Merry-go-girl

Not in the slightest, most of them are born in the UK and so there's no chance of any sort of unpleasant environmental adjustment. The animal's health is never put at risk, if the temperature gets too low they're brought into their enclosures. But as I say they're mostly born in the UK and adapted to the weather. ​The reason they come here is because we actually take good care of them. Unlike the archaic zoo's you find in a lot of warmer countries we don't make them jump through fire or allow children to ride them. Cold winters are the price they pay for a enriched and dignified life. On another note about the weather, the times when I've seen the Whipsnade animals at their most brightest and friskiest is early November. They seem to get a little buzz from season change.

If we left all the African animals where they were in a couple decades they'd have all been wiped out. Whipsnade give back by investing lots into conservation, something a depressingly small amount of people on the African continent themselves are concerned with.

Hmm. The cave finale made me think of (o.0;)

I'm not so sure, my house is upwind of a chimney that often seems to be burning industrial waste, wild screaming would be a welcome replacement.

If I could hear the Vampire chain lift from my back garden I'd be so happy. It would sure beat the daily roar of Luton air traffic.

I don't hate it. In fact I'm relieved After seeing the pictures half way through construction I had major fears they were moving away from the Transylvania theme for the restaurant so although it's quite lazy and uninspired to me this is very satisfactory. To be honest, it fits with the area's theme better then the previous façade did.

Dare ye not diss the Mexican hat dance! Seriously I have a video of my 4 year old niece dancing (spazzing) to it outside the Rattlesnake entrance and it's the greatest video I ever took.

I have a file with all the documentation I'm given while on a trip to a theme park...I'm a huge freak.

The Call To Adventure. Specifically, hearing it play you out as you leave the park knowing that you gotta go back to your humdrum gravity oppressed life.

I think if I had a Facebook account I'd make daily reminders to all that it's a fan resource and not bloody customer services.

Am I really the only one who loves the Hocus Pocus Hall music? It's so magical and whimsical, totally reminds me of my childhood.

Aww, I like the horror music, less chance of me breaking into an embarrassing jig. Thanks for the info!

Speaking of music, anyone know what track they were playing in the Transylvania area before it was cornered off? Specifically was it the scary theme with the wolves howling or the Oktoberfest style ditty?

My fantasy that'll never happen is that the ride is sponsored by one of the big cola brands and then they re-theme it back to a fizzy pop factory. Yeah, we'll be heavily advertised to but at least the ducks will be dead.

But how scary can the cave finale really be? The ride is marketed heavily towards families with small children, so they can't really go putting a terrifying anamatronic man-eating lion in there.

The people complaining on Facebook about there only being 4 rides open have given me a dent on my forehead from all the face -palming.

Ooh, I see on the website that they'll also be running Hocus Pocus activities the week before half term this year. It's only open till 5 but that's still a chance to enjoy some of the Halloween events without the rabble of crowds.

Which is why I have no idea why my fellow non pass holders are insane enough to go during holidays. When I go to a theme park it's during the week, back end of holidays. No queue to buy a ticket, no meticulous strategy for ride order, no waiting 50 minutes for food, go round on things 5 times in a row, enjoyable interaction with staff, beautiful days.

That'll be all the Chav's sticking their dirty mitts into the water to splash the decent folk.

I'm down, gives them more time to iron out any kinks before March.

Didn't Merlin attempt special February half term events a few years ago...but had to give up due to awful weather?

What kind of dunce abandons domestic pets at a zoo?

A ghost train or haunted house in Transylvania would be terrific, probably not a great crowd drawer though.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2261743/Who-tall-order-Special-trailer-built-transport-giraffes-new-multi-million-pound-safari-enclosure.html - Zufari getting a mention in the DailyMail.

I think people get frustrated with theme park philosophy on money. In that they only seem to believe in putting money into making new things, rather then invest it into rejuvenating the old and loved things. There's this constant drive to push forward, tap a new market, create new fans. From our perspective it's not very interpersonal.