San Diego Zoo!

[Tracy98]

I love this place! Went today with my family. But, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the food prices! They are seriously worse than DL! $6.99+ tax for a kids meal! And, no discount for Zoo members! So, next time you go to DL and have a pass, be thankful for all the discounts. I know that the zoo is also helping raise money to help animals, but still, it really is rediculous.

[TDLFAN]

Sea World and Universal in Orlando are very guilty of that as well, and I find their food selections to be mediocre.

[MAXandBELLESmom]

thats why we always stop at mcD's on the way to the zoo and throw it in a backpack. I don't mind paying that much if the quality is there, but it is not! But Sea World San Diego has good food, worth the price, I recommend the barbeque restaurant (the mixed plate was 18 bucks, but enough food for me, and my 2 kids to share) and the shipwreck rapids one too and at the hospitality center there are nice sandwiches and you can get free beer tasting while you are there.

[Disneyphile]

I like the food at Sea World in SD better than DL's food even. They have nailed it - fair price, good quality, nice quantity (perfect for sharing!).

Thanks for the heads-up about the SD Zoo though. I haven't been in over 20 years, so I don't really know what to expect, and we're planning on going soon.

[Max Fischer]

This is a cool thread! My GF and I are making our first trip to the SD Zoo next week, after a stop at DLR, of course.

Can you guys please share any pointers to help maximize this trip?

Thanks!!!

[Max Fischer]

Originally Posted by Disneyphile

I like the food at Sea World in SD better than DL's food even. They have nailed it - fair price, good quality, nice quantity (perfect for sharing!).

Thanks for the heads-up about the SD Zoo though. I haven't been in over 20 years, so I don't really know what to expect, and we're planning on going soon.

DP, I HAVE to know. Do they sell seafood there?

[SusieP.]

Sea World has a nice variety of food available, that's my favorite part. It's not all hot dogs and hamburgers. You know where else has good food? Legoland.

I haven't been to the zoo in awhile, but I remember not being very impressed. If I recall, the Wild Animal Park had much better choices.

[PirateChick]

The food at Sea World is great for the price and they offer a discount with an AP as does Universal. At Universal you just have to stay away from the commercialization of Panda Express, El Polly Loco among other things because I notice that the food is a little more expensive than at Louie's, Mel's and Doc's.

When I went to the zoo I thought the prices were decent and the food was excellent. We recieved a discount with our membership but maybe it was a special offer or something. I am sorry you had a bad experience there though.

[Tracy98]

Originally Posted by Max Fischer

This is a cool thread! My GF and I are making our first trip to the SD Zoo next week, after a stop at DLR, of course.

Can you guys please share any pointers to help maximize this trip?

Thanks!!!

Well, for the zoo, you are allowed to bring in your own food! I would also get the most expensive ticket (you can get discounts through certain places and at the gate with AAA) And if this is your first time, def take the tour bus, which after the tour, you can utilize the ticket as a hop on off thing that will take you around the zoo to the places that are harder to walk. The zoo closes the gates at 4, but stays open until 5pm.
You probably will not get to go everywhere while you are there for 1 day, but with the bus, you will see a lot. There are a lot of hills as well at the zoo, but the walks are really nice! Also, a def stop is the Pandas!
Also, if you have a chance, go to the shows and also to the Children's zoo. They have a nursery there and take care of babies who can't be taken care of in the main exihbits. Yesterday there was the cutest lil monkey. She had pnuemonia and was malnurished, so she had to go to the nursery.
Hope this helps! If I think of anything else, I will post it. I will also try and get some pics up, but I have no clue how to do that on here!

[SCUBAbe]

Originally Posted by Max Fischer

DP, I HAVE to know. Do they sell seafood there?

yes, they do.

[sailerm]

My Junior High school shares a common fence with the zoo. Snuck in for free several times a week for two years as a young teen ager.

Here I am much more recently with the kids sitting at my usual luch preiod location at Roosevelt Junior High

[Tracy98]

Originally Posted by sailerm

My Junior High school shares a common fence with the zoo. Snuck in for free several times a week for two years as a young teen ager.

Here I am much more recently with the kids sitting at my usual luch preiod location at Roosevelt Junior High

I always say that is where they keep the very unruly animals.

[Max Fischer]

Originally Posted by Tracy98

Well, for the zoo, you are allowed to bring in your own food! I would also get the most expensive ticket (you can get discounts through certain places and at the gate with AAA) And if this is your first time, def take the tour bus, which after the tour, you can utilize the ticket as a hop on off thing that will take you around the zoo to the places that are harder to walk. The zoo closes the gates at 4, but stays open until 5pm.
You probably will not get to go everywhere while you are there for 1 day, but with the bus, you will see a lot. There are a lot of hills as well at the zoo, but the walks are really nice! Also, a def stop is the Pandas!
Also, if you have a chance, go to the shows and also to the Children's zoo. They have a nursery there and take care of babies who can't be taken care of in the main exihbits. Yesterday there was the cutest lil monkey. She had pnuemonia and was malnurished, so she had to go to the nursery.
Hope this helps! If I think of anything else, I will post it. I will also try and get some pics up, but I have no clue how to do that on here!

Tracy,

Hi, thanks so much for the info, I appreciate it. I can't wait to see all the cool animals, in Phx, our zoo is a bit sad, not much going on.

We purchased annual memberships for the zoo, since they were on sale, so we have tickets, which I think include a bus tour, but I'm not sure.

So you recommend taking the bus tour to become familiarized with the place? Cool. Do we ride it back to the starting location, or just hop off after we make one loop, at whatever looks cool?

Also, where are some good spots to eat there? Do you usually bring a sweatshirt, or is it more shorts and t-shirt? Someone said it can get muggy, but we'll be there next week, it doesn't seem like it would be hot in SD, but I don't know.

Thanks so much!

[MAXandBELLESmom]

Lately it has gotten nicely warm during the day, but much colder mornings and evenings, but this time of year, that can change at any time For the bus tour, you go around once on the guided tour bus and then after that you can hop and off at several different spots for the rest of the day. The bus tour is a great way to see the layout of the park and decide where you want to spend more time.

[Max Fischer]

Originally Posted by MAXandBELLESmom

Lately it has gotten nicely warm during the day, but much colder mornings and evenings, but this time of year, that can change at any time For the bus tour, you go around once on the guided tour bus and then after that you can hop and off at several different spots for the rest of the day. The bus tour is a great way to see the layout of the park and decide where you want to spend more time.

MBM,

Thanks so much for the info, I greatly appreciate it.

Is the tour bus different then the bus that takes you all around the zoo? I am just wondering if on the first tour, you stop ever 100 feet, that would be kind of maddening!

Any other survival tips? Should I bring a backpack with bottled water, etc?

Thanks!!!!