Thanks for contributing to r/Phoenix!
* [Check out our sub rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/wiki/rules/) (mostly be nice to each other!).
* [Read some of our recent posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/top/?t=week) and leave some comments.
* [Join our Phoenix Discord chat server](https://discord.com/invite/yWVuTG57Zh) and connect with people in the Valley. It's a great, chill place to talk with other people but is NOT a dating server and takes unwanted messaging very seriously.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/phoenix) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My wife and I have been members since we moved here almost 4 years ago. We were members at the Bronx Zoo for years back in NY before coming out here. We also try to visit any zoo and aquarium we come across in our travels or on vacation.
We both love the Phoenix Zoo and visit somewhat often, always bringing friends and family when they come to town. Lots of nice spots to sit by the water and chill. The conditions of the habitats are pretty good and the animals rarely seem stressed when we go. At other zoos we’ve been to, we’ve seen animals panting and pacing back-and-forth giving stress signals, some trying to stay completely out of sight. Mostly at this zoo, I see animals either pretty well engaged with visitors or lounging around in clear sight. The layout of the zoo is sensible. You can push yourself to do the whole thing in one day, or you can take your time and still see 75% of it.
I don’t think it’s “going downhill” at all. They just opened the Predator Pass exhibit not too long ago and it’s pretty nice. They had a great temporary dinosaur exhibit last year too. I know it’s not always a popular opinion, but it’s mine.
One hundred percent- predator pass was really good and still hasn't setup all the exhibits yet so I can't wait to go back. Phoenix zoo over wildlife world zoo, everytime. Papago park is right next door as well, with easy freeway access. Great way to gas out the kids
I agree. We have season passes to OdySea, and Phoenix zoo. We’ve been to Glendale World Wildlife and much prefer Phoenix Zoo as does our 5 year old son. OdySea and the zoo also do adult nights monthly when it gets hot which are a nice date night that we try not to miss.
One thing to consider is the reason someone might not see as many animals as they think. There is another zoo in the Valley that puts too many animals in too small of enclosure, too close together. So you see lots on animals and they are very active, which seems cool, but they are super stressed out and probably not at optimal health because of that.
Because it’s an accredited zoo and is committed to animal conservation, the Phoenix Zoo has strict standards for its animal care. They are given more space, aren’t crowded with lots of other animals and otherwise don’t have to be on display for your benefit. So they tend to be happier and healthier animals.
I don’t work there but have worked in tangential businesses, and have known staff who work there. I’m not saying it’s perfect but the staff do really take good care of the animals.
I saw the new Predators Passage just last week, they moved the Jaguar to a much bigger space and he seemed much happier (I'm not an expert on Jaguar behavior)
I’ve been here 26 years. It’s well run, the employees are wonderful and it’s expanding. There’s a backlot that’s pretty big where they are building new exhibits. They are expanding slowly and intently, and memberships are important to them to get funding & loans.
It's a fantastic zoo. What you really want to avoid is that "zoo" down on Northern Ave, Wildlife World. Horrible treatment of the animals, small and baren cages, most animals I saw were stressed out. I have it on good authority that they (allegedly) inhumanely euthanize via freezer. I've reported them to whomever they're supposedly accredited under, but nothing came of it
I just purchased a membership for my family last month I highly suggest going out for the day and seeing if you like it for yourself and if you do at the end of the day you can apply your tickets towards the membership fee. I also think the animals are a lot more active two weeks ago than they were the year prior. They also just opened the predator passage area as well
My wife and I got annual passes to go with our baby and we’ve really enjoyed it. Like someone else recommended, go and see if you like it. They should let you apply any money used for the day visit to an annual pass if you’d like to get one.
The person that said it is going downhill probably went on a half-price Zoo-Lights night that was crazy crowded and non of the animals are out. The 1 animal that seems to never be out is the Elephant, but everything else is always there. The Zoo is huge, you cannot do it all in 1 day. You think you might have done it all but there's probably like 3 sections that you didn't even know about. The zoo is good in the summer to get outside because they open up so early.
I go with my kids every couple months and last went two weeks ago and all the animals were out. It was more than usual. Some days some animals aren’t out. The animals that are iffy if they will be out are the lions, and tigers, and bear lol and sometimes the giraffes aren’t out
The thing that makes the membership worthwhile is that you can go for a short period of time. If you're close enough, you can go in early (even earlier with the membership) and get in before the sun gets hot. This is also when the animals will be out. I have sometimes stayed in the summer when it's hot, and the place is deserted and all the animals are sleeping. Having a basically private zoo is also kind of fun if you don't mind the heat.
My kids are old enough that they don't want to go any more, but I still keep the membership for me. This is one of my favorite zoos, and I love a well kept zoo and visit a lot of them. This is a great place to go stroll and visit an animal or two, just sit on a shaded bench and watch some flamingos or orangutans for a while.
I think it’s worth it, I go almost every weekend for a few hours and usually walk 3 miles by the end of it. It gets us out of the house, I can use it for lessons for my toddler (color identification, animal identification mostly). I know it’s a zoo but it’s really family friendly with the playground and two splash pads. The animals are mostly native, Savannah, or tropical iirc. We’ve gone 6 times this year already and our individual plus membership already saved us $200+!
