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Original poster

How Strict Chessington with free entry for under 3d?

109 replies

Bertieboo82 · 09/07/2022 12:52

It’s free entry for under 3 or £36

I am going with a friend. She’s planning on trying to get her 6 year old through. No judgement please. She’s using the Kelloggs free adult (thanks to a lovely mumsnetter) and yet still out of her range. I can’t sub her £36 as that would be a stretch for me!

she has had a very rough year and money is very tight for her.

i know it is easy to judge but please try not to

Just after how strict Chessington is please

OP posts:

surreygirl1987 · 09/07/2022 14:27

This is ridiculous. A lot of people seem to be missing the fact that it is UNDER 3, so the 6 year old posing as a 2 year old! No way. Even when my son WAS actually 2, he was so big I worried about people not believing me! Plus, as a PP has said, the theme park trip isn't an essential. Yes, all families should be able to go out on trips and have fun, but didn't need to be such an expensive outing. Parks / beach etc are good alternatives. My husband and I have a good combined salary (more than £110k between the two of us) but we aren't taking our boys to a theme park this summer as just too expansive. We took them last year using clubcard vouchers. One of my boys is 3 (close to 4) but there's no way I'm going to try to get him in as a 2 year old!! We'll wait until we can afford to go.

chilledbubble · 09/07/2022 14:29

No. They aren't stupid. They'll be keeping an eye out for it. Also the whole idea is under 3 is too young to do most the stuff so the 6 year old will have a miserable time not doing anything

TimBoothseyes · 09/07/2022 14:30

Go somewhere like Hobbledown. Much better for younger kids imo.

www.hobbledown.com/

MichelleScarn · 09/07/2022 14:35

chilledbubble · 09/07/2022 14:29

No. They aren't stupid. They'll be keeping an eye out for it. Also the whole idea is under 3 is too young to do most the stuff so the 6 year old will have a miserable time not doing anything

This, do you not get a wristband or something for age to show what rides you'd be allowed on?

Coachwork · 09/07/2022 14:38

Can you clarify about the free adult ticket. You can only use the Kellogg's voucher with a full paying child (I think) or does she think the free child, aged six, also gets her in free with the voucher she was gifted?

WorkEventing · 09/07/2022 14:40

Might she be hoping you’ll pay when you’re all at the gate and they refuse his free entrance?

GreenWasTheColour · 09/07/2022 14:43

If the child passed for 2 (unlikely/impossible!) she'd have to pay for her adult ticket anyway - the Kelloggs ones are only free if you're paying for a child. You can't show up with a Kellogg voucher and a toddler (or badly disguised six year old) and walk through for free. Whichever way round you do it, one of them has to buy a full price ticket.

BruceWaynettaSlob · 09/07/2022 14:46

Surely it will be worse for the child to be taken to Chessington and turned away at the gate than to not go at all?
And then your friend will have wasted money on petrol and parking.

NeedMoreMilk · 09/07/2022 14:47

Is it not free for Under 3s because there’s barely anything they can go on? I thought that was the norm for theme parks.

So even if your friend does manage to pass their 6 year old off as being 2 (ahem) I imagine there will be lots of things they won’t be allowed to go on because they’re pretending to be much younger.

BruceWaynettaSlob · 09/07/2022 14:55

MichelleScarn · 09/07/2022 14:35

This, do you not get a wristband or something for age to show what rides you'd be allowed on?

Show quote history

Never been to Chessington but children get wristbands for height at Alton Towers.

RampantIvy · 09/07/2022 15:05

This reminds me of when I was trying to pass off my 6 year old niece as aged 5 for entry into a craft fair (5 and under were free).

At that age they are very proud of their actual age, so she piped up "I'm six!" very indignantly when I said "I have two five year olds here"

Preeeettyprettygood · 09/07/2022 15:06

Why would you both choose somewhere where the chances are she wouldn't be able to pay for a child's full price ticket?? If he had just turned 3 I'd understand a bit more but there's no way I'd risk being turned away or not being able to pay for the ticket for the child. And in that situation where does that leave you? Do you continue to go in and enjoy your day or leave with them disappointing all of the kids?

Seems mad to me

DillonPanthersFNL · 09/07/2022 15:07

@RampantIvy that's a good point! Won't the kid say they're 6?

Preeeettyprettygood · 09/07/2022 15:07

RampantIvy · 09/07/2022 15:05

This reminds me of when I was trying to pass off my 6 year old niece as aged 5 for entry into a craft fair (5 and under were free).

At that age they are very proud of their actual age, so she piped up "I'm six!" very indignantly when I said "I have two five year olds here"

EXACTLY!! I know my son would pipe up straight away with his actual age 😂😂 no way would I risk it at that age, then he'd no doubt give a speech about lying. I'd never get away with it

beautyisthefaceisee · 09/07/2022 15:14

She has absolutely no chance!

Floraanddougal · 09/07/2022 15:21

Very hard to convince a six year old to say they are two. It doesn’t matter though, thr child could say they were a new born, no one will believe it.

EltonsSpareGlasses · 09/07/2022 15:23

You seriously think someone is going to believe a year old is under 3 🤣

Monacles · 09/07/2022 15:26

My friends got away with it in Alton Towers, with 5 and 6 yo she went to pay for the tickets and her DH's and kids stood at the side of the queue so the person in the booth never actually saw the children. At the turnstile her DH carried one through and they put the younger one in a buggy.

Wheredoestheblackfluffcomefrom · 09/07/2022 15:38

How close to chessington do you live? What a drama of getting there, queuing to park then getting turns away. In your shoes I would feign illness and go another time with your DC.

EsmeeMerlin · 09/07/2022 15:50

She has absolutely no chance of passing a 6 year old as a 2 year old and is stupid to even think that is a possibility. If she can't afford it then she will have to do something cheaper/free for a day out.

chilledbubble · 09/07/2022 16:01

Monacles · 09/07/2022 15:26

Thats embarrassing

DaisyDreaming · 09/07/2022 16:01

She’s risking throwing away a lot of money. At the gate everyone has to have their ticket scanned and I can’t see how they would look at a 6 year old and think ‘yes that child is 2’. Someone I know had a child’s ticket instead of an adults (an accident) and were refused entry until it was sorted. If she has spent all her money on everyone else’s ticket what will she do when the child is refused entry? Does the child have stunted growth or a medical condition that will help them pass for 2? Unless the child has a medical condition you haven’t mentioned that makes them look 2 expect to get to the gate and then have a manager called over when she doesn’t produce a ticket. I’m not judging btw, maybe you will get super lucky and someone will think they can’t be bothered to challenge you and will let you through but it’s very unlikely. Let us know how it goes

DaisyDreaming · 09/07/2022 16:04

Have you got a plan for what your going to do with your kids if/when she gets turned away? Are you going to be expected to give up all the money you’ve spent and the day your kids have been looking forward to?

OdeToSadDisco · 09/07/2022 16:09

Haa she considered Adventure Island in Southend? Loads of great kids rides and the queues are a fraction of the length of the bigger parks. Wristbands are £22.50 each, if she's under 120cm her mum is able to accompany her for free, and many local shops and schools sell the wristbands at a discount so she moght be able to do it for even less.

Original poster

Bertieboo82 · 09/07/2022 16:12

I think she was thinking that they take pre paid tickets for big group of us and child slips through.

rather than trying to pass her DD off as a 2 year old!

OP posts:

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