Money Grab…..er, I mean: ZooLights 2010

So, I decided it would be fun to take the kids to Zoolights this year. We are always Zoo Members and go quite a few times through the course of the year, but this was our first time at Zoolights. I got us a deal on the admission tickets. $7.00 each for any night. We went on a Saturday, which probably was not my wisest move.

Gates open at 6pm. We left the house around 5:15 and go there about 20 till. Fortunately we got a decent parking spot. I was stressing that I would have to park at an alternate location and walk 15 minutes just to get there. Chase is lazy. This would NOT have been good for us.

So, a line about 1 mile long stretched out of the entrance gate. SHEESH!

It didn’t take us long to actually make it inside once the gates were open though. I asked Chase if I needed to rent a stroller. Imagine my surprise when he declined me?! This is truly under the category of Christmas Miracle. So, we of course had to buy the ‘light up’ swords and toys they offer all over the event. 22$ later, each boy was armed with some glow in the dark crapola.

There were basically 2 loops you could walk through the park. We did both loops and then went around a 3rd time around the main loop (this was a mistake because Chase pulled a #FAIL move and made me carry him). Oh, I should mention we dropped another $7.50 on kettle corn.

Granted, my trip to ‘Zoolights’ ran me about 50$ total. It could have been MUCH more though. Here are several of the other offerings you can purchase (that we opted OUT of).

Pictures with Santa – I didn’t even bother checking this ones cost.
Stingray Bay – touching a stingray or something lame at 5$ a head
Carousel Rides – I’m sure this was a few dollars a kid and the line was RIDICULOUS
Carriage Rides at 5$ a head – I think the round trip is less than about 50 feet.
Camel Rides at 5$ a head – again, 2 times around a small circle. OY
Polar slide – sit on a tube and slide down about 20 feet. My guess is another 5$ a head.

I’m sure I missed some of the other offerings they had. I was not interested. I suppose this is how they make up the money they lose during the summer months when no one is going to the zoo. Wyatt smelled French Fries half way through our journey and I assured him he could get a happy meal on the way home. I was NOT waiting in line at the snack bar for some 7$ french-fries.

Gotta love the holidays, no?

All the lights made it so my Blackberry Camera didn’t want to use its’ flash. Poor quality, but a cute silhouette. :)