Cheap extra free dining credits if you have under-9s

[Bozza]

We're travelling in August, staying at OKW, with free DDP. We're a party of 3 adults, 1 13-y-o (essentially an adult) and a 6-y-o.

Whilst revisiting the ADRs we made at around the 180 day mark, I was considering making some changes and, possibly, adding some more. It struck me as slightly curious that I was only paying marginally less for my 6 year old but got significantly less.

By this, I mean his park ticket is only about £20 less than mine. I get full adult DDP and he gets child DDP. For the 14 table service meals, this is a significant difference. In cash terms, if buying DDP, the difference is $40 per day, so $560 (c£385) over the 14 night stay.

So, I called Disney and asked if we were able to 'upgrade' him to a 10-year-old so he could benefit from the full dining plan and I was told this was fine. A few minutes and £20 later, this was all done.

Now, we have 14 extra table service credits to use which we could use for a second Cali Grill dinner as well as a few other extra table service meals.

I want to stress I was completely transparent with Disney about what I was doing and why and they were perfectly happy with me doing this. It may be worth considering if you have under-9s in your group and are getting free dining.

[Guest]

This has been well documented on here.
Lots of people upgrade their kids to Disney adults to get adult dining credits.
However it only works if your Disney stay/tickets/dining plan are booked separately from your flight tickets, as th age on flight tickets a to match the age in passport.

QS and snack credits aren't differentiated anyway, so kids can order adult QS meals.

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by Bucksmum

This has been well documented on here.
Lots of people upgrade their kids to Disney adults to get adult dining credits.

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Apologies - I've not been on here for months. That said, there is buckets of information repeated on here, so hopefully my post might help someone and/or give a memory jog to others.

Originally Posted by Bucksmum

However it only works if your Disney stay/tickets/dining plan are booked separately from your flight tickets, as th age on flight tickets a to match the age in passport.

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Indeed we have. Upper Class here we come!

Originally Posted by Bucksmum

QS and snack credits aren't differentiated anyway, so kids can order adult QS meals.

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I know, which is why I didn't mention Quick Service.

[bearandbuzz]

I did this in 2014, when my two were 7 & 9. It worked well, but be sure to tell your server as you are seated that the children are on an adult dinng plan. If you don't it will be assumed they are using child's credits and it mucks up the bill, which means you end up having to faff around at the end.
Remember that the child can still order off the children's menu, but pay with an adult credit. However the best use is to pay out of pocket for any child meals and then use the saved credits for an extra reservation.
Just to clarify to others, by upgrading a child to an adult you don't actually get 14 extra credits, it just means that the child table service credit that would show on your account is now actually showing as an adult table service credit.
I agree, for $20 it's well worth it. I have done it again for ds2 this year as ds1 is already over 10.

[sungiggs]

We did this last time and have done it again for our trip in July. We use the extra DDP credits for the adults for extra meals and pay out of pocket the the little one

[joanna23]

It's one of our favourite tips we ever got from here. Thank-you Mossyflossy! We've done this for the last four years and stretched our credits to the limit. Only side effect is my 6 year old DD's addiction to the Signature restaurants Filet Mignon - she can rank Yachtsman, Narcosees and Le Cellier according to her very acquired tastes.

[School teacher]

We are doing this this year. Our son is very excited that he is an 'adult!'

[Helenr]

I'm confused!

So if he had the child's DDP he would get TS. Credits?

[joanna23]

Originally Posted by Helenr

I'm confused!

So if he had the child's DDP he would get TS. Credits?

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Yes he would get child TS credits which buy something off the children's menu only which are worth around $8-$15. If they have an adult credit the TS meals are of a far greater value and then the adults in the party can use them (or the kids if they like the things on the menu). It allows me to double my ADR bookings as in several places such as the YM I will pay $10 for DS' pasta and then use the 2 Dining Credits which could be worth $70 somewhere else for us.

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by joanna23

Yes he would get child TS credits which buy something off the children's menu only which are worth around $8-$15. If they have an adult credit the TS meals are of a far greater value and then the adults in the party can use them (or the kids if they like the things on the menu). It allows me to double my ADR bookings as in several places such as the YM I will pay $10 for DS' pasta and then use the 2 Dining Credits which could be worth $70 somewhere else for us.

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That's similar to what we will do. We now have 70 adult TS credits (being 14 * 5) instead of the 56 (14*4) we originally had.

We already have one Cali Grill meal booked, but we're going to do a second now, as well as add in a couple more TS meals, all of which will now be paid for with credits instead of cash.

My son will nearly always eat from the kids' menu so we'll pay cash for him whilst 'borrowing' those adult credits he is now due!