Birthday party at Zoo - advice needed!?

Hi All,

We are having our daughter's 5th birthday party at the zoo this year. Well it is more like a family day out to the zoo for her birthday.

We are inviting just relatives so 7 children (including birthday girl) and 5 adults (including my partner and I).

We are providing picnic food for both children and adults (sandwiches, fruit, sweets, crisps, sausages, cheese sticks, jelly, birthday cake etc) and the zoo is having a bouncy castle, face painting, puppet and magic shows on that day too.

I have been able to get all the food, drink, cake, plates, balloons, party bags etc for less than £30 but the biggest cost is going to be paying for the entrance to the zoo.

The children is working out to be £18.00 (some are less than 4 so get in free anyway) but the adults is costing us £42.50 (£8.50 per adult). I don't mind paying for the children at all but the price for the adult to come with their child seems a lot when we are paying for them all.

So I was just wondering, if your child was invited to a birthday party at a zoo (or somewhere that had an admission price for adults) would you go expecting to pay for yourself or for the person organising the party to pay for you too. The adults who are going to be there are family only, (i.e. granny, aunts). Just wanted to get general opinion before I ask OH's mum about it.

Thanks for any advice!!