HopLop and Leo’s Leikkimaan play parks introduce admission fee for parents, sparking mixed reactions
HopLop, the children’s indoor play park, has changed its admission fee policy for parents, starting from June. This change is applicable to all HopLop and Leo’s Leikkimaan play parks within the same group in Finland and other countries. Previously, one adult could enter the play park with children for free, but the second adult was charged approximately four euros. Now, both parents will pay about three euros each. Everyone who is over 16 will be charged an entrance fee.
This change has surprised some parents and has sparked criticism in social media discussions. Some speculate the change may be due to an observed trend of teenagers playing in the indoor parks, which occasionally causes issues. However, the management of Leo’s Leikkimaan and HopLop deny this claim.
Visitor reactions to the change are mixed. Samuel Guillaume, a parent, said that it does not bother him as the increase is not significant, especially when considering the rising prices of other goods and services. Saana Laasanen, another visitor, noted that the change might affect the willingness of parents on parental leave to visit the park. She said she visits rarely, so the increase does not bother her, but it could have had an impact when her children were smaller and she was a stay-at-home mom.
The company has not commented on the change. Rather, Anders Forssten, Chief Business Development Officer at Leo’s Leikkimaan, responded to comments in an email from Sweden. He explained that, like most companies, the company works with differentiated prices that adjust according to demand and season. He also noted that they offer discounted tickets for frequent visitors, and two parents can enter for free with a child who has a seasonal or annual pass. The change applies to all parks and reflects a global standard where both children and adults pay an admission fee.