Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/15/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I was charged for the total experience at this zoo and was unable to experience any of the extras paid for. The wait to ride the train was over 1 hour and once myself and group was able to board the train it was so loud and squeaky and my group was told we had to get off at the next stop. We were never able to watch the 3-D movie because we were told to come back and when we did show ********* *old us we wouldn’t get in. I asked to speak with a guest relations representative only to be told one wasn’t available. I’ve come to this Zoo numerous times in the past and the visit this past weekend wasn’t worth the experience or what I paid for a group of ten $300 dollars went to waste and the hospitality was terrible.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/06/2023

  Hi there~

   

  This email says final notice and this is the first I've heard about this guest.

   

  We make every effort to satisfy our guests with situations like these. This guest never went to management or to the Guest Relations office the day of the visit so we might address it.

   

  I reached out to the guest and offered a return visit at our expense, but she declined.  I am verifying her order and credit card purchase an will move forward once I have that information.

  The guest came during the peak of Spring Break when we see several thousand guests a day.  The experiences like the train are capped to make sure they are not oversold and each guest has an opportunity to get the value out of their ticket. The guests admitted to me that waiting in line for the movie to start was inconvenient with several children.  We also have no control over a squeaky train car; they are the normal noises of a steel rail.

   

  We would typically not grant a refund as there was nothing abnormal about our operation save for a busier day.

   

  I will follow up after verifying her purchase.

  ****** ********* ***** ********* ******* * ***** ********* *** * *** * ****   *** *** ******* ************* ** ***** ************** **** ** ************ ******************************** *************************

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/12/2022

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I bought 5 tickets at the Jacksonville Zoo and didn't get my military discount. I told them there in the parking lot and front gate and they just said you have to buy them online and there's no online option for a military Discount. It also charges a 2 dollar fee for buying them online yet they won't let you buy them at the front gate. I was last there on September 7th 2022.

  Business Response

  Date: 09/22/2022

  From:  
  Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2022 2:18 PM
  To:
  Subject:

   

   

  Hi there~

   

  I apologize, this is the first email I am seeing about this.  ***** ******* retired about 4 years ago.

   

  I remember this gentleman as I am the one who assisted him.  He reached out 9/9/22 saying that he purchased 5 tickets at full price because no one told him about the military discount.

   

  Our ticket sales are all online only, the only exception is military or reciprocal and it states that on the page where he purchased his tickets.  It advises him to go to the Guest Relations window or to purchase on his military base. He has to show a valid military ID which he could not do.  I told him that we need a valid ID or a *****.  He then submitted a medical document that contained no name, just medical notes.  

  I asked if I could have a copy of the 5 tickets he purchased and I would see what I could do.  He presented 5 tickets across 3 orders dating back to last year and another military document that did include his name.  I told him that I was unable to refund past purchases (not to mention our computers don't allow us to pick out a discount, it's all or nothing). I told him I would be happy to add him to our guest list for a Total Experience ticket for his next visit as he overpaid $15, but the value of this new ticket is $35.  He did not respond.

   

  Upon reading your email today, I circled back and said that I never got a reply and is the guest list agreeable to which he said "Great, thanks!"

   

  I thought this issue was resolved. Including a screen shot of our web order page.

  Please let me know if there's anything else I need to do, we certainly don't want our reputation tarnished. We love our military guests.

   

  E