Phoenix Zoo ZooLights & Dinosaurs in the Desert.

 

Two of the most popular events hosted by the Phoenix Zoo are back for the holiday season! Both events are fun to do at least once if you've never done them before, both give you a chance to look at the nice displays the zoo has set up while getting some exercise walking around. I have a little bit of information on both events below;

ZooLights
Runs from November November 23rd- January 15th
Zoo Member Preview nights are the 21st & 22nd
Daily from 5:30PM-10PM
$35 Per person for general admission or $30 for zoo members.

The phoenix Zoolights aren't open to the public just yet, but tickets have started to go on sale for when they do open. I was able to visit the Zoolights last night during a private event so I have some photos to share with all of you of some of the displays they have to offer this year, & will have a short reel on my instagram page soon for anyone who can't make it in person. 

Zoolights are a separate event & is not included with zoo admission nor does it run during regular zoo hours so this ticket will be bought separate from any visit to the zoo. They have everything set up so you can easily guide yourself through the zoo to see the lights, and also visit the Dinosaurs in the desert. Any areas you aren't allowed to visit during this time such as some of the exhibits are roped off with lights. We enjoyed our visit last night, the weather was perfect, the walk was nice & easily accessible for anyone pushing a stroller or using a wheelchair/electric scooter. We think they've definitely stepped up some of their displays since the last time we were here a few years ago, we loved the life sized light up animals.

Dinosaurs in the Desert
Runs from now until April 30th,2023
Daily during regular zoo hours + zoolights hours
FREE with general admission into the zoo/zoolights

This event takes place along the desert trail portion of the zoo, it is a self guided path that has a number of giant life sized dinosaur animatronics set up for viewing. Quite a few of the figures are just beyond the pathway markers so you are able to see them up close & it makes for some great photo opportunities. They also have speakers set up to play the sounds of the dinosaurs as well which makes the experience even better. 

If you visit during the normal zoo hours you will also get to see the various animals houses along this trail as well. Sadly during zoolights most of the animals are sleeping & it is dark so you can't really see them anyway, but the dinosaurs are well lit so they can still easily be seen, plus it is a different experience getting to see them in the dark. The trail is almost entirely dirt, however it is easy to push strollers or bring wheelchairs/electric scooters through the area and we didn't have any issues with it being dusty. 

There is also a fossil dig area the kids can explore, dino themed photo opportunities set up for you & a gift shop at the end where you can find an assortment of dinosaur themed goodies. I though the paleontologist doll they had was pretty cute & a great way to get kids interested in the field. 

Which event would you want to visit or would you want to do both?

As a final note I do want to remind my local Arizona residents that purchasing & using a POGO Pass will get you into the Phoenix Zoo once for free. This saves you $37.95 on regular admission price, a Pogo Pass for a discounted cost $49.99 using code 6c8d10a3. You might be thinking "But, Luna that is more expensive than the regular zoo admission", while this is true not only do you get into the Phoenix Zoo for free using your pass it also includes a number of free visits to several other valley attractions such as Pangea Land of the Dinosaurs, Bowling, Mini Golf, & more saving you over $200 on fun! You can learn more information about the pogo pass by visiting my review here. 

*This is not a sponsored post. We really enjoy visiting our local zoo & decided to do Zoolights again this year, we went with a family member to a private event.*