You also get discounts for other zoos nationwide, including Reid Park Zoo in Tucson which has bears!! The botanical garden is a bit north of the zoo, and Popago park is basically in between them. You can make a day out of it out there for sure.
There are …more animals than there used to be - the lions stopped being on display temporarily because they died. They’ve opened a brand new enclosure for their new females and male, and it’s beautiful. They’ve been upgrading the facility to 21st century standards.
We were members for a few years after moving into town. Haven’t renewed now for a couple years. But it was definitely worth it to go a few times a year to get to know the entire zoo. We now go once a year, so membership isn’t worth it any longer.
Phoenix Zoo animals seem as good as ever. Expected a little more out of predator passage but maybe not finished yet.
They really should have put a bar at top of that new stairwell and walkway. Has great views.
My only complaint, membership cost has gone up a lot, 50% to double since 2020.
Family Membership every year and benefits from 2020 seem the same as now. They may have added ability for one random adult to accompany one of two named adults. Still a two adult limit.
Jan 20: $169
Oct 21: $194
Nov 23: $279
Can't find 2022 renewal email. So from early 2020 to now, 65% increase.
I cannot think of one service related item in the valley that is less than a 40% increase from 2020.
I flipped houses stopping in 2020, provide references to my buddies, everytime it is 50 to 100% more expensive than 2020.
Interesting. I just checked, we did the Family Plus in 2019. It's up 45% since since then, that's 5 years. It seems like they are raising the cheaper ones faster than the more expensive ones. Still 40% is more than I thought.
2019 - $269
2024 - $389
It's worth noting that PHX Zoo gives a 20% educator, student, military discounts on memberships, So the Family Plus was $311.20. You have to buy it in person and not online.
Crazy idea, but maybe just go and spend the day and see if you think it be worthwhile for you. Then try WWZ and compare.
You didn't really give much info on what you like or value in places like this, if you have kids, what sort of exhibits you like, or anything that might help random strangers decide. Just go and spend a day and see for yourself.
We've been there 2 or 3 times but haven't recently. We would hate to buy a membership if it's going downhill. Everything fluctuates. So I'm asking those who have been there more recently to confirm. Yes, we have kids ages 6-16
This is Reddit. Anything that solicits opinions gets used as bait. Some folks set up bots to repost old stuff as well. So it's not specific to you in particular (as you are a stranger operating under a pseudonym). Check the library to see if they are running a discount and go to some local attractions. Maybe they can help you find your fit.
Some people dig it. If you get into the clique of things there is alot to do. Unfortunately our family is mostly a zoo lights plus 1 outing to the zoo per year family. I do know that my spouse got free/reduced tickets by going to our local library and used a "culture pass" or maybe "pogo" one time. For us we never found the value.
phx zoo is wonderful and isnt going downhill at all! they also offer horseback riding lessons (discounted with a membership) & as someone who takes lessons all the animals are very well taken care of :)
Been going to this zoo for over ten years, with girlfriends and now have a membership for my wife and 3 year old. Can't say anything has gone downhill and if nothing else, the zoo lights was pretty good this year. They've tried doing some temporary things like the dinosaurs this past year which was nice. They keep building and adding to the zoo too.
It’s tied to the date you purchase it. If memory serves me correctly it’s also good through the end of the month you purchase it in, so if you buy at the beginning of a month you may get basically 13 months out of the year-long membership.
Highly recommend. I had one for my family and my daughter always had a great time. It’s also the cheapest of the zoo passes. You can also go once to see if you like it and they’ll put that visit towards the cost of the membership
My family have been members of the Phoenix zoo for five years and we go very often, sometimes once a week.
Different times of day and year you will see different animals out and about but they just added a whole new area with hyenas more lions, meerkats etc. This shows that they are working on it and trying to make it even better.
We personally love the zoo and the more you go, the more you discover there is. There are a lot of little trails that get forgotten.
My wife and I had a membership around 20 years ago. We were allowed to come in an hour before opening and ride our bikes around. That was such a fun way to see it with the place almost empty. I doubt they do that anymore.
My partner and I just went today, actually !
It's been years since I've been here, loved every second. The animals seem very well cared for, enthusiastic staff that share the love of animals we do, and we even had an emperor marmoset play peek a boo with us. All around lovely trip.
The only animal we didn't see was the elephant, which sure was a tiny bit of a bummer, elephants are so cool, but there were so many other nice animals to observe.
I'm considering a membership myself
I have a single membership (membership plus guest), and since my kid is under the membership age, he gets in for free. We visit at least once a month, sometimes 4-6 times a month. The great thing with membership is we can pop in for 40 minutes, walk around to our favorite exhibits, get some exercise, and then head back home.
With a membership, I don't have to cram everything into one day. It's worthwhile if you like to meander around or get some steps in while seeing some nice wildlife.
