SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I can imagine "why", but what is with museums, movie theaters, etc. etc. charging adult prices for kids as young as 11? They literally list an 11 year old as an adult! Drives me bonkers and makes things very expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 In Europe many things are free or greatly reduced for kids, often up to actual adult age. Hm, you'd think it wouldn't be hard to understand that if families can afford to go to museums, etc they'll actually go. And when they go, they learn, and when they learn, they get educated and start to care about stuff like art and science and history. And that that matters. And that it's generally good for the business of those establishments. When will Americans figure that out? 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Three reasons: 1. Money 2. Money 3. They assume 11 year olds aren't being escorted by their parents. I know I don't pay for a movie ticket anymore unless I want to see the movie. (That last falls apart in some areas.) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 In Europe many things are free or greatly reduced for kids, often up to actual adult age. Hm, you'd think it wouldn't be hard to understand that if families can afford to go to museums, etc they'll actually go. And when they go, they learn, and when they learn, they get educated and start to care about stuff like art and science and history. And that that matters. And that it's generally good for the business of those establishments. When will Americans figure that out? In Europe I've encountered some places even extending a junior discount to people who are in their mid 20s probably with the assumption they are students. Oh yeah I'd go to museums every weekend if they weren't so expensive. It's a major investment. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 Three reasons: 1. Money 2. Money 3. They assume 11 year olds aren't being escorted by their parents. I know I don't pay for a movie ticket anymore unless I want to see the movie. (That last falls apart in some areas.) Dropping 11 year olds off at the movies would not be allowed here. So that can't explain it either. I'm sure its just money and "because they can". They don't have to give a discount to anyone I'm sure. But good grief don't call an 11 year old an adult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 What drives me nuts is having to pay adult prices for the kids, yet they are still treated as kids by the establishment. Example: hotels. I have to pay adult prices for my 15yo, but he's not allowed to be in the hotel swimming pool without someone 18+. Exactly! That is what I'm getting at. Even at amusement parks they often charge adult prices for kids. And the kid does not necessarily get to go on all rides that an adult can go on. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingM Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 A business is just trying to maximize profits by figuring out the best combination between price and discounts for families. In some cases, it's ridiculous. Two year olds have to pay at Disney World, even though they actually cause fewer resources to be used, since some adult is going to be watching them instead of going on rides with the family. On the other hand, a butt in a theater seat is a butt in a theater seat. Doesn't matter how old the kid is. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Money. I like how some amusement parks charge based on height rather than age. My 9 year old is much shorter than his 8 year old friend and only just barely hit 52". On the other hand, my 13 year old is almost 5'9" and towers over most of his same age friends. So when we are at a place where you can/can't go on rides based on height, charging that way makes sense. Otherwise, I suppose like the pp said, a butt in a theater seat is a butt in a theater seat no matter the age. Perhaps they charge less for younger kids to entice the adults to come. When we went to Ireland it was nice that the kids (they were 4, 6, 10, and 12) were almost always much, much cheaper because they often had adult, child, and student rates. I also liked that family passes were generally two parents and four kids (usually it's 2 kids here in the US) and were a significant savings. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 Money. I like how some amusement parks charge based on height rather than age. My 9 year old is much shorter than his 8 year old friend and only just barely hit 52". On the other hand, my 13 year old is almost 5'9" and towers over most of his same age friends. So when we are at a place where you can/can't go on rides based on height, charging that way makes sense. Otherwise, I suppose like the pp said, a butt in a theater seat is a butt in a theater seat no matter the age. Perhaps they charge less for younger kids to entice the adults to come. When we went to Ireland it was nice that the kids (they were 4, 6, 10, and 12) were almost always much, much cheaper because they often had adult, child, and student rates. I also liked that family passes were generally two parents and four kids (usually it's 2 kids here in the US) and were a significant savings. I agree about the butt thing except a 7 year old butt is also a butt. KWIM? It's all an arbitrary distinction. if they want to