By Guest Contributor Amanda G.
We are big fans of all of our city zoos, but the Central Park Zoo is unique. It has many exotic animals yet is small enough that you are not exhausted after visiting. We recently visited the zoo and for the first time used the “Total Experience ticket” which included admission to the zoo, the adorable petting zoo, the 4D movie and a special tour of the arctic animals. (Read more after the jump).
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a fun movie but when you see it like this it’s incredible! The theater is intimate with comfortable seats, the 3D glasses were clean with no scratches. If you are unfamiliar a 4D movie is a 3D one with added mist, snow, bubbles and other surprises which make it really exciting. Both the kids and the adults had a blast and loved the effects. One word of advice there is growling and stomping, the effects are really engrossing so it may frighten very young children. Our 5 year old daughter loved i, but did cover her eyes once or twice when a T-Rex was chomping at the audience! Of course she loved it and wants to go again next time.
After the 11:15, 12:15, 1:15 and 2:15 screenings you can meet at the benches that are at the exit of the theater and find a zoo tour guide for a fascinating tour of the arctic animals. Our guide, Laura, was fantastic and taught us all about the animals, their habitats and various zoo inner workings that we were curious about. All of the guides are great at answering children’s questions and extremely knowledgeable.
I highly recommend taking the kids to experience all of the Central Park Zoo, the 4D film and tour really made it an extra special and educational day. And don’t forget every time you visit your money helps the animals in New York as well as the Wildlife Conservation Society’s efforts worldwide.
Thank you to the Wildlife Conservation Society for giving us complimentary admission in exchange for an honest review of our experience. No compensation was received. Top photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher.
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