San Diego Zoo -vs- Wildlife Park

[oceanscape]

I never knew that there were two separate attractions ran by the San Diego zoo. Which is best? Or would you visit both? We are only in SD for 4 nights, so visiting both (as well as Legoland, SeaWorld and all the other stuff we want to do) might be a push.

Any advice? Thanks!

 

[malibuconlee]

I loved them both, but if I had to pick it would be the zoo. It's the only zoo I've been to that has pandas.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[iceskatejen]

The Zoo has a larger variety of animals and you'll see them more close up. The WAP has the animals in a more natural setting. It's also a lot further away (about 45 minutes from the zoo). Both are great and worth seeing.

 

[grumpyvet]

I live in San Diego and am a member of the zoo, so we go quite regularly. The WAP is about 40 minute drive while th ezoo is about 11, so we go to the zoo a lot more frequently. That said, I like them equally.
As to which to pick, depends upon the ages of the group. My daughter pretty much hated the WAP until she was about 5. It is impossible to see most of the animals without going on the tram ride. The tram ride is a joy, but not when you are a fidgety 4 year old. It is about 35-40 minutes in length and reminds me of the safari at Busch Gardens in Tampa...but much better. The rest of the park involves some walking and not all that animals. It is a must do...if the kids will be willing. They have an exhibit called Lorikeet Landing where you buy a cup of nectar for $2 and bright colored birds land all over you to drink. Pretty cool.
The zoo is just amazing....so, go to both!!!

 

[Kaycee]

As a newcomer to San Diego, I've spent a lot of time on message boards over the past several months reading up on the area attractions. I've seen your question asked many times, and the answer is, almost without exception, to visit the zoo if you can only do one. If your family loves animals like ours does, I think it would be worth the effort to visit both.

 

[DeeDeeDis]

Visited the WAP last August and wish we had gone to the Zoo for the following:


a. Everything at WAP has an additional cost, seems like nothing or at least very little is included in your admission price - if you have kids this park could get pretty expensive.
b. The set-up of the exhibits do not flow, We seemed to spend alot of time backtracking in order to get out of an exhibit. It wasn't set up so you could go from one area of the Park to the other, you actually had to go all the way back from where you came from.
c. EVERYTHING seemed to be uphill, okay i know thats not possible but boy those hills were steep and I would have hated to have to push a wheel chair around this park.
d. There was also quite a bit of construction going on.

If you've been to the Animal Kingdom at DW i think you'd be disappointed in the WAP, we were - My vote would be for the zoo - have fun

 

[iceskatejen]

Many of the hills at the zoo are even steaper than at the WAP.

 

[WickedScorp]

The WILD ANIMAL PARK is beautiful. It's lush and has a much more organic atmosphere. As someone mentioned, the tram around the valley is one of the highlights and watching the animals in a vast, open setting which mimics their natural surroundings makes for a gorgeous experience. If you are lucky enough to be there in March/April, there is an enclosure called the HIDDEN JUNGLE, it recreates a rain forest atmosphere, and during those months the butterflies are especially prolific; they flutter right up to you and will even land on you. The park also features a camping program during the summer which is very popular and I've been told is amazing.