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I was at least 5 of that number. With the season pass I know I was through there no less than that number of times.skinzfan23 wrote:That will be exciting to see. I haven't been there since it opened and hear great things about it, but like the zoo itself, you can always make a great thing better.
From the article, it says attendance was 143,668 last year.
According to the OWH, it opened a week after the African Grasslands.thenewguy wrote:dont much feel like searchin to find the answer; is the alaskan adventure up and running?
Many giggling soaking wet preschoolers were on TV news reports. Looks like they built it for year round use.HR Paperstacks wrote:According to the OWH, it opened a week after the African Grasslands.thenewguy wrote:dont much feel like searchin to find the answer; is the alaskan adventure up and running?
King of the region?
How Henry Doorly compares with nearby zoos
Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
Size: 130 acres
Species: 535
Attendance (2015): 1.68 million
Membership (total memberships in 2015): 76,319
Marquee exhibits: Lied Jungle, Scott Aquarium, Desert Dome, Kingdoms of the Night, Hubbard Gorilla Valley and Orangutan Forest, Cat Complex, Expedition Madagascar, African Grasslands
Newest major exhibit: African Grasslands, a 28-acre, $73 million savanna with some species intermingling; marquee animals include elephants, giraffes and lions
Summer adult admission: $18.95
Single adult annual membership: $69
Lincoln Children’s Zoo
Size: 7 acres
Species: 100+
Attendance (2015): 218,000
Membership (households in 2015): 8,200
Marquee exhibits: Animal Kingdom (pygmy marmosets, bats, tree kangaroo, bush babies, golden lion tamarins), The Hive (flying squirrels, alligator, lizards, bees), Butterfly Pavilion
Newest major exhibit: Tortoise Trek, with four species of tortoises including endangered Galapagos tortoises, plus three species of macaw; one of the few barrier-free tortoise habitats in the country
Summer adult admission: $9.75
Single adult annual membership: $79
Blank Park Zoo (Des Moines)
Size: 30 acres
Species: 195
Attendance (2015): 470,000
Membership (households in 2015): 10,000
Marquee exhibits: Australia Adventure, Hub Harbor seal/sea lion pool, Myron & Jackie Blank Discovery Center (red pandas, bird conservatory and 15,000-gallon saltwater aquarium)
Newest major exhibit: Jamma Kwa Africa, a 3-acre, $4 million exhibit with rhinos, giraffes, ostriches, addax and more
Summer adult admission: $13
Single adult annual membership: $69
Great Plains Zoo (Sioux Falls, South dakota)
Size: 45 acres
Species: 160
Attendance (2015): 316,000
Membership (households in 2015): 6,000
Marquee exhibits: Snow Monkeys, Rare Rhinos of Africa, Face-to-Face Farm, Asian Cats, Delbridge Museum of Natural History (included with admission)
Newest major exhibit: Renovation of the zoo’s brown bear habitat, to be completed by 2018
Summer adult admission: $11
Single adult annual membership: $47.50
Kansas City Zoo
Size: 202 acres
Species: 500+
Attendance (2015): 911,336
Membership (households in 2015): 27,579
Marquee exhibits: Helzberg Penguin Plaza, Polar Bear Passage, Orangutan Canopy, Tropics, Sea Lion Splash
Newest major exhibit: Koala Flats
Summer adult admission: $14.50 ($7 for residents of Clay and Jackson Counties)
Single adult annual membership: $64 (adult plus one)
Riverside Discovery Center (Scottsbluff)
Size: 23 acres
Species: 67
Attendance (2015): 37,500
Membership (households in 2015): 500
Marquee exhibits: chimpanzees (recently renovated), Amur tiger (recently renovated), heritage barn (native and exotic farm animals)
Newest major exhibit: Dino Dig (2015, $56,000)
Summer adult admission: $6.50
Single adult annual membership: $70
How the Omaha zoo stacks up
The Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium just opened its largest and most expensive project. Zoo CEO Dennis Pate said he considers the San Diego Zoo, the St. Louis Zoo and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium some of his zoo’s peers. Here’s how Omaha compares.
