Anyone know the status of Tram ride at San Diego Wild Animal Park?

[brad chowen]

I used to have passes to San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park but it has been awhile....I remember there being talk that the Tram portion of the Wild Animal park was going to be undergoing construction.....Looking on their website it looks like maybe only half of the old Tram ride is still working Called Journey into Africa.

So is the whole Asian section just close off to he public at this time?

[Dustysage]

You are correct. They divided the tram tour in half and have only finished construction of the African section.

They did a HORRIBLE job on the change. They switched from quiet electric trams to loud and smelly gas belching tractors.

They took something unique and wonderful and absolutely ruined it.

[brad chowen]

That is sad to hear....Thanks for the info.... I used to love that tram ride it is what made San Diego Wild Animal park so unique........I may hold off going back there until they finish Asian portion then..... I wish Animal Kingdom was in Southern Californian.... I could ride Kilamanjaro Safaris ride all day long....

[DL Steve]

You are probably going to be waiting quite a while then. As far as I have heard, there are plans to create a new tour of the Asian exhibit, however that is not expected anytime soon. You can however still see the Asian animals by taking a Segway tour that will take you around Asia on the old monorail path. That is an additional charge of $70 per person in addition to park admission though. I've done it, and it was a great experience, though the $70 price is a little steep.

Coming soon to the Wild Animal Park is a new mule ride tour of the native California plants and hills surrounding the WAP. The mules are already at the park in quarantine and are expected to begin tours soon (for an additional charge of course). I wish I was joking about this, but it is unfortunately true. There is also the new zip-line tour over the Asian exhibit where you are forced to sign a contract saying you cannot scream. That's also $70 per person. I have heard mixed reviews about it. The time on the zip-line is only about 2-3 minutes at most, but is a 2 hour "tour" before you get to your turn. I have not done it personally yet, and probably won't either, not for that price.

[seenoevil]

I went in early May and thought the tram tour was very nice. I rode the old one so long ago, that I can't compare, but we enjoyed the new one. I don't recall it being noisy or smelly.

[DL Steve]

You must have sat towards the back of the tram. In the front car, you cannot hear much of what the guide says. That and it's shorter length are my only complaints about the Journey into Africa tour. The reason it is shorter is that the long term goal of the park is to add a separate tour for the Asian enclosure. When that will happen is anyones guess though.

[Disneyphenom]

Although I love the Wild Animal Park, and don't complain too often about the new tour, it is a bummer they didn't go for the original, much more ambitious plan.

What was originally going to be a themed tour, appropriate per the "area" now comes off like the Disneyland parking lot trams with animals all around. Not very charming... but really, you're not going on the tram to look at the vehicle -- and those animals ARE charming. ;-)

(Glad they kept the WGASA reference on the uniforms)