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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To lie about his age for free admission?

592 replies

WaitForCake · 16/07/2020 10:29

It's DS's 3rd birthday in a couple of weeks. I'm taking him to an attraction.

It's free for under 3s, but adult price at 3 upwards. Money is tight, but after a tough few months between lockdown and his DF moving out after our split, I want to do something nice for him.
As there is no inherent difference in what he'll get from the experience the day before his birthday and on the day of his birthday, WIBU to just buy him a 2 year old ticket?

I can't take him the day earlier due to work (I did consider this already).

YANBU - get the 2 year old ticket
YABU - pay the adult price for him

OP posts:
ShineyMcShine · 17/07/2020 18:54

Just do it! Wtf is wrong with some people on here?

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 17/07/2020 19:02

3 is not a reasonable age to charge adults prices anyway.

Maybe 3 is a bit young, depending on what age-appropriate rides there are and height restrictions, but it's not really an 'adult' ticket, is it - it's a 'within the age range of people who enjoy a theme park' ticket. An 85yo GGP going along with the family is an adult, but is highly unlikely to have as much fun there as a child is.

At any rate, as the general consensus seems to be that you should lie and tell them that your child is under 3 until they're at least 5, maybe they feel forced into setting the age limit at 3 to take account of all the dishonest visitors, and then the honest people who do give their child's true age end up losing out - a bit like the motorway speed limit staying at 70, knowing that drivers will do 80/90 - and that, if they increased the limit to 80, people would do 100.

5lilducks · 17/07/2020 19:10

I certainly wouldn't do it and have never done anything like that in my life. So no, we have not all done it, but clearly I am in the minority. For me personally, my child's birthday is a special day and I wouldn't want to treat him or her by cheating someone else on this special day - it's just not right. I would have it on my conscience all day and for a long time after if I did. I hope your son has a great birthday whatever you decide.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 17/07/2020 19:15

My dp buys our 13 year old an under 11 ticket for the rugby because they never check and the next ticket is an adult. Legally his still a child so he refuses to pay adult prices.

Maybe they should rename it as an 'Adult/Youth' ticket for the benefit of the hair-splitters who pretend that they think the club doesn't realise that an 11yo is not yet technically an adult; but even so, do you think that every business should have to operate on a 'pay what you think it's worth' basis and not have the right to set their own prices based on what income they need/expect?

Do you think it's acceptable when at the self-service till at Tesco, if you're buying a bottle of wine and a bottle of pop, to just scan the pop twice and pay accordingly because you believe that they charge too much for their wine?

MyWitzEnd · 17/07/2020 19:24

Adult price for a three year old? Where the shitting blazes is that?!

MacBlank · 17/07/2020 19:47

Normally I'd say... No, it's fucking stealing.

On this occasion only, due to the attraction being a fucking rip off, then.... LIE LIE LIE!!!

That's bang.out.of.order charging the same nfull adult.pricw for over three.

Is this.poulton/Peppa pig land or something?

Name and shame this piss taking place.

Obvs like so many thousands other single parent families, money is very tight, esp right now.

To charge a family of 3or4 kids the adult.price, is so.fucking wrong. If it had been a sliding scale up until a teen, I could understand, but to charge a toddler the same as an adult is a fucking rip off.

AquarianSquirrel · 17/07/2020 19:47

The only issue would be if he can go on rides at 3 that he can't at 2? And perhaps there are very few he can go on if you say he's 2? Morally, if it's a large corporation which it sounds like it is I wouldn't feel bad especially as you're paying for other full price adult tickets.

MyHeartIsInCornwall · 17/07/2020 19:53

I haven’t read every reply, but my concern with things like this is insurance (the public liability for the attraction). Hopefully everyone will have a fun day out, but if there were an accident, I’d be worried it might cause some issue or void the insurance? Probably massively being silly, but I used to work for an insurance company and they look at every possible way that you may have inadvertently voided the insurance by your actions or not telling them something. Plus of course current climate all businesses are really struggling. I’d be in the, ‘take him before his birthday’ camp!

Julz1622 · 17/07/2020 20:07

You are not being unreasonable. Anybody who says otherwise is talking shite,.and whoever called it theft needs to get a fucking life

Moondust001 · 17/07/2020 20:35

@ShineyMcShine

Just do it! Wtf is wrong with some people on here?
It used to be called honesty. It doesn't matter what anyone thinks the price should be, one is either honest or dishonest. Clearly, judging by the responses here, a great many people are totally dishonest. Fantastic example to set for children. Just remember that when they get older and lie to you, that it was you that taught them this.
Dixiechickonhols · 17/07/2020 20:43

I never could as Dd was very tall I think They used to think I was trying it on when she was really correct age I started carrying a copy of her birth certificate. My mum was annoyed a bus driver challenged her for not paying for dd but she was almost 5 and in an age 7- 8 party dress.

