I mean, if it worked for Pairi Daiza and Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge...
North Carolina Zoo North Carolina Zoo News 2022
- Thread starter Breckenridge
- Start date
I just don't like the overall idea of a 'hotel' in a Zoo.
A safari lodge styled accomodation sounds much better, and is more suited to Zoos. Nobody really expects to go to a zoo and stay in a hotel similar to one found in a city. I hope NC envision a more safari style type of accomodation. Here's a nice example of one from Werribee Open Range Zoo:
OkapiFan
Well-Known Member
I hope so too. But either way, it'll be great for people coming from out of town or state since the zoo is going to be a multi day attraction.I just don't like the overall idea of a 'hotel' in a Zoo.
A safari lodge styled accomodation sounds much better, and is more suited to Zoos. Nobody really expects to go to a zoo and stay in a hotel similar to one found in a city. I hope NC envision a more safari style type of accomodation. Here's a nice example of one from Werribee Open Range Zoo:
Persephone
Well-Known Member
The Wilds has a number of cabins and yurts. That feels better suited to both the nature of the zoo and North Carolina’s extensive land holdings. Smaller buildings could also overlook one of the hoofstock exhibits or something.
I don't mind a hotel, I think it is a good idea. This zoo is pretty remote as it is and they have a TON of open property to work with. Even an "on property" hotel could be a mile away. Traveling to this zoo from Charlotte or Greensboro (the closest major airports) is a trek for one long day's visit, and having a place on property would be nice. Once all these expansions are open it could be a two day zoo if you take your time.
Let me be honest, I would prefer a mid market chain hotel. Something like a Residence Inn or Home2Suites or Hampton Inn would be nice for individuals and families.
Let me be honest, I would prefer a mid market chain hotel. Something like a Residence Inn or Home2Suites or Hampton Inn would be nice for individuals and families.
OkapiFan
Well-Known Member
Maybe even in the future they can have both a standard hotel and a more themed one that could look over exhibits or even have their own exhibits for animals already located in the zoo.
A safari lodge style cabins could look over the African Savannah.
Another idea is having different style cabin/camp set ups in each geographical zone of the zoo. For example, you could choose to stay in 'Africa' or even 'Australia', where the cabins will be designed differently to reflect their specific continent.
Persephone
Well-Known Member
I’m not an architect, but a Parkitechture style hotel overlooking the bison / elk area would be phenomenal. Easily enough to get me to stay.
Also, a chain hotel will inevitably be less expensive at likely around $125-$180 a night. For comparison, the yurts at The Wilds cost around $350-$590 a night, and the lodge or cabin rooms cost even more. That is out of the range of many people, certainly more than I want to pay.
Yurts and cabins may be more interesting or fitting to the zoo experience, but they will never be a reasonable price or in reach of the average family and they will never facilitate a larger number of people staying on property.
Thinking realistically about this, the most obvious placements are the land between the Africa and North America parking lots or the spaces flanking the parking lots beside the lakes. Almost certainly it would have walking access to one of the gates, so integration into the parking lots makes sense.
Yurts and cabins may be more interesting or fitting to the zoo experience, but they will never be a reasonable price or in reach of the average family and they will never facilitate a larger number of people staying on property.
Thinking realistically about this, the most obvious placements are the land between the Africa and North America parking lots or the spaces flanking the parking lots beside the lakes. Almost certainly it would have walking access to one of the gates, so integration into the parking lots makes sense.
The zoo just posted a video of Anana the female Polar Bear interacting with a wild Rat Snake in her enclosure.
A colleague of mine visited the park recently and reported a young fringe-eared oryx with the herd in the Watani Grasslands habitat. This is particularly exciting news, as the North Carolina Zoo is the only facility that houses them that actually has a mixed-sex herd -- both The Wilds and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park only house females currently.
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So glad to see Asia has finally broken ground after years of delays.
In regards to the size, I am seeing some folks express disappointment at the size of the expansions. Yes, it does pale in comparison to the Africa or NA regions. But in all honesty, I am perfectly happy with what we are getting.
You all have to keep in mind that the NC Zoo is already a very large zoo where everything is spread-out, with a lot of walking between exhibits. Even in its current state, it's pushing close to full day for some folks. Just one of these new exhibits will add 30 minutes to an hour for any visit, and that's on top of the combined 4-6 hours the zoo recommends for both existing regions. This wouldn't be an issue at all for a smaller zoo, but with NC and its 3 new expansions on top of the already huge and sprawling layout, it may very well become a mandatory 2-day visit for some people (especially for me, who has already done multiple 2-day visits prior to COVID-19). At this point, I think an on-site hotel would greatly compliment the zoo's new expansions (I have already utilized hotels in the Asheboro area during my 2-day trips between 2016-2019, and wouldn't mind staying at an on-site hotel unless it's expensive).
Keeping these new expansions smaller will make them much more manageable for many people, who are visiting for only a single day, than a full-blown continent region. Besides, I am just happy we are getting anything new at all instead of yet another exhibit dying to humidity.
My only requirements are that the NC Zoo continues to employ their excellent exhibit designs and come up with an interesting species list that avoids too much overlap with the Greensboro Science Center.
In regards to the size, I am seeing some folks express disappointment at the size of the expansions. Yes, it does pale in comparison to the Africa or NA regions. But in all honesty, I am perfectly happy with what we are getting.
You all have to keep in mind that the NC Zoo is already a very large zoo where everything is spread-out, with a lot of walking between exhibits. Even in its current state, it's pushing close to full day for some folks. Just one of these new exhibits will add 30 minutes to an hour for any visit, and that's on top of the combined 4-6 hours the zoo recommends for both existing regions. This wouldn't be an issue at all for a smaller zoo, but with NC and its 3 new expansions on top of the already huge and sprawling layout, it may very well become a mandatory 2-day visit for some people (especially for me, who has already done multiple 2-day visits prior to COVID-19). At this point, I think an on-site hotel would greatly compliment the zoo's new expansions (I have already utilized hotels in the Asheboro area during my 2-day trips between 2016-2019, and wouldn't mind staying at an on-site hotel unless it's expensive).
Keeping these new expansions smaller will make them much more manageable for many people, who are visiting for only a single day, than a full-blown continent region. Besides, I am just happy we are getting anything new at all instead of yet another exhibit dying to humidity.
My only requirements are that the NC Zoo continues to employ their excellent exhibit designs and come up with an interesting species list that avoids too much overlap with the Greensboro Science Center.
I went to the zoo today and much of the trees in the area where Asia is going have been cut down and the logs have been stacked.
Piece of 2022 News not mentioned:
On June 30th, it was announced the zoo received $817,474 from the AZA and US Fish and Wildlife for the care of endangered species.
More Than $9 Million Awarded for Endangered Species Care During Pandemic | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
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On September 11th, the zoo announced for the first time in the facility's history, they have successfully hatched a full dozen eastern indigo snakes since they started breeding them in 2017.
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On June 30th, it was announced the zoo received $817,474 from the AZA and US Fish and Wildlife for the care of endangered species.
More Than $9 Million Awarded for Endangered Species Care During Pandemic | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
---------------------------------------------------------
On September 11th, the zoo announced for the first time in the facility's history, they have successfully hatched a full dozen eastern indigo snakes since they started breeding them in 2017.
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The zoo announced that Olivia, their 54 year old White Rhino, passed away.
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Was she the zoo’s only cape porcupine when she passed, or do they have any other individuals alongside her?
She was the only one. She had a sister with her that passed a few years earlier.