Parent Scalping

Disney on Ice

We took our children to Disney on Ice last week.  It is something we have never done with them all, and something we thought would be a fun thing to do.  We have never been to Disney Land or World, so Disney on Ice is a little touch of the magic...........or so I thought.

The children were thrilled with the performance.  The ice skaters were amazing.  Lightning McQueen was a hit with everyone.  Tinker Bell could fly, loved that.  Even Mickey and Minnie were there.  My 8 month old was bouncing up and down on my lap with excitement.  So all enjoyed.  

But there was something else to the show that I didn't anticipate.  Of course, as you walk into the venue it is filled with sales booths--cotton candy, programs, popcorn, sno cones, and toys toys toys.  I had already prepped my children for that.  We ate a good dinner before arriving so that hunger wouldn't overcome us.  I told them that we wouldn't be buying anything.  Which should be my choice, right?  Since I had already paid enough for the show.  An advertised $10 ticket turned into $16 tickets with "handling fees," times all of the children, parents, and grandma.  

Disney has other plans for you.  Because you arrive early to avoid major traffic and to find your seat easily, you then have 20 mintues to wait for the show.  There are candy pushers walking back and forth on EVERY aisle, within a hand's reach of EVERY child.  I had come with some cash in case I felt like buying something---but it was $10 for a bag of cotton candy!  $10 for a sno cone---ice with flavor!  And all toys, crowns, bags, swords were $20 and up.  Am I the only one who thinks this is out of control?  I wasn't about to spend $60 on sno cones for my children.  I can appreciate having concession stands for those who do want it, but why do they have to walk back and forth in front of my children, dangling in front of their noses?  Maybe because they love to set children off into temper tantrums?

My children did do a good job at NOT throwing a tantrum for $10 of candy.  But it was sheer torture.  My 7 and 9 year old could understand that the prices were a rip off.  My 4 and 2 year old can be distracted easily.  But my five year old left in tears.  I had explained to him that the treats cost too much, and that we didn't want to waste our money.  I explained to him that he could buy three swords at the store for the price of one of those swords here.  I explained to him that we could buy 10 ice cream cones at McDonald's for the price of 1 sno cone here.  He seemed to understand a little, but the concept of money is pretty broad for him  (just like how he asked me today if he could buy a hamster with the 10 pennies in his hand!).  During the intermission when the salesman poured back into the aisles, my five year old asked, "Why are all the other kids getting swords and candy?"

What do you say to that?

I am just trying to teach my children the value of saving, being wise with your money, and all of those other valuable lessons.  I had $60 in my pocket.  Money wasn't the issue.  Being ripped off was!  Am I crazy?

So..........Disney on Ice....................wonderful performance, torturous for small children of big families who don't want to spend their fortune on treats!