Mystery Kiosk - 10/07/2015

Gentle Lemur and I tried to figure out what this was... A special recycling centre, a puppet theatre maybe?

It and another like it nearby, turn out to be the new Magic Memories kiosks. This one - which currently blocks out the view of the Indian rhinos - is likely to be moved somewhere out of the way.

And what exactly are Magic Memories kiosks?

Green screen photos that they mug you with at multiple points through out the zoo,when you least expect it!

zoogiraffe said:

Green screen photos that they mug you with at multiple points through out the zoo,when you least expect it!

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This negativity towards Chester Zoo is actually getting too much. I'm almost certain you have never been in charge of an establishment of this size. The zoo is trying to cater to a GENERAL public, to which we, the zoo-nerd, are a VERY small fraction of.

San Diego Zoo (and Safari Park) have also started this green screen photo nonsense in recent years and I find it really obnoxious.

I was listening to some visitors at Chester last week who were really excited about getting their green screen photo taken at the orang exhibit. So although it isn't our cup of tea as has been mentioned there are lots of people who love it!

The worst thing Chester ever did was allow charity scratch cards to be sold on site. The "chuggers" (charity-muggers) were totally in your face and pestered visitors throughout the zoo. There was a backlash on social media.

I'm sure it was for a good cause but this isn't the way to raise awareness and money when visitors have already paid and been asked to make a "gift aid" donation at the front gate.

There are (as of my last visits) two main places San Diego does it. One is the panda exhibit at the zoo and the other is the tram at the safari park. The reason I hate it is because everyone is forced to go through it to get to the exhibit. While you do you are pressured to have your picture taken. If it was out of the way and optional I would not mind, but forcing everyone to go into the green screen setup to get to a major exhibit is infinitely annoying.

Does Chester do it like San Diego or do they have it off to the side where you can easily bypass it if you are not interested?

They have a handful of photographers just beyond the main entrance asking for your pic as you enter the zoo. They are also at the Realm of the Red Ape and FruitBat Forest. I think that's it.... In my experience they are not too over bearing. And yes you can avoid it if you choose to.

I usually visit the zoo on my own so never get asked if I want my pic taken! They focus mainly on families and couples.

I use the radical tactic of saying "no thank you" smiling and just carrying on with my visit.
It's had an parculiar effect, the snappers now ask me how i am and wish me a good day now and we exchange pleasantries, no longer any mention of photos and neither of us get offended..

swampy1967 said:

I use the radical tactic of saying "no thank you" smiling and just carrying on with my visit.
It's had an parculiar effect, the snappers now ask me how i am and wish me a good day now and we exchange pleasantries, no longer any mention of photos and neither of us get offended..

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ditto - a couple of them are actually keen photographers and we usually have a chat on arrival or departure when our paths cross. The majority now recognise regulars and tend not to both asking us - it's not exactly hard to say no thanks and smile is it
The ones holding the exit door open at fruit bat forest however have been encouraged to stop after several fruit bats needed escorting back into the forest!