Why the Age Limit

[Disneyfan2000]

Hey everyone i was just wondering why you must be age 16 on tours like the Backstage Magic. The other day my mother went to go book the tour for me when the woman asked for my age my mom said 15. they replied that i must be 16. Now my birthday is in May and we were going to WDW in mid april so by the time id gotten down there id be 15 and 11 months old. and yet they still turned us down. anyone know why you must be that certain age

 

[Figment82]

I took Keys to the Kingdom right around the time they changed the age limit - and I was 10. My dad had signed us up while the age was still 10. But when we got there the CMs were very hesitant to let me go as the age had been raised to 16, but because at the time of our reservation, I had been the right age, they had to let me go anyway.

They explained that because you go to places that are not as "magical" they found it was ruining the Disney experience for little kids. You might see Mickey smoking, or the unthemed backside of Splash Mountain, which can really upset little kids. I was fine with it, but I guess some 10 year olds just couldn't handle it. So they raised it to 16.

Since they can't do a case-by-case basis for letting people on a tour, they had to make a general rule. But the tours are well worth the extra wait.

 

[teebin]

I would just have your mother call, tell them that you are 16 and book it and then just show up. If they ask for an ID just tell them that you don't have your license yet. From what I understand, they never ask for an ID. Anyone else know this to be the case?

 

[unkadug]

Hey everyone i was just wondering why you must be age 16 on tours like the Backstage Magic. The other day my mother went to go book the tour for me when the woman asked for my age my mom said 15. they replied that i must be 16. Now my birthday is in May and we were going to WDW in mid april so by the time id gotten down there id be 15 and 11 months old. and yet they still turned us down. anyone know why you must be that certain age

I understand that the line must be drawn somewhere, but....

Perhaps a little white lie is in order here. :lookaroun

 

[Rob562]

I understand that the line must be drawn somewhere, but....

Perhaps a little white lie is in order here. :lookaroun

Or, follow the rules, set a good example, and wait until next year.

At what point does a "little white lie about your age" stop? Getting a 3 year old in for free by claiming he's 2? Getting the cheaper meal plan by saying your child is 9 and not 10? Saving on the hotel cost by saying your 18 year old is 17?

-Rob

 

[unkadug]

Or, follow the rules, set a good example, and wait until next year.

At what point does a "little white lie about your age" stop? Getting a 3 year old in for free by claiming he's 2? Getting the cheaper meal plan by saying your child is 9 and not 10? Saving on the hotel cost by saying your 18 year old is 17?

-Rob

Aww...come on...get over it. It's not like it's a criminal offense nor is it even unethical to go backstage. There is no reason why this kid should be denied entrance because of a few days. (that some suit decided should be the cutoff date)

 

[Enderikari]

Or, follow the rules, set a good example, and wait until next year.

At what point does a "little white lie about your age" stop? Getting a 3 year old in for free by claiming he's 2? Getting the cheaper meal plan by saying your child is 9 and not 10? Saving on the hotel cost by saying your 18 year old is 17?

-Rob

Quoted for Truth(QFT)

 

[sbkline]

Or, follow the rules, set a good example, and wait until next year.

At what point does a "little white lie about your age" stop? Getting a 3 year old in for free by claiming he's 2? Getting the cheaper meal plan by saying your child is 9 and not 10? Saving on the hotel cost by saying your 18 year old is 17?

-Rob

Well, to be fair, in this case, the "little white lie" is making money for Disney that they otherwise wouldn't be making by not allowing a paying customer on the tour. On the other hand, the other examples you gave are examples of cheating the system to save money for yourselves, thereby cheating Disney OUT of money. So I'm not sure the two are comparable.

Nevertheless, I believe lying to be wrong...even if it's just a "little white lie". So, even though this lie would not be cheating Disney out of any money, it is still wrong.

 

[unkadug]

Ok how about this

when the cast member asks ""Is he 16?"
The parent simply replies "He is old enough"

The parent is simply stating that the child is old enough to view the attraction (who knows a child better?), they are not lying, just avoiding the question.

 

[Enderikari]

Ok how about this

when the cast member asks ""Is he 16?"
The parent simply replies "He is old enough"

The parent is simply stating that the child is old enough to view the attraction (who knows a child better?), they are not lying, just avoiding the question.

If a parent books their child for a tour, when one of the requirements is that everyone on the tour is that everyone be over the age of 16, then that parent is being dishonest. No amount of justification, or avoidance will change the fact that they are being dishonest, and setting a poor example...

 

[figmentmom]

If a parent books their child for a tour, when one of the requirements is that everyone on the tour is that everyone be over the age of 16, then that parent is being dishonest. No amount of justification, or avoidance will change the fact that they are being dishonest, and setting a poor example...

Very true. :wave:

 

[unkadug]

I'll back down on this. :wave:

You guys know that I do not condone rule breaking nor dishonesty.

(But, in this case only I feel that it SHOULD be OK)

 

[pentau]

Very true. :wave:

Perhaps you are missing the point....their child is 15 and 11 months.

I think that if the age difference between the limit and your age is <=1 month there is no harm in making a while lie. Not everyone is able to go to WDW every month. It is possible he might have to wait for quite some time until he could go on the tour again.

//made it more clear

 

[maelstrom]

Call back and tell them you're 16.

 

[Enderikari]

I agree you shouldn't lie if your child is 10 but 15 and 11 months?

??? :shrug: ???

 

[Enderikari]

Call back and tell them you're 16.

Sure, and nothing is stopping you from doing that except for your own conscience. If that's what you want to do, by all means go ahead... Its true, they may not ID you, and if they do, its true that they may accept the fact that he doesn't have an ID yet. Enjoy your tour...

 

[figmentmom]

Call back and tell them you're 16.

The original poster's question was asking why there was an age limit, not asking for advice abut lying. :wave:

 

[maelstrom]

The original poster's question was asking why there was an age limit, not asking for advice abut lying. :wave:

And I wasn't asking for a lesson in morals, which is what you're getting at.

It sounds like the OP really wants to go on the tour, and I was offering him/her a solution for how to accomplish that. S/he can do with that what s/he wishes.

 

[figmentmom]

And I wasn't asking for a lesson in morals, which is what you're getting at.

It sounds like the OP really wants to go on the tour, and I was offering him/her a solution for how to accomplish that. S/he can do with that what s/he wishes.

I agree, and I'm not passing judgment on anyone. Everyone makes their own decisions. As a parent, I wouldn't lie about my child's age because it sets a very poor example (parenthood's scary enough without teaching the kids to lie!) but, last I looked, I wasn't in charge of the universe.

 

[teebin]

At what point does a "little white lie about your age" stop?

Last I checked, telling your kids that Santa is real IS a "white lie", and, the "Tooth Fairy" will leave money under your pillow IS a "white lie" AND, telling children that the POTC characters are real and so on and so on. They are all "white lies", meaning, innocent lies, fun-loving lies, squeezing and hiding the truth lies. One month from a birthdate doth not make a hardon criminal or a life long liar or a dishonest monster.

I say, go get your backstage tour dude! You will love it!.