attract families WTH. Eleven year olds don't tend to bring themselves to the movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Money. I like how some amusement parks charge based on height rather than age. My 9 year old is much shorter than his 8 year old friend and only just barely hit 52". On the other hand, my 13 year old is almost 5'9" and towers over most of his same age friends. So when we are at a place where you can/can't go on rides based on height, charging that way makes sense. Otherwise, I suppose like the pp said, a butt in a theater seat is a butt in a theater seat no matter the age. Perhaps they charge less for younger kids to entice the adults to come. When we went to Ireland it was nice that the kids (they were 4, 6, 10, and 12) were almost always much, much cheaper because they often had adult, child, and student rates. I also liked that family passes were generally two parents and four kids (usually it's 2 kids here in the US) and were a significant savings. Last year in Ireland, I was told the family rate include two adults and "a reasonable number of children." I asked that a "reasonable" number is. Three, apparently. (Now, maybe she said that because I had three kids with me at the time.) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawthorne44 Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 But, does a movie theater really want to attract families? A co-worker was extolling the virtues of a new dinner-movie place one of the virtues was that they discourage kids. They take a hard line on the age limits based on the ratings, and people can and do get kicked out based on other people complaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Arbitrary cutoff to keep 30 year olds from claiming to be children? I think it's a business decision. A butt is a butt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 But, does a movie theater really want to attract families? A co-worker was extolling the virtues of a new dinner-movie place one of the virtues was that they discourage kids. They take a hard line on the age limits based on the ratings, and people can and do get kicked out based on other people complaining. Well our local theatre is always dead even with a new big movie release. I'd think they'd want to attract anyone they could get. When we go it's around $50 for the four of us (without buying food). I can't afford to do that every week, but if they'd have some more specials or drop the price a bit I might go there more often. They do charge based on age and not movie rating here though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 Arbitrary cutoff to keep 30 year olds from claiming to be children? I think it's a business decision. A butt is a butt. But this is an exaggeration. A 30 year old is nowhere near an 11 year old. I am not disagreeing they want to make money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Well, for serious theater and the opera, usually you get a discount under 35. They're hoping to recruit new audience members to replace the dying ones. ;) I agree for movies and shows and concerts and the like, a butt is a butt. But anything where a child is unlikely to be able to use the ticket or stay the same way as adults seems really unfair, like an amusement park where they can't ride a full quarter or third of the rides. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Well our local theatre is always dead even with a new big movie release. I'd think they'd want to attract anyone they could get. When we go it's around $50 for the four of us (without buying food). I can't afford to do that every week, but if they'd have some more specials or drop the price a bit I might go there more often. They do charge based on age and not movie rating here though. How much would they have to drop the price for you to go more often and buy food? Where do movie theaters make their money? Is it with food or the tickets? It is with the food. Getting you there more often won't sell more food, which is how they make their money. The ticket money pays the movie studio, not the theater. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 How much would they have to drop the price for you to go more often and buy food? Where do movie theaters make their money? Is it with food or the tickets? It is with the food. Getting you there more often won't sell more food, which is how they make their money. The ticket money pays the movie studio, not the theater. I actually do buy food when we go. I just said the price I pay before I even buy food. I think they'd have to drop the price by half really. