Yes I know Cincinnati added these when they redid their front entrance and now Living Desert did it as part of their new entrance. I wonder if this is a new trend that will be commonplace at zoos in the future?
The Living Desert Zoo has self-ticketing machines so that visitors can purchase a ticket and then enter the zoo in approximately 30 seconds. Meanwhile, in Frankfurt people wait ages to enter the zoo. I've heard rumors that clean-shaven men have beards by the time they see the entrance gate.
Insanity at the Frankfurt Zoo: (which honestly is a very nice place once you are inside!)
While I can understand your anger about waiting in line (and believe me: there is almost nothing that bothers me more - maybe beside red lights and speed limits on freeways), I'm not really sure if self-ticketing machines would solve the problem on a crowdy day. Just think how many people acting desperately in front of those to get their tickets ("Where is this fu... bottom to confirm/continue")....
@Arizona Docent From what I've seen it's pretty common. Online tickets are usually discounted by a dollar or two as well, as a way of encouraging people to do it.
I agree. Considering how commonplace it is becoming (in USA at least) for people to use bar codes downloading to their smart phones for admission tickets to various places, I think this practice will only increase. I am not much of a smart phone user myself, though I would still be likely to buy online on my computer and print out a barcode ticket. The one time this is not practical is if the zoo gives a reciprocal membership discount (typically 50%) in which case I have to show my local membership card at the ticket booth. I wonder if the future will see an integrated system where reciprocal members can type in their local zoo membership number online when purchasing admission for another zoo? Maybe I will invent a system myself and sell it to AZA and retire as a millionaire!
