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Central Florida Zoo
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
7 reviews for Central Florida Zoo
The wife and I decided to take our 7 month old daughter to the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford as a family fun day. We had heard mixed reviews about the zoo, but considering it cost 10 bucks for adults and the little one got in free, we figured it was worth a shot.
We arrived right at 9am when the park opened so we could get through the park before it became too hot later in the day. Plenty of parking was available either by the train ride or right at the main gate. We were greeted with a smile and preceded right into the zoo and started to explore all of the different animals. We were surprised at the variety of animals considering the price of admission; kangaroos, elephants, tigers, monkeys, it was like a big zoo. Getting to the zoo early allowed us to see most of the animals up close because they were all being fed at the time. The elephants were particularly neat because the trainer brought bales of hay right in front of us so we could watch them eat. The zoo is very accessible with wooden boardwalks leading to all areas of the zoo. I am guessing, but I would say there were probably 30 to 40 different animal enclosures that we saw, and there were signs for new enclosures coming soon. Our daughter's favorite part of the zoo was the petting area where we had an up close encounter with a goat. You can buy food for $1 and feed the goats, llamas or bulls.
There weren't many food options open in the morning, but that wasn't much of an issue since we were able to go through the whole zoo in about 2 hours, stopping to take breaks to watch the elephants and kangaroos of course. Air conditioning is limited to the snake/frog house, so plan on going on a cool day because it does get hot out there. Luckily there is a small water park in the zoo with animals that spray water and a nice shaded seating area for the parents, make sure to bring swimsuits.
One thing I was not expecting was the ZoomAdventure course located all over the entire zoo property. It looks like this aerial adventure course was added in just the last year or so because everything looked brand new. The layout is massive stretching from the front gate to the park all the way back to the main entrance into the zoo. The course has long zip lines, rope bridges, swings, you name it. The catch is that the aerial course is not included in the price of the zoo, which may be a good or bad thing. You can go to the aerial adventure course only, without having to pay for the zoo, but if you planned on bringing your kids to the zoo and they see the aerial course, you may have to fork out some more cash. I didn't see the actual prices because we only went to the zoo, but I wouldn't mind coming back and trying to course.
I look at it this way, parking at Disney or SeaWorld is between $12 and $14; that's more than the price of 1 adult admission to the Central Florida Zoo (where parking is free). Also, a round of mini golf in the Orlando area is about 10 bucks and usually lasts for 1 hour at the most. The zoo costs about 10 bucks and can last all day if you stretch it out, not to mention that it is interactive and educational. If you are looking for Disney's Animal Kingdom or SeaWorld, this is not the zoo for you, but if you are looking for a fun and affordable outing for the whole family, I would recommend this place.
I've been looking forward to going back to the zoo for a while and finally got to go this past Saturday. I love animals and support conservation and am looking forward to instilling those values in my son. I remember way back in the day this zoo was nothing but cement cages with sad animals pacing back and worth. The zoo has come a long way since those days. The animals are all in appropriate habitats and don't have the repetitive behaviors that indicate stress. In fact, it was kind of a let down that most of the animals were holed up asleep when we visited.
We started with a nice walk along a boardwalk that meanders through some swampy vegetation and walks you past some raptors and gators. We saw some monkeys, porcupines, large cats, Asian elephants, kangaroos, emus, and tons of different birds. The only demo or organized presentation we saw was available was the elephant demo. It was OK, and I thought the narrator must be new since she was reading straight from her paper but at the end of the show the keepers said it was her last presentation after 3 years! Hmmm... Elephants are always cool and they had the 2 females going through some behaviors and followed up with a question/answer session. There was also an "encounter" available for $9.50 which we did not do.
There is a very small petting/feeding area that has 3 goats, 2 small cows, 2 turkeys, another goat and one disinterested llama. You don't walk among them, just feed them through the fence, or in the goats case he was practically climbing out to get at our little food cup!
