To say 3 year old DC is 2 for free theme park entry?

[MooonDreamerz]

Toddler has just turned 3 and very small for their age.
we are going to a theme park next week. It's free for age 0-2.

DH says we should say DC is 2 so we don't have to pay for them. We will be paying for ourselves and older children.

Do people do this?

I can see how people get away with it as toddlers tend not to carry ID!

I also don’t agree with it being height based as just because a young child is taller mean they are mature enough to want to go on a ride.

The point of charging by height is they could go on the ride though if they wanted to. A child who is older but smaller isn't actually allowed on the rides so they are being charged more but able to use less of the facilities and depending on the theme park there's normally a large proportion of stuff shorter children can't use which is pretty crap if they've paid the same price as a much older child who can use the whole park.

Doesn't everyone do this?

I was a tall child so faking a younger age wasn't especially believable. But I can remember being taught by my mum 'if anyone asks you are 4 (or whatever was the qualifying age for discount)'

I’ve been there!

Three days after my son turned 4, my cousin asked him how old he was:

”I’m 4 but I’m 3 when we’re riding Thomas The Tank Engine”

It was twice as much to ride Thomas at 4 than it was at 3. I’d be damned if I’m paying an extra tenner for the sake of three days.

We was in a resteraunt last night and the kids menu stopped aged ten, DS turned 11 a couple of weeks ago, we said he was 10, he wouldn’t eat an adults portion.

If your child is small for her age she probably won’t be able to go on many rides either.

I also hate how theme parks don’t have a spectator pass, I hate going to just be the donkey who Carrie things whilst everyone else is on the rides and pay a privilege for it!!

Not even remotely true. Their public liability and the amount you pay at the entrance have nothing to do with one another.

I'm going to a soft play area next week. Children are 10, 9, 7 and 16 months. Price is £6.95 aged one and above. Youngest was 10 weeks prem si looks around 10 months. Won't be paying, she's not even walking and will either be asleep or on my lap!

I wouldn’t mind doing this as it’s not like they will be getting much use out of the place/rides anyway. If they want to charge for 3 year olds then they should provide lots for them to do, bet they don’t.
Im still annoyed we had to pay for a full child ticket for DD in some gardens with a play area for older children when she was 1. She was asleep in her pushchair the entire time.

My three year old is particularly tiny - they took one look at her and said she’s one in their eyes so she could go free ….

do it

I was getting on the tour bus in Liverpool with my sons and was asked the age of the youngest one.

"He's seven" I said, being honest.
"No," said the driver, spreading the fingers of one hand out. "HOW old is he?"
Me, catching on, "Oh, he's five"
"Then he travels for free" said the driver, God bless him.

Of course, DS then pipes up indignantly, "I'm not five"

They still let him on for free. I love Liverpool.

It’s insane you’d even bother to ask this on mumsnet. This place is like a parallel universe sometimes

I would

Ofc. Go for it

Yes we do this, my DD is tiny and the difference at our local zoo is literally £37!! If you are over 2 you are an adult apparently 🤷‍♀️

I am less than 5ft, I took my DC and a friend to a theme park once, I'm a bit of a wimp so I don't generally get my moneys worth from that type of thing. I lined up with DD and friend to go on the log flume and the man said they had to come back with an adult! 🤣

Yes people do this, my DD was small too and I said she was still 2 until she was 3.5 then felt too guilty!

exactly !

😂

So long as your child doesn't pipe up that they are 3 then l would.

I also don’t agree with it being height based as just because a young child is taller mean they are mature enough to want to go on a ride.

Then don't take them? They can't base pricing on how much people will want to go on the ride. I don't want to go on any!

Basing it on height is the most sensible because then it's based on how much of the theme park is actually available for you to use (whether or not you actually want to).

Everyone does it. In terms of "crime" it's very low level!

I remember being drilled by my parents as an infant school child to bend my knees at the gate to look smaller, and if anyone asked, tell them I was X age.

I did it on buses as well, well into my late teens, when I'd put on a high pitched voice and ask for a Child Return!

My twins are very small for their age and bus drivers never charge for them even when I attempt to buy them a ticket; they just wave them on and say " they aren't over 5" they're 7!! 🤣

There is no justification for theft.

If I walked into Tesco and stole a child’s toy but also ended up also doing my weekly food shop at the same time because it was convenient to do so after the theft would that also be OK?

I agree. It's scurvy and unethical. Theft, basically.

Would you like them to arbitrarily change the rules and demand full adult entry fees from your other kids?

Of course not, but what have I stolen?