is costly and when the kids get that age families have to start limiting how many or when they can take a trip. With ticket prices (child) 270.00 for 6 days plus their food and they re the age group that likes to spend on other items like gaming at the resorts, cool stuff in the parks etc. You have to have mega bucks to take family of 5 or more to Disney . At the ages of 10 and above wow thats a ton, plus airfare if that applies..I noticed at DisneyLand they have a toddler meal what a great idea, why not out at WDW??? Its like 3.99. They do not eat enough to survive so this is perfect. How about food plates say 10.00 each for junior of 9-14???

[Tink#64]

One of our local amusement parks actually goes by height! So it's just about the same, or could be even earlier if you're child hits a growth spurt early or some real heighth runs in your family. I don't have a problem with the ticketing prices, as before that age my DS's were able to enjoy all the rides same as an adult. But this is one reason for us not to do a dining package, we're not big eaters by any means & DS's still being "kids" are somewhat picky. Better value for us to pay out of pocket on food, we share alot & mix it up a bit with the QS & TS dining.

[texas211]

It is like 5 dollars difference a day for adult vs child for tickets. I don't know about the meal plan as I've never gotten one. But, the adult menu is easier to go w unless you want to feed your kid like 3 different things the entire trip.

[Dulcee]

I noticed at DisneyLand they have a toddler meal what a great idea, why not out at WDW??? Its like 3.99. They do not eat enough to survive so this is perfect. How about food plates say 10.00 each for junior of 9-14???

I know by the age of 9 I was routinely ordering steaks and lobster at dinner, my house was never one to cater to special meals for kids thus we ate what our parents ate. And my sister currently has a 1 year old who easily out eats his ten year old brother.

[Terra]

I may have a little bit of a different angle [probably because of the age of my children though :) ] I agree about age 10+ being able to ride pretty much everything so at that point I can understand charging full price.

Now my two are 3 and 4. Paying the same for my 3 year old as for a 9 year old kind of makes me furrow my brow a bit. There's still not *that* much he can do. My 4 year old is pretty tall for his age so he can ride everything except ToT, RnRC, SM. So I can see paying a bit more.

I've always thought that 4 and under should be free. 5-9 ages discount then 10+ free. I actually will take my boys separate many times. Because I can ride the "bigger" rides with the 4 y.o. Yet if I take the 3 y.o. with us we are really limited and my 4 y.o. doesn't get to do 1/2 of what he wants to do. For people that don't have that option, I can see the frustration in paying that much.

Plus typically, not always, my 3/4 y.o. doesn't have the same stamina as say a 10, 11, 12+ year old and they are asking to go home by 6pm when we got there at 10am. So it's hard to digest a bigger cost for that.

Now, what I DO like and saves us money is that we can bring all our own food and that saves us tons of money!

But again at the end of the day I also realize that Disney is a business :)

[BigRedDad]

Well, going to WDW is a choice all of us make. None of us are obligated to going there. If you choose to go, then you abide by the rules of they set as a company.

Is it the word "adult" that is the problem or the price they charge for a 10 year old? If it is the word, then I can understand the frustration. If it is the price they charge, then that is a decision you make for your family as an adult. Simply put, you are making the decision to spend that much money.

If you want to change the policy, become a large shareholder of the company and raise it as a concern at the next shareholder meeting. Do not expect to get many followers at that meeting though. The people there are looking for a return on their investment. Generating less revenue and profit contradicts the purpose of a shareholder.

WDW could easily have the following as their ticket naming (prices are simply made up):
Adult (>19): $80
Teen (13-19): $80
Tween (10-12): $80
Child (under 10): $50

[ransam]

As mentioned, as a 10 year old you can enjoy all the perks the park has to offer. You can go on any ride, any show. while not all 10 year olds eat as much as an adult, most of them do. therefore it seems very logical that a 10 year old should pay full admission.
If you go to any sporting event, if they occupy a seat, they pay full admission.

I have no problem w/ the policy.

