Petting Zoos Open
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
4.3(9,596)4.3 out of 5 stars, 9596 reviews Orlando, FL
About Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens offers a compact yet diverse experience with interactive animal encounters, a variety of food options, and engaging play areas, making it an ideal choice for family outings.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Family outings with young childrenEducational trips for school-age kidsCasual visits for animal lovers of all agesToddlers to teens (ages 2-17) enjoy interactive exhibits and play areasYounger children (ages 2-10) particularly benefit from the petting zoo and water play area
Why families love it
- Interactive experiences like feeding giraffes
- Loud and active animal exhibits such as Hornbills and snakes
- Water play area and playground for kids
- Well-maintained pathways with decorative lanterns
- Giraffe feeding experience
- Compact layout allowing for easy navigation with kids
Insider tips
- Consider purchasing tickets with meal options to save on food costs
- Buy tickets in advance to avoid long lines
- Visit during weekday mornings for a less crowded experience
Good to know before you go
- Weekends or holidays when the zoo may be busier
- Times when specific attractions like the train are not running
- The train was not operational during one visit
- Some parents noted the need for ongoing improvements
- Crowds
- Less crowded on weekday mornings compared to weekends
- Value
- General admission prices not specified, but food costs include $5 for a can of water; meal tickets are recommended for better value. Reasonably priced zoo store items add value compared to larger zoos.
- Food
- Food options available on-site; meal tickets recommended for convenience
- Accessibility
- No specific accommodations mentioned, but the compact layout suggests ease of navigation for strollers
- Safety
- Well-cared-for animals and friendly staff noted, but no specific safety measures mentioned
What parents say
"Decided to do an impromptu visit to a zoo other then the one we always go to (Jacksonville zoo). I have found my new zoo for the next few excursions. The G-babies loved the loudness of the Hornbills, the activeness of the snakes/reptiles, the coolness of the cheetah laying under the trees, the massive size of the rhinoceros as it strolled across the yard, and so much more. The zoo store was reasonably priced and had many representatives of the various animals. If you plan on eating there I would suggest getting the tickets with meal included. A simple can of water is 5 dollars. This is def"
a month ago
"Nice compact zoo with plenty to offer. We took the grandkids and they loved it. The snake house is awesome and it was cool for them to be able to feed the giraffe. Unfortunately, the train wasn’t running but oh well. Overall it was a great experience. This is a Central Florida gem!"
a month ago
"They are doing a lot of improvements and updates to the zoo. It is a nice place for a day trip to take the kids. There are plenty of animals to see. Our grandson was able to feed a giraffe. He was over the moon about doing that. There are plenty of food options for lunch and snacks."
a month ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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