Lions and tigers and MAY, oh my!
The London Zoo is one of the easiest days out in London you can have as a family. It is no wonder their Special Needs Day (when groups can attend at significantly reduced prices) are so popular. The facilities are amazing. There is nothing out of May’s reach. She was even invited to a special workshop for blind children where she touched horribly revolting insects. She loved it!
As the zoo probably hoped, the Special Needs Day introduced us to what the park had to offer and we returned, this time on a quieter day. The second time we went there were far less crowds and an easy day was made even simpler. It is rare to find an attraction where we don’t worry at all as to where we will park, how many of the exhibits we will have access to and especially, whether May will enjoy it.
What could be an overwhelming sensory experience for her, is tempered by quiet places to sit and plenty of open spaces away from crowds of other people. And yes, we could be satisfied with this alone – but May truly enjoyed herself. You have no idea how funny parrots squawking are until you visit them with May.
The park is fully ramped and has disabled access toilets throughout. There are many places to sit in the park and also wide thoroughfares so children in wheelchairs are not jostled. Although May’s wheelchair attracted a bit of unwelcome attention in the Spider Monkey enclosure; members of staff guarded us from swooping monkeys who mistook her chair for a stroller with baby treats hidden within. (Thanks to the staff, we were able to push May through without incident. Ieuan was thrilled by all the monkey stalking.)
- Parrot Joy!
- May ROARS at the parrots
- Ieuan plays in some beastly puddles
As a side note, we have also attended the Whipsnade Zoo just north of London in Dunstable, Bedfordshire. The grounds are beautiful. At one point, we came across a parade of elephants being led tail to trunk down a wide boulevard. Now that’s not something you see every day.
Personally, I prefer the space and park land of Whipsnade. If it wasn’t on the other side of London from us, we would be frequent visitors. But, both parks are run by the Zoological Society of London with a high emphasis on accessibility. Like the London Zoo, the facilities at Whipsnade are excellent. If you are considering the London Zoo but are wary of the crowds, using public transport or getting stuck in traffic (although please note there is ample disabled parking), you might consider Whipsnade Zoo as an alternative.
For further information on disabled access to either park, click on the following:
London Zoo – disabled access
Whipsnade Zoo – disabled access
Disabled Go have a detailed guide to the park that is very helpful – ZSL London Zoo
Source:
http://www.mamalewis.com/2014/01/14/14012014-kids-all-access-london-zoo/
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