Home Alone 2: Lost in New York meets a homeless woman tending to pigeons at Central Park, which frightens him. Kevin goes to the Plaza Hotel, where he uses Peter's credit card to check in. Meanwhile, the "Wet Bandits", Harry and Marv, have traveled to New York City after escaping during a prison riot and now call themselves the "Sticky Bandits". On Christmas Eve, Kevin visits a toy store where he meets its philanthropic owner, Mr. E.F. Duncan. Kevin learns that the proceeds from the store's Christmas sales will be donated to a children's hospital, and provides a donation. As a token of appreciation, Mr. Duncan offers
Home Alone the budget grew from $14 to $17 million. Columbus' work with "Home Alone" began several years earlier when Hughes helped him secure the directing job for "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation". That project ended poorly when a personality clash between Columbus and Chevy Chase led to Columbus leaving the movie. Hughes then gave him the script to "Home Alone", which he accepted. Hughes had originally asked Patrick Read Johnson to direct but declined due to his commitment on "Spaced Invaders". Johnson would go onto direct "Baby's Day Out", another film written and produced by Hughes. Hughes suggested to Columbus that they