Best Zoo in South East & Sussex | Family Days Out | Drusillas Park
Based on authentic user experiences
Chris Duret
6734 reviews
N/A
9 months ago
Less than inclusive for disabilities
On Friday 31st May we visited your premises having booked 3 tickets via Kids Pass and 1 carer ticket through your website the day before We followed instructions and went to the customer service hut to collect our tickets and were told that without a Disability Living Allowance Personal Independence Payments Attendance Allowance Employment Support Allowance or an Essential Companion Access Card we would not be able to use the carer s ticket and had to purchase a new ticket on the spot This experience was humiliating There were other people waiting in the queue behind us and it made us look like a bunch of money scrounger Let me tell you a story My husband has a mitochondrial disease that affects his sight and is registered has partially sighted His vision past 80cm is blurred would not recognise any of us unless he can hear us Yet he doesn t qualify for any of the government help stated above He however qualify for a free bus pass a disability rail travel card and a CEA card for the cinema Due do his disability he isn t allowed to drive and so he takes the train and walks to work every day For a journey that would at the most take a driver 45 minutes it takes him 2 hours Each way He doesn t complains he just gets on with it When it comes to going to bigs parks museum zoo amusement park etc it s impossible for him to go alone with the kids It would just take a second for my youngest to get distracted and for him not the be able to find her again If there was a state of emergency a fire for example he would find it incredibly difficult to find his way out safely And so I have to always be there I have to make sure that I have eyes on everyone at all time That he can hear me But again we don t qualify for any of the help above We just get on with it When your staff told us that without the limited proof you needed we didn t qualify for a carers ticket you reminded him how helpless he feels at time This is the first time this type of issue has happened to us and we were shocked We have visited plenty of park when the proof of disability was plenty as a proof To name a few Legoland Winchester science museum Beale Park Wellington country park Your policies are not inclusive which is a shame because your park is lovely but this really put a negative spin on the day and definitely will put a stop in our returning I emailed the above to the customer service team A Laura Palmer replied to my email showing zero empathy and just stating the text on the website by adding screenshots to the email There was no resolution or agreement on the limitations of proofs
JANE HALLMAN
6734 reviews
N/A
9 months ago
This is the letter I sent to Drusillas
This is the letter I sent to Drusillas after my visit I would like to express my extreme sadness at the conditions many of your animals are enduring I visited on Saturday 19th November with four family members but will definitely not be returning The entrance fees are expensive which I would not mind - IF there was evidence of them being used to provide modern conditions for the animals However so many animals were obviously distressed bored understimulated and leading totally miserable lives - eg Serval cats Giant Anteaters Fenec Foxes Macaques pacing the same routes around their cramped enclosures and large birds such as Ibis and Spoonbills unable to do more than fly a few feet I remember conditions like these from visiting zoos as a child in the 1950s - I certainly did not expect to still find them in 2022 I spoke to a couple of staff members about this - they were polite but bemused so I don t suppose anything will come of that You must be making large profits from the high entrance fees - isn t it about time you did something to improve the lives of these poor depressed creatures Try visiting a modern zoo like Chester for information on how captive animals can at least have a semblance of a natural fulfilling life I was left feeling utterly depressed by the whole experience - these are sentient beings who are imprisoned and leading dreadful miserable lives So far I have not received any response to my email to them
AA Aa
6734 reviews
N/A
9 months ago
Shocking and terrible
Shocking and terrible Booked kids to see Santa 66 We travelled 99 miles On arrival showed tickets and expected to walk into our appointment at 10 15 with Santa BUT OH NO we needed to pay an additional 107 WOW I asked why And the answer was Santa is in our park and the only way into the park is to pay an additional 107 for our 3 kids So booking online 66 for Santa for 5 mins 107 as santa is in the park 25 fuel 198 A complete joke and il be taking this up with manager after Xmas DONT BE FOLLED WHEN BOOKING ONLINE This should be a clowns circus they replied back four years later WOWOMG So it s coming up to that time of year again instead of replying to me four years ago you decided to reply now just in case you lose some business I m sure you will what a joke
pete tuxford
6734 reviews
N/A
9 months ago
Horrible staff
Saddens me to say the staff there are terrible rude and arrogant despite being polite myself every interaction was awful my 16 year daughter admitted to me she felt slightly intimidated Cant imagine ever returning
Jj
6734 reviews
N/A
9 months ago
Why not to work
They can improve by getting kinder and nicer employees I got bullied their as a staff member when I was their working Thankfully not working their now My experience of working their was awful Wouldn t advice it I was threatened by one of the volunteers please keep me anonymous
Kerrie Lynch
6734 reviews
N/A
9 months ago
Far too expensive not great
Far too expensive I paid 74 for myself and my 8 year old A small animal exhibit for under 12 s Some rides included but not all Could do with a lick of paint Another example of why it s cheaper to go abroad than in staycation
CS
6734 reviews
N/A
9 months ago
Ridiculously over priced
Ridiculously over priced 28 for a 2 year old booked in advance online and even more if you buy your tickets at the gate on the day to see farm animals some exotic birds monkeys and a small plate of extortionately expensive chicken nuggets Definitely not a cheap family day out anymore Won t bother again
Mr Chris Davis
6734 reviews
N/A
9 months ago
Today I attended with my disabled wife
Today I attended with my disabled wife On reaching the Kiosk I asked for a carer and disabled tickets and was asked to proof that my wife was disabled Did I have a PIP letter or a DWP lettersmating my wife was disable I have never been asked this my wife were embarrassed and humiliated in front of other people we left We will never return
Rory
6734 reviews
N/A
9 months ago
Far to expensive for what it is
Far to expensive for what it is our two and half year old grandson was charged full adult price as they don t have a children s concession there are no real big animals apart from a couple of camels no big cats or bigger wildlife After paying an extortionate price to get in you are charged again for certain experiences and rides Will definitely not be recommending or revisiting
Mrs Booton
6734 reviews
N/A
9 months ago
Went there first twenty five years ago
Went there first twenty five years ago and made a promise to grandchildren without first checking entrance price but went nevertheless It will be the last time I go there as Drusillas is no longer value for money The ticket prices are crazy as a two year old has to pay an adult price And if you do go take your own food and avoid being taken for a mug twice