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View Full Version : Bronx Zoo ?s



bnme
04-24-2008, 10:58 AM
Would it be less crowded on a weekday or weekend in May/June? I am thinking during the week there may be a lot of school trips. Any tips?

I know someone mentioned bringing a wagon - is this really allowed? Are there areas to park like in WDW? We plan on riding the monorail, etc. Would it just be easier to bring our Volo and let the kids trade off (they are 3.75 & 5.5)? Or try and brave it w/o a stroller? Can you bring food and/or drinks?

Any advice appreciated. I have never been to a big zoo before so I hvae no idea what to expect!

vludmilla
04-24-2008, 12:41 PM
I was at the Bronx Zoo yesterday and it was BUSY. I mean super packked with people. I didn't even try to get in to some exhibits because of the lines. It is spring break for the public schools around here so that probably made it worse. It was also the free or donation only day at the zoo and that must increase the traffic too.

As to your other questions, I do think you could bring in your own food and drinks, but you would have to tote it around which wouldn't be the worst thing necessarily if you have a backpack. I don't know what you mean by wagon but you can definitely bring in whatever you want as long as it is not motorized. Big strollers are tougher to get around with and at times, you need to "park" it to go in to an exhibit. You can rent a double stroller but I haven't. They look big and maybe unwieldy. I see other moms doing it so maybe it's not too bad. I would definitely think you would need some kind of stroller for the kids though because the walking can get tiring for adults so it must for the little ones.

HTH a little.

Bean606
04-24-2008, 02:29 PM
It was probably really busy yesterday, because it is spring break for most public and private schools here in NY this week, plus the free Wednesday admission. Generally, weekdays are best, and you are better off going in May before school lets out for the summer, and it gets too hot. The animals are at their most active early in the day before it gets too warm, so if you can get there when they first open, that is ideal. They have strollers for rent at the zoo for a few bucks if you don't want to bring your own. You have to leave the stroller outside of the indoor exhibits like the monkey house, the mouse house, the reptile area, and the bird exhibit. It isn't as nice as the WDW parking, and we didn't feel comfortable leaving anything in the stroller when we left it. I don't know about wagons, I've never tried to bring one, but if they allow strollers, I don't see why you couldn't bring a wagon.

I definitely recommend bringing your own food, because the food is bad -- and pricey! But, it might be annoying to lug it around all day. There is really NOWHERE to eat within walking distance of the zoo except a McDonald's, and the area around there isn't the safest, especially if you are not from around here. It has gotten better, but you are better off staying in the zoo and bringing food. Or, you can bring some light snacks and then head over to Little Italy for a bigger meal later. I recommend Emilia's.

By the way, you might want to check the zoo's website before you go and plan an "itinerary." I have found that seeing the whole zoo is more than a one-day trip, so you might need to pick and choose what you want to see and confine yourself to just a couple of parts of the zoo. It is VERY big.

Have fun!

bnme
04-24-2008, 07:46 PM
Thanks for the info. I think we will skip the free days. I am thinking of becoming a member becasue for about $20 bucks more than it would cost for the 'everything-included' entry plus parking we can get unlimited entry for the 4 of us for 1 year plus 4 free parking passes. I can see us going 2 -4 times a year if it is free after the first visit (we live less than 2 hours away). Plus I think I can use it for Central Park Zoo and an aquarium too.

Hmm, maybe I should rent a double in case the 5yo poops out, too. I don't have one anymore. I wonder if they are similar to WDW, which look horrible but steer like a dream. Does anyone know if they are similar?

cuca_
05-07-2008, 05:24 PM
I think the strollers at the Bronx Zoo are similar to the WDW ones. However, I've never steered them, so I don't know if they push the same. We go to the Bronx Zoo really often, and DD1 who is the same age as your DS1 walks and DD2 goes in the stroller (but she also walks a lot). I would just bring the single stroller and you can always ride the train if your DS gets tired.

You should definitely get a membership. We have one and, trust me, we could have paid double the amount we did and still come out ahead. Once you add the admission price + all the special attractions + parking, it adds up to a lot. We also use our membership at the Central Park Zoo. I think it also includes Prospect Park Zoo and the Queens Zoo, but we've never been to those.

There tend to be a lot of field trips around this time of the year, but if you get there early in the morning, or later in the afternoon (2ish) you can avoid most of the crowds. Also, for some reason I seem to remember that there was not as big a crowd at the beginning of the week (Mon. or Tues.).

Have fun!

jk3
05-07-2008, 07:30 PM
Do not go on Wednesdays.

WatchingThemGrow
05-07-2008, 11:23 PM
I'm glad to read all this. We're going to NY in July and are planning a Bronx Zoo trip on a Friday morning. Please keep the tips rolling... We're going with a 2 yr. old, an 8 mo. old , a Maclaren Triumph and an Ergo and a backpack full of food, unless someone tells us differently.