Ringling Bros Barnum and Bailey

I attended the circus on the 7^th for the 7pm show at the Amalie Arena. I already felt some time of way about the circus and the alleged animal abuse, but I attended anyways because this was part of a work outing. The show itself was conducted nicely, however the tigers and female lions were not happy that evening. I was nervous for «Alexander» to be in the cage with them, but he survived. Once the elephants were brought out I immediately was turned off. I’m happy that they will be retired from the circus in May of this year.
3 stars for the Amalie Arena.

The last time I visited Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus, I was about 7 – 8 years old. I decided to take my 3 and 6 year old to the circus this weekend. The Greatest Show on Earth was hitting a few shows at the Amalie Arena in Tampa. My 6 year old didn’t want to go, but I insisted. About $ 90 later, we were squared away in our seats for the 3pm performance. I eagerly waited as the lights dimmed and the music began.
The intro was awesome there were many acts taking place center stage. I enjoyed everything that was happening, but it could be a little overwhelming for a child trying to keep up and take in every act. I would minimize some of the entertainment.
After the intro the show continued. I sat in amazement watching act after act and attempting to figure out how do these individuals make everything look so easy and they complete the performance with such grace. The animals were also in my «Woooow» category. I mean they followed every command and it was really adorable!
Every time my 3 year old would see an amazing stunt he would turn to me and say «Ma, how did he do that?»…and I am sitting here wondering the same thing. My 6 year old was nodding off periodically, maybe I should have listened to him, when he said he wasn’t interested. Needless to say, I was enjoying every minute of the show and felt that the money I spent was well worth it.
So, why two stars?
As we were leaving, I saw protesters outside of the arena with their signs indicating Barnum and Bailey abuse their animals. The thought of it turned my stomach, I kept a mental note and continued to the car. When I got home, I researched animal abuse in the circus and sure enough there were several articles and videos depicting the horrific abuse to elephants. I was really appalled. The animals are stripped from their mother and their habitat to suffer abuse just for a show. I do NOT agree with this at all. I will not condone animal abuse for entertainment. Barnum and Bailey you got my money this time and you will not get it again. I will not support any circus that use animals.
The two stars is for the venue which was nice and clean… and they have a PDQ! And the employees were very helpful and professional.
I digress

Wouldn’t go back or support them.
Bad experience seating was half empty show was a rip off. Not many animals almost fell asleep bad show!

This circus is a joke!!! Two elephants, 2 horses and two clowns it’s not what the greatest show on earth should be. In addition, the poor performance by some of the circus’ performers was painful to watch. I have been to many shows by Barnum and Bailey and was never so disappointed as I was after the performance. I feel that I got ripped off by Barnum and Bailey. Shame on them for allowing a show like this to go on… It should not be called «the greatest show on earth» but should be renamed «the greatest rip off of the year».

Sure, circuses are great if you support the cruelty and abuse of animals for your entertainment.

I saw trainers hurting elephants with bullhooks and making elephants do horrible tricks that are totally unnatural. Obviously the elephants are miserable and are being abused, not being fed proper food and chained up all day or forced to perform awful tedious tricks. They are transported in the horrible heat and horrendous cold, which ages them. They are not taken care of properly, their feet are sore from standing in one spot. Boycotting!

Surprisingly good time. The grounds are gorgeous and the trees and rose garden were a nice plus. Walked through the miniature circus, which I really wasn’t that into but it was amazing how much work went into it. Very very detailed! The café has really basic food but it was a nice warm day so we sat outside which was perfect. The mansion tour was GREAT! I’d recommend paying for the upstairs tour when you first walk in. The back patio was worth the whole trip.

We took the family to the circus this past weekend and it was great as usual. For the kids it was eye popping fun. For the adults it was the same pre-​packaged show from the previous year. The ads and billboards boast «Legends» as the theme. However, only once did a couple of horses with strap on wings and a horn walk the ring.
With that said, the performers deserve a 5 for the talent that they poses and put on display. Watching these amazing performers is what brings us back each year. It is worth the money just for this alone. Even if the show seems to be a repeat of the prior year.

