Just wondering if anyone else would be bothered by this. My son had a birthday party at CJ Barrymores this afternoon. Right after lunch we went to play laser tag. The line did not look that long, but we ended up waiting for 45 minutes to an hour to get to play. After 30 minutes we did not want to leave because we had already spent so much time waiting. The kids did great in line until the last 15 minutes and who could blame them. But I feel so bad. I feel like it ruined the party having to wait that long. All the kids are 6, 7 and 8 and they all had great time while they played for 15 minutes, but I feel like I should have handled that much better. The parents were nice about it but I wonder if they were thinking that this was not a good party. We did play in the arcade afterwards, but this really sticks in my mind. I feel like I ruined the birthday party for my son. What do you think?
Thanks,
R.
I think you are over thinking this. If he didn't compain then there is no problem!
I'm sure you didn't ruin the party for your son, but I am surprised that the place doesn't have a better method of getting birthday party groups in to do the laser tag (since I assume it's part of the party). I'm sure that the other parents and the children understand that it was out of your control, and the kids DID have fun... it's not like the left crying or something. If you choose to do a party there again, maybe one parent can wait in the line while everyone else goes to the arcade or does whatever else and then the kids can return to the line when it's about to be their turn.
Was your son happy? If so, case closed. The party was for him. If he is happy than I say let the rest go. If anyone was unhappy, Oh well they will get over it. I bet all the kids had fun! (Smile)
God Bless,
S.
I thinkif you dwell on it then he will think he has to also. If he had a good time then all was well. Ask him in 10 years if he even still remembers the birthday party.
Had you "booked" the party at CJ Barrymores through them, gotten a separate area to set up, etc etc? Or did you just show up with a bunch of kids on a Sunday afternoon? If you'd specially booked the party, then having to wait for 45 minutes is unacceptable. The facility should have had party policies to accommodate you and get you into the laser tag area ahead of other patrons. If this is your situation, even though everything turned out great and the kids had fun, I would contact the manager and complain. Obviously, your son and his friends had a great time, so don't worry about having ruined the party (for 6,7 and 8yr olds 15 minutes of laser tag is a LIFETIME, if you'd actually gotten in sooner, chances are they'd have gotten bored sooner!), so really, don't dwell on that at all. I'm just not impressed with CJ Barrymores' party etiquette. Of course, if you'd just showed up with a bunch of kids, then waiting in line was to be expected and nobody will fault you for that. Ultimately, if your son says he had fun and his friends said they had fun, take their word for it, the party was a great success!