[Mickey'sGirl]

As mentioned, as a 10 year old you can enjoy all the perks the park has to offer. You can go on any ride, any show. while not all 10 year olds eat as much as an adult, most of them do. therefore it seems very logical that a 10 year old should pay full admission.
If you go to any sporting event, if they occupy a seat, they pay full admission.

I have no problem w/ the policy.
I agree. A ticket is a ticket is a ticket. I think the current system is fair.

I think the issues come up when people are purchasing the Dining Plan. There is a huge difference in price between the "child" and "adult" packages. We don't do the plan, so it doesn't impact us at all.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

yeah the ticket really don't bother me because if they are tall enough they get to ride the same as adults...but if they allowed the parents to buy the food in the way that best fits their needs then it would make more sense to me...nobody's getting away with anything because you are paying for what you get...

if they have the child's plan they can only order off the child's menu...so if you have a 10 year old who is a light eater it is a perfect fit...likewise if you have an 8 year who eats like an adult you should be able to purchase them the adult plan, once again you are paying more and would be able to order off the adults menu.

Don't seeing this ever happening...just saying I wish they would do that.:mickey:

[RBrooksC]

This is an argument of semantics.

The term "adult" is a meaning of the ticket cost. It is an "adult" ticket. What would be better? Calling it a "Big" ticket or a "Little" ticket? Does it change the reasoning behind it?

A child at ten, on average, can ride or use everything in the park. So, why shouldn't they be charged the full amount for the park.

To argue they cannot go off on their own is a "red herring" since that is not why they are being charged this rate.

Any company when doing tiered charging has to draw a line somewhere. It would be impossible to charge by size since most people buy their tickets online and there would be no way to police it.

So, Disney came upon an age where most "children" can experience everything Disney has to offer and priced them under an "adult" ticket. So, they are not considered "adults" in any sort of legal sense. Only an adult in a "pricing" sense.

[DisneyOtaku]

Seeing how this really isn't a new policy, and 10 year olds can ride most anything in the park that they wish, I can't really blame Disney for this one. There's got to be a cut off age somewhere, and hitting double-digits sounds fine by me.

As for the meal plan, there are so many different kids and how they eat, I don't know how Disney could make a system that would run smoothly for figuring it all out.

[Aurora]

For those interested, Disney used to have a three-tiered system for ages when WDW opened in 1971 -- child (3-11), junior (12-17), and adult (13 and over). It dropped the junior designation in 1984, when it made children 3-12, and then changed the child ticket only three years later, to 3-9, in 1987.

The child ticket has always been only a few dollars less per day than the adult ticket, ranging anywhere from around $2 to $9 per day. However, that amounted to a much greater percentage difference in the past.

This info was gathered from another "website which shall not be named," which has an incredibly detailed history of WDW tickets. To find it, Google search "WDW ticket history."

[Giselle]

They have to draw the line somewhere and 10 seems as good as any to me for the reasons previously stated. Further there are of course, exceptions to the rule. Some 10 year olds are taller than some adults. Some adults eat less than some 6 year olds, but can you really expect Disney to charge based on appetite and number of rides you might get on? Should you complete a questionnaire regarding your eating habits, which rides you are likely to ride, etc.and then submit it to a pricing department for a personalized price for each individual?

Obviously, being charged an adult price does not mean your child is an adult legally speaking. They are simply categorizing people into a price matrix for practicality and convenience.

[joonyer]

Why should Disney charge less for tickets for teens? Infants and Toddlers, OK, but the only motivation I can think of for them to offer a big price difference for kids under 18 would be to entice more families to to come visit. I know I would be more likely to plan another trip if kids under 18 were free, for instance. But, all I read about park attendance is how much more crowded the parks have been at all times of the year, and how there are no really slow months anymore. So, it seems that Disney is not having much trouble selling all the park passes they can. You can bet that if attendance was way down, all kinds of discounts would be forthcoming. But the bottom line is, they have no financial or business incentive to offer discounts for kids under 18.

[darthmacho]

Some 10 year olds are taller than some adults.

