Archive for the 'San Diego Zoo' Category
For ambitious travelers, Go San Diego card can offer good value
October 29, 2009 8:56am
Are you the kind of traveler who charts a vacation itinerary like a law student might strategize her semester’s course load? Do you consider an afternoon by the pool to be time wasted, preferring to check off items on an attraction-packed list that keeps adults occupied and/or kids happy (and contently and suitably exhausted come night)? Then you may be the ideal candidate for a Go City Card — a pass that gains you admission to select attractions in one of 13 U.S. destinations or in Toronto, Canada.
The Go San Diego Card caught my eye with its offering of entry to more than 50 attractions, including the San Diego Zoo, Legoland and Balboa Park museums. A pass valid for one day costs $65 for an adult, $50 for a child. But multiple-day passes offer far more value: two days for $95/$80 adult/child; three days for $113/$94; five days for $149/$117; and seven days for $180/$135. (The three/five/seven-day pass prices reflect a 10% discount currently available through an online sale.)
Deal or no deal? Well, it depends on how many attractions you can, and want to, visit during your San Diego stay. Getting value out of a one-day pass seems like it would be hard work. Read the rest of this entry »
San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park — Kids get in free through October
October 20, 2009 9:58am
Family travel tip: Don’t forget that kids get free admission to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park during October. The deal is valid for kids 11 years old and younger when accompanied by a paying adult. Normally ticket prices for kids ages 3 to 11 are $26 per child; adult tickets, for ages 12 and older, are $35. If you’ve visited these parks before, here are a few reasons you might want to take another trip.
San Diego Wild Animal Park: The park is celebrating Halloween with “Pumpkins at the Park” on weekends. Have fun with a trick-or-treat scavenger hunt, the Extinct Animal Graveyard and the Hidden Jungle, which has been transformed into the Creepy Crawly Crevasse — with frogs, spiders, scorpions and other creatures that crawl and creep. And kids who bring in a decorated pumpkin for display will get a free carousel ride for their pumpkin donation. The park has set up an area for carnival games, including a beanbag toss and animal races, and there’s also a full pumpkin patch. View the Pumpkins at the park website for a full list of activities, photos and more info.
San Diego Zoo: The Children’s Zoo has a new Discovery Playground presented by Fisher-Price, which features a net tunnel, climbing wall, periscopes, scramble net, talk tubes and a tube slide. Also, if you haven’t seen the zoo’s new Elephant Odyssey, there are lots of play areas for the kids to have fun in addition to viewing the pachyderm’s new $45-million habitat.
Contact: San Diego Zoo
– Jen Leo, Los Angeles Times Travel & Deal blogger
Photo: At San Diego Wild Animal Park, giraffes munch on leafy branches tied to telephone poles. Credit Fred Greaves / For The Times
2009 shaping up as a low-key year for California theme parks
May 4, 2009 8:03am
Disneyland sets the pace for theme parks in California. And with the Happiest Place on Earth taking a breather on major new attractions in 2009, the rest of the state’s amusement parks are following suit, opting for smaller fare this year over multimillion-dollar additions.
The lone exception: Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia adds the $11-million Terminator Salvation, a 2,850-foot-long wooden roller coaster which opens Memorial Day weekend with movie tie-in visual effects and a loading station fly-through. (Watch POV video)
A roundup of 2009 additions at California amusement and theme parks:
* Disneyland rehabbed the “It’s a Small World” boat ride in February, adding 29 Disney characters and a new “Spirit of America” scene to the mix. The Anaheim theme park also debuted the Celebrate parade in March and bundled a series of nighttime shows under the Summer Nightastic banner (running from June 12 through August 23).
* Across the way at Disney’s Construction Adventure, the five-year-long $1.1-billion overhaul has begun in earnest, with the Ferris wheel getting a new Mickey Mouse theme (opens in May).
* Universal Studios Hollywood brings “Creature From the Black Lagoon” to the stage in July as a campy Broadway-style musical (I kid you not) with special effects, dance choreography and romance (still not kidding).
* Legoland California unveiled a new “Bob the Builder” 4-D movie in March. The 30-foot-tall Dune Raiders racing slides opens at the Carlsbad kiddie park in time for the Fourth of July weekend.
* Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park offers absolutely nothing new of note for 2009. Here’s hoping they’re saving up for next year.
San Diego Zoo adding $45-million Elephant Odyssey
April 26, 2009 7:25am
Visitors to the San Diego Zoo’s Elephant Odyssey habitat will travel back in time to explore the ancestors of animals that roamed California 10,000 years ago or more.
