Our "free" trip to the zoo

[clh2]

My DS(9) got a free ticket to an amusment park from school for reading and while looking into using it I think it will run me about 85 to 100 for the 2 of us to go for the day and if i wanted the fast pass like benifits I would need another 60

So much for free

That reading program is the BIGGEST SCAM EVER. Gas, tolls, parking, etc, etc, etc.

 

[SunnieRN]

I understand all about 'free' trips. This year our town as well as a town about 20 miles up the road, installed free splash pads. Well, my daughter wanted to go to the further away splash pad. Since Grandma went (me), she got to buy lunch and put gas in the car.

It was funny, when we were ready to head home, my daughter said, "this was a really nice free afternoon, wasn't it Mom".

 

[Swimalie]

I understand, too. Living near DC we go in often. On Sat we went to see a friend who was in town from MD. Parking at the meter $4, parking at the garage when the meter ran out $12, toy for my son $8 (I admit, it's a cool rocket), lunch at the American Indian restaurant $28 and we went light. No clue how much gas was. So our free day was $52. But the time with my friend, her husband and new baby plus my family was so worth it.

 

[GC&S]

We're Akron Zoo members too... go once a week usually and EVERY SINGLE TIME we have to ride the flipping carousel. Oh well. $2 for a weekly preoccupier of my child is worth it, IMO. We bring out own lunch & I can typically ignore the "mommy, popcorn!".

The only part that kills me about Akron (I'm similarly peeved about Cleveland no longer being free ) is the exit is straight through the gift shop. No way of avoiding it... ever!

Same here! We've only done the Carousel once though (skipped the train). Since we do the Akron zoo in usually less than an hour I rarely even bring lunch - just drinks. We always take food to the Cleveland zoo. Haven't been there yet since the 1/2 price went into effect. We usually went there more often than the Akron zoo (and we live 15 minutes from the Akron zoo). Hate the exit through the gift shop. Just like in Disney!

 

[Jedana]

Note the one thing we didn't buy, souvenirs!! She only asked one time for some fluffy pink animal (not even sure what it was) but I just said we're saving our spending money for Disney next month and that was that! No matter where we go or what we do, there's always that dreaded gift shop to contend with.

For the souvenirs thing, whenever we go out with DS, we look for the pressed penny machines. .51 for a souvenir is a good deal--and it's something he'll keep longer than a stuffed animal or plastic cup.

 

[jojo0612]

Same here! We've only done the Carousel once though (skipped the train). Since we do the Akron zoo in usually less than an hour I rarely even bring lunch - just drinks. We always take food to the Cleveland zoo. Haven't been there yet since the 1/2 price went into effect. We usually went there more often than the Akron zoo (and we live 15 minutes from the Akron zoo). Hate the exit through the gift shop. Just like in Disney!

Me four! I bought a membership to the Akron Zoo this spring when they had a deal on Groupon. I had no idea so many dis'ers were from Akron!!

 

[Fire14]

Not from akron but Was thinking about getting zoo membership for Columbus Zoo and using the half price perk to go to zoo with friend when I visted her and detroit zoo looks like fun too.

 

[GC&S]

Me four! I bought a membership to the Akron Zoo this spring when they had a deal on Groupon. I had no idea so many dis'ers were from Akron!!

We are in Uniontown as well - closer to Springfield. It really is a small world!

 

[AndreaDM]

We are in Uniontown as well - closer to Springfield. It really is a small world!

Canton (Plain Township) here!

 

[NYEmomma]

Me four! I bought a membership to the Akron Zoo this spring when they had a deal on Groupon. I had no idea so many dis'ers were from Akron!!

We had a membership last year as well, but I was all over that Groupon this spring. We got our $39 out of it many times over & we're only half way through the summer (and typically go all autumn too).

I'm from Cuyahoga Falls, btw!

We're taking a short vacation to PA this weekend and are stopping by the Pittsburgh Zoo on the way since it's about half way on our trip and it's free (free parking as well, plus I'm packing lunch for us). DD loves the aquarium and the polar bear exhibit at the Pittsburgh Zoo.

 

[jojo0612]

We are in Uniontown as well - closer to Springfield. It really is a small world!

We are in Green. I see you are going in September as well!!! We are staying at POP this time around.

 

[cristielf]

The Toledo Zoo, IMO, is one of the best.. I like it better than some of the countries top rated zoos.

 

[amberdburke]

Don't even get me started on my "Free" trip to see the Black Eyed Peas in Atlanta that my sister won from a local radion station:

-Transportation (none provided to our hotel 30 minutes away from the airport)
-Food
-Transporation to and from concert
-And my sister had to pay several hundred dollars in taxes

 

[AndreaDM]

The Toledo Zoo, IMO, is one of the best.. I like it better than some of the countries top rated zoos.

I agree!

 

[Derby4me]

I was so happy to hear you had a nice time at our zoo. Toledo has a great zoo, parks and library system. I'm a SAHM and take my 2 year old and 7 month old about every two weeks. We LOVE our zoo. So glad you enjoyed too! Sorry about the $100

 

[Mom_Rides]

ITA with PP....glad you enjoyed our zoo! And jealous that you got to see baby elephant, Lucas. We've not made it out to see him yet. The Toledo Zoo is definately one of the best around!

 

[skw444]

My DS(9) got a free ticket to an amusment park from school for reading and while looking into using it I think it will run me about 85 to 100 for the 2 of us to go for the day and if i wanted the fast pass like benifits I would need another 60

So much for free

We just used our free tickets for reading at Six Flags for my 2 girls. They were free but it cost me $57 for my ticket and parking. $21 for 2 of the unlimited refillable drinks. $10 on stuffed animal souvenirs. So, in total $88 plus the gas to drive down there for our "free" reading tickets! I'm thinking next year I might have to "forget" to turn in our reading log.

 

[*Seanaci*]

We have a membership to our zoo here. We LOVE it. Most of the time we take a picnic lunch. But, when we don't, we leave the zoo and have lunch elsewhere. I can't justify paying just as much (if not more) for sub-par food and super long lines at lunch time.

 

[AndreaDM]

I was so happy to hear you had a nice time at our zoo. Toledo has a great zoo, parks and library system. I'm a SAHM and take my 2 year old and 7 month old about every two weeks. We LOVE our zoo. So glad you enjoyed too! Sorry about the $100

Ha, no worries, I knew we'd spend $$$. I think it was the tolls that irked me more than anything.

ITA with PP....glad you enjoyed our zoo! And jealous that you got to see baby elephant, Lucas. We've not made it out to see him yet. The Toledo Zoo is definately one of the best around!

He was sooooo cute! We watched for about a minute then he must have decided to take a nap and just plopped down on the ground and got comfy.

We don't get the 6 Flags tickets for reading, but we get those dumb "free" kids pizzas for Pizza Hut, knowing that an adult also has to purchase a meal. We rarely use them.