ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade, THE RIP OFF.

[mazfc]

Slightly off topic, but about photos.

I wad all up for a scowling session yesterday at Chester as they forced me to queue and have my picture taken. However I was not hassled one bit queue hopped and sailed in without being hassled at all - was very pleased by this.

I will admit fir fairness sake that my friend had pre paid for me to get in

 

[volvox]

Okay, parking at London Zoo: the last time I went with visitors in a car we did pay admission and parking at the entrance to the car park. I imagine that is still the case. Many (most?) people in any case arrive by tube/bus/feet/bike. London does charge £50 for non-zoo visitors to park (I don't think anyone would take up that offer!). Admission charges: where ZSL differs from many zoos is that it runs a huge international conservation and research programme which is funded entirely by admission charges and charity donations. Class: in my experience the mix of class visiting London is as broad as ever. It is tragic that the free schools visits are being stopped but that's not ZSL's fault, and staff generally are very sad about it. Schools will still be able to arrange cheap group visits but it will cost around £7 per child, I believe, which will prevent the most needy schools taking advantage of group visits. Perhaps this will change again if the financial climate improves (if ever!).

 

[sooty mangabey]

where ZSL differs from many zoos is that it runs a huge international conservation and research programme which is funded entirely by admission charges and charity donations.

While ZSL does a lot in this area, the same is true of, for example, Chester and Bristol. I'm not sure it's a reason to justify the cost of the place. As has been stated above, things just are more expensive in London; it's rather naive to imagine that this will be any different. To reiterate an earlier comment, i don't mind paying more to get in to the zoo - London or Whipsnade - but I really do object to being hassled for further cash at every turn, whether that be for unavoidable car parks, dodgy photos, or whatever else.

It is tragic that the free schools visits are being stopped but that's not ZSL's fault, and staff generally are very sad about it.

This may not be a very popular thing to say, nor a very PC comment either, but I am delighted that the free school visits are being stopped. Too many visits to London Zoo have been spoiled by having the place over-run with packs of children whose only interest is in making noise, causing mayhem and having 'fun', rather than anything more rarefied. And if it has made a visit less enjoyable, what impact has it had on the animals that live in the zoo? I know education is a cornerstone of what zoos do, but I'm not sure that education to school groups is what it should all be about - or at least, if it is to school groups, it should be to groups that have paid for what they are getting , and are therefore more likely to be focused by their teachers, and to appreciate what they are seeing.

 

[Pootle]

I'm with Sooty about the banning of school groups, these days school groups are probably worse behaved than a troop of baboons and many children are now feral..... Back to costs, good on 'Johnny Morris' for standing up and telling them what he thought and writing it down here. Unless 'we' let 'them' know our views they will do what they want and extract every penny from every orifice all of the time. As for someone sticking a camera in your face for a photo, well if they did that to me and without darn good reason, they would probably be on a visit to A&E to have it removed from themselves that same day, that is far too much into my personal space.
You don’t go to the zoo to have your picture taken by Johnny Stranger, or to pay a car park fee in addition to an entrance fee (London Zoo exemption to this parking fee for obvious reasons).
Maybe banning people taking their own food into a zoo is not such a bad idea as it may stop animal feeding by the public to some degree.....However who is going to search that 6 foot 8 inch guy over there to see if he is smuggling in a banana in his trousers .

 

[volvox]

Hmmmm, I wonder if the people who complain about prices are the same ones who will also moan that bits of the zoos look dowdy and need refurbishment? As for letting "them" know, it's no good posting on here, "they" won't read it, you need to complain to "them" direct!

 

[Pootle]

you need to complain to "them" direct!

Well the original poster complained to them direct on the day of his visit by refusing to put anymore of his hard earned their way by refusing the donation, refusing to buy any food or gifts from their shops and by refusing to buy the guide book, so his actions spoke louder than words clearly.

And I totally agree with you too Volvox, unless we complain direct no one will hear and nothing will be actioned, but that is a general rule in life we are all familar with I am sure.

 

[Shirokuma]

Hmmmm, I wonder if the people who complain about prices are the same ones who will also moan that bits of the zoos look dowdy and need refurbishment?

Good point! I get the irrritation with intrusive photo taking attempts etc but I think it is reasonable to charge for parking and this is ZSL, not some proffit-making theme park.

 

[OrangePerson]

Maybe banning people taking their own food into a zoo is not such a bad idea as it may stop animal feeding by the public to some degree.....

And they wouldn't drop their sandwich bags where an animal might eat it Someone's sandwich bag blew in with the elephants at Chester on Saturday and one of them ate it.

 

[Johnny Morris.]

.

We are members and pay the half price charge to take our car in or occasionally make use of the free parking offered with membership.
We are off there shortly for a couple of days (not left yet due to grand prix tut) so will be off to look at Tring museum today and will have a full day there tomorrow (thanks to premier Inn £19 room offer )

Payed my first visit to Tring today. Fantastic place

 

[Parrotsandrew]

And they wouldn't drop their sandwich bags where an animal might eat it Someone's sandwich bag blew in with the elephants at Chester on Saturday and one of them ate it.

