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Original poster

To say 3 year old DC is 2 for free theme park entry?

242 replies

MooonDreamerz · 10/08/2024 08:43

Toddler has just turned 3 and very small for their age.
we are going to a theme park next week. It's free for age 0-2.

DH says we should say DC is 2 so we don't have to pay for them. We will be paying for ourselves and older children.

Do people do this?

I can see how people get away with it as toddlers tend not to carry ID!

OP posts:
Sugarlily · 10/08/2024 13:27

You say a restaurant meal but where do you draw the line? Is a £5 lunch ok, or a £1,50 ice cream? Is it ok to steal these smaller things? That’s what you’re saying.

people draw their own lines. For me, I wouldn’t ‘take’ from a small business - but from a large corporate paying workers pennies whilst their board members lounge in their millions and keep putting prices up? Well I’d lose no sleep over that.

herecomesthesunyes · 10/08/2024 13:24

You say a restaurant meal @Sugarlily but where do you draw the line? Is a £5 lunch ok, or a £1,50 ice cream? Is it ok to steal these smaller things? That’s what you’re saying.

herecomesthesunyes · 10/08/2024 13:23

@zingally everyone does not do it. I’m honest, I don’t try and save money by lying about my kids ages. I’ve also brought my kids up to be honest too and don’t think these stories about kids are “cute”. How can you tell your kids to tell the truth and then tell them to lie in this way? It’s not “ Pollyanna” to be honest. And it’s not victimless. They’ll put the prices up to make money.

Sugarlily · 10/08/2024 13:22

I assume as an adult you wouldn’t try and get into a venue without paying, or go on a train without buying a ticket

if you thought you weren’t going to get caught I think you’d find a lot of people would!!

we’re not talking about swizzling a small business of our a restaurant meal here but paying less for a mass and overpriced activity. You’ll spend money in there anyway

Sugarlily · 10/08/2024 13:19

Honestly the people at the gates couldn’t care less, of course most people do it for the few months they can get away with it.

SamW98 · 10/08/2024 13:16

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 10/08/2024 13:01

If you can save yourself a few bob, then I'm all for it, OP.

Don't listen to any Pollyanna's decrying your 'bad example'.
It's a victimless crime.

Absolutely this. I’m a financial crime manager as a job and we wouldn’t be investigating anyone who did this 🤣

I’d to it in a heartbeat.

My son and his mates still bought under 18 tickets for football for months after their birthdays. At half price why not?

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 10/08/2024 13:01

If you can save yourself a few bob, then I'm all for it, OP.

Don't listen to any Pollyanna's decrying your 'bad example'.
It's a victimless crime.

WhereDoBrokenHeartsGo · 10/08/2024 12:43

I wouldn’t. I still feel guilty for pretending my child was 1 month older than he was so he could ride in a separate row to me and his sister. My kids were and are aghast at my lie and still talk about it, I heard them telling their dad yesterday when the theme park was mentioned. I feel shit for setting such a shit example that it’s ok to lie when it suits you

Sodullincomparison · 10/08/2024 12:25

I did this for a boat trip as it saved £30 for a matter of weeks. A few weeks later somebody asked DD how old she was

“4 in real life and 3 on boats”

Floralnomad · 10/08/2024 12:21

zingally · 10/08/2024 11:35

Everyone does it. In terms of "crime" it's very low level!

I remember being drilled by my parents as an infant school child to bend my knees at the gate to look smaller, and if anyone asked, tell them I was X age.

I did it on buses as well, well into my late teens, when I'd put on a high pitched voice and ask for a Child Return!

Everyone does not do it because some of us are actually genuinely honest people .

Motheranddaughter · 10/08/2024 12:16

I do not li or steal so would not do this but you do you

crumblingschools · 10/08/2024 12:10

I assume as an adult you wouldn’t try and get into a venue without paying, or go on a train without buying a ticket, or not pay for a meal in a restaurant @Createausername1970 . Interesting how many people think it is okay to do it with a child.