Trip Advisor “Travelers’ Choice” U.S. Ranking (2015)
Note: Compiled via customer satisfaction reviews
1. San Diego Zoo
2. Henry Doorly Zoo
3. St. Louis Zoo
11. Columbus Zoo
Size (in acres)
Columbus: 143
Omaha: 130
San Diego: 100
St. Louis: 93
Species
San Diego: 800
St. Louis: 603
Columbus: 600
Omaha: 535
Attendance (2015)
St. Louis: 3.25 million
San Diego: 3.2 million
Columbus: 2.2 million
Omaha: 1.68 million
Members (households in 2015)
San Diego: 250,000
Columbus: 80,000
Omaha: 76,319*
St. Louis: 50,000
* — (total memberships, not households)
Admission (summer)
St. Louis: free
Omaha: $18.95
Columbus: $19.99
San Diego: $50
Parking Spaces/Cost
Columbus: 6,000/$10
Omaha: 3,000/free
St. Louis: 2,116/$15
San Diego: 0 (free neighborhood parking)
No, not this time. However I believe there will be more opportunities this summer.Spatial77 wrote:I am hoping Brad got some aerial photos of the zoo (and the Blue Barn Theater) on his recent flight.
Thanks for getting the aerials. I always enjoy seeing your pics from above, plus you always have great color saturation in your photos. I know flight time isn't cheap, and I really appreciate the time and financial commitment.Brad wrote:No, not this time. However I believe there will be more opportunities this summer.Spatial77 wrote:I am hoping Brad got some aerial photos of the zoo (and the Blue Barn Theater) on his recent flight.
Your welcome and thanks for the kind words. I use to post as many update photos as possible, but a couple years ago I really made a commitment to quality over quantity. I don't have the free time I use to so when I go out, I try to make it count... The helicopter was a little cheaper this time around, only $395 for 30 min. Last summer it was $595 for 30 min. Usually I only go up when I have client work to do to offset some of the cost, but this time I paid all out of pocket. However, when I post up the TD Ameritrade and Wernwr Park photos, I think you will see that it was worth every penny!Spatial77 wrote:
Thanks for getting the aerials. I always enjoy seeing your pics from above, plus you always have great color saturation in your photos. I know flight time isn't cheap, and I really appreciate the time and financial commitment.
Can't wait!Brad wrote: However, when I post up the TD Ameritrade and Wernwr Park photos, I think you will see that it was worth every penny!
Emily McMinn / World-Herald staff writer wrote:Reaching 1 million visitors on July 3 broke the previous record in 2012 of July 11. In 2015, the zoo didn’t reach its millionth visitor until July 16. Zoo CEO and Executive Director Dennis Pate said the zoo could surpass the 2 million mark this year because of new exhibits, the African Grasslands and Alaskan Adventure
Chris Peters / World-Herald staff writer wrote:Six weeks after the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium cut the ribbon on its new African Grasslands exhibit, some animals still haven’t gone on display.
Several species — zebras, male impalas, meerkats and two types of birds — have been held back because of construction or permit delays. Others, including elephants, have limited access to their exhibit spaces.
From today's Sunday W-H:iamjacobm wrote:So maybe this is just my own ignorance, but is the zoo really that much busier than in years past that the interstate gets backed up for miles and the parking lot isn't big enough? It seems like this hasn't been a problem and that 13th Street exit was able to handle crowds of 25K for the CWS in the past.
Is it just the fact that everyone shows up at the same time or no one remembers the back ways to the area? Maybe it really is just that busy.
Anyways. Ingress and parking need to be figured out, don't want to turn people off to our biggest tourist draw b/c we can't handle the crowds it draws.
iamjacobm wrote:So maybe this is just my own ignorance, but is the zoo really that much busier than in years past that the interstate gets backed up for miles and the parking lot isn't big enough? It seems like this hasn't been a problem and that 13th Street exit was able to handle crowds of 25K for the CWS in the past.
Is it just the fact that everyone shows up at the same time or no one remembers the back ways to the area? Maybe it really is just that busy.
Anyways. Ingress and parking need to be figured out, don't want to turn people off to our biggest tourist draw b/c we can't handle the crowds it draws.