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I agree about the butt thing except a 7 year old butt is also a butt. KWIM? It's all an arbitrary distinction. if they want to attract families WTH. Eleven year olds don't tend to bring themselves to the movies. True, but perhaps the way of thinking is a 7 year is going to want to go to a movie like, say, Minions and parents might not be so excited about that. So charge less for the 7 year old, parent is happy (ETA: and maybe they will go see it in the theater instead of waiting for it to come out on DVD). An 11 year old might want to go see, say, Mockingjay Part 2. That's a more adult movie the parent would enjoy, too. It is arbitrary, but cut offs have to happen somewhere. Last year in Ireland, I was told the family rate include two adults and "a reasonable number of children." I asked that a "reasonable" number is. Three, apparently. (Now, maybe she said that because I had three kids with me at the time.) Pretty much everywhere we went the posted family pass stated 2 adults and 4 children. She probably said that because you had three. We did a lot of touristy things all over the western half of the country (my MIL lives in the southwest) plus Dublin and the only place it wasn't posted how many the family pass was for was Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin and they didn't bat an eyelash at us paying the family rate for 2 adults and 4 kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 In Europe many things are free or greatly reduced for kids, often up to actual adult age. Hm, you'd think it wouldn't be hard to understand that if families can afford to go to museums, etc they'll actually go. And when they go, they learn, and when they learn, they get educated and start to care about stuff like art and science and history. And that that matters. And that it's generally good for the business of those establishments. When will Americans figure that out? This. It was delightful in Europe. At one museum in Zurich where my son's ticket was free, I told the man at the ticket counter that I thought that was very generous. His response: "We value our children." Interesting. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I think they pick 11 because that's typically the beginning of middle school. And puberty, give or take. In other words, "kids" means pre-pubescent elementary schoolers. Exactly! That is what I'm getting at. Even at amusement parks they often charge adult prices for kids. And the kid does not necessarily get to go on all rides that an adult can go on. Kids are the primary customers at amusement parks, though, since they are the reason adults go! Plus 1-2 adults can ferry around 4-6 kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acorn Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 We were just at a restaurant where the kids menu cut off was age 6. We don't eat out often but I thought 12 was typical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 I think they pick 11 because that's typically the beginning of middle school. And puberty, give or take. In other words, "kids" means pre-pubescent elementary schoolers. Kids are the primary customers at amusement parks, though, since they are the reason adults go! Plus 1-2 adults can ferry around 4-6 kids. I can't ferry 4-6 kids. I find the prospect terrifying. Go ahead and laugh. LOL 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Dropping 11 year olds off at the movies would not be allowed here. So that can't explain it either. I'm sure its just money and "because they can". They don't have to give a discount to anyone I'm sure. But good grief don't call an 11 year old an adult. But that's how it used to be. When I was a kid, it was perfectly fine to be dropped off with a group of friends at the mall to spend the afternoon. We'd see a movie, go to the candy store, and roam the rest of it. It's the same reason kids get their military dependent ID cards at age 10. They're expected to be capable of looking after themselves in a shop or movie. Well, at least they were years ago. ;) Though our last duty station let them roam around at age 9 within a small enclosed area containing the library, youth center, store, pool...all the services part. They had to be 13 to be at the pool alone but the rest they were okay at. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie Smith Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I really like the place that does different heights based on age. It makes so much sense. I would have taken my boys to the waterslide park at a early age if they did that. :) Youngest was usually just a bit short for all the slides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 This. It was delightful in Europe. At one museum in Zurich where my son's ticket was free, I told the man at the ticket counter that I thought that was very generous. His response: "We value our children." Interesting. That's pretty much what my MIL said. She is English, married an American and lived in the US for a few decades, and then retired almost 15 years ago to Ireland. At the Cork City Gaol Adrian, age 4, was the only one of the kids who wanted to go. He should have cost 5 Euros, but they didn't charge for him at all (and even gave him a giant lollipop to "keep him busy"). I even tried to explain that he loves museums and especially ones with wax figures like that one has so I really should pay for his ticket, but they insisted on not charging for him. They told me to just enjoy it and they are happy to see a young lad loving history. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 What drives me crazy is when an adult has to pay full price at a children's museum. Most children's museums aren't much fun for adults. I think I should get paid to go to them. Emily 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 What drives me crazy is when an adult has to pay full price at a children's museum. Most children's museums aren't much fun for adults. I think I should get paid to go to them. Emily So true! There is a local children's museum that offers science classes to homeschoolers. You are required to remain on the premises AND you must buy a ticket to come into the museum on top of paying for the class. The museum is tiny and once you've seen it, you really do not need to see it again. I don't mind helping them out in the sense I'd like to support what they are doing, but I don't think they are being reasonable. So I stopped going there at all. So instead of getting my money for the class, now they don't get any money from me. