This facility has been on my list to do for some time since reading about it on this forum. My latest visit to the US ended in Texas so after my must do, watching whooping cranes on the south coast I headed to Dallas to see some of the local attractions.
I won't try to give a detailed review, some others have already done a pretty good job on that. I have to say this is a fantastic facility for anybody interested in birds. Orinoco was particularly good. Mundo Maya was less impressive, because there were fewer birds free flying. According to the guide they had several species of honeyeater free flying however several feeders I saw looked unused so I guess they are no longer there.
I went during spring break (not my choice). I had planned to get there about 9.30 but because I overslept I was an hour late. Even so I basically walked in, there were no queues. However when I left at about 3pm not only was the entry ramp queued up they had closed the road and were queuing people up on the road, there were four or five lines stretching back along the road. This was the same at other attractions - so the lesson if visiting in busy times make sure you get there early!
Even though the place was very busy it was not unbearable. The only real problem was on my second time round the ramp down the the giant otters was very slow, because it was narrow and ended at a popular exhibit. I found a balcony overlooking Orinoco which was used to access an emergency exit and staff facilities. I was undisturbed there and spent a very pleasant half hour with my binoculars bird watching.
However I am not uncritical of the facility:
I won't try to give a detailed review, some others have already done a pretty good job on that. I have to say this is a fantastic facility for anybody interested in birds. Orinoco was particularly good. Mundo Maya was less impressive, because there were fewer birds free flying. According to the guide they had several species of honeyeater free flying however several feeders I saw looked unused so I guess they are no longer there.
I went during spring break (not my choice). I had planned to get there about 9.30 but because I overslept I was an hour late. Even so I basically walked in, there were no queues. However when I left at about 3pm not only was the entry ramp queued up they had closed the road and were queuing people up on the road, there were four or five lines stretching back along the road. This was the same at other attractions - so the lesson if visiting in busy times make sure you get there early!
Even though the place was very busy it was not unbearable. The only real problem was on my second time round the ramp down the the giant otters was very slow, because it was narrow and ended at a popular exhibit. I found a balcony overlooking Orinoco which was used to access an emergency exit and staff facilities. I was undisturbed there and spent a very pleasant half hour with my binoculars bird watching.
However I am not uncritical of the facility:
- Many of the exhibits were on the small side for their inhabitants, a not insignificant portion were far too small.
- While I liked the touch screen signs for providing detailed information, it was sometimes hard to determine what was in or no longer present in various enclosures. A sign with a list of animals besides each enclosure would have helped, if the names of the animals were easily changed then it would be easy to update.
- There were several large enclosures high up against walls or between sections that were hard if not impossible to see from the path. It was not until I was on the balcony that I noticed the howler monkeys and the quetzals were only viewable from that balcony (and not signed).