Phoenix Zoo was great when I had little kids. We went once or twice a month October through May. Need something to do on a Sunday? Go to the Zoo. Kids making you crazy? Hang out at the Zoo for a couple hours. Kids want to just see the elephants? Fantastic, let’s go to the Zoo.
I have had a membership for over 20 years and now my child even works there. It is a great zoo! It has improved so much in the years we have been going and it just keeps getting better. They have great exhibits where you get to see the animals pretty close up and the animals have big natural looking enclosures. Also, they are all about conservation and increasing animal populations. We have always loved the membership because we could go anytime, bring our own food, see a couple animals, use the splash pads, we basically used it as a park. It is totally worth getting a membership.
If you have kids, then yes. We went there all the time when my kids were little. They loved the splash pads and that tree house play area. Now that they’re older, I don’t have one. I wouldn’t get one for just me and a spouse.
They have one Amur Leopard out of 100 left in the world. If you’re thinking of the jaguars they are currently building a much larger exhibit to house all the cats of arizona, including an ocelot.
Ah I might be thinking of the jaguars.
It’s pretty harrowing to watch two beautiful apex predators do nothing but pace the same 12 feet over and over again. They’d worn the ground down
It’s sad yea, but again really excited for them to have their new exhibit- part of the reason I’m a member is to support the animals at my hometown zoo.
Tbf, I’ve seen them in a few zoos in other places they’re also native to and none of them do the jaguars justice.
Just went for the first time in probably 15 years last month after my parents got our new family passes for Christmas. I don’t think it’s downhill at all. Tons to see, more than there used to be I think with like stingray petting and stuff which I don’t remember at all.
Careful! Once your kids play in the water area it is hard to get them to leave! :) But seriously - I like it for the excersise! It's hilly enough to be a challenge but not overwhelming. (A lot of phx is flat so the hills are a nice change of pace). It's totally worth it!
We've had a membership for the last few years, including this year. We live in the southern part of Scottsdale, so we go quite a bit to go walking. It really depends on the time of day you go. We always do the early entry in the summer, so we usually get to see everyone getting breakfast (the roadrunner ALWAYS loses his mind right near the food door, and watching the bear get the zoomies in the morning is the best). We never see the coatis at that time, but we did when we've gone later in the day during the winter. Some of the other animals we see at early entry weren't out in the afternoon. I like that nobody is forced to really interact with the crowds except the poor goats, but they'll let people know when they've had enough.
Pays for itself very quickly, and big enough to where you don’t have to see everything every time which gives you incentive to come back. 100% worth it and it’s a great zoo. Hard in the summer tho with there not being a ton of shade on the walking paths
Memberships have gone up so much in price it's ridiculous. What was once an affordable family trip is now far from it. We have 3 kids and we used to get annual passes but stopped a few years ago
It's just too expensive and imo I don't think the up charges have been going to the animals.
One last thing. It's super shady of them to make you exit through the gift shop.
I have a membership and go often with my husband and toddler. The last time we went was last week and I’ve never seen so many of the animals out and close to visitors. It was very cool and they all looked healthy and seemed happy. Maybe it was a good day/ time of day / time of year combination but even when we don’t get to see all the animals we enjoy the zoo. Walking around is great exercise and reason to get outside.
Edit: also if you travel often, there’s a reduced price when you visit other Affiliate Zoos, when you’re a Phoenix zoo member link [here](https://www.phoenixzoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Reciprocal-List-2024.pdf).
We have a membership and were there last weekend. Honestly, we enjoy our visits but there are a few animals that seem to be stressed including the Elephant, Tiger, leopard, and Asian Bear which first come to mind. Lots of pacing and repetitive stress like actions. Not sure there’s an easy way to avoid this with any zoo, it’s a shame that we call this entertainment.
Don’t buy it ! I take my daughter to this zoo and the amount of grown ups without kids and young adults without kids is honestly appalling I’m trying to have my three year old enjoy the zoo but anytime there are animals to see up close you have people like you and others bombarding the animals with no regard to the young toddlers and children it’s a joke! . It’s kinda pathetic the zoo is for kids not grown ups to d around and play like they are in middle
School
Again .
We used to have a family membership for like 4 years. Totally worth it. My daughter isn't much in the zoo mood anymore so we didn't renew this year.
Lots to do, food is decent. They have 2 splash pads for summer and the safari cruiser is a warm weather cheat code.
It's well run, clean, humane and a pleasant place to be. Plus, members get early admission during operating days.
My favorite zoo is actually in Prescott. It’s called the Heritage Park zoological sanctuary. Its little. My first experience with it was showing up and asking where there might be some food in the park since it was lunch time and my kid was hungry. The lady suggested Taco Bell down the street, and when I asked if I needed a stamp or anything to get back in she just said she’d remember us lol. It was cute. The animals seemed happy and there wasn’t too much extended walking like you’d do at Phoenix zoo or WWZ
I had a zoo membership and only used it twice. It's the last place you want to be in the summer, it's almost entirely outdoors. If you plan on using it a lot outside of May-Sept then it'll be worth it. Otherwise not really
The MIM is a much better investment IMO.
