Maybe the best way to consider this set is as a 'Zoo Starter Pack'. With only two enclosures (lions and penguins), plus some free-range marmots, a peacock, a pelican, and a mouse, there isn't really much zoo here - but it is a very nice starting set, to add more to later.
I very much like the penguin enclosure. There is a penguin information sticker which is intended to be stuck onto the fencing of the penguin enclosure; and there is a lion information sticker which is intended to be stuck onto a blue signboard. However, as I already have a lion information sign, I preferred to use the signboard for the penguin information.
The light green plants on the penguin enclosure are very nice, though they don't easily lay nicely. I'm thinking of somehow attaching this enclosure to another penguin enclosure to increase the space. I'm also thinking that maybe it could be used as a child's play area.
That child comes with a red cap which doesn't like to sit well, nor stay on his head at all.
That is due to his hairstyle. I'm not really sure what I think about his hairstyle - but I do love his T-shirt!
I also like the marmots - and that wooden fence which they are in front of.
I expected to like the fence, but I expected to dislike the wall. I thought it was too thin to be realistic. Until I saw it. Yes, it is quite thin, but I really like it. I like it even more than the fence. It can be taken off the rock pieces fairly easily, and I like it as a stand-alone wall too, despite the obvious connector pieces. I'm going to get more of this wall!
The fence is nice on its own too, though.
My favourite piece of the set is the concessions stall.
There are toy animals, zoo postcards, and various animal snacks to purchase. And there are some nice zoo-themed stickers to go round the base of the stall, but as that would tie it to zoo-use only, I decided against these. I can imagine this stall being used in all sorts of situations, so wanted to leave it available for other scenes.
When I saw that there were flags to attach to the stall, I thought, oh no, now I'm going to fuss forever about equal spacing, endlessly saying, 'It's still not right!' and picking it up to adjust yet again. Thankfully, there are grooves to clip the flags into, and then they cannot move either left or right.
I had trouble with one of the balloons, though. It seems that the 'string' on the 'balloon-shaped' balloons will not go in all the way (because the opening comes an end) - as you can see with the penguin balloon. The only reason the blue balloon's string is further in is because the balloon itself will not close. And the photo shows its 'good side'. On the other side the gap is larger.
My biggest surprise of the set was the peacock! I knew there was a peacock with this set, and I was not particularly interested in this, as I have quite a few peacocks already. What I didn't realise is that this peacock is a
different peacock. And I really like it! Here's the 'old' peacock on the left, with the 'new' peacock on the right:
The Zoo Feeding Time notice is nicely done. If I was a child, though, I would now be saying, 'I
need all those animals
now, because they are all on my Feeding Time noticeboard!' As an adult, I just
need the okapis by tomorrow....
I think that the zoo map is a nice touch, though the plan is too small to include all those animals. Maybe it's just showing
part of the zoo.
Talking of Feeding Times - I like the meat which is being brought for Lion Feeding Time.
The little pull-along cart has some Zoo stickers to put on the front and back, so it's obviously zoo property and available for loan or hire. No stickers for me, though, because I might want to use it in other settings.
And finally, I think that the entrance is lovely. I especially like the bear decoration, though I'm puzzled why it is there, as bears are not currently available as part of the zoo series.
Fencing can be attached either side of the entrance.
The other side of it is hollow, though, and not so attractive.
All in all, a nice starter set - or one which provides some nice additions to current zoo sets.