Debate aside, you make a great point. My 10yo DD is 5'2", and my 40yo DW is 5'2.5". :D

[EpcotChic23]

I am having the same issue but with Sesame Place. If your child is 2 and up they pay the "full price" ticket. Now I understand why they are doing this. You really don't go there unless you have kids under 5 but I am still having a hard time paying 50 some buck for my two year old.

[gottaluvtink]

Sure we could go to WDW and try to keep the cost down by staying in one of those little rat hole hotel type resorts but we hate them and we don't stay in those type accommodations elsewhere so we aren't about to do it for a week at WDW.


Hee hee hee....I LOVE those little rat hole hotels aka value resorts!! I can stay in one of those rat holes, with free dining, for 7 days with park tickets included for $1700. (four people) All I need is a place to sleep so that I can get up and go to the parks from open to close. I LOVE IT! I also have stayed at the Contemporary and Saratoga Springs, and in all honestly, I prefer the rat hole atmosphere! Much more fun and Disney themed. Now, as far as going other places, we went to Chicago for a weekend and spent well over $1,000. I find Disney to be very reasonable actually. I guess it can be very much on the high side if you prefer it that way, or it can be very affordable on the other side!

[mickey_M_lvr]

Humm... How about airlines! No child ticket, you have to buy the adult fare, so guess in their eyes a 2 year old is an adult.

Then again I've seen plenty of adults that act as 2 year olds, so can see how they arrived at that conclusion :D

So true! :funny::silly::laughing:

[princessgirls]

Hee hee hee....I LOVE those little rat hole hotels aka value resorts!! I can stay in one of those rat holes, with free dining, for 7 days with park tickets included for $1700. (four people) All I need is a place to sleep so that I can get up and go to the parks from open to close. I LOVE IT! I also have stayed at the Contemporary and Saratoga Springs, and in all honestly, I prefer the rat hole atmosphere! Much more fun and Disney themed. Now, as far as going other places, we went to Chicago for a weekend and spent well over $1,000. I find Disney to be very reasonable actually. I guess it can be very much on the high side if you prefer it that way, or it can be very affordable on the other side!

Amen Sister!!!!!

I am OK with the 10-year old "Adult". I don't think Disney should word it as "Adult". They should put 48" and over. I have tall kids. They were able to ride Splash and Space at 4 years old. I have always bought them seats on planes, as I felt they were safer in their car seat. My 10 year old is thrilled to be getting "adult" meals! My 9 year old is already complaining that her sister is getting the better deal. CAN'T WIN!!!!
Julie:mickey:

[BigRedDad]

cruises with top notch accommodations and dining for 1/3 or more less

If you are not particular on your cruise destination, you can go on cruises for FAR LESS than WDW. My parents lived in FL about an hour from the port. They would get calls from travel agents with ridiculous deals. The last cruise they went on was from the Med back to south FL. It was like a 14 day cruise. They got it for $250 a person.

If you want to go to WDW, it is going to cost you, PERIOD.

[HackLaSalle]

Why is everyone so against WDW making money? IT IS A BUSINESS.

And if they make money (at least recently) they are willing to reinvest it right back into the parks (HELLO LARGEST EXPANSION IN YEARS)

Plus everyone enjoys having DHS, and DAK right? Well I'm sure ticket increases back in the day at MK and at EPCOT helped pay for those.

I never got complaing about the cost of WDW. YES it costs alot. YES you can find other vacations cheaper. But you can also find other vacations with less value and less fun for waaaay more expensive. You have a choice to go no one is twisting your arm saying GO SEE THE MOUSE NOW!!! If you can't afford it. Don't go.

[RBrooksC]

Amen Sister!!!!!

I am OK with the 10-year old "Adult". I don't think Disney should word it as "Adult". They should put 48" and over. I have tall kids. They were able to ride Splash and Space at 4 years old. I have always bought them seats on planes, as I felt they were safer in their car seat. My 10 year old is thrilled to be getting "adult" meals! My 9 year old is already complaining that her sister is getting the better deal. CAN'T WIN!!!!
Julie:mickey:

Ok, how are they going to police that? Will one have to submit a Dr's note with their official height?