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I personally think it's the adults who ought to get the discounted tickets at amusement parks. (LOL) There's a place here where admission to the park itself is totally free. You could walk around all day and watch shows, totally for free. Then you have the option of buying a few tickets to use on a few rides, or you can buy an all-you-can-ride-pass. You can choose different options for different people, so the adults can get a few tickets to ride a few things with the kids, and the kids can get the full pass. I think that's pretty cool! (In comparison, Hersheypark doesn't offer that, so several years ago, when my ILs took us, they had to pay full adult price for the two of them, who didn't ride many rides, and me, who was very pregnant and not able to ride many of the rides, and certainly no rollercoasters. I'd have loved to see a special limited rider option or something.) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I notice one of the local cinemas has got a teen ticket now for 13-18 yr olds that's about a pound less than the adult one. It's the first place I've noticed that does that though. It might be a trend that's creeping in here in the UK. Tourist attractions have got more expensive across the board in the last few years but most still do on kids and adult tickets plus a concessions and seniors. No teen one. Family tickets are usually quite good value though. Our museums are still mostly free though. Theatre sometimes has a young adult type ticket but it's often part of a particular scheme to attract people in. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 There's a place here where admission to the park itself is totally free. You could walk around all day and watch shows, totally for free. Then you have the option of buying a few tickets to use on a few rides, or you can buy an all-you-can-ride-pass. You can choose different options for different people, so the adults can get a few tickets to ride a few things with the kids, and the kids can get the full pass. I think that's pretty cool! Isn't that kind of how Disneyland was originally? I seem to recall reading somewhere that you paid very, very little to get in the gate, but then bought tickets for the rides like you do at fairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Isn't that kind of how Disneyland was originally? I seem to recall reading somewhere that you paid very, very little to get in the gate, but then bought tickets for the rides like you do at fairs. I remember when Disney World was like that. And there were different levels of tickets for rides. I believe that E-tickets were cheapest and they worked for It's a Small World. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber in SJ Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 What I love about my two favorite art museums in SF: The adult ticket price is less than a movie ticket. There is a senior discount, a student discount, and a youth discount (13-17) that are 30-40% off the regular price. Children 12 and under are free. What I don't love about the nearest amusement park (Six Flags): General admission is $65! 6X as expensive as a movie ticket! I have never ridden a ride because I hate them, but I still have to have a ticket to get in. If you are not going to ride a single ride you should get a discount. Give the riders a wristband. No wristband, no ride. The discount rate for children is $45 for under 48" tall. That makes them unable to ride at least 1/2 of the rides in the park, but it is not 1/2 the general admission price. My 10yo ds is in the limbo of too tall to get the discount, but too short to ride the big rides because many of them require a height of 52-55" The no food or drink policy. Inside the park I can get what is euphemistically called a chicken strip platter for $19.99. It consists of 3 chicken nuggets smaller than McDs & 12 french fries. The rest of the family split the burger value meal for $49.99. Four small burgers & a handful of fries. Ouch! You walk over 1/2 a mile from the parking so going back to the car to tailgate for lunch isn't an option. If it wasn't for the "Read to Succeed" program we'd never go to an amusement park. Sometimes these policies don't make sense. Amber in SJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Well our local theatre is always dead even with a new big movie release. I'd think they'd want to attract anyone they could get. When we go it's around $50 for the four of us (without buying food). I can't afford to do that every week, but if they'd have some more specials or drop the price a bit I might go there more often. Just FYI, movie theaters get little, if anything, from selling tickets to the movies, especially the week they come out. Nearly ALL their profits come from concessions. The audience the theater wants to attract isn't "anyone they can get" - it's "those people willing to shell out for popcorn and soda". