Chester Zoo with a toddler

[veronicagoldberg]

Does anyone have any tips or warnings for taking a 19-month-old to Chester Zoo?

DH and I have booked to go tomorrow. Planning to arrive for 10 when it opens, then go to a storytelling event at 10:15.

DD will be in a pushchair but will want to walk for bits of it, probably. She'll be good for a couple of hours, and unless she naps in her pushchair, we will leave around 1pm so she can sleep in the car on the way home.

We won't be buying food there (religious holiday for us)

Is there anything we should avoid, or seek out? I've not been to Chester Zoo for decades!

You’ll have a great time. We go frequently. If you take a left on the way in you get a good view of the elephants and then maybe to the butterfly house. There’s a large sand play area not far from there which she would enjoy id imagine. There’s a new Madagascar bit with interactive games to play such as noise making! You could also head over to the islands to catch the mini boat ride, it’s lovely. There is a buggy park there. It should be quiet, local schools return tomorrow.

The Welsh schools don’t go back for another week.

Get there early as you can see the elephants while you're waiting.
Once inside, most people head straight to the elephants but you should either turn right and head towards the Islands and jump on the boat trip first. Later on in the day, the queues for the boat will be about an hour long.
Don’t skip the butterfly house. My children loved it when they were toddlers.
There’s a monorail to get around but I'd probably skip this if I'm honest. You have to pay extra and you end up missing some parts of the zoo.
Wear good shoes. Seriously, the place is huge. You will do a lot of walking.

The monorail has been gone a while now x

Entrance costs for 3 hours? Is this a stealth boast thread?

@Maydaysoonenough

Entrance costs for 3 hours? Is this a stealth boast thread?

Oh bore off

You won't see much of it in 3 hours TBH. And the Welsh schools are still off so it will likely be busy. Personally, I'd let DC sleep in the pram and walk round yourself.

I used to take my kids all the time when they were little. We used to have the annual passes before they went to school.

How rude...

You’ll have a great time. I just came on
To say definitely take a buggy as it’s a long walk everywhere but see that you already have that covered.

Having re-read your post def get her to nap in the buggy and enjoy the animals yourselves for a bit!

It's huge - don't try and do too much. Pick a two or three things that are fairly closer together.