Chuck E. Cheese...or am I totally out of my mind

[isyne4u]

Hey gang...I can't believe this thread has hit three pages!! This has got to be a record for me!! hehehe

Okay, so I have been looking at other options....
bowling....a bunch of 6 year olds throwing 6lb balls...I had visions of broken fingers and toes...and then someone mentioned the kids that have to sit and wait while the other bowl...

Jeepers....way too expensive for me unless I only have 2 or 3 other kids.

Rec center type place...then i have to make everything and haul it...did a picnic for the baby last year at the local picnic shelter and it cost well over $200 and I had to lug everything, set up, and clean up..

skating... ds has coordination issues (I mean dxed) and the poor kid trips over his own feet just walking across the room so I know that would not be his first choice....he'd spend the whole day on his hiney!! He really is a klutz!!

So tonight he came home from school with this sticker on his chest telling us that it was CEC fundraiser night for his school. He got 10 free tokens with his sticker. So I said lets go for it and see what happens...I'm actually here to tell you that I do not have a headache!! and we were there almost 3 hours!! :O

I saw party set ups...they had cute CEC plates and cups and a decorated table cloth. We got to see CEC come out and greet everyone..not a big deal and he didn't really stick around long. I watched the kids and they were having a blast.

So i asked some questions of the manager and was told that i can reserve for the n umber of invites i'm sending out and then a few days before hand call to confirm and set it up for the number I need. She said that if not all the kids show up then I would only be charged for the number of kids that do show up. So its decided....we are doing it there. I had some coupons for buying 50 tokens for $12.50 and getting another 50 tokens. So I went ahead and did that. Actually I had two coupons so i got an additional 200 tokens. So I can go for the cheaper party, make my own goodie bags, and add about 10 more tokens to each kids token cup. I'll probably make the cake myself so it will be what my son wants (not that he ever eats anything but the at least its his decsion).

So thank you to everyone for all the positive and negative responses to CEC. You all really got me thinking and paying attention to the details tonight!!! you all rock!!

tara

 

[Alice28]

I did it for my older son when he turned 7 (about 15 months ago). I thought it was awesome. Was it loud and crazy? Yep. But the kids loved it, his 11 friends we invited had NO TROUBLE gathering around at gift time to watch him open presents, plenty of pizza for everyone, plus decorations, cake, drinks, tokens/entertainment and I paid for the goodie bags. It was absolutely FANTASTIC not to have to shop, decorate, clean, etc. I would do it again. At first I did think it was expensive, but then I calculated how much i usually spend on food (I always serve food at my kids' parties- pizza or sandwiches or something), decorations, the cake, and it came to about the same cost.

I was 5 months pregnant at the time, and while I was tired at the end of the evening, it was a lifesaver.

Oh and PS- at the Chuck E Cheese we went too, DS got a cool cup, a thing of cotton candy, and a hat/crown for being the birthday kid.

 

[texasthree]

We had my sons 4th party at CEC. I loved it, quick easy and no clean up. The kids loved it too. By the time you buy food, decor, etc, its all the same anyways. My only suggestion is that if you can do it during the weekday its so much nicer. We had it on a wednesday afternoon and it was soo dead and you get extra tokens for each kid.

 

[Pam]

Chuck E Cheese Chuck E Cheese Chuck E Cheese Chuck E Cheese Chuck E Cheese

 

[ChrisnSteph]

We did CEC for our son's first birthday. We LOVED it! It was a weekend, and pretty crowded, so if prefer less people definitely try and schedule it during the off times. It is noisy, but not unbearable. The staff was great, the kids loved the play area, and the best part of all - I didn't have to clean it up! Some CEC's are better than others, fortunately ours is a really nice one.

 

[isyne4u]

Chuck E Cheese Chuck E Cheese Chuck E Cheese Chuck E Cheese Chuck E Cheese

Hey Pam..the date is Sunday April 23rd!! I look forward to seeing you there!! ehhehehehehehe

ChrisnSteph...you are right about them being better than others. I was really nit picking the place last night and I couldn't find anything wrong with it.

texasthree...i wish we could do it during the week but I'm so tired by the end of the day that I really just want to curl into a ball....last night was unusal for me!!

Alice28...oy 5 months pregnant and running around CEC. Wow! you must have been exhausted.

I think next year it will be a party at home with family and no one else!! Cheap Cheap Cheap! ehheheheheh
tara

 

[MN Dis Fans]

After our last experience at a birthday party there with too much pop, candy, cake, pizza, rides, noise - we now call that place
"Up-Chuck E. Cheese." Haven't been back since.

 

[Pam]

Hey Pam..the date is Sunday April 23rd!! I look forward to seeing you there!! ehhehehehehehe

Yay! That's only a couple of days before DS's 18th birthday! (And he keeps kidding me and saying that's where he wants to go for his birthday! )

You would have to watch me very closely, however...... I would probably try and steal all the little kids' tokens from them. I have a serious addiction to Skeetball.