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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to buy DD tickets to Harry Potter world but not actually take her?

45 replies

Justaboutawake · 09/11/2018 22:04

Ok so hear me out. DD is 11 soon and for Xmas all she wants is Harry Potter “stuff”. Now I admit that I have never read or watched HP and can’t actually stand it (for no reason) but I know she loves it and would love to go to HP world. So WIBU to buy 3 tickets as part of an Xmas present but not actually be the one to take her? Her uncles GF loves Harry Potter and they would probably love to take her if asked. They’re in their 20’s (big age gap between uncle and DP) so are responsible enough to take care of her whilst out and about. Obviously I would have to ask them and will (suck it up) take her myself if inconvenient for them but is this unreasonable? Do you think she’d rather go with me and DDad???

BTW she loves uncles GF and all I hear is “GF this, GF that”. I just feel a bit guilty in buying her an experience and not actually experiencing it with her IYSWIM

OP posts:
Alpacanorange · 09/11/2018 22:06

A no brainer surely, I can’t see the issue.

MammaSchwifty · 09/11/2018 22:06

Yeah, I think that's fine

Catmum26 · 09/11/2018 22:08

i’m sure she would rather go with people who appreciate it as much as she does and can get enthusiastic about it than go with someone who has no idea what any of it is and doesn’t enjoy it. might be worth checking with her uncle and his gf if they would want to go with her though before buying the tickets.

WineAndTiramisu · 09/11/2018 22:08

I think that would be a very sensible idea! As long as they are fans (or at least don't hate it!), Going with someone who does hate it would ruin the experience quite a bit...

AtSea1979 · 09/11/2018 22:08

I was seriously considering asking random strangers to take my DC!

sunnyshowers · 09/11/2018 22:09

I m not into hpbut my 3 kids are...I m spending 2.5k to take them (in ireland) because u want them to have a magical day.
l want to see them enjoy it...many pleasure is their excitement...ybvu...it's not about you

Devillanelle · 09/11/2018 22:10

YANBU! Sounds nice actually! I'd have loved that when I was younger, my uncle is fab!

Knittink · 09/11/2018 22:13

YANBU. Not sure how you can say you can't stand it if you've neither watched nor read any though!

Honeyroar · 09/11/2018 22:17

Fantastic idea (check with him first!). Try and book them tickets for when it's Hogworts in the snow (Dec/Jan) as it's wonderful and festive. It sells out months in advance, but we got tickets last year through Superbreaks.

TheChickenOfTruth · 09/11/2018 22:18

That's fine. You could always ask the GF if she would and buy her a ticket for Christmas too.
That said, HP World is interesting even if you don't like HP. My husband enjoyed it and he's not a fan - there's lots of interesting stuff about how films are made that is not exclusive to HP so you might not hate it as much as you think.

guineapig1 · 09/11/2018 22:21

Excellent idea. I would do the same though would check with your DD’s uncle and girlfriend first

jellybeanteaparty · 09/11/2018 22:22

Do you mean the tour in the UK? More fun to go with someone who knows a little about Harry Potter I would have thought.

Original poster
Justaboutawake · 09/11/2018 22:25

DU and GF will defo be up for it so I don’t think it will be an issue with them I just feel guilty for not taking her myself. There has already been talk of them taking her but they don’t earn much and I don’t want them to feel under pressure to pay for something that I can afford.

Can’t explain why I don’t like it without actually having read it. Maybe just all the hype has put me off over the years??

I do try to ask her questions but get a typical eye roll so think she will appreciate the experience more with a “true” fan that doesn’t ask for clarification all the way through Grin

DP has a groupon thingy that includes a meal? Unsure what that really entails so will look into it.

Just glad I’m not being a complete monster Grin

OP posts:
Hmmmm2018 · 09/11/2018 22:34

We have bought hp world tickets for our child for Xmas, I have no intention of going either! Special occasion for child and people who actually want to go (apparently it is amazing!)

AGHHHH · 09/11/2018 22:38

You can't something you haven't read or seen? Is that even possible?

Original poster
Justaboutawake · 09/11/2018 22:43

AGHHHH I was the same with twilight. I can’t help it. The hype ruins it for me. I keep promising myself to give it a shot but I fell asleep 15 minutes into the first HP movie Confused

Worse thing is I’m taking her and 6 friends to the cinema to see fantastic beasts next week for her birthday with no idea how I’ll make it through 2 1/2 hrs.

I’m not against HP, I just can’t seem to want to experience it. And I LOVE fantasy fiction etc

OP posts:
Original poster
Justaboutawake · 09/11/2018 22:44

I’m so glad I’m not alone AtSea and Hmmmm Wink

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ohtheholidays · 09/11/2018 22:44

I think that sounds like a lovely idea.

I can remember when I was younger(a teenager)and I would take my Nephews and Nieces to do and see things instead of they're parents taking them and we always had a lovely time and nearly 30 years later and I'm still very close to all of them.

My big brothers did the same with me(they're 15 and 13 years older than me)and I always had a wonderful time when they took me out for a treat,I was never upset that it wasn't my Mum and Dad that took me.

If your looking for any little Harry Potter bits Justabout to put with the tickets they have some lovely bits in Primark at the moment and they're all really inexpensive as well,I've picked up a few bits and pieces for my DD's stocking

Dragonbait · 09/11/2018 22:45

I've done the same with some concert tickets I've bought my kids for xmas!

Hoppinggreen · 09/11/2018 22:46

I hate the HP books and films but I loved FantasticBeasts and I’m very excited for the next one justabout so you might like it

WhyAmISoCold · 09/11/2018 22:47

I love HP and the studio tour is amazing. Let her go with others who will appreciate it, it will be a much better experience for her.

Marmelised · 09/11/2018 22:51

My adult children bought 2 tickets for my birthday. My husband assumed he would be my +1 and I didn’t have the heart to say no.

We got there, into the big room with all the fantastic props and he said ‘ok, enjoy, I’ll be over there when you’ve finished’.

That was miserable.

Final thing was as we left he asked me if the story was about magic.... given our children grew up with a Harry Potter I don’t know how he didn’t get the memo.

Anyway. - great idea to send your child with someone who will love the experience. Part of the joy is finding things, exclaiming, remembering etc.

Original poster
Justaboutawake · 09/11/2018 22:53

Ooh everybody is recommending primark for HP stuff. I just have no idea what to get her other than tickets so will definitely have a look.

I found a trunk full of bits online and that’s about it. She’s so laid back it makes her difficult to buy for and as an only child and only GC on DP’s side she’s pretty much covered.

Such a difficult age to navigate. Not to wish her life away but I can’t wait for the days I can shove some cash in her direction or get an actual wish list for Xmas and birthdays

OP posts:
ILoveAutum · 09/11/2018 22:55

YANBU. She’ll have a MUCH better time with them (sorry 💐🍷)

I don’t mind HP, but if it was something I couldn’t stand I’d happily buy tickets for the child and whoever would happily take them.

I do LOADS with my god daughters that their parents aren’t interested in (except I pay as I can and I choose to take them/do stuff). A couple of weeks ago I took the horse mad one to an event. We arrived as the gates opened at 8am and pretty much got booted out at 6pm, the end of the day! We had a brilliant day. Her mum would have taken her, but they’d have been there an hour tops 🤣

Orchiddingme · 09/11/2018 22:56

Primark have quite a lot of HP logo stuff, t-shirts and the like. My dd wears it- even though she's not into actual HP, either the books or the films. I've no idea why!