I use zoo catering only when on holiday - for days out I take my own food and I should be annoyed in the extreme were I not allowed to do so. I am also one of the few people around who thinks public feeding should be allowed, primarily because the public enjoys it. Obviously it should be sensible feeding. I don't feed my picnic to anything though as a) it is not allowed and b) I am too greedy to share it with anything else (I say anything as I am usually alone on zoo visits, barring maybe once a year when I go with someone else - actually I'm usually alone at all times being so unsociable!).

I must be lucky as at no zoo have I even seen anyone trying to photograph visitors, but then I do try to arrive everywhere as near to opening time as possible before the queues have really developed.

Car parking is not an issue either as I do not drive (I did learn a few years ago, but did not take it up and sent my licence back to Swansea after less than a year - I did that so people would think I was barmy!). I go everywhere by public transport, accompanied by my folding bicycle for days out from home if the ride is not too far from the railway station (Lotherton, Yorkshire WP, Wetlands, Filey Bird Garden). I manage to get to most places I want to easily enough, although on holiday I do splash out on a taxi from Barnstaple to Exmoor Zoo as there is not a convenient bus there - there is on the way back. I should have thought a zoo visit would not be much of an adventure just driving there and back, mind you I suppose it would allow me to have a day visit from Bridlington to the Parrot Zoo. On the other hand with an £8,600 p.a. job I couldn't afford a car anyway!

 

[adrian1963]

Here we are moaning about a bloke taking unwanted photographs of us at the gate.
What about the animals inside the zoo, surely they get brassed off with having camera's shoved in thier faces 364 days of the year especially the ones with flashes you cannot turn off, just a thought

 

[OrangePerson]

Are there flashes you can't turn off or just people too stupid to know how their camera works?

 

[Johnny Morris.]

Here we are moaning about a bloke taking unwanted photographs of us at the gate.
What about the animals inside the zoo, surely they get brassed off with having camera's shoved in thier faces 364 days of the year especially the ones with flashes you cannot turn off, just a thought

These animals can't be that bothered about their privacy. They fornicate and do their toilet buisness, infront of all and sundry, the filthy beasts.

 

[Red Panda]

I think we had to pay for car parking in Bristol Zoo a few years ago. I think £4 really isnt too much, you could have chosen to take your car in through Whipsnde for £14! Im sure that would have pained you even more

 

[Maguari]

I think we had to pay for car parking in Bristol Zoo a few years ago. I think £4 really isnt too much, you could have chosen to take your car in through Whipsnde for £14! Im sure that would have pained you even more

If you can justify the costs to take the car in, I'd recommend it - the drive through Asian paddock is better than almost any safari park reserve in the country (although it's not as well-stocked these days as it has been in the past). You can see it from the train, but not so well.

 

[Standpitpony]

Good thing anne(the elephant) dint go therebecause ud probably have to pay MORE

 

[Maguari]

Good thing anne(the elephant) dint go therebecause ud probably have to pay MORE

A day ticket for Longleat for an adult is £26.

An adult ticket for Whipsnade at peak time is £19.50. Even with £4 parking Whipsnade is cheaper.


I really don't get the Whipsnade hate (much as I would also prefer not to pay for parking!).

 

[Arizona Docent]

On the subject of zoo rip-offs, Valencia biopark doesn't allow you to take food in so you have to pay for their over-priced food and drink. I wonder if this will catch on at other zoos?

The vast majority of US Zoos (and theme parks and museums) do not allow people to take in their own food (except snacks for very young children). It has been that way for as long as I can remember. I personally enjoy having lunch at the zoo as part of the experience and my biggest complaint is when a zoo does NOT have a good cafeteria. In fact that is one thing I like about the European zoos I visited - excellent food offerings.

About the comments of staff people offering to take your picture - there are several US zoos that do this, although they are still a minority of the total. However, I have NEVER seen the photographers being pushy at all nor have I seen them make people get in line for it. Here in the US, they are always just inside the entrance after you have paid and gone in and if you don't want it you just say no thanks. The last two years I have visited three major UK zoos - London, Chester, Port Lympne and I was certainly never harassed or forced to get in a photo line. Is this something new or are people on this thread just overreacting?

 

[Maguari]

The last two years I have visited three major UK zoos - London, Chester, Port Lympne and I was certainly never harassed or forced to get in a photo line. Is this something new or are people on this thread just overreacting?

To quote Grampa Simpson, I think it's 'a little from column A and a little from column B'.

I haven't been to a ZSL zoo since they started this but it's fairly recent; Chester will be starting it up soon, apparently. It is a new development.

 

[Pertinax]

A day ticket for Longleat for an adult is £26.

An adult ticket for Whipsnade at peak time is £19.50. Even with £4 parking Whipsnade is cheaper.


I really don't get the Whipsnade hate (much as I would also prefer not to pay for parking!).

Nor do I- it is an expensive day out and food there is certainly overpriced, but collectionwise its worth every penny I feel. I would choose it over Longleat(or any of the Safari Parks) anytime.