Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Seriously? £86 for family entry?

311 replies

biggirlknickers · 04/07/2021 20:35

This is for a visit to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park for 2 adults and 2 children.

I mean, who can afford £86 on tickets? That’s before you’ve factored in petrol, extortionate icecreams / coffees and no doubt a huge gift shop that you are forced to exit through with kids.

We are professionals on decent enough wages - we’re not rolling in it but we are doing ok. But that is truly beyond our reach for a single day out!

I’m thinking too of all the lower income families that I work with every day as a primary school teacher, for whom this couldn’t even be a consideration. Yorkshire children who don’t have a hope in hell of ever going to Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

AIBU to think that it’s really too much?

OP posts:
Justajot · 04/07/2021 22:29

This is one of the reasons why school trips are important.

We are lucky enough to be able to afford to take our whole family to things, so school trips to the zoo or theatre are just more of the same for our DC. But for families who can't afford to take the whole family to things like that, school trips bring opportunities for new experiences.

I'm off to find out about blue peter badges!

SeaGreenUser · 04/07/2021 22:30

I don't disagree that many people can't afford these attractions, and that is tragic. But what do you think is a "fair price" to pay the staff, the associated services, and animal upkeep? How much do you think they should pay less than these costs? And how exactly do you think you can save them money? Even before the pandemic, they were struggling. And they have had further reductions in visitor numbers and restrictions not just on numbers but in the way they manage their animals to ensure their health.

It would perhaps be better to close, relocate the animals they can, and euthanise the rest? As other such attractions across the world have had to do. I'm a single professional on a decent but not wildly great wage - and I can afford it for a day. Actually two. I don't have to buy coffee and ice cream or visit the gift shop. And the educational value is worth the price for children who may never see these animals ever again.

You are being over-dramatic. Or, as my parents used to call it, "tight". If you want it and value it you can afford it.

saraclara · 04/07/2021 22:31

Seriously, this site needs to have a voucher code/discount branch. I can''t believe that so many people don't even bother googling '(place they want to go) discount'

Original poster
biggirlknickers · 04/07/2021 22:35

I thought maybe £50? I was genuinely shocked at £86 but I can see now from the replies that it is standard.

Somebody upthread said they were surprised they got away with charging that much in Yorkshire. Why? What’s so different about Yorkshire?

OP posts:
LubaLuca · 04/07/2021 22:36

This is one of the reasons why school trips are important.

You're absolutely right, a very valid point.

Blossomtoes · 04/07/2021 22:40

@TSSDNCOP

I have a great one for you all.

There is now a zip line at Bluewater. You zoom down from the top of the pit wall to somewhere near the lake.

It is, wait for it, FIFTY POUNDS PER PERSON

For an experience lasting about 20 seconds.

My skydive was £250 for five minutes 🤷‍♀️
kindaclassy · 04/07/2021 22:41

My skydive was £250 for five minutes
😂

in fairness, I'd pay anything to ensure safety on that one!

saraclara · 04/07/2021 22:42

@saraclara

Seriously, this site needs to have a voucher code/discount branch. I can''t believe that so many people don't even bother googling '(place they want to go) discount'
well it turns out there is one. And it's pretty much dead
kindaclassy · 04/07/2021 22:42

£20 for 8 hours really doesn't sound bad value at all

BackforGood · 04/07/2021 22:42

The cost of a steak dinner for 2 plus wine is £100

Not where I eat Shock

This is one of the reasons why school trips are important.

Too right

Quaggars · 04/07/2021 22:43

Have been there several times, really nice place and the kids enjoy it.
Sounds about right to me price wise, not saying I agree with it though as it's so expensive!
Most days out usually are to be fair though as a family, it's not just there.
As for going through the gift shop, yeah, pisses me off that usually the only way to get out at places is via the gift shop Hmm Angry
Mine know that they are allowed a token something like a pencil or a key ring and that's their lot lol

Crowtooyo · 04/07/2021 22:45

@biggirlknickers

I thought maybe £50? I was genuinely shocked at £86 but I can see now from the replies that it is standard.

