Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have expected a refund or next visit free voucher

166 replies

Arkwright · 06/04/2016 20:03

We went to the zoo for the day. Paid the extortionate entry fees for the 4 of us. Ten minutes inside the zoo my Dd was very sick. There was no warning of this she was absolutely fine before. We left straight away as she looked awful and still felt sick. My husband took her to the car and cleaned her up. I went to the desk and explained and asked if we could have a refund or a voucher to come again another day. They refused and offered us 10% off another visit. I even wrote in and received the same answer. So we paid a whole days charge for a 10 minute visit. So were the zoo being unreasonable?

OP posts:
Original poster
Arkwright · 06/04/2016 20:29

I showed the desk our timed receipt showing we had paid ten minutes previously. I understand they are not obligated to let us come back but I know of other attractions who have done this for friends in a similar situation. We would not go back now on principle of their policy.

OP posts:
NeedACleverNN · 06/04/2016 20:30

But then your poor Dd will feel that she is being punished for being ill

argentinasaurs · 06/04/2016 20:31

I don't think ybu! My dh wouldn't leave until they gave him a free ticket £70 for 10 mins! I don't think your unreasonable at all! Yes they need to make money but you were there 10 mins!! They could surly verify that and if given you a ticket to come back

I'm actually cringing at the thought of the scene my husband would of made had that been us! Blush
I'm with you op Angry

argentinasaurs · 06/04/2016 20:32

Meant to say hope your dd feels better soon

Original poster
Arkwright · 06/04/2016 20:33

It was whilst were on holiday so not a local place. We went to lots of other places on the holiday. We have since been to Twycross Zoo which is our nearest one.

OP posts:
Original poster
Arkwright · 06/04/2016 20:35

I did argue with the lady but there was no budging. Some people queuing to get in were disgusted that she wouldn't agree to another visit.

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 06/04/2016 20:36

argentinasaurs if I were married to someone who'd cause such a scene in public I think I'd be cringing too.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 06/04/2016 20:37

I'm with you OP. Of course they were under no obligation to give you tickets for another day, but it would have been good customer service if they had. I once booked tickets for something and turned up to collect them and realised I'd booked for the week before. I got tickets for that day when I really didn't expect it and took to Twitter to rave about their customer service and emailed the manager to say thank you.

Alexa444 · 06/04/2016 20:37

Tbf They likely did have to clean up your daughters potentially contagious vomit so I don't see how they would be feeling particularly charitable. Not being mean but if someone came to my desk and said can we have free tickets as my child has just puked everywhere and needs to go home, I'd be Hmm

When you have kids, sometimes shit happens. Just chalk it up to one of those things.

londonrach · 06/04/2016 20:37

Id write a letter to the head of the zoo and explain the situation. Tbh im on the fence with this one but its a nice thing for the zoo to do although they dont have too.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 06/04/2016 20:38

Yabu. Where do they stop then if they start offering good will refunds? You paid, they provided the facilities. They did what they were supposed to.

PPie10 · 06/04/2016 20:38

argentinasaurs if I were married to someone who'd cause such a scene in public I think I'd be cringing too.

Same here, I would cringe too at grabby people making a scene.

CremeEggThief · 06/04/2016 20:39

YABU and you know it.

thesnailandthewhale · 06/04/2016 20:39

I don't think ywbu, if it was tickets for an attraction with a limited number of seats - for example a football match, that the seats couldn't be resold then I can see their point, however there would be no impact on offering you entry on a different day other than as others have said (a) you may have spent more money in the cafe / gift shop / car park (b) you may have recommended to other people (c) your children may have loved it and you may have returned again. Poor customer service from them in my view.

YakTriangle · 06/04/2016 20:39

I don't think yabu - if you can prove you've literally just walked into the place and haven't seen or done anything and you have a clearly ill child, it would be a very kind gesture for them to refund you. Yes, it's not their fault your DD was sick, but you've paid to visit and haven't visited. In terms of customer relations, it would be in their interests to be obliging and you would then probably recommend the place to people.

MsAdorabelleDearheartVonLipwig · 06/04/2016 20:40

I have to say I agree with you too Op. Obviously it wasn't their fault and they were under no obligation to do anything but it was a bit mean of them. Your dc must have been disappointed. You'd think they could have offered something for the dc's sakes.

EnPapillot · 06/04/2016 20:40

I think it would have been a really lovely gesture, but that the zoo was under no obligation to give you tickets for another day. Have you tried tweeting them and asking again? I've heard people getting really positive results from that.

Original poster
Arkwright · 06/04/2016 20:40

Thanks my Dd was fine by that evening. She is never sick so it took us all by surprise. She was sick into her coat she was carrying so there was nothing for them to clean up.

I did write in and received a reply from the same lady I had spoken to on the day. Who just stated their no refund no free visits policy.

OP posts:
revealall · 06/04/2016 20:45

How ridiculous of them TBH. Most arttractions offer some sort of free return within 7 days now and money off your next visit as standard.

You'd be likely to spend money next visit as someone else said and it doesn't effectively cost them anymore unless they are usually sold out.

Seriously bad customer service.

MrRochestersDog · 06/04/2016 20:45

YWNBU to ask. Pretty poor customer services. If it's a family attraction you'd think they'd be more flexible and understanding.

Stripyhoglets · 06/04/2016 20:46

Yanbu - I was suddenly taken v ill at a similar place and they gave us a free ticket to come back again. We'd already been there a while when I passed out - it was a nice gesture from them. So yes, I think they were being mean tbh.

Penguinepenguins · 06/04/2016 20:46

Of course they are under no obligation to give you a refund but the kind and right thing to do would be to give you tickets for a free visit!

Just think if they had been kind in this way you may well be on here saying how great they were! Encouraging people to visit

Instead you will likely never go back, you will tell your friends and family about this and they may never go - if you named them on here I expect many mumsnetters would not go.

zipzap · 06/04/2016 20:47

Try twitter or Facebook - in a 'so disappointed that we can't see the zoo, can't believe we paid £70 for 10 minutes before dd was ill, she's gutted but we can't afford to go back' rather than 'horrible mean zoo' as it gives them a chance to redeem themselves...

Crabbitface · 06/04/2016 20:49

I don't think that you are being unreasonable as you were able to prove that you had just arrived. I worked for years in customer service roles and I would have absolutely given you vouchers for a return visit because then you'd be happy, and I know you would return and probably spend more money and I'd have the added bonus of you telling everyone what great service you had. This zoo has actually shown pretty poor judgement. If they have a Facebook page I'd be tempted to leave a sad face review.

£70 is a huge amount of money for many families and I know if this had happened to us I'd have to save for a while to be able to afford it again.

revealall · 06/04/2016 20:49

I'd email the manger and also put something on Facebook or Twitter. Can you put up a photo of your receipt ? I wouldn't come across as moaning or angry but as try and put across how disappointed your daughter was and that at £70 it wasn't something you'll be able to do again this year.