Is it wrong to equate such a joyous and entertaining place for children with Hell?
Because, truly, those double-paned doors at the entrance of the local Chuck E. Cheese evoke something within me very similar to what Dante must have felt before passing through that fearsome gate.
Monday evening we spent the day gallivanting around the Capital and the Little Shakespeares convinced us that ol' Chuck's was the perfect place for a greasy dinner and games. Amid a chorus of forceful "we'll behave, mama"s and tearful "puhleeeeaze"s, Peter and I shared a commiserating look and turned the valiant minivan in the direction so desired by our children.
Two hours, eighty dollars, several handfuls of hair, countless brain cells, and nine circles later; I knew the true meaning of purgatory.
Little Man adamantly saved his reward vouchers for the next visit.
Somebody shoot me.
dragynm
Thursday, 15 March, 2007 at 15:03Oh, I know exactly how you feel! I have 3 kids whose birthdays are in the winter. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but outside activities for their birthdays are kinda limited to the weather, which in MN isn't always good. So, that's where the Rat's Place comes in. Our kids love it. Mike and I are driven insane by it! I think there must be something in either the pizza or the lights that only gets to people under the age of 18, making them think that it's some sort of heaven on earth. Because we agree with you! Dante's Inferno has nothin' on Chuck E. Cheese's!
judithshakespeare
Thursday, 15 March, 2007 at 16:03It has to be the lights… because I can't even get mine to sit and actually eat the pizza! We actually had to stop and get more food on the way home. Thanks for stopping by, honey!
Kirstie
Thursday, 15 March, 2007 at 18:03I managed to convince my children long ago that only Grandparents or Auntie/Uncle's were allowed to bring children to Chuck's. Thank god for that little fib, I have only been to Chuck's once since having the little buggers!! Unfortunately we're going to visit the "fun" grandparents this summer (the only grandparents to have EVER taken them to Chuck's), so the likelyhood of going back this year is pretty good. I guess twice in 4 years isn't bad but for some reason it feels like yesterday!!
Glad you survived, I would miss you!!
Angie
Friday, 16 March, 2007 at 0:03Ohh not that dreaded place. I don't know if your Chuckys is like ours, but when you enter…after being blinded and struck deaf by the lights and 50 million arcade games, the overwhelming small of burnt pizza and vomit usually fill the nostrals. I make sure to not make the dreaded mistake of driving by Chucky's unless we have already eaten. And the kids will whine..Mom can we go to Chucky's next time..hehe..sure baby we will catch him next time…NOT..
judithshakespeare
Friday, 16 March, 2007 at 0:03I take it they're the "I'm the Grandma and it's my job to spoil them and them send them home" type? Yep. Got a few of those myself. :)
Aidansmom2006
Friday, 16 March, 2007 at 9:03DH took Aidan to a place called Giggleberry Fair…it was a father son day kinda thing…they both got home so exhausted…LOL It was more than games it had a huge playground mountain in it…I thought my husband was going to drop on the floor when he came home. Considering that we will probably never go to the Chuckster…but I can see Gigglerberry Fair being the same way as Aidan gets older. LOL
Rose
Friday, 16 March, 2007 at 15:03I know how you feel…..we have a Birthday party to go to at the rodents house on Sunday. Ugh! My son is 7 and loves the place but is terrified by the rat he still hides under the table when ever chuck comes out… I wonder how my 2 year old will react? I will be prepared though with a large stock pile of Excedrine Migrane and BC Powder….
Tish
Friday, 16 March, 2007 at 19:03We took my youngest daughter there for her 7th birthday recently and spent way too much money but she had a magnificent time and dh and I passed the time playing skee-ball. Meanwhile, she and her brother and sister played other inane games with flashing lights trying to collect tickets. For the amount of money we spent and the number of us playing games (6, including my mother) you would think that she'd have gotten a wonderful prize for all the tickets. You would, however, be wrong! She got a pink plastic ring and a fiber optic "magic" wand that had flashing lights and that I could have bought at the local dollar store for about $2!!! But, I guess you can't put a price tag on your children's happiness…well, I can, about $100 and that's not counting gas (our nearest Rat's Nest is nearly 60 miles away!)!