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 This drives me nuts. Especially for kids meals. Heck, even I want a half portion meal sometimes. And when the cutoff is 10? That's just ridiculous. What is so wrong with just selling half portion meals? Not everybody wants a sandwich as big as their head. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I think they pick an age at which they think the person would get what is intended out of the experience rather than being a tag along or drag along. Nobody would expect a 3yr old to want to go to an art museum or would enjoy it in a similar way that an adult would, so it's ridiculous to charge them full price. An 11-12 yr old, however, should be beginning to participate in art appreciation like an adult. That's my rationale, fwiw. These people have not met my children, however, who have been going to museums since they were infants and still have no appreciation for art, history, or anything fun! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfknitter.# Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Isn't that kind of how Disneyland was originally? I seem to recall reading somewhere that you paid very, very little to get in the gate, but then bought tickets for the rides like you do at fairs. Yup. And e-ticket rides were usually the most popular/best rides: http://www.yesterland.com/abcde.html I remember being small and my parents buying a ticket book. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 It's pretty much all over the map here. I've seen child prices end as young as 10 and as old as 17 (with 18 being actual adult). When I was growing up child prices went to 12 pretty much everywhere. When you hit 13, it was adult prices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Last year in Ireland, I was told the family rate include two adults and "a reasonable number of children." I asked that a "reasonable" number is. Three, apparently. (Now, maybe she said that because I had three kids with me at the time.) Lol. I'm hedging my bets that would not be her reaction to my family. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I remember when Disney World was like that. And there were different levels of tickets for rides. I believe that E-tickets were cheapest and they worked for It's a Small World. No, no. E tickets were the best. We had A tickets in the junk drawer for years, because nobody wanted to go on A rides, but you bought the tickets in a package that came with all the levels. This was when they first opened, and throughout the seventies. I don't remember when they went to flat admission. The saying, "That was an E ticket ride" comes from Disneyland/World's ticket system. This drives me nuts. Especially for kids meals. Heck, even I want a half portion meal sometimes. And when the cutoff is 10? That's just ridiculous. What is so wrong with just selling half portion meals? Not everybody wants a sandwich as big as their head. I order kids meals or senior meals whenever I can. Many restaurants won't fight you if you tell them the reason you want it is for portion size and not price. I hate monster portions. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I actually think charging based on height at an amusement part makes sense. The taller the kid, the more rides they can ride. The theatre and museums and zoos pricing 10-12 year olds as adult is frustrating and a major factor in my not going very often. It's nuts that just when the kids are old enough to thoroughly understand more of what the facility has to offer, they get priced out of affordability. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 A business is just trying to maximize profits by figuring out the best combination between price and discounts for families. In some cases, it's ridiculous. Two year olds have to pay at Disney World, even though they actually cause fewer resources to be used, since some adult is going to be watching them instead of going on rides with the family. On the other hand, a butt in a theater seat is a butt in a theater seat. Doesn't matter how old the kid is. Kids are free under 3 years old at Disney World, then junior tickets 3-9, then adult tickets. Isn't that kind of how Disneyland was originally? I seem to recall reading somewhere that you paid very, very little to get in the gate, but then bought tickets for the rides like you do at fairs. Yep. In 1971, a family of four would have paid $35 for entry and 11 ride tickets, compared to $400 today for entry and unlimited rides. With inflation, it would be about $200 in 1971 for entry and 11 tiered rides, versus about $400 today for entry and unlimited rides of any kind. Which is possibly not relevant to the discussion at hand, I'm just very easily distracted by the word "Disney." 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Great, now I've got "The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun" stuck in my head. "Definitely an e-ticket! E-ticket Mmmmm..." 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 Actually, the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking THEY ought to pay ME for having to go into the amusement park... Yes..exactly this. I hate amusement parks. