Hoots & Howls at the Kansas City Zoo

Name: Hoots & Howls at the Kansas City Zoo
Item: Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
Author: Kristina Light

October 14, 2012

12:20 p.m.

The Kansas City Zoo is a favorite attraction year-round, but autumn is my personal favorite for a visit to the zoo! The zoo is decorated for the fall, special events are offered, the weather is comfortable to enjoy the zoo, and the animals seem to be more active and playful when it's cooler outside! The Elephants, Monkeys, Deer, Polar Bear, Tiger, Kangaroos... all of the animals were ready to play when we visited on a crisp October day.

The Kansas City Zoo

Click here for Driving Directions to the Kansas City Zoo.

Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. weekdays; 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekends. Closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Admission: The Friends of the Zoo Memberships are the BEST value if you plan to return and take advantage of rides, FOTZ Members are free. Also, membership is reciprocal at other zoos when you travel. Otherwise, admission is $11.50 for adults, $10.50 for seniors ages 55+ and $8.50 for children ages 3-11. Admission for Residents in the Zoological District (Jackson/Clay Counties) are $5; $4.50 and $4. Please bring a valid ID stating your address. Best Value pricing: Gold Package: $16.50 adults, $15.50 for seniors, $13.50 for children and includes train, tram and carousel rides during the day of your visit -- a savings of $1. Platinum Package: $20.50 adults; $19.50 seniors; $17.50 children and includes train, tram, carousel, African Sky Safari and boat* rides during the day of your visit -- a savings of $3. Boat will operate weather premitting starting weekends in April and May, and daily Memorial Weekend through Labor Day weekend. Due to this the platinum package will be reduced by $1 when the boat is not operating. Please note: Reciprocal pricing is not valid on best value pricing; reciprocal pricing is only valid on the regular admission pricing it does not include the ride portion. Parking is Free

Hoots and Howls at the Kansas City Zoo

Each weekend in October is full of zoo-mazing activities and entertainment including face painting, hay rides, pedal tractors, a rope maze, sidewalk chalk and costumed characters from 10am-3pm. The Haunted Valley is waiting for you; walk the plank, paint a mural, and climb on a hay bale pryamid. Spend a beautiful day at the Zoo. On the 4th Weekend in October, enjoy Boo at the Zoo. The entire Zoo is Decorated for the Celebrations with lots and lots of great photo ops!

On Saturday, October 20, make spider hats to take home in the zoo lobby from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Boogie with Funky Mama at noon on the stage near the Discovery Barn. The Miller Marley School of Dance & Voice will have a performance by the Show Biz Performers and TiniTainers at 1 p.m. and a performance by the Entertainers at 2 p.m. Watch the Close Encounters of an Animal Kind Show at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Haunted Valley. Keith Leff with Magicreations will perform his show near the Discovery Barn from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
On Sunday, October 21, make spider hats to take home in the zoo lobby from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Rock with The Doo-Dads at noon at the stage near the Discovery Barn. Watch the Close Encounters of an Animal Kind Show at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Haunted Valley. Then watch the MagiComedy of Reggie Gray on stage from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on stage near the Discovery Barn.
It's time for trick or treating with the animals at the Kansas City Zoo. The fun lasts from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Stations will be set-up for great family-friendly treating and the tricks are up to you. Boo at the Zoo is full of zoo-mazing activities and entertainment including pedal tractors, a rope maze, sidewalk chalk, a parade, and concerts. The Haunted Valley is waiting for you; walk the plank, paint a mural, and climb on a hay bale pryamid. Your "dress-up" day will be zoo-exciting!

On Saturday, October 27, DJ Kirby will be spinning family-friendly music at noon on stage near the Discovery Barn. At 1 p.m. meet Kaz, the Zoo mascot, at the gazebo to show-off your costumes in our parade. Goodies will be handed out to all parade participants. Then experience the allure of Magicreations from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. near the Discovery Barn.
On Sunday, October 28, groove with DJ Kirby at noon on stage near the Discovery Barn. At 1 p.m. meet Kaz, the Zoo mascot, at the gazebo to show-off your costumes in our parade. Goodies will be handed out to all parade participants. Then on stage from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. near the Discovery Barn watch the MagiComedy of Reggie Gray.

