Build a Bear party-any hints?

emsywoo123

Hello
DD will be 7 in August, and will be having a build a bear party, with pizza express after for her and 5/6 friends.
None of this is booked as yet, does anyone haev any hints or tips of experiences of either of these?
We like going to both, as money allows (so not often then :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:) but any suggestions helpful.
Thanks :A

jackomdj

Don't know if you can use them for a party but pizza express take tesco vouchers....so £10 tesco vouchers = £40 food (not drink) at pizza express. I am sure they have a limit of 8 people eating but that fits with your numbers.

Apricot

Are you going to be paying for the other children to do their bears as well? Just wondering as some parents may not want to shell out £30 for a bear + a present for your dd.


Edit: Just looked at their website and it seems you pay for the bears and outfits that the children take home as part of the party price! Seems like a lot of money considering that the party is only on the normal shop floor - not even a special room or anything. Would it not be better to have a pizza party and then just take your dd to Build a bear on her own?

peachyprice

I have to say, we've looked at Build a Bear for our DD, but it works out so expensive, especially as that's all you do, there's no actual partying involved and you can't even take a cake into the shop.

In the end we went with the Pizza Express pizza making party, which was a huge success.

RLH33

My son recently went to a build a bear party and really really enjoyed it. It must have been quite expensive considering that only 6 children went but equally it was probably the same price as a party for 25 children but a lot less hassle!! He came away with a lovely souvenir which he will have a lot longer than a party bag full of plastic tat. They then had lunch at Pizza Hut afterwards.

Do you have the invitation books where you live? If so there is a voucher for £8 off a party at the build a bear workshop and also 25% off pizza hut as well. I think they may even have vouchers for pizza express.

In fact I have just checked and I have an £8 off voucher here that I could post to you if you pm me your address. You have to book it before 31 July 2010 but the party can be anytime, and it has to be for 6 or more kids.

gingin_2

DD went to one last week and LOVED it. The staff were lovely and all girls went home with a huge box with a lovely large teddy that they had decorated with bows and some other goodies and I think they played a few games. Although it was listed for an hour I think it was about an hour and a half in total. The staff made a special fuss of the birthday girl, it was definitely the most original party I have been to. I would go when the store is quiet as they have to share the floor with general shoppers.

It was very generous of the parents and I think they took the standard package which was £9 per child and i thought what they received was amazing value for money, although dd is desperate to go back and buy clothes for the bear (good school report permitting) - which I guess is part of the ploy to get you to come back.

We didn't miss the no food aspect of it. It was after school so the timings worked out really well. I wouldn't hesitate to book one for my daughter.

mishkanorman

ive heard nothing but good things about them, my boys already have bears their daddy bought them when they were born so they wouldnt be interested but a few of my friends kids have had them and really enjoyed themselves.

Milsey-Girl

My DD1 had a build a bear party for her 7th Birthday and she and all the children loved it:D In fact, 3 of the guests then went on to have build a bear parties of their own. As has been pointed out, although it isn't cheap, because only a small group of friends come along rather than, say, the whole class, in my my DD's case it actually worked out cheaper. We chose a Sunday morning when the store was very quiet followed by a Happy Meal at the local McDonalds. The Birthday child gets an extra special bear that all the other children can write Birthday greetings on too which was nice. The staff at my DD's party played games with the children like searching for various items in the store, etc and sang songs with them and really made it special.

Now DD2 wants a build a bear party for her 7th;)

flea72

it all depends on what you want to pay. DD has been to one, and having stayed to watch the proceedings, the best advice i can offer is to only take quiet children, who are easy to handle. trying to contain the excitement of being let loose in a shop, is difficult for most children. the staff dont do anything extra with the kids, than if you were a normal customer. The parent of the party child gets pestered by the kids to buy me this, buy me that, espec if the bday girl/boy has been given a bigger budget than their friends. then if parents have to collect their kids from the store, they also get pestered into buying more stuff, which again causes ructions between the kids, if you wont let you kid have anything else, so they leave the party in a foul mood

you may find it easier to just do it off your own back, as BAB have a minimum amount of kids who can attend a party. theres nothing to stop you taking a few children to the shop and buying them stuff, then onto somewhere else for food - the experience would be no different

F

Ex-Spendaholic

My DD went to a 7th birthday party last year and absolutely loved it. I believe the hosts took the basic package (as they aren't the richest people in the world) but the bear they got was pretty amazing. I expected some tiny ridiculous thing but it wasn't.

When my DD got the invitation it stated on it "if you want to buy clothes/accessories for your bear please bring some money". I thought that was fine and it saved any issues of kids pestering the birthday child's parents.

The parents said it was the most hassle free party they had ever had for their child and would definitely do it again. They said it was so much better having 6 kids there rather than 20. Afterwards they went to McDonalds for a happy meal.

I would say go for it.

chris_n_tj

This sounds like fun so I think maybe I shall have my party there this year. Why should the kids have all the fun.
I kid you not.
Chris n TJ x