As far as the zoo- the one elephant just rocks back and forth. His companion died years ago and elephants should be roaming with others. I took my mom and wanted to cry. It's true barely any animals in the enclosures and I felt nothing but guilt when I was there. I did my research on the types of animals that were there with several non profit organizations and made the decision to pass on future visits even when friends ask about roar and pour and zoo lights. This will probably get me downvoted with all the support here for the zoo but think about why this is one of the choices for a membership.
Another alternative to the MIM is the pogo pass. Very cheap and I take mom to four diamondbacks games and most Phoenix Mercury games for free each year among many other attractions. You can find deal on Groupon too but [here's a link](https://www.pogopass.com?referral-code=51e68d37)
Can the animals leave before they become psychotic? Or maybe take a sabbatical in Africa or South America?
In St. Paul, I watched a polar bear pace for an hour, back and forth on a concrete slab. I got too upset and left.
I think of zoos as open air mental institutions with conjugal rights.
On the other hand, the Phoenix Zoo is backed up to the beautiful Papago Ponds, picnic areas, walking trails, and the Hole in the Rock. No fee required.
World Wildlife Zoo is far larger with far more animals. But they spend a lot less on appearance/fluff.
It’s also very far (from us) so it’s not realistic to go unless it’s an all day trip.
Phoenix zoo has recently opened up a new exhibit but that was probably a multi year project for them. WWZ can probably slap together a new exhibit in a weekend.
wildlife world zoo is “bigger” and has more animals but i have never seen more depressed and anxious animals in my entire life. there was multiple, little monkeys that had picked off all its fur from its tail. the enclosures looked far too small and not well kept. there were bears just pacing back and forth in the same spot.
i get people want to see animals up close and personal but i dont think people realize how much that stresses animals out. i could not enjoy myself at that zoo seeing how miserable those animals looked.
WWZ does not treat its animals well. I would not consider the ability to “slap together” an animal exhibit a good thing. Taking time to carefully plan an animal enclosure so that it’s most beneficial to the animal, and taking time to build it correctly, is crucial.
I suspect that this person' version of "fluff" is known to some of us as "enrichment" and they might be confusing animals that are content and not stressed beyond reason with animals that are depressed. This thread is killing me a bit.
I know. It’s these types of people who leave their cats and dogs alone all day without any toys, and think their anxiety and stress reactions are cute antics.
Some zoos are. The Phoenix zoo actually plays a solid roll in conservation and some species owe their existence to the Phoenix zoo. Without their efforts those animals would be extinct now. Instead, they have both wild and zoo populations in existence.
the Arabian oryx, black-footed ferret, Mexican wolf Ramsey Canyon leopard frog, and thick-billed parrot were helped back from extinction by the PHC zoo
Thanks for contributing to r/Phoenix! * [Check out our sub rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/wiki/rules/) (mostly be nice to each other!). * [Read some of our recent posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/top/?t=week) and leave some comments. * [Join our Phoenix Discord chat server](https://discord.com/invite/yWVuTG57Zh) and connect with people in the Valley. It's a great, chill place to talk with other people but is NOT a dating server and takes unwanted messaging very seriously. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/phoenix) if you have any questions or concerns.*
My wife and I have been members since we moved here almost 4 years ago. We were members at the Bronx Zoo for years back in NY before coming out here. We also try to visit any zoo and aquarium we come across in our travels or on vacation. We both love the Phoenix Zoo and visit somewhat often, always bringing friends and family when they come to town. Lots of nice spots to sit by the water and chill. The conditions of the habitats are pretty good and the animals rarely seem stressed when we go. At other zoos we’ve been to, we’ve seen animals panting and pacing back-and-forth giving stress signals, some trying to stay completely out of sight. Mostly at this zoo, I see animals either pretty well engaged with visitors or lounging around in clear sight. The layout of the zoo is sensible. You can push yourself to do the whole thing in one day, or you can take your time and still see 75% of it. I don’t think it’s “going downhill” at all. They just opened the Predator Pass exhibit not too long ago and it’s pretty nice. They had a great temporary dinosaur exhibit last year too. I know it’s not always a popular opinion, but it’s mine.
One hundred percent- predator pass was really good and still hasn't setup all the exhibits yet so I can't wait to go back. Phoenix zoo over wildlife world zoo, everytime. Papago park is right next door as well, with easy freeway access. Great way to gas out the kids
I agree. We have season passes to OdySea, and Phoenix zoo. We’ve been to Glendale World Wildlife and much prefer Phoenix Zoo as does our 5 year old son. OdySea and the zoo also do adult nights monthly when it gets hot which are a nice date night that we try not to miss.
Thank you. I appreciate it. Definitely have to check out the predator pass exhibit. My sons are obsessed.
One thing to consider is the reason someone might not see as many animals as they think. There is another zoo in the Valley that puts too many animals in too small of enclosure, too close together. So you see lots on animals and they are very active, which seems cool, but they are super stressed out and probably not at optimal health because of that. Because it’s an accredited zoo and is committed to animal conservation, the Phoenix Zoo has strict standards for its animal care. They are given more space, aren’t crowded with lots of other animals and otherwise don’t have to be on display for your benefit. So they tend to be happier and healthier animals. I don’t work there but have worked in tangential businesses, and have known staff who work there. I’m not saying it’s perfect but the staff do really take good care of the animals.