Somebody upthread said they were surprised they got away with charging that much in Yorkshire. Why? What’s so different about Yorkshire?

I didn't see the person's comment about Yorkshire specifically but I can definitely see why people might think things would be cheaper in certain areas. I'd expect to pay more for something in London for example.

Crikey I was ordering a carvery today for takeaway and checked both options of the same restaurant, one would take me 10 mins to drive to, the other 13 mins. One of them were charging £2 more per roast for the exact same order. And that's in the same city!

Jangle33 · 04/07/2021 22:46

The amount of people who seem to be able to afford a Merlin pass (which makes the place you refer to look cheap) regularly astounds me.

Willwebebuyingnumber11 · 04/07/2021 22:47

I went last weekend and it was quite busy so people are happy to pay. I personally don’t feel it’s unreasonable for a family day out.

Dappled · 04/07/2021 22:47

We went to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park because we were generously gifted tickets, but we would never feel able to spend that much on a family day out ourselves. I don't particularly class ourselves as low income, but we're probably lower than average and that's about what we have left over every month to spend on all the "non-essentials" (by which I'm including clothes, shoes, books, leisure - clearly some of those things are more essential than leisure) so we're unlikely to ever blow it all in a single spend. I'm always stunned how much "family day out" attractions cost. (Which is why we tend to do picnics, walks, trips to beaches, woods and parks...anything free!!) I'm sure zoos are hugely expensive to run, would be interested to know how much profit they make. As has been said, thank goodness for school trips.

Willwebebuyingnumber11 · 04/07/2021 22:47

At YWP you don’t have to walk through the gift shop to leave now. The new hive is good too.

boon · 04/07/2021 22:49

We paid something like that for a visit to a rubbish country park on the Isle of Wight. It was a total rip off.

Blossomtoes · 04/07/2021 22:50

@Jangle33

The amount of people who seem to be able to afford a Merlin pass (which makes the place you refer to look cheap) regularly astounds me.
It’s £159 pp for a year, that’s about £14 a visit if you go to one of the attractions once a month. It doesn’t seem a lot to me.
Skinnytailedsquirrel · 04/07/2021 22:52

YABU. Not everyone can afford everything, it's not unreasonable, it's life. I can't afford to travel 1st class to New York (well I could, but

Skinnytailedsquirrel · 04/07/2021 22:52

..I wouldn't

MaMelon · 04/07/2021 22:53

You don’t have to be in a position of not being able to afford something to think it’s expensive.

fourandnomore · 04/07/2021 22:56

It’s going to cost the 6 of us over £200 to go to a different wildlife park for a day, I am now considering driving to Yorkshire! I know what you mean though. I do think it’s worth it though.

ExhaustedFlamingo · 04/07/2021 22:57

I've got two autistic children who don't have the same tolerance. Neither can manage a full day out - we'll probably get a couple of hours max before they can't cope with any more. And that's at a quiet time.

Some places offer discounted entry after 2pm, which is great. But if not, we don't bother. It's honestly not worth spending such a huge pile of cash for less than two hours of entertainment.

I completely understand the animals cost a lot/equipment needs to be maintained but I think the cost of going to these places has rocketed a lot higher than other prices/cost of living.

If I had children who would enjoy going, I'd pay it because I love a day out - but do I think it's a reasonable price? Nope, not at all.

Fullofglee · 04/07/2021 23:01

We went years ago and it cost 58 for family of 4 and another 50 for food from the restaurant was crap. We went to Edinburgh zoo and was much better and cost 60 pounds we also got food half price as it was the eat in eat out but was delicious.

saraclara · 04/07/2021 23:05

@Jangle33

The amount of people who seem to be able to afford a Merlin pass (which makes the place you refer to look cheap) regularly astounds me.
They probably use their Tesco Clubcard vouchers, or one of the other, many offers that appear on branded products in the supermarket.
Swipe left for the next trending thread