To not want to pay 750 for theatre tickets

[PurpleHollyhocks]

Doing a weekend with DM and DC. DM would like to see a show but for all of us it’s £750. I think it’s just too much. DM disappointed and letting it show.
AIBU to be irritated by this given she is not paying for flights, hotels or tickets to Harry Potter etc

@LIZS yes the flights are booked for a few weeks time so we are constrained by times.

Is the show in London or New York (sorry when you say you are flying in). If it is New York you have a couple of option for cheaper tickets.

Op there are loads of seats at £40-60 each in upper circle at the very worst throughout June. You could do five of you for £250 but obviously depends on your budget and preference for seats.

She should be grateful for the weekend away and not huffing.

It sounds like she feels entitled to them now and not grateful, so I would stop taking her.

@ENoeuf it’s may and the cheapest tickets I can see close together are over £100z I’ll look again though I might get lucky

Try TodayTix OP...I got my lion king tickets from there. 150 for me and ds last month.

@PurpleHollyhocks like a pp says download TodayTix apps it’s really useful and tickets are often cheap.
Also, join families who love theatre on Facebook (FWLT) - really friendly group and deals and reviews are shared all the time.

I’ve just set it to under £100 for a random Friday in May. Also try the theatre directly.

Through Disney at around up to £70 each
I would say if you want to go you can probably do it cheaper than £750 but depends if you want to, and if you are interested in less good seats?

Can’t believe so many people are enabling buying tickets for the ungrateful, huffing mum.

Even at £70 depending on how many kids there are that could get crazy expensive. I wouldn’t be buying them now on principle. I wouldn’t buy something for my kids after they sulked and stropped about not getting it and I would expect better treatment from someone I was taking on holiday.

I mean I’d like someone else to pay for my leisure activities too. Here in the real world, however…

Book Direct via Disney or ATG.

How many of you are there? Can you possibly go a weekday evening rather than say a Saturday evening.

If you choose tickets more to the side as they are cheaper then choose the right hand side as you are facing the stage. The reason is that you get a good view of Pride Rock for those iconic scenes whereas on the left facing the stage you will miss some of that.

The Grand Circle is fairly high up, but you get a good, clear view. I would get seats higher up rather than at the very sides of the stalls for a better view. Saying that I have sat at the back of the stalls with no issue.

It's far too expensive and your mum is being very rude, ungrateful and entitled when you are covering the whole trip. When someone else pays for you, you don't get to demand things!

I think it will be very difficult to all get cheaper tickets but she could perhaps get (and pay for!) a last minute ticket to go by herself whilst you do something more suited to the children? I would rather take children to the Lego store and spend some money there instead.

With regards to her huffing, she's your mum so you should be able to be frank with her and tell her the show is far too expensive and you are already having to save as spending a huge amount on this trip.

Of course if you don't want to go and think it is too much then don't. Or choose a show you think you and your children will enjoy. Lion King is a great show mind.

With regards to TodayTix you have to be careful. They charge higher booking fees and their tickets are often more expensive than booking direct with Disney EXCEPT for their Rush tickets (released at 10am on the day usually) or special offers such as London Theatre Week. You can tell the special offer prices as they show up as stars on the seating plan rather than round dots.

www.westendtheatre.com/category/shows/show-offers/?utm_source=emailoctopus&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2022.04.011%20-%20Final%20Day%205%20Day%20Flash%20Sale

There are some great offers on here atm

I would not be paying that for any show, least of all Lion King. I personally do not get the hype, seen a lot of shows and it was my least enjoyed one. A lot of children looked less than impressed when we were there. Theatres direct are doing discounts on various shows on weekdays over the next month or so, so have a look there for another show perhaps. Of course it depends on ages of the children. However Mary Poppins is a fantastic family show.

Try www.theatremonkey.com/shows/lyceum-theatre/2019-2022/disneys-lion-king for advice on discounted tickets and seating plan. Restricted view are often cheaper.

How many kids are there and what ages?

Although I agree if you yourself are not bothered about seeing a show whilst there then I wouldn’t do it just to please your mum, she is having so much anyway for free!

Is she aware what the cost would be for the show?

It’s 3 teens and 1 tween and 2 adults so a big enough group

I love Lion King, it's an amazing show with fantastic use of puppetry and dance.

But unless dance/theatre is your thing then a group of teens might prefer something else, like & Juliet or Come From Away or something.

Ah I assumed young kids so that gives you more options.

I’ve seen come from away twice with £30 tickets in good seats, it’s a beautiful show really recommend it.

But even so 30x6 is £180. Far cheaper than 750 but still a lot of money when you’ve paid for everything else!

Agree your mum IBU

Lion King feels a bit young for them. What about Wicked, it is much easier to get cheaper seats .

My teens have enjoyed Six, Lion King, Back to the Future, can’t imagine they’d like come from away it’s a different vibe. But you could do lion king for under £300 if you wanted to - the original op was not wanting to pay £750 for it.
There’s loads of amazing theatre - I agree about Today Tix and comparing prices but it’s usually a good starting point along with the actual theatre itself. Just saw Cinderella which was amazing but possibly not the right tone.