The Merchandise Stand - Real Mum story on MoM

8 Comments

I have a 6 year old boy who loves going to the library to join in pantomimes and attending live shows and theatre. Nothing wrong so far, in fact I think it’s great I don’t have to spend all day standing on a cricket pitch slow roasting, but what’s the go with the merchandise stands. Recently we attended Disney On Ice at Boondall Entertainment Centre. The price of the tickets was reasonable but the $12.00 parking was the first sting then upon entering the venue you are practically slapped in the face by merchandise stand after merchandise stand all selling the same overpriced crap. One plastic sword with a Peter Pan sticker on it was $25.00, no flashing lights no sound just a boring plastic sword. Extra merchandise came out at interval too in case any parent had some savings left on their eftpos card that were equally as crappy and expensive. My son was as dazzled by the Disney logos as all the other kids but I refused to buy anything and told him that I was going home if there was going to be an impromptu act in the lobby involving me as the villain. He didn’t argue and asked for a drink instead. I thought ok a drink no problem and had $5.00 in my hand but the Tinkerbell cup that had ice (that’s right frozen free water) with a dash of cordial colouring poured over the top was $16.00. Is it a cocktail, is there real fairy dust in it? Unfortunately all theatre and even the Council Libraries seem to be following suit and parents like me have to be the baddy at every event they take their child to or take out a second mortgage to buy a piece of plastic that after being played with for two minutes will be added to landfill.

Posted by mom118467, 2nd March 2015

8 Comments

- - mom81879 said
  - 26 Sep 2015
    3:25 pm
It’s shocking isn’t it? They suck you in with reasonably priced tickets to attend, then slap you with all the over priced crap once you’re there. And you feel so bad saying no, but don’t want to waste your money on crap. I know exactly where you’re coming from

- - jenniw said
  - 09 Mar 2015
    11:03 am
That is crazy.. I haven’t been anywhere that has been that bad but I hate the crap that is available at most places and I am a villain mum who just refuses to waste money on that sort of thing

- - pakeko said
  - 05 Mar 2015
    8:35 pm
Wow that is crazy what a ripe off

- - kelc said
  - 04 Mar 2015
    11:44 am
Yep agree totally! Sure is crazy! We usually avoid the stands now and I’m more likely to say we’ll find a book or something at the shops when we go next.

- - mom94125 said
  - 04 Mar 2015
    11:15 am
yeah it is the same though anywhere at any place you go to! we just took the kids to the underwater world and they really loved it but you get bombarded by people wanting to sell you things. as soon as you buy tickets, they take your photo and when you leave, they have them printed up for $30 as well as photo ops with seals but charge you heaps per child
- mom93821 replied
  
  05 Mar 2015 , 6:33 am
  I have had a similar experience with the photos at theme parks. They are frightfully expensive and it can be hard to say no to such a memorable keepsake!
- - mom93821 said
  - 04 Mar 2015
    6:53 am
I hear you! Food and ‘knick knacks’ are so expensive. I buy the program and maybe a t-shirt as we can look through the program together and relive the show and the t-shirt can be worn. I make cushions out of the t-shirts once they look a little worn.

- - BellaB said
  - 03 Mar 2015
    4:23 pm
I agree! I don’t mind so much if it’s, say, a play, and they’re selling the kids book it’s based on. But all that overpriced plastic junk…