Learning Safari

I have to say, I REALLY wanted this place to work out. I live 5 minutes away, it is literally on the way home, and the price for a newborn was about $ 15-​$ 65 cheaper than any other place in the area.
Starting with the good, they are open to just about anything for your kids. Cloth diapers, no problem. Wanna visit during the day, come on in. They even teach baby sign language, which to me is just awesome! Security is also a great effort to me, as they have coded locks on the doors that only the parents and employees have access to. Also, I liked the idea of multiple entry points (translated to multiple exit points in case of emergency) and their philosophy of getting the kids outside even just for a few minutes weather permitting, including the newborns.
Where this place went wrong was in the lack of communication. My wife and I were all set to enroll our baby here back in February. We asked for an August spot as the baby was not yet born. We were informed there were two babies who could be moved into the toddler room about mid summer, and they had no babies on a wait list. One of the other parents with children already enrolled would be giving birth about the same time as my wife, but with two spots opening, it wouldn’t be an issue. They took our information, and REFUSED to take a deposit. I should have known then that things were going to go bad, but they really seemed to have it together and we never questioned it, although we did insist on making a deposit, to which they repeatedly refused with a smile.
Fast forward to just about 3 weeks ago, we are getting our ducks in a row and call the daycare to arrange for enrollment. At this point, the toddlers were not quite ready to be moved, but there was another parent falling behind in terms of payment, and they asked for a couple of days to figure out if they would be dropping that parent or moving the others a bit early. We obliged. After about 4 days, my wife called again. This time we were given the news that the owner had taken in two babies and our spot was no longer available. Apparently a woman with a baby and a 18 month old had come in last minute looking for daycare and the owner took them in without regard to the wait list, and effectively gave away both spots that would be available. The third spot, from the parent falling behind would be going to the other mother who already had children enrolled. What a croc!??
I was (and still am) furious over this. My initial reaction was to march up there and demand my child be taken in and the other parent put on the wait list. However, as I sat and considered the possibilities, it became clear to me that my disdain for the owner might result in a very bad experience for my child. Demanding they take him in after our verbal agreement would only result in bad blood, and I don’t want my child paying the price for my temper, no matter how inconvenient my other daycare options would be.
In all, if you are considering Learning Safari, be warned. Get a guarantee, insist on the deposit, and call regularly until you are enrolled to avoid the kind of crap we had to go through with just weeks to go before my wife had to return to work. Being a new parent is stressful enough without having to deal with inconsiderate owners!