A Jolly Good Time — Free Parking! Great for the Entire Family! We saw many multi-​generational groups at our performance. It seemed like everyone in the audience was friendly and smiling — even the guy who sold us cotton candy was joking and ribbing us. We saw RBB&B at UC 2 years ago as well, and we’ll likely be back again.

the greatest show on earth… still!!!
built to amaze certainly delivered another year for me and i was truly amazed. the elephants looked good, very clean, very happy, very upbeat and were dancing, rotfl (rolling on the floor laughing), and trotting along the sidelines strutting their stuff. i truly felt like a kid again and could not stop smiling. i’ve been attending since i was 9 years old and am now 32. i was sitting in row 17 and was still able to enjoy the show immensely, i could even see the smallest dog do her best dance to 50 cent «its your birthday». i’m still amazed at how clean the animals looked and how well they participated. only gripe is with the way it ended, kind of lame for such a fully charged show. maybe next time shoot the girl out the cannon and end with a bang. that was the best part of the show by far. shout out to the new ringmaster, he was amazing. keep up the good work!

To much Cirque du Soleil for me (which I love) but I came to see the «Greatest Show on Earth». They have definitely changed their format — even over the last 5 years. Wish it was more old school. Admission price is right but all the other stuff is outrageous. This year’s version is «Zing, Zang, Zoom». If I hadn’t got cheap seats (which had a good view), it would not have been worth the drive…

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the «cruelest show on Earth» has come to Denver, I want you to know about the cruelty and violence that go on behind the scenes at the circus.
While Ringling is in Denver (October 2^nd to 13^th) their animal handlers will be performing unbelievable acts of animal cruelty. Here’s the evidence:
Experts, eyewitnesses, and video footage prove that physical abuse is standard practice for training elephants in Ringling’s circuses. Ringling’s trainers have been observed hitting and jabbing elephants, including the babies, with sharp steel-​tipped rods called «bullhooks.» I know first hand that Ringling causes pain and suffering to animals, I don’t care if other Denverites want to see the «Greatest Show On Earth» I’ll be boycotting this out of disgust.
The fact is, animals do not naturally ride bicycles, stand on their heads, balance on balls, or jump through rings of fire. To force them to perform these confusing and physically uncomfortable tricks, trainers use whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bullhooks, and other painful tools of the trade. I applaud trapeze artists, jugglers, clowns, tightrope walkers, and acrobats, but let’s leave animals in peace

This show had something for everyone.
The show we saw was called «Over the Top» one of several touring RB and B & B Circus shows.
I found it to be non-​traditional, as there was not the old style three rings, rather, the show was put on in a dynamic fashion and stage crews were constantly taking things down and setting up new rigs for different acts. Many of the standard circus acts were there: contortionists, acrobats, and of course, clowns, but there were also motorcycle daredevils too.
Another added element I didn’t recall from when I saw a circus as a kid was a squad of female dancers who were clad in various themed costumes throughout the show… think Sea Gals meets Cirque de Soleil.
The animal acts were pretty standard, and in fact, I think were the weakest part of the show. This is generally because the human performers, singers clowns, acrobats, etc. were so good, you were less intrigued by the guy who gets the tigers to stand on their hind legs.
The best unintended animal act was when the elephants came out to do their act and easily half of them took a dump or peed… and when they do, elephants poop and pee a lot.
There were PETA protesters outside the venue expressing their concern for the way animals are treated by the circus and I take it a larger issue is the animals didn’t choose to be employed in a circus. According to the circus’ web site, they do support a charity for caring for elephants.
Despite the quality of the two-​hour show, cost was a big downer for me. I think tickets were $ 13 each. Parking was $ 5 for two blocks away. A souvenir hat and cotton candy was $ 12 (I didn’t buy this, my wife had a craving). And four hotdogs and two modest drinks totaled $ 20.50. So doing math quickly (which I’m bad at) that’s around $ 80. I suppose that’s not much more than going to a movie and dinner at someplace like Red Robin, but still, it diminishes the experience to feel like you’re being milked from the time you step into the arena until you go home. My daughter (6 years-​old) did say her hot dog was the best she’d ever had — it should be for $ 2.00 for a kids’ size dog.
Other stuff: the women’s restroom lines were terribly long and the men’s restroom lacked paper towels for drying hands.
Overall, this was fun (though a drive from the south end to Everett is a bit of a haul) and the kids have memories they’ll be talking about for some time to come. My wife did comment she still remembers her first trip to the circus as a four year-​old so hoepfully our kids will hold onto this memory for as long.