YesYesBoi · 17/07/2020 20:43

I use to do this until my dc was about 4 lol 😆 pop him in the buggy ( always bring one for bags and coats etc)

They should have reasonable prices and better customer service which they don't.

Take your ds and have a wonderful time.

YesYesBoi · 17/07/2020 20:46

@Moondust001 my dc are now 13 & 15 and are very honest polite teenagers who haven't been breaking lockdown like most.

Also unless you've worked for one of these companies then you have no idea how dishonest they are.

But then again we can all pretend to be perfect online 🤣

Luddite26 · 17/07/2020 21:45

I totally understand your reasoning and it's a massive jump in the price. My problem is if something goes wrong your child would not be covered by insurance. Life changing accidents happen In a second and you can't see them coming. You would have no comeback without a valid ticket. I would go before he is three whenever you can.

PablosHoney · 17/07/2020 21:52

That’s crap, the ability to go on certain rides depends on height not age!

PablosHoney · 17/07/2020 21:54

Oh @Moondust001 just do one, self righteousness is a sin as well you know 😇

Thegereldine3000 · 17/07/2020 22:03

Just make sure he knows he's two Grin

Di11y · 17/07/2020 22:09

Just hand over the tickets and smile. Don't need to even tell them the age of your child. 1 day FFS!

masterchef98 · 17/07/2020 23:20

Yanbu. I have done it for a few days or a cm but I have always been prepared to pay full price without lying or arguing - never had that price difference though. Cant believe they dont do kids tickets

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 17/07/2020 23:34

I have a friend who is about ten years older than me - certain cinema chain discounts 50% for senior citizens, If she buys her ticket before me, I automatically get sold a discounted one too.
I know I should be insulted......

I take the discounted ticket as compensation for the insult Grin

Original poster
WaitForCake · 18/07/2020 00:03

So an update - I’ve still not booked the tickets though I have decided that my DS enjoyment/ my affordability is more important than the companies business revenues. We will have a great day and honestly, guilt at doing this is going to diminish as soon as we get past the gates.

But to easy some conscience- the money I save by not buying an adult ticket for him will be spent on an ice cream and a toy from the gift shop.

He’s not tall enough for 3+ type rides, so I can’t imagine an insurance type thing that might occur (unless another patron goes full on Harry Potter and opens the snake enclosure).

But regardless, we are both looking forward to a lovely day out out together after a few very rubbish months so we will do it.

OP posts:
Original poster
WaitForCake · 18/07/2020 00:04

And my previous question does still remain (which nobody answered): did your student card after you ceased to be a student? I’d love to know.

OP posts:
Original poster
WaitForCake · 18/07/2020 00:08

you use*

OP posts:
WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 18/07/2020 02:11

did your student card after you ceased to be a student?

If they give it to you whilst you're a student and it has an expiry date after you graduate, that seems clear to me that you can continue to use it until that date. It's not like they don't know when graduation time tends to be when they issue them and set the dates. Also, for the vast majority of students, it's accepted that you will most probably still be poor for some time afterwards and won't leap straight into employment the day after you graduate. That's why free graduate overdrafts tend to reduce gradually over two or three years rather than being called back in by the bank in full the instant you graduate.

Supposing the theme park gave/sold you a 12-month pass based on your age/status when applying, I would say that the duration/expiry date is agreed at the time and takes precedence over your age or another factor subsequently tipping you into a different range or category. Unfortunately, as it stands, the clear accepted expiry date is your child's birthday.

Nevertheless, I hope you both have a really good day out. I for one am certainly not suggesting that you're a hardened master criminal, nor that thousands of others wouldn't do the same without even asking/pondering as you have.

BarbaraofSeville · 18/07/2020 06:04

I went to university as a part time mature student on day release from quite a well paid full time job, and my employer paid my fees and gave me a book allowance. Damn right I still used my student union card to get any discount available. Smile.

But then I wouldn't pay adult price to take a just 3 YO to a theme park, or go at all unless there was some sort of discount available (eg the Kelloggs vouchers) because the price is stupid otherwise and it's rare that anyone needs to pay it as there's always a discount available and they expect people to use them and set their prices accordingly because they know that more people will go when it's £30 each but buy 1 get 1 free than if it's just £15 a person with no discount.