The big hit for my 1 year old son was the splash zone. The kids loved running around and cooling off while the adults relaxed in one of the Adirondack chairs nearby. There are animals that spray water from their noses, palm trees that rain down mist, funnels that fill up with water that tip over splashing their contents and lots of little fountains that shoot out of the ground for a few minutes before disappearing for a time. This made the park for my boy, and from the looks of it, most of the kids.
We checked out the small but neat insect house that, thankfully, is air conditioned. We also for $3 per adult took a ride on the cute mini-train that circles the parking lot. There is a carousel too that costs and extra $2.
I thought I would get an annual pass and it would be a fun thing to do every so often with my boy. After visiting we decided to wait until next year. The zoo has come a long way and I see new exhibits coming but they are notably missing some major animals. There were no hoofed animals (besides the petting area)- no giraffe, zebra, antelope of even deer. There is probably too much competition from places like Animal Kingdom and Busch Gardens- but how can this little zoo compete?
And from a parent's perspective I was disappointed in the food/drink offerings. Not that it's a big deal but they don't allow outside food/drinks but didn't sell juice for kids and have a very limited food selection- like corn dogs, hot dogs, etc. Oh, and no soft serve ice cream! I couldn't believe it! It just seems like the thing to do at the zoo, have an ice cream cone!
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My wife have gone to a couple other zoos in the area -- Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa and the Jacksonville Zoo -- and they are both better than this one.
It's still pretty good, but nothing great. For $10.95, you get what you pay for: a couple of hours killed.
We didn't get a chance to see any of their shows, but most of the animals in the exhibits were active (we went in February). They have a feeding area for goats, llamas, cows and turkeys where you can buy food for $1. This was the most fun part of the day. Everyone in the area was laughing and having a good time.
I think we'd go back again, but not for a while.
I love the zoo! I took my second graders here recently for a field trip and was highly impressed by their educational program. The staff is completely knowledgeable and put on a great show for the youngsters. The program is well structured and FUN. They offer programs for different age groups at very affordable rates. If you're going on your own, it's cheap!
Only $11 bucks for adults... woohoo! As far as the animal exhibits go, they have it all. We saw everything from snakes to elephants. The elephant exhibit was pretty impressive, but my only gripe is that they were so far away that we could barely see them. Granted, it was a HOT Florida day so they probably were very happy in the shade.
All the animals at this zoo seem well-cared for and healthy. The staff really seems to have a love for animals and enjoyment of their jobs. This is a great place to spend a fun (and educational) day whether you have children or not!
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Who doesn't love the Zoo??
The Central Florida Zoo (Formerly the Sanford Zoo) is a great place for kids and adults to visit and learn about all kinds of animals.
The Good:
Animal Exhibits:This place has mammal, reptile and bird exhibits, and have every thing from tiny porcupines to large Elephants. All of the animals are in very nice environments, and there are shows and demonstrations throughout the day.
Cheap Entertainment: At $11 for adults and $7 for kids, this is definitely one of the cheapest ways to spend a day with the family. And who knows, you just might learn something!
The Bad:
N/a
I loved visiting this zoo when I was a kid, and now taking my little one here is more fun than ever! A must for families!
Overall 9.1/10 Animal Explorations!
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I took my 2 year old sister and son to the Central Florida Zoo recently. I was disappointed to see how very very little they actually had there. Mostly everything was unexciting birds and various monkeys. They do have a small petting zoo which was the highlight of the day.. or I should say few hours we were able to find anything to do there. They also have two elephants which my little sister thought were pretty neat. The price is reasonable, only $10 for adults and free for small children under 3, though the man at the admission tried to be sly and charge us for my 2 year old sister. I say pass if you can find somewhere better to go.
This zoo is in Sanford, but that's right in the backyard of Orlando. It's close and reasonable in price, which add to the reasons to go there. At this zoo they have a pretty good verity of animals. You'll see elephants, llamas, kangaroos, emus, alligators, monkeys, birds, snakes, turkeys and so much more. Also they offer a area where you can purchase a cup of food for $1.00 to feed to some of the animals. It's nice cause it allows you to get close to some of the animals and actually pet them. In addition the zoo recently opened a little water park type section for kids so that they can cool off on those hot summer days.