As I said before it is an argument over semantics. The reasoning behind it does not change if you change the name. Disney had to set an age where the person had to pay full price.

I would guess Disney was able to do much research before arriving at this age and since it hasn't been changed in a very long time, I highly doubt they were off on what age a child can basically ride everything in the park.

One can quibble over the "my child could ride this at "X" age or at 11 he still didn't want to ride "Y." In the end, a majority of children will be able to ride everything and take full advantage of the parks at age 10. So, if they can easily use it all, they have to pay for it all. Nuf' said.

[Magic Smiles]

I have no problem paying the same price for my 11 year old's ticket as I do for my own. He can ride and enjoy everything I can, why should his ticket be cheaper????


I also have no problem paying for the tickets.
Now wait until all your young adults become over 18 and you have to pay extra for them to stay in the same room as you. DS is now 19 and on our last visit we had to pay for a 3rd adult in the room. We still only used the 2 beds and nothing more than we did when he was 17, but that is the way it is.:mickey:

[Disney Doll]

I don't understand what all the fuss is about. The price difference between an "adult" park ticket and a child ticket is minimal. I can do what I want as far as food because I don't use the dining plan. We rarely order from the kid's menu just because the choices are so limited.

[RBrooksC]

I don't understand what all the fuss is about. The price difference between an "adult" park ticket and a child ticket is minimal. I can do what I want as far as food because I don't use the dining plan. We rarely order from the kid's menu just because the choices are so limited.

The fuss is over meanings of words instead of the intent of the policy.

[Goes4FastPass]

I’m entirely OK with paying the adult price for my family members when they turn 10 – and boy have I don’t it plenty of times but please, please don’t tell me if I spend a few thousand dollars on a WDW vacation and my wife walks into a counter service restaurant and buys a kid’s meal and eats it and goes on with the rest of her day enjoying the park and beating up her Amex card in the gift shops that she’s somehow cheating Mickey Mouse.

[CajunDisneyDad]

I can understand being frustrated...but if you look at it this way... from 3-9 the ticket is what...6 or 7 dollars less than the 10+ ticket. So really it isnt that big of a adjustment from 9 to 10... the hard one is from 2-3 I would guess (I am about to go through that lol, DS is 2)

[buzznwoodysmom]

I also have no problem paying for the tickets.
Now wait until all your young adults become over 18 and you have to pay extra for them to stay in the same room as you. DS is now 19 and on our last visit we had to pay for a 3rd adult in the room. We still only used the 2 beds and nothing more than we did when he was 17, but that is the way it is.:mickey:

Oh I know, I'm not looking forward to those days. I think the extra adult charges at all resorts, not just WDW, is ridiculous.

However, like I said in my initial post, no one is forcing us to go. If ever there comes a time I absolutely won't spend what WDW wants for any service then I'll take it upon myself to just not go!

[buzznwoodysmom]

I don't understand what all the fuss is about. The price difference between an "adult" park ticket and a child ticket is minimal. I can do what I want as far as food because I don't use the dining plan. We rarely order from the kid's menu just because the choices are so limited.

:ditto: I've been reading all the posts and this is exactly what I've been thinking.

The difference between a child's ticket and an adult's ticket is so minimal that I can't beleive I so often hear people trying to pass their kids off for a 9 year old after they've turned 10, or even hear people complain that they now have to pay for a adult ticket. I feel as though if you can't afford a few extra bucks for that ticket, for a 10 year old who can do everything the park has to offer, then maybe you can't afford the vacation at all.

Then there is the food. When my oldest turned 10 that's when we stopped using the dining plan because it just wasn't worth it. Without having the dining plan you can pretty much order your 10 year old whatever they want. My 11 year old still orders off the kids menu most of the time, or he and my youngest share one adult entree if they don't like the offerings on the kids menu. When paying out of pocket you can order anything you want. The only time we have to pay adult prices for him is at buffets and places like Ohana's. I do cringe when the bill comes knowing he didn't eat nearly enough for the amount I am about to pay for him, but that's my choice. No one forces us to eat at Ohana's with him. If we hated it that much we just wouldn't do it.