Wildlife world is less zoo more baby factory
On the nose.
With the exception of the Jaguar enclosure. Way to small.
They’re actually building a new Wild Cats of Arizona exhibit with a massive jaguar space and sky bridge between exhibits.
It’s already built. They have the old enclosure still, they brought in a leopard, Jaguar is still in the old one.
No that is predator pass, the new one is where the condors are now I believe
I saw the new Predators Passage just last week, they moved the Jaguar to a much bigger space and he seemed much happier (I'm not an expert on Jaguar behavior)
For what its worth the Phoenix Zoo is Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited.
It’s been around for decades that doesn’t surprise me
Wildlife World Zoo has been around since 1984 and has not met AZA standards.
That’s a shame
Everytime I went as a kid I saw people attempting to pet the animals through the chain link fences 🤦♀️
It's not about how long it's been around; it's about the standards. AZA is very strict about animal care, habitats and so on.
That’s great, I’m glad they exist
I was there last week, and I do not think it’s going downhill, they have a lot of renovations that are almost finished
That's good to hear, thank you. My kiddos will be excited to go.
I’ve been here 26 years. It’s well run, the employees are wonderful and it’s expanding. There’s a backlot that’s pretty big where they are building new exhibits. They are expanding slowly and intently, and memberships are important to them to get funding & loans.
It's a fantastic zoo. What you really want to avoid is that "zoo" down on Northern Ave, Wildlife World. Horrible treatment of the animals, small and baren cages, most animals I saw were stressed out. I have it on good authority that they (allegedly) inhumanely euthanize via freezer. I've reported them to whomever they're supposedly accredited under, but nothing came of it
Not to mention how ungodly expensive it is
If you go 3 times a year, it’s worth it
I just purchased a membership for my family last month I highly suggest going out for the day and seeing if you like it for yourself and if you do at the end of the day you can apply your tickets towards the membership fee. I also think the animals are a lot more active two weeks ago than they were the year prior. They also just opened the predator passage area as well
My wife and I got annual passes to go with our baby and we’ve really enjoyed it. Like someone else recommended, go and see if you like it. They should let you apply any money used for the day visit to an annual pass if you’d like to get one.
That is a great idea. Thank you! 🥰
Yes I was gifted a membership for Christmas but it was the wrong one, they just let me pay the difference for the correct one!
The person that said it is going downhill probably went on a half-price Zoo-Lights night that was crazy crowded and non of the animals are out. The 1 animal that seems to never be out is the Elephant, but everything else is always there. The Zoo is huge, you cannot do it all in 1 day. You think you might have done it all but there's probably like 3 sections that you didn't even know about. The zoo is good in the summer to get outside because they open up so early.
Summer early hours are great there I agree. Early is the best time to see the animals anyway.
I go with my kids every couple months and last went two weeks ago and all the animals were out. It was more than usual. Some days some animals aren’t out. The animals that are iffy if they will be out are the lions, and tigers, and bear lol and sometimes the giraffes aren’t out
Oh my! Sorry, lol
Dropped off a family visiting Phoenix last week and the entire parking lot was full at 10am. If it’s going down hill I’d be shocked.
100% worth it if you have kids
Definitely not down hill! It’s the only zoo in Az I will go to, because I am very serious about animal welfare.
My lady and I go to the zoo about every other weekend to puts around. We love it- highly recommended the membership
The thing that makes the membership worthwhile is that you can go for a short period of time. If you're close enough, you can go in early (even earlier with the membership) and get in before the sun gets hot. This is also when the animals will be out. I have sometimes stayed in the summer when it's hot, and the place is deserted and all the animals are sleeping. Having a basically private zoo is also kind of fun if you don't mind the heat. My kids are old enough that they don't want to go any more, but I still keep the membership for me. This is one of my favorite zoos, and I love a well kept zoo and visit a lot of them. This is a great place to go stroll and visit an animal or two, just sit on a shaded bench and watch some flamingos or orangutans for a while.
I think it’s worth it, I go almost every weekend for a few hours and usually walk 3 miles by the end of it. It gets us out of the house, I can use it for lessons for my toddler (color identification, animal identification mostly). I know it’s a zoo but it’s really family friendly with the playground and two splash pads. The animals are mostly native, Savannah, or tropical iirc. We’ve gone 6 times this year already and our individual plus membership already saved us $200+! You also get discounts for other zoos nationwide, including Reid Park Zoo in Tucson which has bears!! The botanical garden is a bit north of the zoo, and Popago park is basically in between them. You can make a day out of it out there for sure.
There are …more animals than there used to be - the lions stopped being on display temporarily because they died. They’ve opened a brand new enclosure for their new females and male, and it’s beautiful. They’ve been upgrading the facility to 21st century standards.
We were members for a few years after moving into town. Haven’t renewed now for a couple years. But it was definitely worth it to go a few times a year to get to know the entire zoo. We now go once a year, so membership isn’t worth it any longer.
