The madness continues...next week I will visit all the WCS facilities. Now I have to book in advance for each one with all the work and hassle that entails. Whatever happened to turn up at the door and paying to get in? I was even going to buy a high-level fancy membership by way of showing my support for a more-than-worthy organisation, but you even have to obtain an online ticket for free entry! Forget it. A successful businessman once told me "never make it difficult for people to give you money"..that is EXACTLY what WCS is doing - and of course,in the next breath they will be bleating about being short of funds.We had all this in the pandemic but in Europe I do not know of any zoo or aquarium that kept the policy going...its a creeping disease in the U.S. because WCS are not on their own with this stupid policy.
Bronx Zoo Pre-booking tickets at WCS facilities
- Thread starter Tim Brown
- Start date
This policy was adopted during the pandemic and unfortunately has been held on to by many US zoos. It's only in the past year or two that they stopped making you reserve strictly timed entry tickets.
~Thylo
Well, I wish you all the best in visiting the WCS parks.
I was told that their main reason was crowd control. They don't wanna have the zoo so packed that it's dangerous
Mary
Well-Known Member
You can absolutely buy tickets there. They just make it sound like you can’t.
Don Majeski
Well-Known Member
I haven't made it out to New York yet, but I've visited a lot of zoos with notices like this on their website and still paid at the door. I think a lot of them have left the notices up from Covid-19 era but aren't still enforcing the policies very vigorously. The Shedd Aquarium does enforce their rules on that but otherwise I've not really seen it.
Don Majeski
Well-Known Member
Of course it’s an idiotic policy .No less idiotic then a member’s having to present a photo ID to prove who you are before being allowed to enter .
If it’s that important for them to know your identity then just require a photo for all membership cards .
In theory , a member is entitled to unlimited entry into all five facilities . Thus you could go to each zoo and aquarium 365 times per year if you wished .
U.S. there that big a market for bootleg membership cards ? Or purloined ones?
Are $250 per annum members trying to make a few bucks in the side ?
If you want photo id just make membership cards require a photo - like driver’s licenses .
As to the “reservation “ I have never made I e and always gotten .
Just show up with cash and tell them you want a ticket - believe me- they’ll let right in.
No ID required just pictures of Washington, Lincoln, Hamilton, Jackson , Grant or Franklin on your “green” pass.
If it’s that important for them to know your identity then just require a photo for all membership cards .
In theory , a member is entitled to unlimited entry into all five facilities . Thus you could go to each zoo and aquarium 365 times per year if you wished .
U.S. there that big a market for bootleg membership cards ? Or purloined ones?
Are $250 per annum members trying to make a few bucks in the side ?
If you want photo id just make membership cards require a photo - like driver’s licenses .
As to the “reservation “ I have never made I e and always gotten .
Just show up with cash and tell them you want a ticket - believe me- they’ll let right in.
No ID required just pictures of Washington, Lincoln, Hamilton, Jackson , Grant or Franklin on your “green” pass.
Why is it idiotic to check ID? They want to make sure you're the card holder, that's a very normal and commonplace thing to do. It was very annoying when I was a teen and not yet old enough to be named on the card because it meant I couldn't just take my dad's membership and go, but of course not. If you didn't pay for a membership, you should be getting in using a membership unless you're a guest of a member.
While as everyone has said you can buy tickets at the gate, keep in mind this zoo does sell out somewhat regularly in online reservations at which point you may find yourself unable to get in.
~Thylo
Don Majeski
Well-Known Member
Fine. Then just require a photo on the membership cards. This way one does not have walk around with one’s passport in order to the zoo
I assume the kinds of persons paying hundreds for membership can be trusted not to rent out their rights to someone else so they may have a day at the zoo.
This was never required years ago.
Never.
But this can be solved by requiring a photo on the membership card.
Funny , I do not recall having to produce a photo idea when last voting for President - of the USA.
As a member it makes one feel guilty until proven guiltier
You would be really surprised how many people try to take advantage of these rules. My folks often tried to suggest I borrow cards from them to get into various places for lower costs without any thought as to anyone running the name and confirming that I wasn't the same individual. I once told them several times it wouldn't work at Costco - got carded and had to sit outside for a while there lol but it does depend on the zoo - there's some where I've flashed a membership card and nobody seemed to check very closely!
This depends on the state and varies state by state and that's probably the most I should say about that.
The vast majority of people carry their ID with them when they go out
and it's literally just at the gate, it's not like you need to show your ID every time you use the card for something once inside the zoo. I don't know when they started requiring IDs but it's certainly been the status quo for well over a decade now. I have never even remotely felt guilty by having to show my ID. Why would that make you feel guilty about something?I have never not had to show ID when voting in an election but I suppose that's a state thing...
~Thylo
Don Majeski
Well-Known Member
Then simply require a photo to be on the membership card.The vast majority of people carry their ID with them when they go out
I have never not had to show ID when voting in an election but I suppose that's a state thing...
~Thylo
What do they do with family members or guests - which certain memberships entitle you to?
What is the theft rate for membership cards ?
If you're getting a family membership, then simply add the name of the two parents to the card and then it says the number of children/guests the membership allows in. When I was 18 but my father still paid for the membership as a gift every year, we listed both his name and my name on the card. Or you can have just one person's name and then however many additional guest spots you want to pay for added. I've never seen a family struggle to get in using their membership. I've never seen anyone struggle to get in using their membership with a photo ID as well.
The zoo is doing away with physical membership cards anyhow (unless by request). Maybe the digital cards will feature a photo on them, maybe not. I've never heard anyone have an issue either way before now.
~Thylo
Don Majeski
Well-Known Member
To me this is , basically, questioning the honor and honesty of the member .
When someone is willing to spend ( contribute) hundreds of dollars for memberships I do not see why they must privately are .
If a card is stolen or lost -as has happened to me on a number of ocassions- you simply cancel the card and a new one is issued.
The bar code on the lost or stolen card is then cancelled thus denying admission to anyone trying to use use it. Problem solved.
When was a 11 or 12 and had a , then , membership in “New York Zoological
Society” , I duly presented my cardboard card to an attendant and was admitted .
No ID required . What ID would an 11 or 12 year old have had in any event ?
A passport ?, driver’s license ?
DNA swab?
I trying to prevent a member - obviously emotionally and financially invested in the welfare of the zoos- surreptitiously passing off their membership cards for some illicit entry by an unauthorized friend or relative ? Or selling it to make a profit in their hundreds of dollar investment which they, obviously , could not afford ?
People who are commited enough or zealous enough to purchase memberships should trusted enough not to have to prove to their charity of choice who they are
It seems to have stuck on to many european zoos as well after the pandemic. I do see a pattern were the zoos seem to plan the staffing, opening of additional food-kiosks etc. after the pressure on the pre-booked tickets. Although as some mentioned, it always seems to be possible to but tickets at the entry… if you know where to look.