AIBU to be annoyed I was the only one who bought a ticket? Yes, I think I am...

[EweHaveGoatToBeKiddin]

We were away on a trip to a farm park today. There's an indoor play barn there, which me and dd headed towards. On the door, there was a big sign advising people that there is a charge of £3 for a 30 minute stay at the play barn, and you have to go and pay at the tickets office. Anyway, off we trotted and paid. The man assured me that the play barn will be empty as no one else has came to buy a ticket today.

I asked him if i would need to show my ticket to anyone at the play barn. The man said that it was unmanned, but to keep hold of the ticket in case any staff popped in to check.

Anyway, i walked over to the play barn again and it was full of around 20 children.

New people kept coming in and out of the doors. I heard kids saying 'do we have to pay?' and their parents saying no.

The only thing advising people to pay was the tiny sign on the front door.

I was really annoyed that i was the only person who had paid. Even more annoyed because people were pushing my dd out the way on the slide, climbing up it when she wanted down, and sitting at the bottom of it etc. I told several of the children off for hurting my dd's arm by three of them zooming down the slide before dd had even got chance to stand up and move out the way after her turn. Then a mother came over and asked if there was a problem. I explained what happened. She said that her kids were just playing and they have as much right to play as my dd does. So then i stupidly said something like 'Well, I've actually paid to come in here, so i expect my dd to get a turn on the slide and not have to sit and wait for ten minutes while your boys carry on on it." She then said i was talking crap as you didn't have to pay. I pointed out the sign, she laughed and said "Then you're an eejit. Am i fuck paying £9 for my sons to get a play in here. The farm park ticket was dear enough. It should be included in the main ticket price."

Anyway, i stayed for my 30 mins and left, silently seething. I wanted to go and tell the staff at the ticket office that their indoor barn was bouncing with kids who hadn't even paid to get in.

Yes, I'm BU and petty, I'm sure of it. I think I'm just annoyed at myself for being so honest and paying dd in in the first place, when i could have just walked in for free.

Don't be annoyed for being honest. Think of the great example you set your daughter.

i would be fed up too. at least you were honest and i would have complained as well -and that women was rude.

perhaps they do need to look at the policy and include the play barn in the farm visit. It seems a bit silly to have in on site, make people pay for farm ticket then not let them use the play barn for free.

I think the women shouldn't have used a swear word in her dcs hearing or did I get that wrong?

You should have gone back to ask for a refund on realising.
The woman's children would have behaved as they did whether they paid or not, I'm guessing. I wouldn't have bothered to tackle them about tickets.

Yes, perhaps just send an email now, explaining the situation.

Oh God this sort of thing happens to me constantly

I think those of you who are laughing at the OP are very mean.

You did the right thing Ewe.

I think you've got to separate it all out, like a big knot, before you can get closure.

First of all the people using it for nothing were dishonest, but perhaps they thought, well no one else is paying, maybe it's not enforced/late in the day/been abandoned as a payable facility. Perhaps the owners are turning a blind eye.

If it said under 8 then same thing, but very unfair of them to use it if their children were over 8. I wouldn't have let mine in there.

Second thing is, do the owners KNOW people are using it for nothing. If so, and they still charged you, then that is unfair of THEM iyswim. So you could rightfully be cross with them.

If they don't know then I'd feel good about having paid and free to go there again with a clear conscience, knowing I'd singlehandedly paid for the entire facility

You have absolutely no reason to be cross with yourself, although if you suspected the owners were just taking advantage of your good nature and letting everyone else get away with it, you should be very cross about that...and maybe annoyed that you didn't go back and demand a refund.

Thanks everyone. Rooners - you summed it up perfectly for me!

It really did help me to get 'closure' on the situation. I must stop letting such silly things get me worked up.

TBH, it's not really a place I'd consider visiting again, so i don't think I'll bother contacting them to vent. Looking back, i wonder if the 'it'll be empty because no one else has came to buy a ticket today' comment was perhaps a sarcastic (is that the right word?) one, and the staff member knew full well that the play barn was filled with children who hadn't paid...

Anyway, I'm over it. i kind of wish I'd had the confidence to go and ask for my money back at the time, but I'll know better for if ever a similar situation arises again.

I would have complained to the ticket office place. Why would you feel embarrassed by complaining?

Also, people saying that the farm had no right to charge extra: they can And have the right to do whatever they want! It's their business and they're trying to make money, albeit, not very well.

Depending on how much to get in/park-3GBP for 30mins sounds extortionate to me!

(Just off to google "indoor play barn")