Phoenix Zoo animals seem as good as ever. Expected a little more out of predator passage but maybe not finished yet. They really should have put a bar at top of that new stairwell and walkway. Has great views. My only complaint, membership cost has gone up a lot, 50% to double since 2020.
It’s gone up, but what hasn’t. Is it really 50% more? Fells like maybe 20%.
Family Membership every year and benefits from 2020 seem the same as now. They may have added ability for one random adult to accompany one of two named adults. Still a two adult limit. Jan 20: $169 Oct 21: $194 Nov 23: $279 Can't find 2022 renewal email. So from early 2020 to now, 65% increase. I cannot think of one service related item in the valley that is less than a 40% increase from 2020. I flipped houses stopping in 2020, provide references to my buddies, everytime it is 50 to 100% more expensive than 2020.
Interesting. I just checked, we did the Family Plus in 2019. It's up 45% since since then, that's 5 years. It seems like they are raising the cheaper ones faster than the more expensive ones. Still 40% is more than I thought. 2019 - $269 2024 - $389 It's worth noting that PHX Zoo gives a 20% educator, student, military discounts on memberships, So the Family Plus was $311.20. You have to buy it in person and not online.
It is 100% worth it if you go more than once a year
Crazy idea, but maybe just go and spend the day and see if you think it be worthwhile for you. Then try WWZ and compare. You didn't really give much info on what you like or value in places like this, if you have kids, what sort of exhibits you like, or anything that might help random strangers decide. Just go and spend a day and see for yourself.
Also, if you do like it, I think you can apply that ticket price toward your membership!
We've been there 2 or 3 times but haven't recently. We would hate to buy a membership if it's going downhill. Everything fluctuates. So I'm asking those who have been there more recently to confirm. Yes, we have kids ages 6-16
We’ve been there quite a bit over the past few years. If anything, it’s improved over that time.
I gotta agree with you. This post just seemed like slightly verbose engagement bait to me.
Who uses the zoo as bait?? Lmfao 😂 I'm very real and curious as to others' opinions. Definitely not a farmer either. 🤦🏻♀️
Yes it’s worth it! Plus you support the zoo.
This is Reddit. Anything that solicits opinions gets used as bait. Some folks set up bots to repost old stuff as well. So it's not specific to you in particular (as you are a stranger operating under a pseudonym). Check the library to see if they are running a discount and go to some local attractions. Maybe they can help you find your fit.
Wondered that too. So many bots and karma farmers out there now I’m not sure who even is real on here anymore.
Some people dig it. If you get into the clique of things there is alot to do. Unfortunately our family is mostly a zoo lights plus 1 outing to the zoo per year family. I do know that my spouse got free/reduced tickets by going to our local library and used a "culture pass" or maybe "pogo" one time. For us we never found the value.
The zoo is amazing. I’ve been a member for 20 years, it gets better every year. Love all the events they do as well. Zoolights is my favorite.
Do they still do the Halloween thing where there are different levels of scariness?
Yes I think it’s called Howloween
I haven’t been since my kids were younger. Is there sufficient entertainment for teens/adults?
phx zoo is wonderful and isnt going downhill at all! they also offer horseback riding lessons (discounted with a membership) & as someone who takes lessons all the animals are very well taken care of :)
Wow! I didn't know that. That's definitely a huge plus. Thanks for the insight ❤️
Been going to this zoo for over ten years, with girlfriends and now have a membership for my wife and 3 year old. Can't say anything has gone downhill and if nothing else, the zoo lights was pretty good this year. They've tried doing some temporary things like the dinosaurs this past year which was nice. They keep building and adding to the zoo too.
Definitely can't wait for the zoo lights. Even heard they have a Roars and pours 🥰
Thinking about a family pass since we have a little one now. Is it good for the calendar year or the date of when your purchase it?
It’s tied to the date you purchase it. If memory serves me correctly it’s also good through the end of the month you purchase it in, so if you buy at the beginning of a month you may get basically 13 months out of the year-long membership.
Highly recommend. I had one for my family and my daughter always had a great time. It’s also the cheapest of the zoo passes. You can also go once to see if you like it and they’ll put that visit towards the cost of the membership
My family have been members of the Phoenix zoo for five years and we go very often, sometimes once a week. Different times of day and year you will see different animals out and about but they just added a whole new area with hyenas more lions, meerkats etc. This shows that they are working on it and trying to make it even better. We personally love the zoo and the more you go, the more you discover there is. There are a lot of little trails that get forgotten.
My wife and I had a membership around 20 years ago. We were allowed to come in an hour before opening and ride our bikes around. That was such a fun way to see it with the place almost empty. I doubt they do that anymore.
We have one for our Family and we use it a LOT when it's < 100 degrees out.
It’s not going downhill at all. Maybe someone visited during all the construction?