Opening May 23, the new $45-million pachyderm playground brings together the zoo’s three elephants with four from its sister Wild Animal Park into a single herd. The elephants’ new home features a 2.5-acre yard, a 120,000-gallon pool and a medical facility where visitors can watch zookeepers and veterinarians feed and care for the massive animals.
In an adjacent 4.5-acre area of the new habitat, a series of secondary exhibits showcase lions, jaguars, wild horses and camels in naturalistic environments, while smaller habitats house pond turtles, rattlesnakes, tree sloths and dung beetles.
San Diego Zoo: See Frank the baby gorilla and ape webcam
November 12, 2008 3:43pm
The San Diego Zoo’s Great Ape Awareness Days start Thursday, Nov. 13 and run through Sunday. It’s a chance for guests to find out more about the zoo’s three species of great apes: gorillas, orangutans and bonobos, the most endangered. But the real draw is Frank, the baby gorilla who was born at the zoo on Sept. 4, 2008. Click the picture above, or this video link to see a sneak preview of Frank and hear more about Great Ape Awareness Days.
When to see Frank the tank: You can see him on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, 11 to 11:30 a.m. in the main viewing area.
Family Travel: Second day free at San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld San Diego & Legoland California
August 8, 2008 11:14am
How long has it been since you’ve taken the kids to any of the theme parks in the San Diego area? I’m always curious to know which park kids under 10 like best — the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld, or Legoland? Now we’ve found a deal so good you’ve got the incentive to take them to more than one.
Deal: The Second-Day Free deal is an online-only special, and each theme park has its own rules as to how many days you have to use the second-day pass, or if there are any blackout dates. Note that the deal is not offered on the parks’ websites, but on various travel websites. I’ve linked below to San Diego Attractions, one of the sites I like best.
San Diego Zoo: Regular adult admission (ages 12+) is $34 per day and children (3 to 11) are $24 per day. By booking online your price becomes $31 for adults and $22 for kids and includes the second day free, good for zoo admission and unlimited use of the Guided Bus Tour, Express Bus, and Skyfari Aerial Tram. The second day must be used within five days of the first visit. The offer is good through Sept. 1, 2008.
What’s cheaper? SoCal Travel Deal Quiz for July 30, 2008
July 30, 2008 11:18am
Here’s a fun little quiz to test your travel deal knowledge. Answers appear after the jump.
1. Is it cheaper to fly from Los Angeles (LAX) to New York (JFK) on JetBlue, Southwest or Virgin America?
2. What costs more, valet parking at Century City or taking the Metro from Union Station to Century City?
3. Is it cheaper for a family of three (two adults and one child) to go to the San Diego Zoo or SeaWorld?
4. Which has higher gas prices, Santa Monica or Glendale?
5. What costs more, a five-star hotel in Las Vegas or in Santa Barbara?
Funland amusement + theme park blog
December 11, 2007 3:54pm
The Los Angeles Times Funland blog covers news, trends, issues and changes at the major California theme and amusement parks as well as the latest information on new rides, attractions, shows and parades.
Most Popular (See ALL Funland stories)
> How the Disney-Marvel deal affects Universal Studios theme parks
> Wizarding World of Harry Potter to open at Universal Studios Orlando in 2010
> Iger: No plans to bring ‘Captain EO’ back to Disneyland
> Knott’s Berry Farm to add 1980s-era thrill ride in 2010
> Snoops reveal Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park secrets
> Disneyland unveils Halloween theme for Space Mountain, fireworks show
> Walt Disney World monorail crash kills driver
> Could ‘Flash Mountain’ return, in light of Disneyland job cuts?
> Disneyland fires Jack Sparrow — but don’t believe the salacious rumors
> Universal Studios Hollywood to replace ‘King Kong’ with new attraction
Most Commented
> Disneyland passholders: Watch out for birthday blackout dates
> Jonas Brothers tape Christmas Day Parade at Disneyland
> Miley Cyrus’ dad to join her onstage at Disneyland Sweet 16 birthday party
> Man hit by roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain
> Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon throw wedding reception at Six Flags Magic Mountain
> Coaster Wars II: Magic Mountain vs. Cedar Point
> Exclusive tour inside Disneyland’s Dream Suite
> Magic Mountain relinquishes coaster crown
> Dearly departed – on Disneyland rides!
