Magic Cave in David Jones....

[Qube]

Any one go last year? I went today and was a bit surprised that you can't take any pictures with santa - you have to pay for the professional ones.
I haven't been there in about 3 or 4 years and wondered how long it has been since they started this?
Oh and the cheapest package was $22....:hissy:

[Mummy_Johnno]

It is one of the biggest scams around i think. How dare they say we can't take photos of OUR OWN CHILDREN ..... it is stores like DJ and Myer etc that should be ashamed of themselves.

Not only do they have expensive items, we pay for treats in the line up waiting to see Santa and then have to pay a huge amount for what come down to a 'once a year..... never surface again' photo / card etc ......

If you pay the package price you should be able to take some of your own too! You know the screaming kind where DS isn't ready to sit on Santa's knee just yet, or DS yanking at Santa's beard to see if it is real or fake.

What happened to the Christmas spirit ????

[Qube]

I agree. It is not like they aren't making a profit from Christmas anyway. Plus the fairy floss and popcorn they are selling wasn't cheap either.
I sent them an email complaining. I think that the magic cave is an sa icon, not an opportunity for DJs to shoot fish in a barrel.

[perrywinkle]

We haven't been to the magic cave yet and don't think I'll bother hearing this. We went to Harvey Norman and got a heap of photo's and only paid $10. Great to send to relatives interstate!!!!

[Mummy_Johnno]

I also go to HNs .... the packages are great and even better .... You get the photo free!

[subaruforestermum]

I think that the magic cave is an sa icon

OMG I cant wait to travel back to Adelaide to take DS to the magic cave. I loved it as a kid, and we went every year, loved the LEGO made stuff!

Sad to hear its turning into a big money making priority thing.......

[Qube]

ok, so I wrote a complaint via their feedback form. I got a response this morning saying that it was a part of their agreement with the photographers that they are the only ones allowed to take photos. They also said that they provide the Magic Cave as a free thing for Adelaide. Which wasn't my problem. My problem was that the only way you could have a memento that your child had a visit with Santa was by paying AT LEAST $22!! Anyway, I have written to the paper cos I have the tantys on :hissy: I feel really annoyed about it, but I am trying not to let it overshadow the fun of yesterday. I dressed him as an elf and he looked SO cute.... So proud of him

[bellapaigesmum]

i liked the old magic cave i went to as a kid, i find this one to small and not as good. we took bella the other week and we stayed in line for an hour and she was really good, everytime she went to run away i told her if she wanted to see santa she had to stay in the line. we got in there and bella freaked but the santa was really nice but they dont give a gift anymore unless you buy a photo, how stupid is that. last yr we did get photos and they didnt give one to bella but to her two uncles we had with us. we will be seeing a different place for photos this year thats for sure.

[M O P]

Yeah- what a jip!
One of my g/f's took her children last week and we were only just talking about this today.
$22!!

[mummynow]

I went to the David Jones Magic cave in 2005 for the first time since it used to be at John Martins when I was a kid. I remember John Martins Cave as being a lot bigger and colder too . They used to run the aircon I guess. There was more to see plus they had the little shop with the little door that kids go in by themselves to buy parents a present etc.

Anyway in 2005 I took my then 9 month old daughter and I noticed the David Jones Cave was very small and very hot and not much to offer. It is way too cramped with the number of people that come thru there. It is so hard to even step back and even take a photo of DD on Nimble or the carousel etc.

In 2005 it was the last year of the old photo company. It was not digital and you had to come back 2 weeks later to collect your photos. That was mildly inconvenient but the photo quality was so much better than the new guys. The cheapest package was $12.95 (or maybe it was $14.95) but either way it was for 1 5x7 photo BUT you were still allowed to take your own photos as well or instead if you preffered. And all the children got a calender (a dodgy one but a gift all the same).

In 2006 I had all the same complaints about David Jones' set up but it got worse because they changed photo companies. The new companies cheapest package is $22.95 for 2 5x7 photos. That is rubbish because a family only needs 1 photo unless they choose to buy more for rellies etc. The only good thing about them is you get your photos before you leave. BUT you cannot take any of your own photos in with Santa.

Then in 2007 (last Tuesday) I went again. It was so hot in there. No aircon at all. It was a huge queue which sadly consisted of more high school age kids being idiots than littlies. The area around the carousel and Nipper and Nimble was so hard to move around with a 2 & half year old, trying not to loose her for running off here and there. Struggled to take photos of her on things due to lack of space to stand back and do so.

I paid $32.95 for a photo package which is not the best quality but at least I have 1 5x7 for us, 2 6x4 for grandparents, and 4 wallet size for the aunties and uncles and great nanna etc.

I need to find somewhere else to go next year but worried as some of the shopping centre ones are not good.

[Sharai]

totally understand this. Marion has a nicer one. But my mum likes all the fuss. But hope to advise to go somewhere else next time. Otherwise this will be my last year too. But I'll go early in the morning like when they open so waiting is at minimal.

[OneNowOneLater]

I took DD to magic cave both last year and the other week. Last year the package i got was $24.95 for two 5x7's and a set of four wallet prints. This year the price went up by like five bucks!

The santa we got last year was great! The guy was a real yabber pot! lol He was about to become an uncle for the first time. Sure, its not real hard to manage an 8 day old baby, but he was great! This year however, the santa we got wasnt very good at all... As you can imagine a one year old gets afraid at new people just grabbing them yadda yadda yadda... Most santas i would hope, try and get the kids confidence straight off. Right? In this case, wrong. Once the photo was taken (I ended up being in it cos DD wasnt cooperating for them) he started playing peekaboo with her...

Anyone know what sort of training these guys do? This guy obviously didnt pass the "baby/toddler" section of the course... Sorry for hijacking the thread! Needed to have a bit of a vent!