On Saturday, November 3, plan to attend the Great Pumpkin Smash. Watch as the Zoo's animals crush, play, kick, bounce those big orange pumpkins! The Schedule for the Great Pumpkin Smash is below:

10:00 Chimpanzees

10:30 Hippos

11:00 Rhinos

11:30 Red River Hogs

Noon Elephants

12:30 Golden Lion Tamarins in Tropics

1:00 Saki Monkeys in Tropics

1:30 Meerkats

2:00 Orangutans

2:30 Tigers

3:00 Nikita the Polar Bear

3:30 River Otters

Tips for the Best Day at the Kansas City Zoo

Concessions are sold throughout, but you may bring your own picnic!
Dress comfortably for a day outside.
Plan to visit more than once. The Kansas City Zoo is large and it is difficult to see it all in a day, your children will be tired if you do! Check out the Zoo Map in advance and plan your day. Choose Africa or Australia, and include areas of the Kid Zone.
Plan to watch shows! Read the Show Schedule in advance and plan your day accordingly.
Pack bottled water.
Bring a camera!
Kids love to ride the train, tram, boat, carousel, and Sky Safari (all weather permitting)! The Carousel plays seasonal music... we heard renditions of Monster Mash, and The Addams Family this fall. A Platinum FOTZ Membership offers great savings on these attractions.

Begin and End with a Visit to See Nikita

Nikita, the Kansas City Zoo Polar Bear, makes his home at the Polar Bear Passage just past the entrance to the zoo. With indoor air-conditioned viewing, kids love to watch Nikita swim and play when they first arrive at the zoo, and again before leaving. Nikita was born on November 21, 2006. He currently weighs over 700 pounds and enjoys about 16 pounds of fish, 5 pounds of dog food and 1.5 pounds of lard each day. He loves to play with his many enrichment items and show off for guests. You can see him swim, dig, splash, dive and more every day at the Polar Bear Passage. TIP: Polar Bear Passage is our favorite spot for a snack break or picnic in the colder months! Nikita is great fun to watch while you eat.

Visit the Brand New Tiger Trail

Our girls give the new Tiger Trail two thumbs up! You can now enjoy the eight-year-old Sumatran Tiger brothers Manis and Langka, in their brand new home, now five times larger than the old exhibit. With wide open spaces, rocks, trees, and plants on a terraced hillside, the tigers are easy for everyone to watch. The Train Depot at Australia exits just in front of the entrance to the trail, so take the train, then follow the trail where you'll enjoy the Red Pandas, Orangutans, exotic birds, and the beloved Tiger siblings!

Animal Exhibits on the Way to Tiger Terrace...

The Best View of Africa: African Sky Safari

The African Exhibit has been ranked as the #1 African Zoo Exhibit in America. The exhibit is home to African animals who enjoy a wonderful and large natural environment. While the wide open spaces prove to be fabulous for the animals, it can sometimes pose a problem for zoo guests who want that up-close view of a cheetah or a zebra. The zoo offers viewing decks that offer great views of the animals, and last summer the view got EVEN better. Visitors now enjoy a bird's eye view of majestic animals!

The Sky Safari is essentially a ski lift ride above the African plains exhibit at the Zoo. Riders view the giraffes, zebras, antelope, cheetahs, rhinos, birds, and more from an up-close view above the treetops unlike any other. The ride is peaceful and serene, offering a great view of animals as they eat, drink, and play. You hear every sound below (we heard chimpanzees hollering in the distance), much like a hot air balloon ride. The journey crosses approximately 1,500 feet at 35 feet above ground and lasts about 7 minutes. I recommend bringing cameras and binoculars for the ride (hold on tight) for an even better experience!

The guidelines when riding the new African Sky Safari include:

Children under 42" tall must ride with an adult
All riders must be able to sit up without assistance
Flip flops must be carried. (Notice my bare feet in the photo.)
All items must be secured including food, drink, cameras and sunglasses (dropped items will not be immediately retrieved and will not be returned in the same condition; our animals will probably use them as enrichment items)
Maximum 3 people and 400 pounds per chair
Only umbrella strollers will be transported on the Sky Safari; you may check your stroller at the employee-monitored stroller check at the ticket booths.

A Few of our Birds Eye View Photos from the African Sky Safari:

And More, much More

The Kangaroos in Australia are always fun to watch. The Tropics exhibit offers fun views of monkeys as they climb overhead, and children love to play in the Discovery Barn. My daughters love the flamingoes, and the elephants are an all-time favorite. What do you love most about the Kansas City Zoo?