Not only did the CWS back up on to the interstate all the time, during the CWS they would have 13th street blocked down to one lane southbound to let non stop traffic flow off of I80, and lots of police directing traffic all day.nebugeater wrote:13th back up to onto the Interstate all the time for the CWSiamjacobm wrote:So maybe this is just my own ignorance, but is the zoo really that much busier than in years past that the interstate gets backed up for miles and the parking lot isn't big enough? It seems like this hasn't been a problem and that 13th Street exit was able to handle crowds of 25K for the CWS in the past.
Is it just the fact that everyone shows up at the same time or no one remembers the back ways to the area? Maybe it really is just that busy.
Anyways. Ingress and parking need to be figured out, don't want to turn people off to our biggest tourist draw b/c we can't handle the crowds it draws.
That is one thing I do not miss about the CWS, waiting on the interstate trying to get off at 13th street, as well as trying to get out of those neighborhoods after the game.Brad wrote:Not only did the CWS back up on to the interstate all the time, during the CWS they would have 13th street blocked down to one lane southbound to let non stop traffic flow off of I80, and lots of police directing traffic all day.nebugeater wrote:13th back up to onto the Interstate all the time for the CWSiamjacobm wrote:So maybe this is just my own ignorance, but is the zoo really that much busier than in years past that the interstate gets backed up for miles and the parking lot isn't big enough? It seems like this hasn't been a problem and that 13th Street exit was able to handle crowds of 25K for the CWS in the past.
Is it just the fact that everyone shows up at the same time or no one remembers the back ways to the area? Maybe it really is just that busy.
Anyways. Ingress and parking need to be figured out, don't want to turn people off to our biggest tourist draw b/c we can't handle the crowds it draws.
jessep28 wrote:Hopefully the zoo is reimbursing the city for all the police resources that they are using up.
I noticed that a few weeks ago when we were there. The jungle opened in 1992, so after nearly 25 years I figure, they thought it was time. The new panels look much nicer.Spatial77 wrote:The zoo will be replacing the translucent roof panels on the Lied Jungle over the next several months.
From the zoo website: "The roof is being replaced with a new product to allow more UV light to enter the Lied Jungle. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium's Horticulture Team has played a major role in the transformation of the roof. The roof material has been selected largely because of the benefits to plants inside of the exhibit. This material will allow high-light transmission for optimum plant growth. The project is expected to be completed by December 2016."skinzfan23 wrote:I noticed that a few weeks ago when we were there. The jungle opened in 1992, so after nearly 25 years I figure, they thought it was time. The new panels look much nicer.Spatial77 wrote:The zoo will be replacing the translucent roof panels on the Lied Jungle over the next several months.
A new visitors’ exhibit at the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium will be complete by fall 2017, zoo officials announced today.
The 5-acre Children’s Adventure Trails, currently under construction near the zoo's north entrance, will include a treehouse playground, a wetland and stream with skiff crossing, and enclosures for prairie dogs, goats and budgies.
The exhibit will extend from the northwest corner of the Desert Dome to the new north entrance. Across the existing sidewalk that snakes down the hill will be a new amphitheater where zookeepers will present live animal shows.
Couldn't agree more.nativeomahan wrote:We made our annual trek to the zoo today. Our last visit was around Halloween last fall. I was simply amazed at the changes that have occurred in the past ten months. The addition of the African section; the redesign of the east side of the zoo, by the back end of the Skyfari; the campground area; and the huge new Splash zone area next to the children's carousel, all add up to a new zoo experience. The wide new pathways are a joy to walk, and every square inch of the new areas seem to have been extensively landscaped with trees, shrubbery and decorative grasses. In a few short years when the landscaping grows in these new areas will better blend in with the older portions of the zoo.
And the huge new hand's-on children's educational project being built now, north of the desert dome, will only further enhance the reputation of the Doorly Zoo as a place to learn as well as be entertained.
The new North Entrance, when it is finally opened, will render the north parking lots worthy of actually parking in.
The zoo is a great place to spend a half day, or even a full day if you plan to visit every nook and cranny of the facility.
Sadly one of the River Otters passed away and that is what led to the River Otters being taken off display and replaced with the African Penguins. I read that the surviving River Otter was sent to another zoo as they do not live well alone.TLGJames wrote:Meanwhile, they've removed some of my favorite animals. Mostly the north american river otters, and the African wild dogs. The river otters were probably the most depressing removal. They're one of the only animals that is highly active in the winter too. I once watched them play hockey with chunks of ice in their exhibit.