African Lion Safari or Toronto Zoo

[sparkles_grrl]

Hi Everyone,
My boyfriend and I want to visit either AFS or the TZ but can't decide which one...any suggestions?

 

[tjbaggott]

The African Lion Safari holds a lot of good memories for me. I went as a child and as a teen. I haven't been in years and now have teens of my own! Hopefully it's just as good as I remember it (except for the monkeys ripping the chrome siding off the car)

I went to the Toronto Zoo 9 years ago with DH and our children. I myself did not enjoy it, but the kids did.

 

[Alderbrook]

I was at ALS last year. ALS has a nice water park if you like that. TO Zoo is a lot of walking & just looking at animals where ALS has a few shows, isn't as big.

Are you taking kids? If so ALS has the best toddler water park, with the section for older kids & adults sectioned off.

 

[LittleFlounder]

There is *alot* more to see and do at the Toronto Zoo for adults and kids. I've been to African Lion Safari numerous times, both as a child and as and adult the attractions are very limited. Absolutely nothing at ALS has changed since I first went 20 years ago! I also think ALS is much more kid-oriented...not much for adults.

A friend and I are making our annual summer visit to the Toronto Zoo in a couple weeks and we can't wait! haha... and we have no kids!

ALS has the best toddler water park, with the section for older kids & adults sectioned off.

Actually, the ALS wet play area is only for kids (up to 60").

 

[Alderbrook]

We've been to the zoo numerous times, I think it's great for adults, but a very long day for little kids

 

[jtdl]

The best thing about ALS is the drive through safari. It is really neat to have the animals come up and look in your windows! But yes, be carefully of the monkeys. I have had them pull the chrome siding off the door as well as the rubber around the windshield!!!! If you go on a hot day you aren't likely to see much - close up anyway - most animals will be in the shade. I like to do the drive through at opening time in the morning - the animals seem to be most active then. There are exhibits in the "zoo" area but nothing compared to the Toronto Zoo. The children's splash pad/water play area is great if you have young kids.

I love the Toronto Zoo. There is a lot of walking but it really is an awesome place - you'll see pretty much any animal you can imagine and quite a few of the exhibits are indoors so the heat won't bother the animals. There is a new a stingray/shark hands-on exhibit as well. There is also a new waterplay area for the kids (2 acres it says). I'm hoping to take my kids there this summer.

 

[candielips]

I say ALS but that is probably just because I've been bugging my DH to take me & our DD there all summer.
We have annual passes to the TZ & visit very frequently. There is soooo much to see there & it is so large, there is almost no way to do it all in a day, comfortably.

 

[DutchsMommy]

Personally I would go with the Zoo. Take it easy, consider getting a Zoomobile pass (train that goes around the Zoo - good way to relax during the afternoon and also check out different parts of the zoo you might want to visit - it is hop on hop off so NP to ride it around all day ). The zoo also has a nice area for eating, and a licensed patio (check online to make sure it is open - they are doing renos to Polar Bear exhibit and it is right near there) and they have stingray and shark petting and also the new exhibit as noted above. My philiosophy is I don't really care if I see the whole zoo - you can always come back if you want. I would rather just walk around and enjoy myself and leave when I am ready. Interestingly that is my WDW philosophy as well which would explain why I always feel the need to return!!

 

[candielips]

If you choose the TZ, the POlar Bear Exhibit is opening the beginning of August. It is going to be quite the exhibit.

 

[snickerboo]

Well, I recently had my first unpleasant trip to the zoo. For the main thing, the construction for the new Artic exhibit area is loud and dusty, in the middle of everything, and causing way too many exhibits to be shut down. Make sure they're finished with that if you go. My family likes the tigers so we head straight to the tigers (the two types of tigers are in totally different areas). It wasn't on the zoo's day schedule but they closed the tiger areas for over an hour to cut the grass in there after the zoo had opened. Why couldn't they cut the grass before they had paying customers? They're also charging extra for the sting ray exhibit and the charge is per person. And it's not like SeaWorld where you can still see the animals, just not feed them if you don't pay: you aren't allowed in at all. There were other things that were just really disorganized. Like I said, I've been to the zoo many times over the years. We went in June and were very disappointed.

I went to Lion Safari last summer. It was a little difficult to get to (look up your own directions on mapquest!). You have to pay extra to ride thrugh the safari on their bus instead of in your car, by it's air conditioned and guided and the monekys wont' rip anything off your car! I found that things were on time and fairly well organized. Also, the animals were much more active than at the zoo. It is more kid-oriented than the zoo.

 

[DonaldDC]

I was just at ALS last month. If you're looking for a leisure pace and still cover everything in one day I suggest ALS, especially if you have kids with you. But the TZ is just as enjoyable, just much bigger and more to cover.

 

[sparkles_grrl]

Hey thanks for all the feedback!
Another question-do you have to wait in line to see things at the zoo? kinda like waiting in line for a ride?

 

[VMK_MagicalLadee]

nah. Some areas may be crowded and to get a good view of animals you may have to wait a few minutes, but never any type of line.

 

[motherof4]

Elmvale Jungle Zoo in Elmvale, is much nicer then both of them, smaller and animal interaction, you can feed a girafe! Don't know where you are coming from but look it up on the web!