Ranty Friday – Theme Park Photo’s

We have had an epic week of family fun this week, exploring the North West and making the most of our Merlin passes to gain entry into the many attractions that are based up here, but one thing is making me feel ranty.

I love getting photo’s on rides of us looking as though we are having a great time, or pulling silly faces when a ride is a little more scary than we thought, and most theme parks do an offer of 4 photo’s for £20 (or £25 at Alton Towers yesterday).

It now seems that the theme parks / attractions have taken this to a whole new level.

At Manchester SeaLife Centre and Legoland Discovery Centre they take your photo on a green screen before you even walk in the doors, giving you a ticket to take around with you.  You don’t get the option to say no thank you, and then when you exit the attraction you get the kids demanding to see the photo and tears when you refuse to pay £10 to buy it.

Twice I have had Isaac in tears because he wanted a driving licence when he went on the Driving School rides, once at Alton Towers and again at Legoland Discovery Centre as again they take a photo of him on a green screen and then give the hard sell of passing their driving test and needing to get their driving licence.  An extra £10!

Possibly the hardest sell was at Warwick Castle though.  They had various events dotted around which were really good fun, but again you have to pose on a green screen as you go through, with no option to say no.  At the exit you get the actual photo’s thrust under your nose and feel obliged to buy them.

I understand that theme parks are businesses and need to make money, however, most families are on a tight budget and don’t need the pressure of kids demanding the cute photo’s of them superimposed on a photo of a skeleton ball!

Give us photo opportunities for us to take photo’s for free and we will probably spend money on merchandise in the gift shop, buy food in the restaurant or at the very least offer these photo’s in some sort of offer package like the ride pictures.

Yours Grumpily

Chelseamamma

 

 

11 thoughts on “Ranty Friday – Theme Park Photo’s”

  1. I know exactly where you’re coming from. We’ve thankfully managed to avoid any meltdowns so far, but it won’t be long before my children are demanding these extra photos. The cost can really stack up too.

    Reply
  2. I know what you mean, they are everywhere! Possibly the best ones that I have seen are the ones at Harry Potter world, they are impressive. But they are always so dear too, and it just bumps up the price of the day. I always take my camera with me so just do it myself. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Drives me barmy as I utterly loathe having my photo taken so it actually ruins my fun if I get forced into it, and as you say – they are VERY expensive to purchase and cannot cost more than a few pennies to make – nice easy profit I guess, but not if it puts people off the place who may come back time and again!

    Reply
  4. We don’t go to those kind of places very often so I’ve not seen this yet but I’d be annoyed the same as you. Days out are expensive enough without the added pressure of expensive photos.

    Reply
  5. Here here. A day out at a theme part is a treat but a very expensive treat. I don’t want to be made to feel guilty because I cannot afford these expensive pictures that add nothing to the experience of the day.

    Reply
  6. I hate places that pressure you into buying photos – they have people at Chester Zoo trying to take photos as you walk in – thankfully I always take my DSLR so told them I’d take my own thankyou very much!

    Reply

Leave a Comment