UK Zoos- why is advance booking still essential?

[TriUK]

As a long-standing business person and employer I`ve always worked to the maxim of "never make it difficult for someone to give you money"....the pre-booking zoos are doing just that ( and of course are assuming that everyone has access to a smartphone or computer,and it might surprise some, but not everyone has such a thing). All spontaneity goes i.e."lets just call in at so and so should we"?...also the press ganging of being herded like sheep into doing just what Big Brother wants us to do i.e. conform to a system where everything we do is monitored and recorded. Quite simply i refuse to give in. Ill be interested to see what attitudes to" on the day" are like next year after a Winter of discontent and general hardship in the UK. This year ive visited around 50 zoos in Cyprus,Germany,Spain,France and the Czech Republic - and never been asked to pre-book once.

Here here! I totally agree - well said!

 

[littleRedPanda]

Edinburgh and HWP state "everyone apart from RZSS members must book their tickets online in advance"
I'm not sure whether or not this is enforced at either site.

A recent promo video for HWP does say you can pay at "point of entry" as well as in advance for a discount.
I think the title of the thread should now be "An insignificant number of
UK Zoos- why is advance booking still essential?"

 

[TriUK]

A recent promo video for HWP does say you can pay at "point of entry" as well as in advance for a discount.
I think the title of the thread should now be "An insignificant number of
UK Zoos- why is advance booking still essential?"

It’s significant if one of said zoos is in your postcode or is located near your holiday destination, but I understand your stance.

 

[Lafone]

Worth asking where anyone here has been turned away from a collection having turned up whatever the guidance. If no one has is this actually an issue? Most zoos offer pre booking which you can use or not if there’s no example of it being draconian then perhaps this is a moment in time ‘problem’ and that time has passed? Who are these zoos actually turning people away?

This is obviously about now (post restrictions) vs what everyone did at the time.

 

[littleRedPanda]

without going through the thread again, I can only think of Linton being named for insisting on pre-booking still and a quick look at their web site I see it only "guarantees entry." so if you turn up and it's not packed out, they will let you pay at the gate.

 

[Lafone]

without going through the thread again, I can only think of Linton being named for insisting on pre-booking still and a quick look at their web site I see it only "guarantees entry." so if you turn up and it's not packed out, they will let you pay at the gate.

True I haven’t seen it that busy. I have pre booked (as a member there) recently as it says to but I don’t think they’d not let people in as there’s no reason not to.

 

[Pertinax]

without going through the thread again, I can only think of Linton being named for insisting on pre-booking still and a quick look at their web site I see it only "guarantees entry." so if you turn up and it's not packed out, they will let you pay at the gate.

Marwell's website categorically insists on pre-booking, with time slots, and says it will not admit people who haven't done so. True or false I wonder? This information is valid until 31st October apparently. Perhaps they will drop it in the winter months to come.

 

[Pertinax]

Worth asking where anyone here has been turned away from a collection having turned up whatever the guidance. If no one has is this actually an issue? Most zoos offer pre booking which you can use or not if there’s no example of it being draconian then perhaps this is a moment in time ‘problem’ and that time has passed? Who are these zoos actually turning people away?

Trouble is people may have been unwilling to test this hypothesis and risk travelling some distance and then really being turned away. Admittedly I have yet to hear of any such examples, apart from TriUK experiencing this at Paignton, even as a member. But at present I would prefer to avoid that risk and so would(unwillingly) pre-book, but then ask when I arrive what the situation really is, which is what I did at Cotswold( they allow walk-ins).

It is still an issue if any of the zoos persist with this 'essential' booking stuff if it is not really true. It is also hoodwinking people with false information.

 

[Lafone]

Trouble is people may have been unwilling to test this hypothesis and risk travelling some distance and then really being turned away. Admittedly I have yet to hear of any such examples, apart from TriUK experiencing this at Paignton, even as a member. But at present I would prefer to avoid that risk and so would(unwillingly) pre-book, but then ask when I arrive what the situation really is, which is what I did at Cotswold( they allow walk-ins).

It is still an issue if any of the zoos persist with this 'essential' booking stuff if it is not really true. It is also hoodwinking people with false information.

None seem to persist in doing that, which is fortunate. Until someone is turned away in the post pandemic period it just seems a hangover and people can book or not as they like. Some zoos offer a discount to pre book which is good for people planning ahead on a budget.

 

[Pertinax]

None seem to persist in doing that, which is fortunate. Until someone is turned away in the post pandemic period it just seems a hangover and people can book or not as they like. Some zoos offer a discount to pre book which is good for people planning ahead on a budget.

Marwell's information doesn't look like a 'hangover'. I don't know if it is still genuine information or not though it is current to 31st October. I've nothing against zoos offering discounts with pre-booking, its the notion that it is still compulsory, for no good reason, especially if it isn't true.