The boyfriend and I went to the last showing in San Jose, Aug. 24^th at 5:30 pm. Tickets were $ 25 each for the lower level, and we had a good view. There were kids galore, so we felt a little out of place when we came without any. It was a show definitely meant for kids, with boring bits of humor that made me yawn.
That being said, our favorite performances were:
— the «Globe of Steel» where seven dirt bikers zoomed around in a steel ball contraption simultaneously.
— when they brought out the elephants… those poor things could NOT stop crapping!!! I don’t know what they fed them before their skit, but seriously, each elephant took a dump at least once. (There were about 7 elephants). I must say that seeing the ‘poop-​scoopers’ standing on the side lines rush to scramble to clean up before the elephants stepped in it was hilarious. They really had their work cut out for them… it was non-​stop. LOL It honestly made my night. (Is that horrible of me? lol) Everything else was very ho-​hum.
There were protesters outside HP holding signs against the circus and their cruel treatment of the animals. A lady got into it with one of them, getting all in his face and saying «The circus is GOOD for the kids, it teaches them to love and appreciate animals…» and the guy was just like, «Buh-​bye, buh-​bye, buh-​bye…» in a sing-​songy voice and his hand up in front of her face. It was a little amusing. I feel bad for patronizing the circus now though after seeing how the animals acted even DURING their performances. Their spark of life was just, gone. The Tiger Show especially depressed me. The same way visiting SF Zoo depresses me. The Ring Master basically commanded 6 tigers to jump from stool to stool. Is that what these great animals are reduced to? Even as they performed, it was so… lackluster. Lackluster because it, well, lacked spirit and liveliness. Verging on lethargic. It truly saddened me. For that, this event gets 2 stars. 1 star goes to Torres family (dirt biker performance) and the 2^nd goes to the elephants.

WTF happen to the Circus.
First I should state that this was my first time actually going to a circus. I have seen some on TV, but the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey was the first in person. This display was viewed at the Staples Center on uh the 19^th I think it was don’t really care to remember the exact day. Aside from where it was my apologues for taking so long to write this review. I probably could have saved some people some time to use on more prevalent things such as organizing a sock drawer or wiping away the collection of dust that gathers atop of the ceiling fan blades. Ok so let’s get on with this; I went to the Circus ready to see the animals doing tricks and the like, but in my departure from the Staples Center I was confused and relived. I totally was not expecting to see Snoopy on Ice meets a horribly water down version of midlevel times. It had more singing then hairspray and no fat suits to compensate. What happen to the guys dressed like lumberjacks throwing knifes at girls on a spinning wheel, Clowns that arrive in tiny cars to jump through rings of fire on tiny tricycles (ok maybe I watched to much Simpsons), or seals blowing on horns and stuff. All I’m saying is I had no idea I was going to see some dude dressed like Santa sing for two hours and quarrel with a Clown like two five year old girls over a hat. The stupid hat didn’t even do anything. No rabbits, no doves, no cards, just Santa sweat marks. The best part was the tigers getting bitchy about getting on the stools and the little Chinese guys they imported to do flips on and off poles suspended from the ceiling. My co-​worker also reminded me of the Trapeze so I’ll put that in too, but frick get rid of the hat.

The 136^th edition of the Greatest Show on Earth has kicked off a two-​year national tour at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, not far from its home base in Sarasota, with mixed results. Apparently eager to attract the more sophisticated crowds that flock to Cirque du Soleil, they’ve eliminated the traditional three rings, installed huge video screens for what ultimately are somewhat jarring close-​ups of the performers, and added an insipid story line about a family of four whose dreams of starring under the Big Top come true. Despite these missteps, it remains an enjoyable entertainment for kids of all ages, as acrobats, aerialists, animal acts, and clowns frenetically go through their paces. Featured vocalist and co-​ringmaster Jennifer Fuentes, whose previous fifteen minutes of fame was as an «American Idol» finalist in the season of Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, proves to have a strong set of pipes, a way with elephants, and a more successful career than most of her competition on the pop music program.