Photo:
Cuteness alert! This adorable pudu fawn was born during the zoo's closure. Image credit: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo
Animal lovers, rejoice. Seattle's signature animal den, Woodland Park Zoo, announced that it's reopening to the public on Wednesday, July 1. Tickets go on sale today.
Woodland Park Zoo joins other regional animal parks, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium and Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, in reopening to the public — with significant procedural changes in place.
Still, after months of staying at home, families are ready for a safe and engaging outing.
Prepping for a zoo visit
Tickets for zoo admission are now timed-entry. You'll want to book your tickets in advance, for a specific date and time, and enter the zoo during your time window. Entry windows run from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Once inside the zoo, visitors can stay until the zoo closes at 6 p.m.
Ticket prices are $22.95 for adults and teens ages 13 and older; $13.95 for children ages 3–12; children ages 2 and under are free, but still require a ticket. Discounts are offered to individuals with disabilities and military.
Members must also book timed-entry tickets — they're free — and can do so by logging in to their zoo accounts. Members can book early access on June 29 and 30, prior to the zoo's reopening to the public on July 1. Note that many members will need to re-register their membership ID owing to a new zoo system.
Tickets may be available to walk-up visitors, but advance booking is highly recommended.
Arriving at the zoo
Visitors should arrive no earlier than 5 minutes prior to their ticketed entry time. If you miss your one-hour entry time window, you may have to wait until the next available time slot.
Only the west entrance to the zoo, at 5500 Phinney Ave. N., is open. The south entrance at North 50th Street and Fremont Avenue North is closed.
All zoo parking lots are open. Some lots cost $6 for the first two hours, plus $2 for each additional hour, plus taxes and fees. Other lots cost $4 for the day. ADA parking spaces are available and free. The zoo is also served by transit.
What to expect inside the zoo
Inside the gates, visitors over the age of 2 must wear masks (unless medically unable to do so) and practice physical distancing, maintaining six feet of space between themselves and other families. Fun(?) fact: The zoo describes six feet as the length of resident boa named Anahi. Just picture the snake stretched out between you and other guests outside your family to keep your space!
Zoo visitors will follow a one-way marked path around the main loop of the zoo; follow markings for other paths to keep in the correct direction.
Restrooms are open and zoo staff will be cleaning them frequently.
Food and beverage will be available at the 1899 Grove (formerly Rain Forest Cafe), Gather + Graze Cafe, Wild Cup coffee stand and at grab-and-go snack kiosks. Some seating will be available.
The ZooStore at the west entrance is open; shoppers should keep six feet of space from others in the store.
What's still closed
Some of the zoo's features remain closed. These include:
- Up-close animal encounters and keeper chats
- The Zoomazium
- Playground equipment
- The carousel
- The Family Farm
- Tropical Rain Forest building
- Willawong Station
- Bug World
- Molbak’s Butterfly Garden
- Mother's nursing room
- Vending machines, drinking fountains, face-painting and other kiosks
