While we are Midlands-based and only 45 miles away, this was our first visit to West Midlands Safari Park. As it was off-season in March, the safari park was offering a 2 for 1 deal for four of us and the car. We booked for a Saturday between 1000 and 1030 for just £64. £16 per person was not bad, and we hoped that we would have a day without rain.
The reviews that we read prior to our visit were mixed when it came to the animals and how likely you would see anything from your car. It appeared to be all or nothing, with visitors seeing loads or complaining that they didn’t see many animals.
The journey was about 90 minutes to get to the zoo, and on arrival, the weather was already promising and appeared to be that we would be lucky, and rain would hold off. This likely helped, and we really enjoyed the safari. We saw loads of giraffes, lions/tigers, rhinos, zebras, and more. The ride around the safari park in your car took just under two hours. We also managed to get some amazing photos.
The one thing that did surprise me was some idiotic behaviour by some guests. On the safari, we witnessed a car opening doors, windows down in areas where you were advised otherwise, and even someone feeding a deer. Just irresponsible people and feeding the deer close up in the park was quite frustrating.
Once parked up after the safari, the entrance to the zoo area/theme park had food eateries and souvenir shops. Also near the front of the park were the sea lions, penguins, reptiles, and aquarium. Many food outlets and souvenir shops were also available. The sea lion show was also very entertaining, and we even got to see the tiger cubs.
The theme park section is more geared towards younger kids, and you can buy bands for unlimited access on rides. Alternatively, you can pay for rides by buying individual or ticket clusters. I went on one ride called “Monkey Mayhem” and really didn’t enjoy it. It was like a spinning cup on a roller coaster track. While strapped in, I didn’t find the restraint sufficient and ended up getting thrown around quite excessively. The result was that I was barely able to walk as my right leg appeared to get knocked. I expected some bruising once home, and this event did partly spoil the day and put a dampener on things.
Overall, despite that unpleasant experience, we did enjoy our general park experience. One small piece of feedback though is that signage and bollards in the car park need improving, particularly on exit. Overall though, we would go back. The special offer price was also good value.
Rating 4 out of 5
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