Need plan of attack for the Zoo!

[sfeisen]

Our family is going to spend this Saturday at the zoo.
Any suggestions on how to tour? I am so used to having a touring plan for Disney parks, that I hate to go in without a plan. Can anyone help a fellow DIS'er out?

If it helps, we are a family of 5 (my, DH, DD17, DS16, DD12).....we definitely must see the panda's.....but other than that we are going in with no expectations. EXCITED!

 

[bigjeff]

Our family is going to spend this Saturday at the zoo.
Any suggestions on how to tour? I am so used to having a touring plan for Disney parks, that I hate to go in without a plan. Can anyone help a fellow DIS'er out?

If it helps, we are a family of 5 (my, DH, DD17, DS16, DD12).....we definitely must see the panda's.....but other than that we are going in with no expectations. EXCITED!

We will be there this Monday. It's been about 5 years since our last visit. My plan is to get there at opening. Get in line to ride the double decker bus. I remember the line being long. The DD bus takes you for a ride around the Zoo with the driver talking about the animals and the Zoo. I'm hoping to get on the top level just because that seems like the best view. After the bus ride we will head down to the Panda exhibit. The line there is a slow moving pace. Not to bad though. My wife lives the polar bears so we'll make our way towards them. We'll spend all day at the Zoo or until my DGD 4 or my DW has a melt down. We are really excited too!!

 

[GenGen22]

Its been awhile since we have been there & took a tour around the zoo which was nice but wished we would have paid for the hop on hop off bus tour as the pandas are way up this hill not fun with a stroller. I suggest you get that bus tour it will make your families visit more fun than work as this place is quite hilly.

 

[Purrkins]

Zoo regular (I go 3-4 times a week) and although it's been a decade or so since I've taken it myself I would encourage the first thing you do is take the bus tour which will take you around the zoo. Afterwards, pick your animals you liked and walk back to them.

Animals are more active early morning and evenings. Save things like the reptile house and children's zoo for midafternoon.

Wear comfortable shoes.

Lots of hills (I actually jog in the zoo in the afternoon - it's a great work out).

Pack a picnic and find a nice bench to eat (I like fern canyon - especially when hot).

It's a lovely place!

 

[sonnyjane]

It has been SOOOOOOOOO busy at the zoo lately! Lots of Spring Break crowds... For this weekend I'd anticipate close to 20,000 people! Get there at opening and if you want to see the pandas, do it FIRST THING in the morning. I also recommend the bus tour, but seriously, get pandas out of the way first unless you want to wait 45 minutes to an hour. The new baby panda is being introduced to the main exhibit and I can't promise whether or not he will be out during your visit, but the hope that he will be is what is causing the longggggg lines!

 

[sfeisen]

The zoo was crazy crowded, but we had an awesome experience. I wish I could say the same about Disneyland, but that is another story........

We ended up seeing the Panda's first......adorable! We saw quite the show from the hippos, loved the giraffes, and the Polar bears! Actually, I don't think there was an exhibit we didn't love! We frequent the Cincinnati zoo, which also has a lot of hills to navigate, so the walking didn't phase us at all.