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Thread: Vent

  1. #1
    Euphoric !
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    Vent

    OK...this is only partially daycare related (as in group of kids related) but HUGE vent.

    We booked our daughters 3rd birthday at the local childrens museum...they have a Thomas the train exhibit here for a few months.

    We booked it knowing they only do 4 parties a weekend and that we had to pay in full on booking. The party is for 10kids and 2 adults (minimum and maximum 2 adults for 10 kids). It was advertised as being for kids ages 3-8 and they asked her age when i booked.

    We booked it then I fired off an email noting that we don't have 10 kids to bring we just wanted her close friends and their parents to come celebrate. Can we swap out some adults for kids (so like 4 kids 8 adults, still 12 bodies). I noted the adults didn't need any attention they would be there for crowd control and would just chat while the kids were busy (they all know each other).

    They came back saying sorry we can't allow that, it's an extra $10 per adult over the 2 alloted adults.

    So, I had my husband call today, same content but had him point out that we didn't feel that having ten 3yr olds with only 2 adults to watch them in a busy, public museum on a busy weekend was really wise. That we were requesting permission to have 4 kids and their parents attend.

    They said they can't do anything but would talk to the manager and email back. They emailed back stating the same thing. This time noting that with only 4 kids 2 adults could surely maintain them in the museum, especially since we only have 30minutes of time in the museum part (the rest in party room).

    I responded that yes, we can control 4 kids but that we would then be spending $180 for 4 kids to spend 30minutes in the museum.

    I know we paid for the party as advertised but am I unreasonable to expect they to be flexible and allow extra adults in to monitor their children in the busy museum?

    Am I wrong to dread the idea of monitoring ten 3yr olds in the museum. I get if you are their regular daycare teacher they know to stay close and all that but to just round up 10 random 3 yr olds would one not expect they scatter and get lost? How would I tell them apart from all the other 3 yr olds there with their families?

    Am I over thinking this? The only reason we booked it was because we have a train obsessed daughter and magically there was a travelling train exhibit here on her birthday offering birthday parties and it seemed like a once in a life time chance.

  2. #2
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    Unfortunately due to liability they have to be strict with their rules. Even though it's dumb. What we did was did the party ourselves. We sent out the invites to the few kids and said parents please join, your childs admission is paid for. We paid for all the kids and the parents paid their way. Then we just went through the whole place ourselves and at our own time. 30 mins is stupid not enough time on a busy wkend, u need an hr atleast. Then after we were done we went to a mcds playland where I offered to buy all the kids lunch and again parents got their own but we were a small group so all the families just bought theirs and I brought the presents and cupcakes in to do after we ate and they got to play again at the playland. U can also do the cupcakes presents there ur self just grab a table in the restruant.

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  4. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by babydom View Post
    Unfortunately due to liability they have to be strict with their rules. Even though it's dumb. What we did was did the party ourselves. We sent out the invites to the few kids and said parents please join, your childs admission is paid for. We paid for all the kids and the parents paid their way. Then we just went through the whole place ourselves and at our own time. 30 mins is stupid not enough time on a busy wkend, u need an hr atleast. Then after we were done we went to a mcds playland where I offered to buy all the kids lunch and again parents got their own but we were a small group so all the families just bought theirs and I brought the presents and cupcakes in to do after we ate and they got to play again at the playland. U can also do the cupcakes presents there ur self just grab a table in the restruant.
    I don't see how it can be a liability thing when they have said we can add on all the adults for an extra $10 each. So they are ok with the adults coming...but they have to pay on top of the party fee which was for 10 kids ad 2 adults. We just want to switch it to 12 people total kids and adults instead of the set 10:2.

    We've requested a refund. I am doubtful they will agree. They'd have 4 weeks to fill the party spot. Then we will just do a home party here and bring our daughter there on our own. It just seems like a money grab to me to make us pay for adults when we are bringing less kids than allotted.

  5. #4
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    Unfortunately, it's their rules and I don't think there is anything you can do. It's how businesses make their money.

    What is their refund policy? I would think 4 weeks is plenty of notice and they might refund you!

  6. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by 5 Little Monkeys View Post
    Unfortunately, it's their rules and I don't think there is anything you can do. It's how businesses make their money.

    What is their refund policy? I would think 4 weeks is plenty of notice and they might refund you!
    I had thought it was a no refund policy but my mother in law just sent me a page from their website for birthday parties and it says no refunds unless they are given a minimum 2 weeks notice before the party date. So, here's hoping!

  7. #6
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    Oh that sounds promising!!

  8. #7
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    I hope you got your refund as I too would not like to be in charge of 10 3 year old at a public place

  9. #8
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    Just confirmed our refund :-)

    Now planning a nice good old home party with allllll the adults we want in attendance!

    We will bring her to see Thomas on our own since she was really excited to go see him. But, even with my daycare and teacher back ground I have ZERO interest in being in charge of a group of 10 kids (3yr old) in the museum! The parents I have talked to were good with this, since they noted their child would need 1:1 attention in that situation.

    Still greatly disappointed that the museum wasn't flexible at all. I still don't feel like we were asking that much, but at least we won't have that massive crowd control headache on her birthday!

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  11. #9
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    Just wondering if you got all of your money back?

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