My Imaginary Friends Think You're Funny
Saturday, 17 March, 2007 at 9:03Chuck E. Cheese should be banned from existence…lol. My daughters "love it more than anything", according to them, and "there is no place better on earth to go" as far as they are concerned. lmao. So I too understand the dreaded walk into the local Chuck's.
BTW….What happened on cafemom, you aren't there anymore. I haven't been around alot due to moving, but I went to send a friendly hey and you were gone. =(
wonderwoman
Monday, 19 March, 2007 at 0:03ha ha! WE managed to go 3 long years before inducting miss priss into that particular circle of hell membership.. she.. of course loved it.. because like all good magpies… she was attracted to the pretty shiny lights and great flashy colors!!!! Luckily ours is CLEAN,,,,, they have a salad option and surprisingly once you sop up 20 quarts of grease with the napkins the pizza isn't too bad… I avoid it like I avoid hmmmmmm what's a good analogy.. ahhh yes… I avoid it like I avoid the vapid, annoying, self centered uneducated self obsessed, oh wait already said that…. apparent idiots who've made cafemom a horrid place for intelligent mommies to pass the time….. yep that sums it up.. look 2 rants for the price of one..
court you're an addiction.. like those damn dark chocolate coffee beans which I am out of by the way… and it's gonna be awhile before dad comes back from australia.. damn!
can't wait for the next post much loves wonderwoman
judithshakespeare
Monday, 19 March, 2007 at 11:03"avoid it like I avoid the vapid, annoying, self centered uneducated self obsessed, oh wait already said that…. apparent idiots who’ve made cafemom a horrid place for intelligent mommies to pass the time….."
Those mommies I can handle. It's the vapid, annoying, self centered uneducated self obsessed, apparent idiots who RUN cafemom that I have issues with. LOL.
(Don't forget to tell dad to bring me some this time too!)
Angie the redheaded step-child
Monday, 19 March, 2007 at 14:03I saw someone else comment with the name Angie so I had to specify! lol ANYWAY on the the up chuck. I REFUSE to go there after last year. We went for Alex's b-day and while it really wasn't that bad what WAS bad that EVERY SINGLE kid that we brought there was sick with the funk within 24 hrs or going to GERMLAND! Yuck. The place is beyond icky.
judithshakespeare
Tuesday, 20 March, 2007 at 13:03Angie (my favorite red-head) & Roxy:
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.
Enough said.
thegunchick
Tuesday, 20 March, 2007 at 13:03Fortunately – both of mine had an early UNPLEASANT experience at that hole…
Short version – in the tubes, small child had too much of a good thing and whoopsed all over about 8 feet of those loverly crawl spaces…
After many attempts to get an employee to rescue the now stranded children by cleaning up the mess – Yours Truly waded in – wiping up the mess, dealing with the other munchkins who were now in full on Sypathetic-Puke Mode, and pulling her own tots to the relatively clear air outside the dreaded tubes. (hooray for a strong stomach and the MOM factor!)
After THAT charming experience – they both turn green at even the mention of the Rat and his greasy pizza.
You are a braver woman than I!
~
Roxy
headmutha
Tuesday, 20 March, 2007 at 14:03FIVE WORDS:
I Hate CHUCK E. CHEESE"S
Maybe if there was an open bar….MAYBE!
My Imaginary Friends Think You're Funny
Thursday, 22 March, 2007 at 18:03Believe it or not, I don't know that they still do, but the one on the westside of Indianapolis use to sell beer by the pitcher when I was growing up. That was the one my favorite Aunt use to always take us to. LOL Imagine how busy they were!
kater
Friday, 23 March, 2007 at 19:03i think we've managed to pare it down to 1 visit a year – for good grades mid-winter. but we always go on a weeknight so it's waaaaay less crowded. we don't do the birthday party thing, and honestly, i wouldn't choose chucky's anyway. i've seen how bratty the kids are at that place!
Tracy
Friday, 6 April, 2007 at 20:04CEC is the bane of my existence. I have to take EXTRA Adderal before I can even think about going, although I do try to avoid going …. EVER!
I have given the babysitter money and had him take them, heh heh heh heh!
Or my inlaws offered to take them, they live in Europe, had NO idea what they were getting themselves into HEE HEE HEE!