San Diego Zoo Safari Park New Experience, No Animals Required
- Thread starter Zooplantman
- Start date
For those of you who have been following my 40+ zoo/aquarium summer road trip, you will know that I have mentioned Adventure Courses/Zip Lines on a couple of occasions. Yesterday at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (that is a long name!) I saw many visitors sign up and fork over $40 each to tackle the obstacle course that can take up to 2 hours to complete. At Brevard Zoo today I also saw large groups of people paying $48 each for the 3-hour course that comes with a zip line experience directly over a crocodile swamp. I suspect that perhaps a dozen zoos across America have these type of attractions and my general impression is that they rake in the dollars as there is little maintenance and they are expensive for visitors.
I'm sure some will criticise SD for developing a non-zoological attraction, but I think it's quite understandable. They already have virtually every zoo animal that the standard zoo visitor would be interested in seeing (San Diego residents could be forgiven for thinking they need never visit a wildlife attraction outside their home metro area). They have to do *something* to drive repeat visitation and a new animal exhibit isn't really an option for them.
Just when I think they cannot possibly add another ridiculous, non animal related attraction, they come up with this absurdity 
I just feel very strongly that both the zoo and the park are going in the wrong direction (the zoo more so) and the board of directors needs to fire the senior management and put someone in place who will get them back on track. Of course this will never happen and they will continue to go downhill in my opinion. Although the safari park may still make my top ten in the US (but maybe not), the zoo is definitely out of my top ten and probably not even top twenty.
I just feel very strongly that both the zoo and the park are going in the wrong direction (the zoo more so) and the board of directors needs to fire the senior management and put someone in place who will get them back on track. Of course this will never happen and they will continue to go downhill in my opinion. Although the safari park may still make my top ten in the US (but maybe not), the zoo is definitely out of my top ten and probably not even top twenty.
I don't mind this "safari" so much. It couldn't have cost much money to build and it doesn't take up any room that could be used for animal exhibits. I would much prefer that kids (and adults) be active than to sit in a 4D movie theater. If someone wants to pay the extra $45.00, have fun.