Bronx Zoo Ticket Fee Settlement Claims Closed — Patterson v. Wildlife Conservation Society, No. 1:24-cv-00171

If you bought electronic tickets to the Bronx Zoo between August 2022 and January 2024 and paid a processing fee, this settlement was for you — but it’s over now. Wildlife Conservation Society paid $990,000 to resolve claims that it didn’t properly disclose that fee before checkout, and payments already went out in October 2025.

Bronx Zoo Ticket Fee Settlement — Key Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$990,000.00
Claim Deadline	July 21, 2025 (passed)
Who Qualified	Consumers who purchased electronic Bronx Zoo tickets and paid a processing fee, August 28, 2022 – January 16, 2024
Estimated Payout	Pro rata share based on processing fees paid — final per-person amount depended on total claims filed
Proof Required	No — claimants attested under penalty of perjury; no receipts needed
Settlement Status	Final approval granted June 5, 2025; payments issued October 6, 2025
Court & Case Number	U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York — No. 1:24-cv-00171-JMF
Law Alleged	New York Arts and Cultural Affairs Law § 25.07(4)
Administrator	Settlement administrator, P.O. Box 2681, Portland, OR 97208-2681
Official Claim Site	bronxzooticketfeesettlement.com
Last Updated	August 29, 2026

Who Is Wildlife Conservation Society and Why Were They Sued Over Ticket Fees?

Wildlife Conservation Society runs five New York City wildlife attractions, including the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and the New York Aquarium. The lawsuit only concerned the Bronx Zoo specifically — the complaint states that of its properties, WCS only charged the disputed processing fee on Bronx Zoo ticket purchases, which is why the aquarium and other zoos weren’t part of this case.

What Did Wildlife Conservation Society Do to Bronx Zoo Ticket Buyers?

Plaintiff Nicole Patterson bought two adult and one child admission to the Bronx Zoo online in November 2022. Her lawsuit claimed the checkout process showed prices “starting at” a certain amount without including a processing fee, and that the total cost including that fee never appeared clearly before she selected her tickets. New York’s Arts and Cultural Affairs Law § 25.07(4) requires places of entertainment to disclose the total ticket cost, fees included, before a customer commits to a purchase.

Wildlife Conservation Society denied it violated any law but agreed to the $990,000 settlement rather than continue litigating. As part of the deal, it also agreed to revise how BronxZoo.com displays ticket prices going forward — so the fix here wasn’t just financial.

If you’ve run into a similar fee-disclosure issue with a different company, our coverage of the MySchoolBucks hidden fee settlement covers a comparable case over undisclosed processing charges.

Who Qualified for the Bronx Zoo Ticket Fee Settlement?

Here’s who this settlement covered, now that claims have closed.

• Consumers who bought electronic Bronx Zoo tickets through the zoo’s website between August 28, 2022 and January 16, 2024
• Anyone who paid a processing fee as part of that purchase
• People who received a settlement notice by email with a unique ID and PIN — though a notice wasn’t required to file
• Buyers of tickets to WCS’s other properties — Central Park Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, or the New York Aquarium — did not qualify, since only Bronx Zoo tickets carried the disputed fee

Related article: Whole Foods Guacamole Recall Upgraded to FDA’s Highest Risk Level

Bronx Zoo Ticket Fee Coverage Outside New York — Was Anyone Else Covered?

This settlement wasn’t limited by residency — it covered anyone who bought a qualifying Bronx Zoo ticket online during the class period, regardless of where the buyer lived. What mattered was the purchase, not the purchaser’s home state.

If you’re dealing with a similar undisclosed-fee situation now, a free consultation with a consumer fraud attorney can help you figure out whether a current case might apply to you.

How Much Did Bronx Zoo Settlement Class Members Get?

Payments were calculated pro rata — each valid claimant’s share was based on the amount they’d actually paid in processing fees, divided among the total number of valid claims submitted. No cap was published on individual payouts; the amount simply depended on total claims filed against the $990,000 fund.

Payments went out by check or digital transfer on October 6, 2025, about four months after final approval. Anyone who selected the digital payment option was told to check the email they used when filing.

That’s a fast turnaround for a class action — about four months from final approval to money in hand, faster than a lot of settlements manage.

What If You Missed the Bronx Zoo Claim Deadline?

The claim filing window closed on July 21, 2025. If you didn’t file by then, you’re not able to receive a payment from this settlement now. There’s no late-filing process described on the settlement website, and the fund has already been distributed to those who did file on time.

Bronx Zoo Ticket Fee Settlement — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 1:24-cv-00171

Is the Bronx Zoo ticket fee settlement still open for claims? 

No. The claim deadline was July 21, 2025, and payments have already been sent as of October 6, 2025.

Did I need a lawyer to file a Bronx Zoo settlement claim? 

No. Filing didn’t require a lawyer, and class counsel at Bursor & Fisher PA represented the class without charging individual claimants.

Was the Bronx Zoo settlement legitimate?

 Yes. It received final approval from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on June 5, 2025, in Case No. 1:24-cv-00171-JMF.

When were Bronx Zoo settlement payments sent?

 Payments went out by check or digital transfer on October 6, 2025, roughly four months after the court’s final approval order.

What if I paid a Bronx Zoo processing fee but never got a settlement notice? 

The claims process didn’t require a notice to file — but with the deadline already passed, that option is no longer available regardless.

Does this settlement cover fees at the New York Aquarium or WCS’s other zoos? 

No. The lawsuit and settlement were limited to Bronx Zoo ticket purchases, since that was the only WCS property where the disputed processing fee applied.

Sources Used in This Bronx Zoo Ticket Fee Settlement Article

• Official Settlement Website — Patterson v. Wildlife Conservation Society: https://www.bronxzooticketfeesettlement.com/
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York — Final Judgment and Order of Dismissal, Case No. 1:24-cv-00171: https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/new-york/nysdce/1:2024cv00171/613331/55/
• Original Class Action Complaint, Case No. 1:24-cv-00171: https://www.classaction.org/media/patterson-v-wildlife-conservation-society.pdf

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official settlement website and the court’s final judgment order, as of August 29, 2026.

Last Updated: August 29, 2026

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.