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Original poster

Theme park picnic bans

156 replies

meditrina · 07/05/2011 11:00

This was discussed on today's breakfast news link to BBC website. Bans are already in place at Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool Zoo and Camelot at Chorley, and others (including Alton Towers and Thorpe Park) are considering it.

I think it's a dreadful idea - these places are expensive enough already, and queuing for (often mediocre) food would just take another chunk out of the day. But if the big players start doing this, then I suppose everyone will follow suit.

What does anyone else think?

OP posts:
davidtennantsmistress · 08/05/2011 16:33

only read the first post, but if that's the case we certianly won't be going, we went to a local one last weekend had a full picnic and it cost £3 for ice creams was happy to spend, £7 for a small burger chips & drink I wasn't happy to spend (esp as my picnic for 3 prob cost less than that.

bumblingbovine · 08/05/2011 17:22

What a rip off

We went to Blenheim Palce for the day over Easter as they had a load of things on and I had my teenage nephew and his friend over from italy so thought a British stately house might appeal. DH, Ds and I have yearly passes but we paid for the two teenagers (nearly £50!).

We had our own picnic but bought some drinks as I didn't want to carry loads of water around and it was a hot day so wanted more drinks in the afternoon.

We bought 2 small bottles of water, 2 apple juices and 2 coffees, it cost £15!. Goodness knows what food for 4 adults and 1 child would have cost!

BoffinMum · 08/05/2011 17:23

You think this is bad, my workplace won't let you have a seat in the staff social area if you have brought a packed lunch with you and it's busy. It's £6-£7 a day for a hot meal and a bit of fruit if you want to avoid eating lunch standing in a corridor or out in the rain. Hmm

PrinceHumperdink · 08/05/2011 17:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

busyboysmum · 08/05/2011 17:51

In AT's defence, they do give you free cups of tap water if you ask for it as I always do, we have a Merlin Annual Pass and go a lot - we generally leave at lunchtime and go to a nice local pub for lunch or back to our caravan then go back in the afternoon.

They have a lot of lovely places there for picnics and I can't see them banning them personally - they have such big grounds.

Blackpool PB is a completely different kettle of fish and TBH I can't see why anyone would want to eat there picnic in there - it would give me indigestion!

brambleschooks · 08/05/2011 17:52

Oh well, another place off my local days out list.
We are vegetarian. My son is diabetic and my husband is coeliac and egg allergic.
Apart from that, I have no earthly desire to eat their overpriced fried crap.

lottiejenkins · 08/05/2011 18:14

I went with my son and a group of deaf people to Pleasurewood Hills last summer. There were two sets of picnic tables one set on either side of the ski ride. One set was next to the restaurant and obviously for people who bought their food there. Those who ate picnics sat on the tables on the farthest side. I took sandwiches and bought chips for ds!!!

Original poster
meditrina · 08/05/2011 18:23

I don't know if it's changed, but the one time I went to Chessington World of Adventure it was a really hot day and by mid-afternoon we finished our bottled water - there were no cold taps anywhere. We decided to end the day out rather than pay the exorbitant amount to purchase a drink there.

Moves to ban picnics seem all of a piece with that sort of rapaciousness.

OP posts:
microserf · 08/05/2011 18:32

wow, no picnics = no ticket sales to us. i hate the crappy food you find in these places, and paying through the nose for it is just an insult. i can't eat gluten either so it's usually a nightmare to find something i can eat.

PrincessScrumpy · 08/05/2011 19:19

Alton Towers is huge - they could never police it!

CocktailQueen · 08/05/2011 19:29

Awful :( They will need to provide much bigger and more cafes then to ensure that queues aren;'t horrendous. And improve the food offered - burgers etc is not everyone's idea of a nice lunch! And how much ££ is that going to add to a day out?? hideous.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 08/05/2011 19:34

Well I hope Chessington have no plans to introduce this as we've just bought annual passes today. Usually if they're going to change something, they do it at the start of the season as they did with the parking so hopefully we're ok for this year. If they change it next year then that's definitely us out.

nenevomito · 08/05/2011 19:40

I live quite near BPB and have been lots of times, but this puts me off completely. Its expensive enough to get in without having to fork out for overpriced junk to feed the children. Bag checks for sandwiches? Are they for real?

Blackpool is a hole as it is. Good luck to them as we'll go to Camelot instead which is much better for small children anyway.

ChildofIsis · 08/05/2011 20:28

When we were in florida we went to a buffet restaurant for a large breakfast before heading to disney for the day.
We had loads of bottled water with us and had an ice cream each at lunchtime. It was cheaper than here!

As a previous poster said you don't have to be eating all the time.
Obviously if there is a medical requirement then that should be exempt.

If enough people stop going then they'll have to relax their draconian rules.

pinkteddy · 08/05/2011 20:47

The food at the Disney parks in Florida is awful, particularly the Magic Kingdom. They do check your bags quite thoroughly at the entrance, however, we weren't stopped from taking drinks/snacks in. The food in the Universal parks (incl Islands of Adventure) is miles better.

