San Diego Wild Animal Park - Visit Africa in California
Written: Jan 03 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Tram tour, Nairobi village theme, clean
Cons: Not every animal represented, some long walks on hilly terrain
The Bottom Line: A really unique zoo that showcases African and Asian animals in their natural habitats.
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| modernmarvel's Full Review: San Diego Wild Animal Park |
We visited the Wild Animal Park north of San Diego on January 1, 2005. I wasn't sure what to expect but the $6 charge for parking and the $27 admission price for adults really raised my expectations quite a bit. The Wild Animal park is, essentially, a zoo with a unique concept. Most of the enclosures cover acres and combine a number of animals in a natural setting allowing them to display natural behaviors. Of course, spreading animals over this distance makes it hard for visitors to see them so there is a tram tour that covers most of the park.
THE PARK GENERALLY
The first thing I noticed about the park is the African theme. All of the buildings near the entrance look like round, thatched huts. It is supposed to be a village in Nairobi but this was a leap for me once I saw all the snack stands and gift shops. Still, the overall theming was pleasant and worked nicely with the landscaping and wooded, shaded effect.
The walk in and around the main "village" is comfortable with no stairs or steep slopes. You can get to the tram waiting area within 5 minutes of the entrance. However, the Wild Animal Park covers 90 acres so you have the opportunity to do some significant walking over hilly terrain if you want to. It seemed that most or all of the outlying paths are paved (we didn't get past the lion enclosure). However, there is also a lot to see within a fifteen minute walk from the entrance if you don't want to do the trekking.
THE TRAM
This is the highlight of the Wild Animal park and all park admissions include a trip on the train. In fact, I think you could take several trips during your visit because no one checked us off or took a ticket when we boarded.
To board the tram, you simply wait in line. Judging by the full parking lot, we visited on a busy day and got in line for the tram around 1:30. We had to wait about 20 minutes to board. However, we heard tales of waiting over an hour to get on a tram. Once you get in the line area, there is nothing in the way of entertainment except for one bird cage. The area is partly shaded and there is some minimal landscaping.
When you board the tram, remember that the trip is just over an hour. The guide will ask you to tuck away all food and drinks. There are also no bathroom breaks so be sure all kids have a chance to go before you get on. I saw other reviewers complained about crying children on the tram. As a parent, I sympathize with other riders, however, you can't exit the tram during the trip so, if your child acts up, there is not much that can be done. I did notice that the guide asked for the first five rows in the first car to be a quiet zone. If you are sensitive to crying children, consider sitting near the guide which should be quieter.
The tram is open to the weather with a roof but no sides. This makes it easier to view the animals but a little windy and, possibly, rainy. You do not go into the enclosures but view them from above on the track just outside and above the fences.
There is an African enclosure and an Asian enclosure, among others. You will see rhinos, giraffes and lots of small four-legged animals that resemble the African and Asian versions of goats, sheep and cows. If you appreciate the nuances of different species of deer, you will love the tour. There was a tiger in a small, separate enclosure. Sadly, elephants were also separated in a tiny, cement enclosure that looked quite inhumane. I really loved the tour and appreciated seeing the animals in their natural habitats, although our tour guide talked too much and I would have preferred it if he eliminated the corny jokes and banter. I was disappointed in the amount and variety of animals in the large enclosures. Mostly, it was four-legged grass eaters that were, surprise, eating grass. Still, this was a unique way to view exotic animals and, in the nice weather, a fun way to pass an hour or so.
OTHER ANIMALS
I suggest taking the tram first so you know what you want to double back and see. Near the entrance is a collection of enclosures to view other African and Asian animals. There are lots of birds in this area as well as lowland gorillas, ring tailed lemurs and an aviary. There is also a petting zoo. A fun part of this area of the park is pretend animal homes. There is a hanging bird's nest, a den and several others. The kids loved checking out these kid-sized animal homes. There are lots of opportunities for fun photos in this area so remember your camera.
It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk to the lion enclosure where you can see six lions recently acquired by the zoo. If you want to walk further, you can see other animals as well although we had three kids in tow so we didn't venture too far from the front of the zoo in case we needed to make a hasty exit.
CONSERVATION EFFORTS
You will hear quite a bit about how the park participates in breeding programs and how your admission tickets help conservation efforts. I think conservation is great, but a lot of zoos participate in breeding programs and don't charge $27 admission.
GETTING THERE
Although the park is billed as being in San Diego, it is really out of the city a bit. We drove there and I didn't see any public transporation. We visited on a busy day and parked at the end of the lot. We had to walk uphill about ten minutes just to get into the park. There is a $6 charge for non-members.
TICKET PRICES
Ticket prices were around $27 for adults. I had a $3 off coupon I got at Legoland. There are also tickets for $92 you can buy that let you into the Wild Animal Park and some other San Diego area attractions for five days. Members of the Zoo get in free and if you plan to spend a lot of time here and at the The San Diego Zoo, consider getting a membership to save on parking and admission fees. Of course, prices and deals change all the time, so please call or check the web site before going.
OTHER THOUGHTS
We didn't bring binoculars but they would have been nice to have on the tram ride. They sell cheap ones in the gift shops.
There are a surprising number of gift shops selling similar merchandise including the standard t-shirts, mugs and cheap toys. Sometimes members get a discount but they didn't in the month of January when we visited.
Apparently, there are shuttles (golf carts) to help people who have a hard time walking the distances required. If you need assistance, call ahead to see what they offer. Generally, the park is wheelchair and stroller accessible but we did see steps in a few places. You can bring strollers everywhere except on the tram.
There are several sit down casual restaurants and snack shops everywhere. Food is overpriced and not that good.
There are photo safaris. It looks like they actually go into the enclosures. According to our guide, you have to make a reservation but, if you arrive before 2:30, you can see if there are any openings. You have to be age 8 or older to go and I assume there is a substantial additional charge.
They have an "extreme log ride." I assume it is an extra fee and it appeared to be a motion simulator rather than a true ride with a moving vehicle. This added to the commercial money-grabbing feel of the place and detracted a bit from the zoo experience.
The zoo was quite clean. The bathrooms were not.
Bring hand sanitizer if you want to go to the petting zoo.
Wear comfortable shoes if you want to trek to the outlying exhibits. If you like to do some serious walking, there is a lot of opportunity to do it here.
There was an elephant show that we missed. If you want to see a show, be sure to find out the times and plan your day accordingly. It can take well over an hour to wait for the tram, board the tram and take the tour so factor that time in when planning your day.
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
For me, the bottom line is that the admission price is very steep and, while the experience was pretty good, I don't think I would return so quickly to take my whole family for the price. This is particularly true in Southern California where there are so many other options. However, if you forget about the admission price, the zoo itself was unique and nice. There was some effort at education. However, it was quite commercial too with overpriced food and a ton of gift shops. Overall, I would give the experience four stars and recommend it to those who like zoos.
MY REVIEWS OF OTHER THINGS TO SEE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Disneyland
Disney's California Adventure
Legoland
SeaWorld San Diego
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
The San Diego Zoo
Balboa Park
The Museum of Making Music
Recommended:
Yes
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modernmarvel
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