Series Recaps
> Complete coverage: Toy Story Mania at Disney’s California Adventure
> Complete coverage: X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain
> Complete coverage: Pony Express at Knott’s Berry Farm
> Complete coverage: The Simpsons Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood
> Complete Coverage: Land of Adventure at Legoland California
> $1.1 billion California Adventure expansion preview
> 2008 amusement & theme park preview
Park by Park
> Disneyland
> Disney’s California Adventure
> Knott’s Berry Farm
> Universal Studios Hollywood
> Six Flags Magic Mountain
> Legoland California
> SeaWorld San Diego
> San Diego Zoo
> San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park
> Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
> California’s Great America
> Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
> Magic Kingdom
> Epcot
> Disney’s Hollywood Studios
> Disney’s Animal Kingdom
> Disneyland Paris
> Tokyo Disneyland
> Hong Kong Disneyland
> Universal Studios Florida
> Islands of Adventure
> Cedar Point
>
During the summer months, Funland will also focus on California’s water parks: Raging Waters (San Dimas, San Jose and Sacramento), Knott’s Soak City (Buena Park, Chula Vista and Palm Springs), Six Flags Hurricane Harbor (Valencia) and Wild Rivers (Irvine).
You’ll also find occasional Funland posts on national and international theme and amusement parks.
Funland Friends
Enthusiast sites
> Screamscape – The Ultimate Guide to Theme Parks
> Theme Park Review – News, updates, photos and videos
> Theme Park Insider – Ride reviews and reader ratings
> Roller Coaster Database – Searchable information on coasters worldwide
> Theme Park Syndicate – Theme park news aggregator
> CoasterBuzz – Portal to the thrill
> Lifthill – Roller coasters, thrill rides and theme parks
> News Plus Notes – Amusement industry news and notes
> Theme Park Rangers — Inside scoop on Orlando attractions
> Westcoaster — News, reviews and rumors on California coasters
> Roller Coaster Pro — “High quality amusement information”
> About.com Theme Parks — Guide to Florida & California parks
> Bear-y Tales — Unofficial Knott’s news and information
> IOA Central — Universal Studios fan site
> Orlando United — Universal and Disney parks in Florida
> Thrill Ride — Ride reviews & random notes
> Ultimate Rollercoaster – Definitive guide to coasters, thrill rides and amusement parks
>
Disney fan sites
> MiceAge – A different look at Disney
> MousePlanet – Consumer’s guide to Disney and theme parks
> Blue Sky Disney – Insider info on Imagineering
> Jim Hill Media – News, reviews, history and commentary
> Yesterland – Discontinued Disneyland attractions
> DoomBuggies – Tribute to Disney’s Haunted Mansion
> The Disney Blog – Disney news and information
> Mickey News – Your complete source for everything Disney
> Laughing Place – Connecting Disney fans around the world
> Mouse Links — A Little Dose of Disney column
> Inside the Magic — Weekly podcast
> Original D — Dedicated to the original Disney park
> Broke Hoedown – The PG-13 ramblings of a Disney fan
> Disney Report — Breaking news from the world, land & company
> Visions Fantastic — Trip planning, discussion, audio & video
>
>
>
>Industry sites
>
> BlooLoop – Networking the Attraction Business
> Amusement Parks USA – Carnivals, fairs, festivals and amusement parks
> Amusement Today – All about the business of fun
> Funworld – Amusement industry magazine
> Park World - News, commentary, profiles, interviews, trade show reports and new ride information
> InPark – Covers theme parks, water parks, zoos, aquariums and museums
> Amusement Today — Amusement industry trade newspaper
> InPark Magazine — Theme park, water park & museum industry news
— Brady MacDonald / Los Angeles Times staff writer + theme park blogger
Online poll picks panda cub’s name
December 11, 2007 11:28am
Thanks to 50,000 online voters, the San Diego Zoo’s newest panda cub finally has a name: Zhen Zhen.
Pronounced Jun Jun (rhymes with Run Run), the 4-month-old panda’s name means “Precious” in the Mandarin Chinese dialect.
The zoo’s Giant Panda team narrowed the 2,400 submitted names to a field of four finalists. Zhen Zhen garnered 36% of the vote, besting Li Hua (Beautiful China), Ming Zhu (Bright Treasure) and Xiao Li (Little Beauty).
Keep reading after the jump to see which names failed to make the cut.
Giant baby panda at San Diego Zoo: boy or girl?
September 15, 2007 8:40pm
It took only 6 weeks to figure out, but the giant panda baby at the San Diego Zoo is (drum roll, please) a girl. Apparently, newborn panda’s eyes, ears and, ahem, other body parts are not fully developed at birth.
It will take even longer for the cute little girl to get a name. Chinese tradition places a 100-day moratorium on panda naming, lest the proud people parents choose something silly like “A Little Bit of Something Very Cute” (which happened in 2005). And then, once a name is chosen, the Chinese government must give final approval.
You can check out the little-girl-with-no-name on the 24-hour panda webcam. Or visit the panda team’s blog where a great debate rages over a fitting moniker for the 4-pound, 17-inch fuzz ball.
Got a name for the new panda cub? Add your nom de nomination to the comment section below.
[Photo: San Diego Zoo]