Gullivers Land in the UK has loads of space for picnics and I prefer it to Alton Towers, Thorpe park etc. I know it probably won't cut it for older kids but great for under 12s.

SpeedyGonzalez · 08/05/2011 21:01

Well if we can't take our own food, the LittleGonzalez's will definitely not be going to theme parks. How ridiculous. I am not interested in wasting our hard-earned money on overpriced, crap quality food.

Hulababy · 08/05/2011 21:04

Do they not have picnic areas outside of the parks, nearer the carpark, that you can go back out to use/ I know the Disney parks use this sstem, although tbh they aren't particularly bothered when people do take things in ime.

wasabipeanut · 08/05/2011 21:15

We live in the south so a visit to Blackpool pleasure beach isn't imminent but any theme park that prevented us taking a picnic would not be getting our custom. Picnics are lovely (especially when you smuggle in a cheeky mini bottle of wine) and greasy crappy burgers are not.

I remember being embarssed when my parents insisted on taking sandwiches to any sort of day out that we went on. Now, I am that parent.

nannynick · 08/05/2011 21:24

I would not renew my Merlin attraction pass. We simply would stop going.

What about children on special diets - buying their food at a themepark is impossible.

Maybe they should have a shop that sells sensible food... that would be a start. Was at Chessington today, could not find anywhere which sold a Banana. Simple fruit... not available. I wanted a healthy snack to go with my coffee. Ended up just buying a Coffee.

careergirl · 08/05/2011 21:27

We went to the Walking with Dinosaurs event at Manchester MEN Arena (two adults) and had my bag checked and a bottle of water removed - no own food no own drink inside the Arena a bottle of water was costing you £3. I felt really sorry for people with young families food and drink cost the earth on top of a very hefty ticket price. And that was not including the tatsouvenirs cost of which were astronomical (not much under £10)

nannynick · 08/05/2011 21:38

The cost of theme parks keeps going up... yet they offer Annual Passes to get you keep coming back. If they wanted to maximise income, why offer Annual Passes - why offer any discount on gate ticket prices. They could just price it all the same. Then those of us who go on a regular basis, simply wouldn't go anymore. Maybe that is what they are wanting... to make More money from less visitors. If so... why still do Annual Pass? Would make far more from charging full ticket price for every visit, than restricting picnics in my view.

trouble2plus2 · 08/05/2011 21:41

We dont have specific dietry requirements, actually my kids will eat most crap put their way. The problem with having to buy off the park is unless you use any other food outlet than the hot dog stall, you waste so much time queing and having to sit and eat. Then you're too full to enjoy the afternoon. Not to mention the prices.

our last trip was to Sundown Adventureland in Notts/Lincs, and there are loads of picnic tables, a covered picnic area, and lots of grassy areas as well as some very reasonably priced cafes with indoor seating. The big parks would do well to take a look at this place. When we visit we sit down for a few minutes, have a quick sarnie and sausage roll, then move on to the next attraction. We're there to have fun, not to have a sit down meal.

If theme parks want to attract young families (and maybe they don't) they need to let us sort out our own food (we are adults after all), provide decent food at reasonable prices in clean restaurants, and please provide some nice indoor lounge type areas for breastfeeding mothers. It's always sit indoors and buy some overpriced, crap food or sit outdoors, no matter the weather. for this, Sundown Adventureland will have my custom for the forseeable future.

Booandpops · 08/05/2011 22:51

Blackpool pb is a walk in walk out place. At least it was ten yrs ago It's also pretty small in size. No grass areas etc
As far as I'm aware you don't pay to get in You buy a token or wristbands
This may have changed however. But if Alton towers etc start doing this it would be very wrong! What about school trips etc. Crazy!!

AlmightyCitrus · 09/05/2011 00:51

It's all changed Booandpops. You pay an admission fee now. Even if you don't want to go on any rides, you still have to pay a (smaller) fee just to get through the door. The days of "pay per ride" have sadly long gone.

sickoftheholidays · 09/05/2011 07:34

Any theme park/attraction that doesnt allow you to take your own food in will lose my custom instantly. They are expensive enough and having to pay a scandalous amount of money for the slop they serve, and waiting in a queue for ages, then sitting at a table already smeared with ketchup snot and spilled drinks to eat it is not my idea of fun.
for the record, we were told that Disney didnt allow you to bring your food in, however we decided to chance it when we went to Paris last year, and took picnic, snacks and drinks for 4 in our cooler bag hung on the back of the pushchair. We had our bags searched for weapons/bombs etc when we went in to the park, as was standard procedure for everyone, I proceeded to unpack loads of sarnies, crisps, drinks, snack bars, fruit all over the table so show the empty bag on 4 consecutive days, and no-one showed the slightest interest in the fact that we were taking food in, nor did any member of staff challenge us as we sat on various benches round the park eating our lunch. I think Disney they probably say that so people will be discouraged and more likely to buy the food, after all, if you are in the resort for your holiday, you arent really in a position to go out and get picnic stuff from a super market, nor is there anywhere to keep it fresh in your room (unless like us you take a plug in electric cooler and half of ASDA with you in the car)