Charlie2121 · 10/08/2024 11:57

Createausername1970 · 10/08/2024 11:50

Of course not, but what have I stolen?

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You have stolen part of the entrance fee.

There is literally no difference legally or ethically between the 2 scenarios. I struggle to see how you are comfortable with one but not the other. They are identical.

Sux2buthen · 10/08/2024 11:54

sesquipedalian · 10/08/2024 10:16

Sorry, but I’m appalled by the casual dishonesty people are displaying. If you think theme parks are extortionately priced and the food and drink are daylight robbery, then don’t go - but don’t use it as a justification for being dishonest, and saving a few bob in an entry ticket.

You do what works for you. Others will do the same

BettyBardMacDonald · 10/08/2024 11:53

Simonjt · 10/08/2024 09:55

We will be when ours turns three later in the year, she was very premature, so technically she will be two for 11 weeks after her third birthday.

No, she won't.

herecomesthesunyes · 10/08/2024 11:53

It’s dishonest. No

BettyBardMacDonald · 10/08/2024 11:52

ThePassageOfTime · 10/08/2024 09:05

Theme parks are daylight robbery. Do it

People who feel this way should refrain from patronizing them, not retaliate by stealing.

Createausername1970 · 10/08/2024 11:50

Charlie2121 · 10/08/2024 11:45

There is no justification for theft.

If I walked into Tesco and stole a child’s toy but also ended up also doing my weekly food shop at the same time because it was convenient to do so after the theft would that also be OK?

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Of course not, but what have I stolen?

BettyBardMacDonald · 10/08/2024 11:50

Leafcutterantsarecool · 10/08/2024 08:48

Yes people do it. Personally I think it’s equivalent to theft and I wouldn’t - I don’t want my kids watching that behaviour and thinking it’s ok to lie for your own financial gain.

But as they say, “you do you”.

I agree. It's scurvy and unethical. Theft, basically.

Would you like them to arbitrarily change the rules and demand full adult entry fees from your other kids?

Charlie2121 · 10/08/2024 11:45

Createausername1970 · 10/08/2024 10:23

I am the type of person who will point out I have been given too much change, I prefer to be honest.

But I have done what you are going to do. If I paid more at the gate, then I had less to spend inside, at the gift shop for example, so I was telling DS "no, sorry, can't afford it". But if I paid less at the gate then I had more money to spend inside. My DS got a better experience as he came away with stuff from the gift shop and had ice creams and lunch etc.

I probably ended up spending more overall when I paid less at the gate.

There is no justification for theft.

If I walked into Tesco and stole a child’s toy but also ended up also doing my weekly food shop at the same time because it was convenient to do so after the theft would that also be OK?

ladygindiva · 10/08/2024 11:37

My twins are very small for their age and bus drivers never charge for them even when I attempt to buy them a ticket; they just wave them on and say " they aren't over 5" they're 7!! 🤣

zingally · 10/08/2024 11:35

Everyone does it. In terms of "crime" it's very low level!

I remember being drilled by my parents as an infant school child to bend my knees at the gate to look smaller, and if anyone asked, tell them I was X age.

I did it on buses as well, well into my late teens, when I'd put on a high pitched voice and ask for a Child Return!

DancingPhantomsOnTheTerrace · 10/08/2024 11:13

I also don’t agree with it being height based as just because a young child is taller mean they are mature enough to want to go on a ride.

Then don't take them? They can't base pricing on how much people will want to go on the ride. I don't want to go on any!

Basing it on height is the most sensible because then it's based on how much of the theme park is actually available for you to use (whether or not you actually want to).

Justrolledmyeyesoutloud · 10/08/2024 11:09

So long as your child doesn't pipe up that they are 3 then l would.

Qwertys · 10/08/2024 11:09

flapjackfairy · 10/08/2024 10:49

exactly !

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😂