I just don't get what all the fuss is about either.

[princessgirls]

:ditto: I've been reading all the posts and this is exactly what I've been thinking.

The difference between a child's ticket and an adult's ticket is so minimal that I can't beleive I so often hear people trying to pass their kids off for a 9 year old after they've turned 10, or even hear people complain that they now have to pay for a adult ticket. I feel as though if you can't afford a few extra bucks for that ticket, for a 10 year old who can do everything the park has to offer, then maybe you can't afford the vacation at all.

Then there is the food. When my oldest turned 10 that's when we stopped using the dining plan because it just wasn't worth it. Without having the dining plan you can pretty much order your 10 year old whatever they want. My 11 year old still orders off the kids menu most of the time, or he and my youngest share one adult entree if they don't like the offerings on the kids menu. When paying out of pocket you can order anything you want. The only time we have to pay adult prices for him is at buffets and places like Ohana's. I do cringe when the bill comes knowing he didn't eat nearly enough for the amount I am about to pay for him, but that's my choice. No one forces us to eat at Ohana's with him. If we hated it that much we just wouldn't do it.

I just don't get what all the fuss is about either.

The food issue is where the cost kills you. Our friends 11 year old son ate a hot dog kids meal at Le Cellier...that killed ME!! His parents payed for his adult dining, but he is a picky picky eater, and that's what he wanted. They are a family of 5, 4 are normal eaters, and this was back in the day when the DDP was a better deal.

Just a FYI....in regards to paying by height, I was recently at a Boardwalk type Amusement park, and they charged by various heights different prices because of ride restrictions for smaller kids, and they had a measuring stick cemented in the ground, where the cashier could see and charged appropriately....They had this at every ticket window. I think Dorney Park and Hershey Park does this as well.
Julie:mickey:

[IloveJack]

I can understand being frustrated...but if you look at it this way... from 3-9 the ticket is what...6 or 7 dollars less than the 10+ ticket. So really it isnt that big of a adjustment from 9 to 10... the hard one is from 2-3 I would guess (I am about to go through that lol, DS is 2)

No kidding! I fully understand the 10-year old thing. They're big enough to do anything an adult can do. But next June my now 2-year old will be 3. She is tiny and eats like a bird. There is absolutely nothing more she'll be able to do then than now. Plus, it's still no problem for her to eat off our plates. Is that annoying? Yes! Is it going to keep us from going? No. At least it's Disney, where the great majority of rides are kid-friendly, not a coaster-heavy park where she could do nothing.

[LisaP]

I am having the same issue but with Sesame Place. If your child is 2 and up they pay the "full price" ticket. Now I understand why they are doing this. You really don't go there unless you have kids under 5 but I am still having a hard time paying 50 some buck for my two year old.

This was the exact comparison I was going to use. Sesame Place in PA has no variation to its ticket price. A 2 day pass is $55.99 plus tax for ages 2 and up. And the 1 day ticket is the same price, so they market it as a day free.

[joonyer]

Disney could go back to its original pricing system, the pay-as-you-ride ticket books. For park commandos, who like to ride, ride, ride, from park opening to closing, the one price for everything is a bargain, but for most everyone else, Disney makes more $$ from the one-price-for-all attractions admission system. I don't know of any major theme parks that still use a per ride ticketing system. Still for families with little kids, the pay as you ride system for toddlers would be a little relief from the cost of admission. For that reason, I don't think Disney will ever consider it again though.

[disneymom15]

Disney could go back to its original pricing system, the pay-as-you-ride ticket books. For park commandos, who like to ride, ride, ride, from park opening to closing, the one price for everything is a bargain, but for most everyone else, Disney makes more $$ from the one-price-for-all attractions admission system. I don't know of any major theme parks that still use a per ride ticketing system. Still for families with little kids, the pay as you ride system for toddlers would be a little relief from the cost of admission. For that reason, I don't think Disney will ever consider it again though.