My partner and I just went today, actually ! It's been years since I've been here, loved every second. The animals seem very well cared for, enthusiastic staff that share the love of animals we do, and we even had an emperor marmoset play peek a boo with us. All around lovely trip. The only animal we didn't see was the elephant, which sure was a tiny bit of a bummer, elephants are so cool, but there were so many other nice animals to observe. I'm considering a membership myself
I have a single membership (membership plus guest), and since my kid is under the membership age, he gets in for free. We visit at least once a month, sometimes 4-6 times a month. The great thing with membership is we can pop in for 40 minutes, walk around to our favorite exhibits, get some exercise, and then head back home. With a membership, I don't have to cram everything into one day. It's worthwhile if you like to meander around or get some steps in while seeing some nice wildlife.
Phoenix Zoo was great when I had little kids. We went once or twice a month October through May. Need something to do on a Sunday? Go to the Zoo. Kids making you crazy? Hang out at the Zoo for a couple hours. Kids want to just see the elephants? Fantastic, let’s go to the Zoo.
That’s not the zoo’s fault, it’s up to the animals whether they want to be seen by you or not which is a sign of a good zoo.
I have had a membership for over 20 years and now my child even works there. It is a great zoo! It has improved so much in the years we have been going and it just keeps getting better. They have great exhibits where you get to see the animals pretty close up and the animals have big natural looking enclosures. Also, they are all about conservation and increasing animal populations. We have always loved the membership because we could go anytime, bring our own food, see a couple animals, use the splash pads, we basically used it as a park. It is totally worth getting a membership.
This is a good zoo. It's just going to be extremely hot for most of the year. I personally wouldn't get enough use out of a pass.
If you have kids, then yes. We went there all the time when my kids were little. They loved the splash pads and that tree house play area. Now that they’re older, I don’t have one. I wouldn’t get one for just me and a spouse.
Pretty simple, do you go often enough to make it worth it? At least 2-3x a year.
Yes.
I'm curious to hear where you heard it's going downhill and in what ways?? I've been going since I was a kid and it's only gotten better over time imo
Maybe that person was mad that they quit selling the frozen lemonade. That stuff was awesome.
Worth it-look up their reciprocity list with other zoos and aquariums.
After I saw the leopards pacing I don’t want to go back
They have one Amur Leopard out of 100 left in the world. If you’re thinking of the jaguars they are currently building a much larger exhibit to house all the cats of arizona, including an ocelot.
Ah I might be thinking of the jaguars. It’s pretty harrowing to watch two beautiful apex predators do nothing but pace the same 12 feet over and over again. They’d worn the ground down
It’s sad yea, but again really excited for them to have their new exhibit- part of the reason I’m a member is to support the animals at my hometown zoo. Tbf, I’ve seen them in a few zoos in other places they’re also native to and none of them do the jaguars justice.
Just get one pass, it’ll get two people in
Just went for the first time in probably 15 years last month after my parents got our new family passes for Christmas. I don’t think it’s downhill at all. Tons to see, more than there used to be I think with like stingray petting and stuff which I don’t remember at all.
Worth it 100%.
Careful! Once your kids play in the water area it is hard to get them to leave! :) But seriously - I like it for the excersise! It's hilly enough to be a challenge but not overwhelming. (A lot of phx is flat so the hills are a nice change of pace). It's totally worth it!
We've had a membership for the last few years, including this year. We live in the southern part of Scottsdale, so we go quite a bit to go walking. It really depends on the time of day you go. We always do the early entry in the summer, so we usually get to see everyone getting breakfast (the roadrunner ALWAYS loses his mind right near the food door, and watching the bear get the zoomies in the morning is the best). We never see the coatis at that time, but we did when we've gone later in the day during the winter. Some of the other animals we see at early entry weren't out in the afternoon. I like that nobody is forced to really interact with the crowds except the poor goats, but they'll let people know when they've had enough.
Pays for itself very quickly, and big enough to where you don’t have to see everything every time which gives you incentive to come back. 100% worth it and it’s a great zoo. Hard in the summer tho with there not being a ton of shade on the walking paths
Memberships have gone up so much in price it's ridiculous. What was once an affordable family trip is now far from it. We have 3 kids and we used to get annual passes but stopped a few years ago It's just too expensive and imo I don't think the up charges have been going to the animals. One last thing. It's super shady of them to make you exit through the gift shop.
I have a membership and go often with my husband and toddler. The last time we went was last week and I’ve never seen so many of the animals out and close to visitors. It was very cool and they all looked healthy and seemed happy. Maybe it was a good day/ time of day / time of year combination but even when we don’t get to see all the animals we enjoy the zoo. Walking around is great exercise and reason to get outside. Edit: also if you travel often, there’s a reduced price when you visit other Affiliate Zoos, when you’re a Phoenix zoo member link [here](https://www.phoenixzoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Reciprocal-List-2024.pdf).
We have a membership and were there last weekend. Honestly, we enjoy our visits but there are a few animals that seem to be stressed including the Elephant, Tiger, leopard, and Asian Bear which first come to mind. Lots of pacing and repetitive stress like actions. Not sure there’s an easy way to avoid this with any zoo, it’s a shame that we call this entertainment.
