Card-only and online-only ticket booking for zoos

[Eric]

What with the increase of stores going the CARD PAYMENT ONLY way,i fear some wildlife collections may follow that. Card transactions are not always quicker than cash as some people think (or daftly think it protects from spreading recent virus' any less than cash). My main bugbear about this,is that those less fortunate than us,struggling financially,unable somehow to have more than a basic bank account,or are elderly and used to,or prefer to use cash,..then,..maybe prevented from going to wildlife collections.

 

[MRJ]

What with the increase of stores going the CARD PAYMENT ONLY way,i fear some wildlife collections may follow that. Card transactions are not always quicker than cash as some people think (or daftly think it protects from spreading recent virus' any less than cash). My main bugbear about this,is that those less fortunate than us,struggling financially,unable somehow to have more than a basic bank account,or are elderly and used to,or prefer to use cash,..then,..maybe prevented from going to wildlife collections.

Not sure that will happen, although there is the possibility cash will disappear at some point. ATM's are already looking shaky, here in Australia the cash transfer companies are already saying it is uneconomical to service them because of lack of use.

More likely is that attractions will go totally online for ticket sales. That is already happening, in that the new Singapore Bird's Paradise requires pre-purchase online, and there is no facility for buying tickets on arrival. The issues you raised would be compounded by this.

 

[TinoPup]

Not sure that will happen, although there is the possibility cash will disappear at some point. ATM's are already looking shaky, here in Australia the cash transfer companies are already saying it is uneconomical to service them because of lack of use.

More likely is that attractions will go totally online for ticket sales. That is already happening, in that the new Singapore Bird's Paradise requires pre-purchase online, and there is no facility for buying tickets on arrival. The issues you raised would be compounded by this.

I really hope you're wrong on the tickets; that would be awful from a disability standpoint. It's not great for tourists, either. In the USA it seems to mostly be some bigger aquariums that have stuck to requiring it. They also tend to be the places that don't do AZA reciprocity, so that isn't an issue for them.

I've seen quite a few cash-less zoos at this point. If you have a basic bank account, you can get a debit card. Or, you can use cash to buy those visa gift cards they sell everywhere, which work the same way.

 

[Cat-Man]

What with the increase of stores going the CARD PAYMENT ONLY way,i fear some wildlife collections may follow that. Card transactions are not always quicker than cash as some people think (or daftly think it protects from spreading recent virus' any less than cash). My main bugbear about this,is that those less fortunate than us,struggling financially,unable somehow to have more than a basic bank account,or are elderly and used to,or prefer to use cash,..then,..maybe prevented from going to wildlife collections.

Zoos will ultimately be motivated by the profit motive. If it’s uneconomical for them not to take cash they’ll be reluctant to go cashless and those which do will soon switch back. No need to be hysterical about it.

Not sure that will happen, although there is the possibility cash will disappear at some point. ATM's are already looking shaky, here in Australia the cash transfer companies are already saying it is uneconomical to service them because of lack of use.

More likely is that attractions will go totally online for ticket sales. That is already happening, in that the new Singapore Bird's Paradise requires pre-purchase online, and there is no facility for buying tickets on arrival. The issues you raised would be compounded by this.

The simple solution is to cut out the middle man and facilitate a system that allows direct transfer between all bank accounts, like exists in the United Kingdom.

I really hope you're wrong on the tickets; that would be awful from a disability standpoint. It's not great for tourists, either. In the USA it seems to mostly be some bigger aquariums that have stuck to requiring it. They also tend to be the places that don't do AZA reciprocity, so that isn't an issue for them.

I've seen quite a few cash-less zoos at this point. If you have a basic bank account, you can get a debit card. Or, you can use cash to buy those visa gift cards they sell everywhere, which work the same way.

I don’t want to get into America-bashing because there are many great things about it (which people outside the US often forget) but when it comes to online and cashless banking America is in the Stone Age. Although I still carry cash and hope it isn’t abolished full stop, the rest of the developed world is largely a cashless society and the sky hasn’t fallen in yet!

 

[Chlidonias]

That is already happening, in that the new Singapore Bird's Paradise requires pre-purchase online, and there is no facility for buying tickets on arrival.

Seriously? That sucks. I'm honestly more likely to just not go somewhere that doesn't sell tickets at the gate.

I wonder what they do with the people like me who would just turn up expecting to pay at the gate - loads of tourists must do that?

 

[Dr. Wolverine]

Seriously? That sucks. I'm honestly more likely to just not go somewhere that doesn't sell tickets at the gate.

I wonder what they do with the people like me who would just turn up expecting to pay at the gate - loads of tourists must do that?

Not to mention Mandai Zoos are expensive to enter. However, most of the money is going to preserving the Nature reserve, and they are a top-class institute, so I can live with it.

 

[ThylacineAlive]

I wonder what they do with the people like me who would just turn up expecting to pay at the gate - loads of tourists must do that?

Not only that, but when I'm visiting another country, I'm not going to be paying by card. I have a travel credit card which eliminates the worry of foreign transaction fees when using specific ATMs in specific countries, but by and large I prefer to just bring cash in the currency of the country I'm in and pay with that cash. I didn't use my cards once in Kenya or in the Dominican Republic other than to get more cash.

How can those traveling from overseas who do not have a bank account connecting to that nation's currency be expected to pay with a card?

~Thylo

 

[Great Argus]

Seriously? That sucks. I'm honestly more likely to just not go somewhere that doesn't sell tickets at the gate.