I can still see my mother trying to manage 6 ticket books. Don't know how she kept them all straight. I couldn't see having to do that today. Imagine all the lost books and tickets.

[Gator]

Bad wording to call the higher priced tickets "adult", but my guess would be, at 10 they figure they can enjoy everything at the parks as much as an adult. No rides would be off limits at that age.

I thought the same thing when I read this post. If you can ride everything, you should be charged the "everything" price. Is this a hill you really want to die on? It's $40 more or something like that. Now, if your 10yo is under 40 inches, I can see your beef. Otherwise, sounds pretty fair to me.

[Terra]

I can still see my mother trying to manage 6 ticket books. Don't know how she kept them all straight. I couldn't see having to do that today. Imagine all the lost books and tickets.

Ahhhhh, the E Tickets! A great memory from my childhood at DL! If I remember right some were tickets for attractions that you could ride unlimited [usually the lesser "liked" ones] and the going up to the most popular ones I think were like 1 time deals. That defiantly wouldn't fly with my 4.5 year old who had me ride Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain no less than 3 times each at our last visit!:mickey:

[11290]

I can still see my mother trying to manage 6 ticket books. I couldn't see having to do that today. Imagine all the lost books and tickets.

There are a LOT of people that can't even "manage" their park tickets when they come up to the turnstiles with a family.

Can't imagine what a disaster it would be at attractions with individual ride tickets.

[texas211]

There are a LOT of people that can't even "manage" their park tickets when they come up to the turnstiles with a family.

Can't imagine what a disaster it would be at attractions with individual ride tickets.

Amen. People are dumber now, then back then. No way folks can manage it. Plus, I hate those kinds of deals. I want to pay one big fee, and be done with it. Wish i could do that with the airlines. Pay more, but then don't bother me.

[lynnek]

Yes, O.K. unfortunate wording 10 yr old--adult. We were happy to find out our older two children were able to do the adult dining plan, can't imagine restricting them to the kids menu. My favorite is the Children's Museums charging for the adults to bring the kids there--love that:D And thankfully, there are no ticket booklets at Disney. Don't need that headache!

[Terra]

Yes, O.K. unfortunate wording 10 yr old--adult. We were happy to find out our older two children were able to do the adult dining plan, can't imagine restricting them to the kids menu. My favorite is the Children's Museums charging for the adults to bring the kids there--love that:D And thankfully, there are no ticket booklets at Disney. Don't need that headache!

I am right there with you on that! Nothing like paying the fee so I can stand and watch as my sons run around building legos, playing grocery store and bank!....But they do have fun! :)

[AHOTE]

Humm... How about airlines! No child ticket, you have to buy the adult fare, so guess in their eyes a 2 year old is an adult.

Then again I've seen plenty of adults that act as 2 year olds, so can see how they arrived at that conclusion :D

:exactly:

[DVC2004]

I know but it's the same everywhere. We've been to many other theme parks and kids are also considered adults over the age of 9. It's because they can go on pretty much everything.
The only place it gets me is dining- I hate to pay $29/$30 for a meal when my 14 and 12 year old don't eat that much. Especially the 12 year old, he eats like a bird. But I guess we have the choice not to dine at those places.

I agree though with the original poster. It's a shame most places do this. I would think 14 and above makes more sense. But that's alot of money lost I guess.

[Mousemates]

There are a LOT of people that can't even "manage" their park tickets when they come up to the turnstiles with a family. Can't imagine what a disaster it would be at attractions with individual ride tickets.

Yes..and then consider the chaos when you tried to blend single tickets with fast passes.


Amen. People are dumber now, then back then. No way folks can manage it.

As a person of today, I think I am offended by that ;) (not really), but sometimes we become the target of our own barbs


I thought the same thing when I read this post. If you can ride everything, you should be charged the "everything" price. Is this a hill you really want to die on? It's $40 more or something like that. Now, if your 10yo is under 40 inches, I can see your beef. Otherwise, sounds pretty fair to me.

yep

[texas211]

Course, at least w/ the eticket might influence decisions.. hence close the horrible ride and rides that inhabit the stitch area.