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I remember going to WDW when it was new and they had those ticket books. It was one of two vacations my family took while I was growing up and both were associated with my father's work. So, I was the youngest and smallest. I wasn't big enough for most the "good rides". I had to watch as my brother and sister went on ride after ride. I also watched as my dad ripped the tickets for the rides that were "dumb" out of the ticket book and throw them in the trash. I somehow knew those were rides I could ride. Anyway, after spending significant time watching my older siblings go on rides, my dad got mad a me for getting upset about hiking to another ride to watch them again. I was such a brat for not appreciate this nice trip he and my mother had brought me on. I do not have fond memories of WDW as a child. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 To me, kids' reduced prices are just a bonus. I mean, they take up a whole theater seat just like me. Why should they pay less? They pay full fare on a plane from the time they are tots. Now that stinks. ;) I think it makes more sense in a museum / zoo type situation where the organization is subsidized by public / donated funding, and there is a community benefit to having more kids / families have those educational experiences. Therefore it's great that many museums continue to have a "student" rate even for college students. But I don't see that argument working at the movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I also watched as my dad ripped the tickets for the rides that were "dumb" out of the ticket book and throw them in the trash. Wow. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 We are fortunate here that the museums almost all have a free or pay what you can day every month. You can also get free passes for quite a few museums on other days by logging onto the library website and reserving with your library card. Movie theaters DO seem to want to attract kids. There's the $1 Summer movie specials in the mornings two days a week and they also run movies that are totally aimed at kids. Given the rise of streaming at home, I think movie theaters want any and all butts in the seats. We tend to only go 1 or 2 movies a year that aren't at the dollar theater (which is in fact now $4 and not $1) or during the $1 Summer movies. Theaters here (for plays and shows) have something called Teen Tix where a teen can register for the program and then take themselves and one companion (adult or not) to most any play in town for $5 each. They also offer discounts of up to 1/2 off for younger audience members to age 35 or 40 in some cases. Most theaters also seem to offer a pay what you can dealy. The symphony will let me get a free ticket for any kid over age 8 to come with me for my paid ticket. The opera releases huge blocks of dress rehersal tickets for free or a nominal charge to high school students and homeschool groups. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 We are fortunate here that the museums almost all have a free or pay what you can day every month. You can also get free passes for quite a few museums on other days by logging onto the library website and reserving with your library card. Movie theaters DO seem to want to attract kids. There's the $1 Summer movie specials in the mornings two days a week and they also run movies that are totally aimed at kids. Given the rise of streaming at home, I think movie theaters want any and all butts in the seats. We tend to only go 1 or 2 movies a year that aren't at the dollar theater (which is in fact now $4 and not $1) or during the $1 Summer movies. Theaters here (for plays and shows) have something called Teen Tix where a teen can register for the program and then take themselves and one companion (adult or not) to most any play in town for $5 each. They also offer discounts of up to 1/2 off for younger audience members to age 35 or 40 in some cases. Most theaters also seem to offer a pay what you can dealy. The symphony will let me get a free ticket for any kid over age 8 to come with me for my paid ticket. The opera releases huge blocks of dress rehersal tickets for free or a nominal charge to high school students and homeschool groups. Our local theatre does free movies in the summer for kids. These are older movies, but still a nice thing. And I don't have to pay to get in either (they also validate parking). Our local cinema is just odd in general. For one thing I don't know quite how they stay in business at all except I know the city gives them huge tax breaks because they want them to stay. They may not have a choice but to charge too much for their tickets. Although like I said I'd go there more often if it weren't so ridiculously expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I think it is more that Kids 10 and under are free/reduced price. Everyone else pays the full/adult price. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I can imagine "why", but what is with museums, movie theaters, etc. etc. charging adult prices for kids as young as 11? They literally list an 11 year old as an adult! Drives me bonkers and makes things very expensive. The pediatric dentist said my child would be charged as an adult because she had a very large mouth. She was seven at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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