2-Day Zoos?

Javan Rhino

Javan Rhino

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
A comment on another thread has got me thinking, should visitors be able to see everything at a zoo in a single day visit? I would have thought no, if it takes more than one visit then so be it, it means that every visit can be different as you mix and match what you prioritise seeing, but that may just be a zoo-nerd perspective?

Of course, there is the issue of the general public. If somebody pays £16 or more entry fee then do they expect to be able to see everything at the zoo for that amount, or would they feel cheated if they had to pay another day's fee to see what they'd missed the first time.

I'm interested to hear what are other peoples views on this? Should zoos stay small enough to see everything in one visit, or should they be able to be bigger if they have the means to do so? Are there any examples, UK or beyond, that you can think of that do need 2 visits and do they offer anything to try and resolve the 2 visit issue?

Finally, if people do see needing 2 visits as a problem how would you personally resolve it? Would you do special 2 day tickets, or wpuld you increase opening hours to get in the extra time needed to see the last bits?
 
If you want a 2 day zoo try Zoo or Tierpark Berlin,none of the ones we have in the UK even come close to taking,the time it takes to see everything in those 2!
 
I am disappointed if I can't see everything, but I think that's just me. The more the merrier, though longer opening ours would be appreciated.
 
I always look on line if I am visiting a new zoo and usually they have a map where I plot my route based on start time and food/coffee stops :) This means I get to see everything I want to see and if there is any time left I can either revisit or go to parts that are not to my interest but may prove to be worth a visit. If its good I will return again anyway!

On a recent flying visit in the pouring rain (4 hrs) to Chester Zoo on the way to Carlisle en route to Scotland with my reluctant partner. We did managed a good circuit of the zoo highlights for us. Via Rhino, hunting dogs, bear, bat, cheetah, lion, tiger, (coffee break) orangs, Jaguar back over bridge past elephants, toilets, shop quick sandwich in car and off :D .
 
I fear that it's only us hardened zoo nerds that are worried about seeing everything - most people are quite happy to potter around until closing time and then head home (I've often had strange looks and eye-rolling from less enthusiastic friends when I've insisted on checking out every last footpath and quiet corner).

Very few commercially-minded zoos bother to have more animals than a regular visitor can easily see in a day - that's why we love the Pragues, Pilsens and Berlins of this world!
 
Interesting subject and one I've often considered. The really big zoos such as Tierpark and Chester (huge sites, big collections) should definitely offer 2 day tickets and the case could be made for other big collections such as Prague, Pizen, Berlin and London.
I have never managed to see even half of any these zoos in a single day.
The hilly zoos such as Belfast, Edinburgh, Sydney can be hard going too unless you are very fit. Most other zoos are manageable enough such as Bristol (small site, big collection) or Dublin (big site , small collection).
The only zoo that completely floored me though was Singapore as nothing short of an air conditioned full body suit would suffice to enable me to manage the sweltering oven like heat.
 
Walsrode is another one that for sure needs 2 days and then you still feel you did not manage to see everything. I had a similar experience with the Loro Parque and that wile I skipped most shows, but that was more due to my personal passion.
 
A lot of theme parks do a "come back tomorrow for £5" or other such offer, do any zoos do this?
 
stu_y said:
A lot of theme parks do a "come back tomorrow for £5" or other such offer, do any zoos do this?
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I'm sure a few years ago i saw something similar adverised at one zoo, Paignton i think, where if you made a return visit within a week you got in for a discount, possibly half price.
 
In the UK there is most definitely only one two day zoo in my opinion, that would be the mighty Chester! :) Nothing else comes close to it unless you decide to do Whipsnade by foot rather than taking a car in, even that is feasible though, it just depends on how long you want to spend looking at acres and acres of fields with animals in the distance! ;)
 
Brum said:
In the UK there is most definitely only one two day zoo in my opinion, that would be the mighty Chester! :) Nothing else comes close to it unless you decide to do Whipsnade by foot rather than taking a car in, even that is feasible though, it just depends on how long you want to spend looking at acres and acres of fields with animals in the distance! ;)
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I have to agree, Chester is the only one i've spent a full day at and not seen everything. London 30 years ago was a struggle to fit in, but these days there is always plenty of time spare to re-visit enclosures.
Whipsnade, maybe the old Port Lympne, Edinburgh, Colchester and Paignton are probably the only ones i can think of that get near filling a full day (in summer), without a second circuit.
 
Zoochatters, meaning people who are abnormal, love large zoos and two day requirement is great.

The other 99 percent of the population, meaning normal people, want a small zoo that can be seen in half a day.

On more than one occasion I have met people from Phoenix visiting my zoo in Tucson and say they like coming down here because it is a smaller zoo and you can see it all in a couple hours.

Le Parc Des Felins does offer a discounted two day ticket for two consecutive visits. Since I visited four days (well three and a half) in a row on my last trip, I bought two of these. I probably could have bought a membership for the same price, but living overseas that was not practical. San Diego offers a two park pass - one day at zoo and another at Safari Park. I am not sure if you could just use it for two days at one facility instead.
 
When i visit a zoo with a large collection i always try to go 2 days to get more photos.
A 2 day ticket would be great at places which are expensive like london zoo.
 
I agree with previous posters that normal people don't care if they don't see everything, they just want to see enough.

The problem for the mega-zoos must be that people don't want to pay eg twice as much to go in a zoo that's twice as big however wonderful their twice as many animals are when all they want is a happy 4 hrs max of zooing. I suppose they just have to attract twice as many people.

When Islands opens maybe Chester could look at a 2 day ticket, offering that kind of tickets puts out the message 'we are so amazing you'll be wanting to come back tomorrow'!
 
Until they introduced the 'one visit a year only' reciprocal arrangement with RZSS, we always used to do a two day visit to Chester - mainly because the kids were too small to see everything they wanted to in a single day, it enabled us to spend time looking at the animals and because we had friends nearby who were members.

Since they changed to the one day per year, we've only been once, in passing, no dedicated trip to visit.
 
Durrell do a "get back in for less" deal - I think it's something like two pounds if you return within the week, or something like that. Guess it's to give tourists to Jersey a chance to come back in if they want.
 
Paignton have a Welcome Returns scheme - while you're there, you can buy a ticket for another visit for £6.50, valid for 6 months.
 
Gigit said:
Paignton have a Welcome Returns scheme - while you're there, you can buy a ticket for another visit for £6.50, valid for 6 months.
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Thanks for confirming, i'm glad i hadn't imagined it, even if i got the detail slightly wrong.
 
Loro Parque offer a return ticket to be bought at the zoo (10 euros, I think) and used within 30(?) days.

As robmv has mentioned, I don't think many people are too fussed about not seeing everything. I've heard people complaining that a zoo didn't have a particular animal (e.g. elephants), when they just didn't really look for them or come across them as they wandered about the grounds.

I don't think Chester can be comfortably included in this list. Current opening hours mean that it is open for just six and a half hours each day. I was ushered out at closing time on Friday, so regardless of traffic, ticket queues, reciprocal membership issues or any other delays, the absolute maximum is 6.5 hours. Summer opening is 8 hours, so if the issue arises in summer then it might be worth including.

Topical aside: I squeezed Prague into one day today. Just. :)
 
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