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Ok, let me start this post by saying that I love Disney. Everything they do is magical. I know all of that. I know vendors are meant to sell. That's their job. Having said that, I think they need to do better.
I took my kids (3 and 1) to Disney on Ice yesterday. My son had been talking about it for weeks. Every time he saw a commercial he got more excited. I budgeted and bought tickets. Each ticket was $35+$10(ticket master fees)+ tax+$17 parking. This makes it a very expensive event.
I knew that as soon as we walked in, the arena would be flooded with toys and food. I told my son he was allowed 1 thing. He understood and is pretty good about knowing he had to make a choice. He went straight for a table filled with light up toys. Each light up toy was $30! I made a big deal about a Mickey sword ($16) and he, thankfully, picked that. As I went to pay, the lady said "You really want that? That one doesn't light up." I gave her a face and said, "Yes he knows, thank you."
My mom then told him she would buy him a snow cone. Each cup was $12. The vendor looked at my son and said "Which straw? Belle or Olaf?" She didn't ask the adults. The straw was an extra $4.
Finally we went to our seats. We escaped the rest of the selling fiasco (or so I thought). There was about 15 minutes until showtime and a vendor selling cotton candy comes to our seats. He literally puts a bag of cotton candy so close to my son's hands that my son reached out because he thought he was giving it to him. He then pulls it away and says, "Do you want some cotton candy?" My son looked at me so confused. I said "How much is that?" And he replied "15 dollars". After seeing my sons face (the face of a kid who was given something and had it taken away for no reason) I felt like I had to buy it.
Thankfully, I had $15 cash left in my wallet.
Thankfully, that wasn't money I was saving for groceries.
Thankfully, I didn't spend all this money on the show just to see my son disappointed over a stupid bag of cotton candy.
Thankfully, it wasn't me this time but I am sure many moms felt the way I did yesterday. You spend your hard earned money on an event to make your kids have a great day and then you are forced to either spend money you hadn't planned on or see a disappointed look on your 3 year olds face because they don't understand why they are being offered things they can't have.
I know it's a job, but vendors, you need to do better. If I want a $15 bag of cotton candy, I'll go buy it. Don't come put it in my son's hand.
Sincerely,
A fed up budgeting mommy