Billy K.
Yelp
My wife and I were looking at going to World of Wildlife next door, which is owned by the same people who own this 'aquarium'. We decided not to go because of the poor reviews about it being just a long line that they keep you moving through, and any time anyone stops, there is a giant traffic jam of strollers and tourists. Well my friends, this place is no better. Where do I begin? We get tickets for around AUD $50, which is far more than the amazing Taronga Zoo. As soon as we get in, they ask you to pose in front of a green screen and have your picture taken. What they don't tell you then is that they charge $40 for the pictures at the end. Nearly the same price as admission itself.
We make it to the first few exhibits, but we couldn't move through or stop anywhere because they don't meter the number of people inside at a given time. It was a traffic jam every 20 seconds, with people getting nipped in the back of the ankles by strollers, and random Chinese people blocking the pathway to take selfies on sticks with their groups. It wouldn't be as bad if it wasn't for the unbearable heat and humidity in there. It was 24C/76F in the city, and it must have been 26C/79F in this place. We were drenched in sweat by the time we left. The only respite was the penguin exhibit, which was 6C/42F. It felt amazing to sit in there for 3 minutes in that stupid boat, just to stop burning our eyes out with our own sweat.
They call this place an aquarium, but it's more like IKEA, if IKEA didn't have shortcuts to the other sections. There is a very set and winding path you have to follow. To backtrack causes chaos because the pathways are only wide enough for 2 people, and usually 1 is looking at an exhibit and the other is talking towards you. About half way through we were just trying to get out as quickly as possible. We darted through the things we were actually there to see -- sharks and rays, because it was like a swap meet inside the tunnels they were swimming around, and we were feeling faint from the heat. Don't waste your money here. Go to the Taronga zoo. If you've been to the Taronga zoo, go there again. They deserve your money more than the jokers who operate this zoo+aquarium+madamme tussauds+tower eye compound and try to up sell you on package tickets for all of them.