I wonder what they do with the people like me who would just turn up expecting to pay at the gate - loads of tourists must do that?

A lot of zoos here are moving more to online ticket sales, often with cheaper prices the further ahead you buy. Which for people who decide they want to go visit the zoo day of, is a bit rude. Personally I'd be surprised if the majority of average zoo visitors are planning far enough ahead to think about purchasing online tickets to their local zoos especially.

 

[ThylacineAlive]

A lot of zoos here are moving more to online ticket sales, often with cheaper prices the further ahead you buy. Which for people who decide they want to go visit the zoo day of, is a bit rude. Personally I'd be surprised if the majority of average zoo visitors are planning far enough ahead to think about purchasing online tickets to their local zoos especially.

You can still by the day of, you just need to buy the day of online... for a time-specific entry time...

~Thylo

 

[Chlidonias]

I just looked at the Bird Paradise website and tickets not only need to be booked online, but you need to select a specific time slot for entry.

 

[ThylacineAlive]

I just looked at the Bird Paradise website and tickets not only need to be booked online, but you need to select a specific time slot for entry.

Timed entry slots became really popular during the COVID-19 pandemic when zoos first started reopening, but many of them seem to have retained them. They're really a bane on trip planning.

~Thylo

 

[MRJ]

Seriously? That sucks. I'm honestly more likely to just not go somewhere that doesn't sell tickets at the gate.

I wonder what they do with the people like me who would just turn up expecting to pay at the gate - loads of tourists must do that?

Plus you have to pick a time slot - one hour blocks. If you arrive without tickets I guess you could buy on your phone and hope there are tickets still available for that time slot. (I looked for today and 10-11 am was sold out but the other slots were ok). And being a tourist you will be paying 20% more than locals.

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

A lot of zoos here are moving more to online ticket sales, often with cheaper prices the further ahead you buy. Which for people who decide they want to go visit the zoo day of, is a bit rude. Personally I'd be surprised if the majority of average zoo visitors are planning far enough ahead to think about purchasing online tickets to their local zoos especially.

Literally all that zoos selling online tickets only that must be purchased in advance does for me is that it reminds me of the dreaded COVID-19 times. I also want to bring back all zoos having an option to purchase tickets upon arrival.

 

[Chlidonias]

Plus you have to pick a time slot - one hour blocks. If you arrive without tickets I guess you could buy on your phone and hope there are tickets still available for that time slot. (I looked for today and 10-11 am was sold out but the other slots were ok). And being a tourist you will be paying 20% more than locals.

I mean, I don't have a phone when I travel...

 

[TinoPup]

Plus you have to pick a time slot - one hour blocks. If you arrive without tickets I guess you could buy on your phone and hope there are tickets still available for that time slot. (I looked for today and 10-11 am was sold out but the other slots were ok). And being a tourist you will be paying 20% more than locals.

I've bought on my phone at the gate before, and seen others do it, but they were slow days (and usually raining, too) and it's such a pain to then have to put in my name, address, etc just to get the ticket.

On my OH trip in November, I had planned on going to Newport Aquarium, which requires advanced time slot tickets. Their website has 5 color designations for dates - green being available, then low capacity, almost full, full, and unavailable. When I looked several days before the day I was likely going to go, it was green. I was going after an event that I wasn't sure would end on time, and might want to get lunch, so held off on getting a ticket. I looked again the day before and went to the next step in the process, picking my time. It still showed green, but the only available times were in the last hour and a half of the day, everything else was sold out! I was so disappointed.

 

[Chlidonias]

Now I'm wondering how I would even visit Bird Paradise anyway, given that I don't travel with a phone? I realise that this isn't something that is a concern for non-Luddites, but I am curious for my own sake.

 

[WalkingAgnatha]

Now I'm wondering how I would even visit Bird Paradise anyway, given that I don't travel with a phone? I realise that this isn't something that is a concern for non-Luddites, but I am curious for my own sake.

Maybe you'd have to book it on some other device and print it out (as I'd assume you get a QR code), then show it to the people at the gate?

 

[MRJ]

I mean, I don't have a phone when I travel...

Now I'm wondering how I would even visit Bird Paradise anyway, given that I don't travel with a phone? I realise that this isn't something that is a concern for non-Luddites, but I am curious for my own sake.

You can still buy it on your PC but would have to print out the QR code. Or maybe take the PC with you and manipulate the screen so the QR code is under the reader. All sort of fun things. Also WiFi is everywhere (although you don't have an excuse for not prebuying given this thread.)

 

[Chlidonias]

That is already happening, in that the new Singapore Bird's Paradise requires pre-purchase online, and there is no facility for buying tickets on arrival.

I've just been looking at the Mandai website. It's not just Bird Paradise - all the Mandai collections are now online-tickets only, with timed slots, and the tickets are non-refundable. Purchases which must be made on-site (presumably gift shop items and food) have a $3 "administration fee" per transaction.

 

[Moorhunhe]

I don't like the online thing. For some places the difference between at the gate and online will be big enough as there are 2 of us.
We can't always buy online as we only have a motorbike to get places.
The weather can't even be predicted for an hour later mostly, so let alone a few days in the future.
I can't go on that thing when it's rainy, very windy etc... And we've been caught out before where we booked online because you have to, or due to a bigger price difference and to not loose that money I have to brave the weather (boyfriend doesn't care as much really).