Cereal City!!

[experiment626mom]

Has anyone been to Kellogg's Cereal City in Battle Creek Michigan?? We are taking a short trip up that way for an aunt's 80th birthday. Is this a fun thing to do? Does anyone know where I could possibly get some coupons for this attraction??

 

[Hunnybee]

We went about 2 or 3 years ago with some friends and were not impressed. There were some fun things -- but we didn't feel it was worth the money and it didn't take very long to do at all. It seemed expensive for what little there was to do. They may have added more things since then though. Hopefully someone who has been there more recently will reply to you.

If you are looking for something to do in Battle Creek, you might want to look into Binder Park Zoo. I haven't been there, but everyone I know who has has been impressed. (We live about an hour away from B.C.)

 

[bcvprincesses]

We were just there last month with my 5 year old and 7 year old and they were bored. It really is a waste of money. The only thing they liked was the play area that is like McDonlads. I would keep looking for something else to do.

 

[experiment626mom]

Hmmmm...this doesn't sound promising. Maybe I'll look into the zoo or somewhere else.

 

[stacy347]

I have not been to Cereal City yet but have been to Binder Park Zoo 3 times and had a wonderful experience every time! It is a lot of fun and the way the zoo is built right into the forest makes it a much different trip than any other zoo.
My girls have loved it every time we've gone ~ I've been to the Detroit Zoo, Toledo Zoo, Fort Wayne Children's Zoo and Binder Park is definitely my favorite

 

[FigmentGuy]

I live in cereal city and unfortunatley I have to agree that Binder park zoo will be much more enjoyable. I was an employee at Binder Park and they actually trained us to be like Disney CM's! They emphasize how Dis has great customer service and they want the same. Binder park is divided into 2 zoos actually. The first part is your basic zoo if you will. General animals and normal animal exhibits. They have a train and a Swamp nature walk etc. The Other half of the zoo is commonly missed by folks who dont pay attention! You hop on trams painted like zebras and head off too "Africa"... You arrive in a villiage and the villiage overlooks a wildlife plane. All sorts of animals, gazzelle, zebra, ostrich, vultures and girraffes. Also there is a trail to walk around and view other animals that are unable to be with other animals (wild dogs etc). Along the trail is a Giraffe feeding station! Most of the times the giraffes will be there where you can buy and feed them. Kids usually get excited over that too. The zoo has 2 restaraunts, usually a couple vending carts. Also got a childrens zoo etc. Most people arnt aware that the zoo is privatley funded. It relies completely on admissions/gift shop/restaraunts and donations. The website is lack luster for what the zoo has to offer, but get a map when you arrive and make sure you see it all!
http://www.binderparkzoo.org/

 

[Local_Girl]

Thank you all for the info re Cereal city and Binder Park Zoo! I've been interested in checking out some of these nearby attractions...sounds like we can skip Cereal City, but I'd like to check out the zoo.

Hunnybee, we're in Holland too... Nice to know there are other DISers here!

 

[jltwdw]

We went to Cereal City about two months ago. We are about 2.5 hrs away and ds6 had seen one of those "Best Fun Food Factories" shows on tv and asked of everyplace they showed "Can we go there?" Of course the answer was always NO until they showed Cereal City and I figured "why not?" So off we went to spend the night in a hotel w/pool and to spend the next day at CC. We got there when it opened and spent probably 4-5 hrs going through it, although alot of that time was just letting the kids play, doing some stuff more than once, and having lunch. I had dn13, ds6 and ds2 with me. Dn was pretty bored, but ds's liked it. There is a movie that we started off first thing with that had a very cool and "Disney-ish" feel to the inside of the theater, but the movie was too long for kids and was WAY over their heads as far as content...even dn did not enjoy it. The factory type tour was very brief, small, and too loud to hear the tourguide. I was personally pretty disappointed with the place. I had toured the actual factory when I was a kid (maybe 6 or 7...maybe around 1973) and remember bits and pieces of it and thought CC would be more like that, but it was basically a glorified play place. The thing my kids enjoyed the most was a large sand table tucked away in a small room off the main floor with tractors and shovels and stuff. If it had been warmer at home, this was nothing different than their sandbox at home! All in all, I guess I'd say it was worth the trip because the little kids enjoyed it and had a fun mid-winter break, but it isn't a place I'll visit again, and am surprised it made it onto a "Fun Food" show. We're planning to hit another place on the show in July...Hersheypark!

 

[jkovick]

I work in Battle Creek. I have been to Cereal City for a work sponsored event. It is not very big and it is not very interesting. My neice and nephew were not impressed either. It can be toured in about an hour or less.
Right down the street is a place called Full Blast that has indoor and outdoor pools, arcade, sport court, playscape, etc that would probably be a lot more fun. I do agree that Binder Park is a nice zoo.

 

[Aidensmom]

Wow! This brought back memories! I went on the cereal tour about 30 years ago with my girl scout troop when I lived in Toledo. All I remember about it is that we were given a box of cereal to take home. I got some chocolate cereal (Count Chocula?) that my mom would not even let me eat!

 

[The Edgington's]

I have to agree about cereal city. Not fun at all for my kids and they we're little and easy to please. We have a memebership to Binder Park and go at least once a week in the summer. Full Blast is fun also. Another idea is the Kalamazoo Air Zoo it isn't in Battle Creek but Kzoo isn't too far, we have a membership there also. They have 2 rides for real small kids, a space shuttle ride and a flight simulator. I think they have to be 40" to ride the space shuttle and 48" to ride the simulator. It is kind of pricey for a day but if you have enough people with you a pass is worth it since the whole family is covered. In the winter I take the kids at least once a week. It's really an interesting place.

 

[Hunnybee]

Local Girl, are you a member at John Ball Park Zoo in GR? If so, your membership will get you in at Binder Park Zoo free.

So are you ready for Tulip Time? I just need to get my DS his wooden shoes -- then I think we're all outfitted (well, at least the kids!).

 

[Fire14]

Thank you all for the info re Cereal city and Binder Park Zoo! I've been interested in checking out some of these nearby attractions...sounds like we can skip Cereal City, but I'd like to check out the zoo.

Hunnybee, we're in Holland too... Nice to know there are other DISers here!

How neat i ALWAYS THOUGHT i WAS only Disney nut in Holland.

As for CC save your money for Zoo or another place. It's not worth it.

 

[cobbler]

John Ball Zoo stinks by the way.
You would think GR would have a better zoo.

Ok back to your regularly scheduled thread.

 

[Fire14]

John Ball Zoo stinks by the way.
You would think GR would have a better zoo.

Ok back to your regularly scheduled thread.

I used to love going there but over years it has gone downhill.