Blocked by a Tourist Attraction

[MrsMomoa2]

This is a relatively small attraction in part of the UK but popular in the Summer months and been there for years. I visited as a child and for past 10 years we have stayed locally and visited every year with my children and more recently my nephew.
They used to offer return visit as many times as you wanted within 7 days but this was stopped a couple of years ago due to abuse.
As we stayed opposite it was a great place to pop in for 1/2 hour at end of the day so in conversation that first year they kindly agreed to give us the 7 day free return. Last year we spoke to one of the owners who again was lovely and agreed again
(just to confirm max of 1 child and 2 adults at a time and would not have impacted on anyone else going in)
This year I asked again and after disappearing was quite rudely told no. I have no issue with the refusal but it was the way I was made to feel and my son (SEN) was upset. We still went round the attraction that day as it is a passage of rights to us now!
My sister did ask the following morning and did not realise was the same person who was just as rude!
On return I sent a private message saying how much we loved the attraction but was disappointed by the staff member’s attitude. Although we were disappointed by not being able to pop in we did understand but we still had visited and was lovely.

I was shocked to get a very curt reply a few days later. Telling me how cheeky we had been and trying to take advantage eyc etc. It had been their Deputy Manager and we had put her in a really awkward position and we could have accepted the offer a season ticket. (Not offered!!)
It was a really rude reply and left me a bit taken a back. I tried to reply politely and say this was not offered to find I had been blocked from all their social media (I was pretty active in a positive way!This has been a place that I grew up visiting and was weirdly special, I have many photos of my kids at various stages but to behave like this. I was truly never rude! Just surprised and now feel upset over this.

I did email but never received a reply. I know third world problems but just feel upset about it all really.
AIBU (or are they!)

Yabu

So you are deliberately trying to get around a rule and now you have been stopped they are at fault? If this is how I understand and it is correct then you are at fault

I think it’s really difficult to say without knowing exactly what was said and by whom. I agree that the staff member shouldn’t have been rude, but equally I think if I knew the ticket had been stopped some time ago (you say years ago), I’d probably not have asked again and just counted myself lucky that I got the one extra year. Maybe she’d had quite a few requests and that was the final straw 🤷‍♀️

"They used to offer return visit as many times as you wanted within 7 days but this was stopped a couple of years ago due to abuse."

So you were aware of this - but asked anyway? Then "My sister did ask the following morning..."

It seems to me that you guys are CFs - you were asked - told no. Then you asked again - told no. THEN you send a message to complain!

Your family memories at the attraction do not deem you special / exempt of the rules. I'm honestly not surprised they have blocked you.

I very much doubt they were rude though

No matter how they say 'no' you won't like it and tbh you sound rather entitled

So what if you go every year and have 'memories' there? You won't be the only ones

But I also wouldn’t take it personally and if you want to continue to visit the park, then do so. That manager will probably have left by this time next year anyway.

They used to offer return visit as many times as you wanted within 7 days but this was stopped a couple of years ago due to abuse.

And yet you’ve also now tried to abuse their rules but think that’s ok?

You’ve had plenty of freebies by the sound of it, why don’t you think the rules apply to you?

You asked for a special deal from a staff member and they said no chance. Theyd not been offering that deal this year, nor last year.
The following day your sister asked. Was tokd no chance.
Then you emailed to ask. They said no chance.

Its part of your childhood so its special to you... BUT... youre not special to them (sorry). IMO you shoukdve accepted the first answer and not asked again, and if you wabted to visit every day for a week, bought the season ticket they advertised as available.

I've a feeling she could've sang the word 'no', gently in 12 different languages, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and you'd have still accused her of being rude.

What's the attraction?

🤣🤣

I'm deeply sorry to inform you that you are a Cheeky Fucker @MrsMomoa2 and you were lucky that their very good manners allowed you to impose on them for as long as they did.

Yeah, YABU.

You know the scheme ended a while back; and you know why.
You benefitted from an unofficial extension.
You asked for that to continue - they said no.
Someone else in your group then asked for it to continue - they said no again.
You emailed to complain.

The attraction is special to you and you go often because it's a right of passage... you're exactly the type of person who needs to pay, to support it. Either through a season ticket; or as a one-off.

Blocking you was probably precautionary, given you've made it clear how unhappy you are. It puts you in a rather awkward position about whether you visit again, now; knowing your blocked online - but I expect they also feel in a rather awkward position, as you keep requesting a special discount that they can't/don't want to offer.

How Grabby

Goodness, I can’t believe you had the nerve to ask after the first year to be honest.

Be grateful for the two years of special treatment and freebies. Say thank you, not - give me more.

Shamelessly unreasonable

I can why you might not be happy with someone's attitude and being blocked if you've not been rude.

But I agree with everyone else that it was not right to keep asking for the special treatment.
Agree with PP who said should have accepted it was a one off after the first exception as you knew they don't do it anymore.

Stop being a cheeky freeloader and pay your way then. Why should you expect to get in for free on days you haven't bought a ticket for. Sounds like people like you are the reason they stopped doing that offer.

💯 CF

As the mother of a child with SEN, please do not bring your child's SEN into this as an excuse for your rudeness because it tars us all with the same brush.

Was it a really rude reply though?

Post it here.

I have a feeling it was firm but not rude.

If this attraction meant that much to you, you should have paid them fairly for their service that gave you so many happy memories, without hesitation.

That is definitely not a third world problem.