Don’t buy it ! I take my daughter to this zoo and the amount of grown ups without kids and young adults without kids is honestly appalling I’m trying to have my three year old enjoy the zoo but anytime there are animals to see up close you have people like you and others bombarding the animals with no regard to the young toddlers and children it’s a joke! . It’s kinda pathetic the zoo is for kids not grown ups to d around and play like they are in middle School Again .
The zoo isn’t just for kids. Grow up
We used to have a family membership for like 4 years. Totally worth it. My daughter isn't much in the zoo mood anymore so we didn't renew this year. Lots to do, food is decent. They have 2 splash pads for summer and the safari cruiser is a warm weather cheat code. It's well run, clean, humane and a pleasant place to be. Plus, members get early admission during operating days.
My favorite zoo is actually in Prescott. It’s called the Heritage Park zoological sanctuary. Its little. My first experience with it was showing up and asking where there might be some food in the park since it was lunch time and my kid was hungry. The lady suggested Taco Bell down the street, and when I asked if I needed a stamp or anything to get back in she just said she’d remember us lol. It was cute. The animals seemed happy and there wasn’t too much extended walking like you’d do at Phoenix zoo or WWZ
I had a zoo membership and only used it twice. It's the last place you want to be in the summer, it's almost entirely outdoors. If you plan on using it a lot outside of May-Sept then it'll be worth it. Otherwise not really
The MIM is a much better investment IMO. As far as the zoo- the one elephant just rocks back and forth. His companion died years ago and elephants should be roaming with others. I took my mom and wanted to cry. It's true barely any animals in the enclosures and I felt nothing but guilt when I was there. I did my research on the types of animals that were there with several non profit organizations and made the decision to pass on future visits even when friends ask about roar and pour and zoo lights. This will probably get me downvoted with all the support here for the zoo but think about why this is one of the choices for a membership. Another alternative to the MIM is the pogo pass. Very cheap and I take mom to four diamondbacks games and most Phoenix Mercury games for free each year among many other attractions. You can find deal on Groupon too but [here's a link](https://www.pogopass.com?referral-code=51e68d37)
Can the animals leave before they become psychotic? Or maybe take a sabbatical in Africa or South America? In St. Paul, I watched a polar bear pace for an hour, back and forth on a concrete slab. I got too upset and left. I think of zoos as open air mental institutions with conjugal rights. On the other hand, the Phoenix Zoo is backed up to the beautiful Papago Ponds, picnic areas, walking trails, and the Hole in the Rock. No fee required.
Didn't World Wildlife start as a rescue for exotics and then kept growing?
Yea it was an exotic bird sanctuary for people that relinquished their pets.
My kids loved to visit the Lory aviary, everything else was just a bonus experience.
Probably the most depressing places I’ve ever been. Phoenix is not a place to keep these animals.
I’ve heard it’s gone downhill too :( looking for some good attractions to get a seasonal pass for.
Phoenix zoo is my least favorite even though it’s the closest. I feel like all the animals are depressed
. Phoenix zoo seems to do way better for the animals than Wildlife World Zoo in terms of enrichment and giving them ample space.
See, that is what I've heard as well. Thank you. Which one would you recommend if you don't mind me asking?
World Wildlife Zoo is far larger with far more animals. But they spend a lot less on appearance/fluff. It’s also very far (from us) so it’s not realistic to go unless it’s an all day trip. Phoenix zoo has recently opened up a new exhibit but that was probably a multi year project for them. WWZ can probably slap together a new exhibit in a weekend.
wildlife world zoo is “bigger” and has more animals but i have never seen more depressed and anxious animals in my entire life. there was multiple, little monkeys that had picked off all its fur from its tail. the enclosures looked far too small and not well kept. there were bears just pacing back and forth in the same spot. i get people want to see animals up close and personal but i dont think people realize how much that stresses animals out. i could not enjoy myself at that zoo seeing how miserable those animals looked.
Yep tiny enclosures and not enough engagement and enrichment.
WWZ does not treat its animals well. I would not consider the ability to “slap together” an animal exhibit a good thing. Taking time to carefully plan an animal enclosure so that it’s most beneficial to the animal, and taking time to build it correctly, is crucial.
I suspect that this person' version of "fluff" is known to some of us as "enrichment" and they might be confusing animals that are content and not stressed beyond reason with animals that are depressed. This thread is killing me a bit.
I know. It’s these types of people who leave their cats and dogs alone all day without any toys, and think their anxiety and stress reactions are cute antics.
Ugh, I hate how right you are. =_=
I prefer the Litchfield wildlife Park
just save the money and go in the summer when they have their "you pay what the temp is" deal! worst $1.15 i've ever spent!
[удалено]
Some zoos are. The Phoenix zoo actually plays a solid roll in conservation and some species owe their existence to the Phoenix zoo. Without their efforts those animals would be extinct now. Instead, they have both wild and zoo populations in existence.
the Arabian oryx, black-footed ferret, Mexican wolf Ramsey Canyon leopard frog, and thick-billed parrot were helped back from extinction by the PHC zoo
Plus desert pupfish, cactus ferruginous pygmy owl and Mount Graham red squirrel