Denver Zoo Asian Tropics

Somehow, I find it impossible to believe that the elephants have access to two miles of trails, as the article states.
 
The zoo has finally updated its map, including Toyota Elephant Passage. It is interesting to note that the new exhibit complex is only going to have one entry and it will also have timed entries only. There is an entire page on the zoo's website that outlines the frequently asked questions in regards to the pre-booked entries as visitors to the zoo will only be able to see the $50 million set of habitats if they book a time slot.

2012 Zoo Map:

http://denverzoo.org/downloads/2012spring_zoo_map.pdf
 
Does that mean if you stay at the zoo all day (like most ZooChatters), you can only go through the exhibit once? If you want to go back through later you are out of luck? That is ridiculous IMO. Did they not build the walkways large enough to accomodate the crowds? I hope they abandon this ridiculous scheme.
 
I think it sounds rather sensible. I imagine there will be a huge interest and the timed entries allow people to enter without having to wait in long queues. Once in the exhibit you can stay as long as you want; if you want to go back in again later in the day you can get a new ticket at the zoo entrance (subject to availability, which will probably be limited in the early days I should imagine). The ticket doesn't cost anything over the cost of entry to the zoo itself. And further I would guess that it is just an introductory measure until the novelty is gone and then it will be like any other part of the zoo.
 
I originally thought they were only doing ticketed entry for the previsits not when it officially opens on June 1st. Correct me if I am wrong please.
 
I originally thought they were only doing ticketed entry for the previsits not when it officially opens on June 1st. Correct me if I am wrong please.

The timed entry is from June 1st to August 19th, and I'm quite disappointed as I'll be at the tail-end of a 40 zoo/aquarium road-trip and so it will be extremely difficult to print off a ticket from a motel room. I'll have to plan to visit on a weekday and hope that the zoo is not very busy, but not being allowed to go through twice without a timed ticket is a joke. The zoo is probably in America's top 10 or even top 5 in terms of its animal collection and so there is a lot to see, but the idea of visiting a brand-new, $50 million exhibit complex only once is disappointing. What happens if the zoo is so busy that a family of 4 (such as my own) cannot go through a second time? I might not be back in Denver for many years and so that would be a tragedy and we'll have to make the most of it the first time around.

The link to all the information in regards to the timed entry:

Denver Zoo: Visitor Information
 
Last edited:
snowleopard said:
The timed entry is from June 1st to August 19th, and I'm quite disappointed as I'll be in the middle of a 40 zoo/aquarium road-trip and so it will be extremely difficult to print off a ticket from a motel room. I'll have to plan to visit on a weekday and hope that the zoo is not very busy, but not being allowed to go through twice without a timed ticket is a joke. The zoo is probably in America's top 10 or even top 5 in terms of its animal collection and so there is a lot to see, but the idea of visiting a brand-new, $50 million exhibit complex only once is disappointing. What happens if the zoo is so busy that a family of 4 (such as my own) cannot go through a second time? I might not be back in Denver for many years and so that would be a tragedy and we'll have to make the most of it the first time around.
Seeing you approach your zoo trips like a military campaign surely you should be able to work out the day you'll be at Denver and the hours you'd want to do the new exhibit area, and book the tickets now - and just book several tickets during the day so you can revisit it two or more times if you have to. The tickets are free to book and I can't see anything on the site that says you can only book for one entry on one day. Print the tickets off when you book them (before you leave), no problem. It looks like there are 350 available tickets per entry period, so unless you leave it to the last minute it should be easily sorted. And there's food and toilets and so on inside the exhibit area.
 
Team Tapir is split on this. Marty think this is "dumb". Too much involved for him. I think it's great. I hate people :D There is nothing worse than being in an exhibit trying to take a picture, that you have been waiting your turn to get to the front, and your ankles get rammed by a stroller, and miss your shot! :D I would gladly pick a time to be at a exhibit that I want to take my time at with minimal people. :) Especially at the opening of an exhibit.

-Bonnie, Team Tapir
 
Team Tapir is split on this. Marty think this is "dumb". Too much involved for him. I think it's great. I hate people :D There is nothing worse than being in an exhibit trying to take a picture, that you have been waiting your turn to get to the front, and your ankles get rammed by a stroller, and miss your shot! :D I would gladly pick a time to be at a exhibit that I want to take my time at with minimal people. :) Especially at the opening of an exhibit.

while I do think its a good idea for the opening period to reduce congestion, there will still be a heck of a lot of people in the exhibit area (i.e. I don't think "minimal people" is a good descriptive). Each ticket period allows in 350 visitors. That's 350 visitors every 15 minutes (totalling 9800 people per day). I'd guess most people are going to be spending longer than 15 minutes inside so there will potentially end up being masses of them in there all day long -- you've got to hope their restaurant and toilet facilities will cope.

I am of course speaking from a position of ignorance because no Australasian zoo gets anywhere near the visitor numbers of the major USA zoos so I don't really know what its like with that number of people, but if you look at the figures doesn't that make it seem like more of a good idea to restrict the entry numbers? On the other hand its already almost opening day and only the first few timed periods are booked out -- there are literally thousands of spaces left on every other day! I don't think there's going to be any trouble with Zoochatters getting tickets to go in and out as often as they desire.

Personally, if one could, I would wait a few months and then go when the initial attraction has died down a bit and it would be less of a pushing-and-shoving experience.
 
It looks like you can see the tapirs from outside the exhibit so you can see at least one of the new exhibits with out haveing to wait.
 
Hello everyone that is currently following this post. I'm sending this quite late in the night but I just wanted to let you guys know I will finally be able to take pictures of TEP. Hopefully I can have them up around noon-ish tomorrow. Just to let you know the plants are still growing and some animals aren't on exhibit just yet. The animals that are spending the most time outside are the Elephants, Rhinos, and Tapirs. The Otters, Fishing cat, and flying foxes are out from time to time and so are the clouded leopards. The birds and have not been out and the gibbons are rarely seen. The reptiles aren't in their exhibits either. But you guys honestly won't want to look at a whole bunch of pictures of animals, right?! haha. Most of the pictures will just be of the exhibits and the architectural design.
 
Back
Top