Baby Oranutan at the Phoenix Zoo
The Phoenix Zoo, which has been voted among the “Top Five Zoos for Kids”, once again hosts its annual Zoolights Christmas light display. From now until January 10th, from 6:00-10:00 p.m. nightly, patrons of the Phoenix Zoo are regaled with 2.5 million Christmas lights strung among the pathways and exhibits, with music coordinated to enhance the 500 two- and three-dimensional light features.
Lighting techniques include rope lights, LED lights, light strands, black light, fiber optics, lasers, gobos, strobes, lights programmed to music, and net lighting in trees or shrubbery. The entire combined effect is breathtaking as visitor stroll among the network of pathways throughout the Zoo property.
Rhinos at the Phoenix Zoo
Visiting the Zoo at night is always a fun experience. Nocturnal animals play a part in the festivities (note that not all of the animals that are on display in the daytime will be on display at night), and patrons are treated to hot chocolate, coffee, and hot cider, as well as warm treats to eat. As you cross the bridge into the Zoo entrance, you are greeted by a larger than life komodo light display – live Komodos are featured at the brand-new “Land of the Dragons” exhibit. The “Music in Motion” dancing tree show runs several times each evening, with new video, music and LED lights. There are horse-drawn wagon rides, carousel and camel rides, the Stingray Bay Touch Tank Experience, and animal meet and greets Thursday through Sunday.
Zoolights tickets are $10 ($8 for zoo members) per person, and children under the age of two are free. Tickets can be purchased on-line or at the property box office. The Zoo is located at 455 N. Galvin Parkway in Phoenix, Arizona. The entrance to the Zoo is off Galvin Parkway in the heart of Papago Park, between McDowell and Van Buren.
Photo Credits (in order of appearance):
- “Baby Orangutan at the Phoenix Zoo” by Jim Bowen on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Phoenix Zoo” by Scott Agent on Flickr Creative Commons.
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3 Responses
One of the nicest zoo’s i’ve ever been too! However, I would Imagen things have changed over the years since my last visit to Phoenix!
(!! The Zoolights Event at the National Zoological Park in my opinion should have been named “The Boo-Hoo Lights” because for $10 dollars and a $5 dollar Ticketmaster processing fee, they were a real “Boo-Boo!” A sparse spattering of LED lights in the shape of animals for this amount of money does not constitute the price. Come on Comcast, are LED lights in the shape of a gopher the best you can do? For the price we pay for your services, one would have expected more!
There were not many animal exhibits open for the Boo-Hoo Zoolights Event and the ones that were, the animals looked tired, wanted to get some sleep, and were tired of us staring at them through plexiglass. The gorillas actually had their blankets pulled over their heads to try to escape the constant glares of passers by. I thought it was quite rude to keep these guys up for this event with bright fluorescent lights glaring and to make them go to such extremes as to turn their backs and pull covers over their heads in order to sleep. Not cool, just not cool!! I could not even enjoy a greasy funnel cake because they closed the stand down 20 minutes before this tired event ended!
To conclude, I hope next year’s Zoolights is better. It really needs some work and believe me, you can see better displays of Holiday Lights just by driving through the neighborhoods of DC!!
Phoenix Zoo… I have never been there. Hope that will visit this place soon!