Lapland uk rant

[Laplandhelluk]

I’m so utterly disappointed with how they have dealt with the lockdown bookings.
Superstars (disabled children) have been let down. Their slogan of every child matters is complete rubbish. Most children with additional needs do not live long lives and they may never have the chance to have children of their own to carry on any traditions or experiences, they literally have a few years and this year lapland uk has taken this from them by making sure they don’t matter, all because they wanted to keep as much revenue as possible. All of this is made worse by reading that alot of people who booked superstar tickets don’t even have a child or adult with any additional needs. The whole thing just leaves a very bad taste and i know there’s a pandemic but i can’t help but be upset for my child

Not aware of the details but you have to remember they are a business not a charity and will have been hit hard financially by Covid.

Excuse my ignorance OP- what’s happened? Are they refusing refunds for the lockdown period?

They are offering refunds but it’s very hit or miss whether you get one and how much they refund. They are allowing some bookings to re book but not all and to really spread some christmas cheer they allowed new bookings today for £65 but not to anyone who already had a booking and not the november lockdown bookings. The superstar bookings are at the bottom of the pile and aren’t being contacted until well whenever they feel like actually contacting them

“ taken this from them by making sure they don’t matter” is a bit much isn’t it?
You’d probably get more help / sympathy if you posted about what’s actually happened, sticking to the facts.

Do you know that the superstar bookings are being contacted last, or is it that they're contacting people in date order and those days would have been later in the month? It's difficult to work out what they've done wrong.

No they aren’t going by date order.
They have said the superstar bookings haven’t been generated yet. The only date they are allowing the disabled is 30th december, almost a week after christmas day

What they have most definitely done wrong is allow people to book today for half the price and not prioritise any of the lockdown bookings. Their response is that those new bookings are invalid but those people have paid and have booking references so no one can see how they are invalid

They're allowing disabled children to go on any day, but the superstar days they operate at reduced capacity to make it easier for those with disabilities. There's nothing stopping you going on another day.

Speak to them on Facebook. They seem very responsive to comments, they're obviously trying to make the best of a very difficult situation.

I have spoke to them

They have said superstar bookings can only re book for the 30th. Alot of the lockdown bookings had email links today but not any superstar bookings. All weekend/non school days are taken. Meaning those of us that work and have school aged children can not re book before christmas.

When did you book?

I think their plan is to get as many bookings as possible as soon as possible to help with their finances. When they hold Superstar days they can't take as many bookings, so ultimately don't make as much money as they would on other days. They will have been hit very hard by covid and it's not a requirement for them to hold any superstar days, so even 1 is something! I'm sure they will sort refunds soon, these things take time and they're likely arranging a way to make it up to the Superstar children. Remember when you speak to staff that it isn't their fault, it's probably the owner who makes the decisions.
I'm sure the children would love to go, even after christmas. They'd get to say goodbye to santa before he goes back home. I hope it's resolved soon

I booked the day the superstar days were released in the summer. They didn’t release the superstar days before this date, which is different to previous years.
I have been very courteous and patient with them, I’m literally venting into the abyss here. I doubt they are areanging to make it up to the superstar dates, they are happy to get rid on these people who apparently drain their finances. I don’t think vising father christmas after christmas would work for a lot of children, it defeats the object

They are in a bind because of covid they can't add to their current tours.

I'm do think a contingents plan for super star days should have been in place.

I'm hoping to get an 8am slot.

But... I wouldn't mind one after Xmas. Its immersion theatre, like a panto really but classier.. It would be fun to do after Xmas I think.. But as you say it does slightly defeat the point! And it's a lot of money..

I understand the bind but I don’t understand their selectiveness. They had a full week to make a plan before they even contacted ticket holders to say they had a plan. That is a lot longer than most other event companies and i feel it’s long enough to have brainstormed all options. I am not saying the superstars deserve priority but they simply should have the same chance as everyone else, that’s inclusion and without that it’s discrimination.
Yes it is theatre with the same script each year but I wouldn’t pay to see father christmas and the story of preparing for the big day a week after christmas. The new elflet story is also too far fetched even for me and just turns the event into a joke for older children. Perfect for under 5s though

I agree, they should have made better plans for the super star day.

I disagree about the joke after Xmas though.. I do think it would be fun still... It's the whole atmosphere isn't it... The rooms....

Etc. It is theatre.
I'm weighing up what t do.. Nothing has been released to me yet and I've not seen any slots to book at Al.

The atmosphere is because everyone is so excited because christmas is nearly there. I don’t think this atmosphere would last after christmas has been

Surely they are ahead of many companies when it comes to this by actually having the superstar days in the first place. I know it's disappointing but it has been a disappointment of a year all round.

You don't like the story, you think it's a joke for over 5's (it's not), you don't want to go after Christmas, you don't want to go on a weekday, you think as a company they're discriminatory, we're in lockdown until at least 2nd December - can they win here?

No they aren’t ahead of others. Other places, theatres and theme parks allow the disabled to attend any day they want and include a free carer. Lapland uk do not.

I don’t like the new after christmas elflet story and yes i believe it is a joke for children who have always been told the traditional christmas story, something that has been the biggest selling point to lapland uk and this is the reason I wouldn’t take my child to help in the lapland toy factory and to visit father christmas after Christmas has been but yes maybe the under 5s could be told this new story of elflets christmas and not enquire too much about it. I would gladly go on a week day after school/work which is exactly what i did have booked. To not give the disabled the same choice as the abled has shown them in this situation to be discriminatory, which has changed my view on the company and no i don’t see they can ever win that trust back.

Fair enough.

To be honest as soon as I replied I regretted it. I come to the Christmas board to avoid AIBU and the like so wasn't expecting an angry type of thread. Caught me off guard!

I think you as the adult need to be just as immersed in the magic for the children to get the very best out of it. I'm shocked to hear they don't allow disabled children to visit on any day and tbh I don't believe that.

other places, theatres and theme parks allow the disabled to attend any day they want and include a free carer. Lapland uk do not

They only let disabled attend on certain days? Surely that is hugely discriminatory!

This isn’t an aibu post. I also don’t feel it’s an angry thread. I am frustrated and disappointed with how lapland uk have dealt with the situation but I’m not angry.

Yes on the visit it is very immersive but I can’t see that still happening on this new after christmas elflet story they have just released due to the lockdown. This concept has only been arranged in the last few days. It is a new experience they have introduced to allow them to not lose all the bookings that fall in the lockdown.

They allow the disabled to book any dates when they open the bookings in january, summer and autumn. They are not allowing the disabled to book any date they want with the new bookings that have been introduced due to the lockdown, they are only allowing them the 30th december. They have frozen all bookings and are selecting who they want to allow to book.

Yes it is discriminatory and that is why i am utterly disappointed with how they have dealt with this situation

Do you mean there is only one superstar day due to the fact they've had to close for a big part of their season.

Presumably if there is space you could visit on a different day but pay the difference, I still can't believe they aren't allowing disabled people to visit on particular days. It just doesn't ring true of a company that year in year out (except for 2020) hold several days specifics catering for children with disabilities

They have frozen the bookings so you are unable to change your booking.
They have said superstar days can only re book for the 30th december.
They don’t hold several days specific to catering for disabilities, they hold 2 every year in november, they are called superstar days and they did again this year have 2 available.
What i have learned from this is a lot of people have been booking the superstar dates and they haven’t got a child or adult with any additional need so it appears these days have been abused