The many perils of family cinema trips!

A few weeks ago we all went to see Finding Dory.  We love our family cinema jaunts and excitement for Finding Dory had reached considerably high levels in the weeks leading up to release. Off we popped, on opening weekend, to have a lovely  afternoon out and that's where it all started!

First thing to note is that we live 5 minutes away from our local multiplex. Arriving on time is never really an issue. However this was the opening weekend, fair to say it was pretty busy, in fact it would be fair to say it was bedlam! 

On this day it appeared that all families attending our screening had arrived 5 mins beforehand. They all must live 5 minutes away and all arrived under our same misguided idea that we were the only ones going! This meant one thing....the dreaded queue.

Kids wanting snacks is no surprise but every child wanted snacks and supplies!

Guess who ended up in the queue?

All four of us right?

We're all in this together family day out right?

Nope!

Just me, abandoned with all the other short straw caring parents. Burdened with the task of carrying everyone's snack of choice single handedly without any notable content loss. All other family members merrily trotted off into the screen, kids readily armed with the essential booster seat accessory and a building sense of excitment.

No problem I thought I will miss the trailers no big deal. Then it dawned on me. This queue was not moving!! I knew I'd been a while. There were a lot of people, a lot of hungry kids wanting their sugar high for the afternoon of Pixar goodness.

I did miss the trailers.

I missed the short at the start. That lovely little bird Piper.  

I actually also missed the first five minutes of Finding Dory itself.

That's ok I thought.

Missing a short is no big deal right?

Settle yourself and enjoy the movie I thought.

Nope!

20 mins in and the whisper came 'Daddy....I need the toilet!".

Here's the problem with snacks and very cold drinks. Without getting into the detail we all know the effect an ice laden beverage can have on the bladder of an adult, never mind the bladder of a child. You need to go, nip to the loo and impulse buy more snacks on the way back in! It's the sneakiest trap in the cinema business!

More of the film missed.

That's ok I thought. 

Settle yourself and enjoy the movie I thought.

Nope!

'Can you get me a drink I'm thirsty?'

Another queue.

Twenty minutes later another inevitable loo run.

I came away not knowing if I enjoyed Finding Dory or not. I didn't see the whole thing so how can I properly assess the film.

On the way out I felt a little hand squeeze mine. I looked down and saw the smile of my youngest who said, 'That was great. Can we go again?'

All my grumpiness melted away. Our family cinema trip was totally worth it!