I know this is a blog dedicated to amusement and theme
parks, but I decided to write about my recent trip to the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo because in addition to
the typical animal exhibits and habitats, this zoo is also home to a few
amusement attractions. Their ride lineup
includes a sky ride, a carousel, a mini-train, and a log flume.
We visited the zoo on a Saturday, and despite being the
Fourth of July, the weather was quite pleasant and crowds were manageable. We were able to snag a parking spot near the entrance,
and after paying our admission we grabbed a map and made our way towards the exhibits.
The zoo is laid out into four main sections: the African
Journey, the Indonesian Rain Forest, the Australian Adventure, and the Central
Zoo. The animals are the main draw (it
is a zoo after all), but each section also has an amusement attraction for patrons
to enjoy at an additional cost. The
African Journey area has a sky ride that provides an interesting view of the
backside of several buildings and animal housings. The Indonesian Rain Forest section has a
carousel themed to endangered species that kids are sure to love. The Australian Adventure is home to a
relaxing log flume that winds its way through the kangaroo and dingo
enclosures. And last but not least, the
Central Zoo section contains a mini-train that provides a scenic journey around
a lake.
Each attraction costs $2 per ride, and you can also purchase
a Ride Pass for $20 that is good for 12 rides in case you want to save a couple
of bucks. After looking at our options,
we chose to check out the log flume. If
you’re expecting a thrilling ride or the big drop that you’re accustomed to
getting from a traditional log flume, then you will be sorely
disappointed. This ride is more relaxing
than anything. There are no drops
whatsoever, and there’s zero chance of getting wet, so if you keep that in mind
then you can sit back and enjoy the adventure.
It would be interesting to see more traditional amusement parks use this
ride system in this way as a transportation device or dark ride vehicle instead
of a thrill ride. The rest of the rides
looked fine, but we didn’t feel as though we missed out by skipping them.
Overall, the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is a nice option for
the whole family if you happen to be in the area and are looking for something
to do. I wouldn’t go out of your way to
visit if you’re only interested in the rides, but they are an added bonus if
you’re checking out the animals anyway.
As always, thanks for reading. Feel free to leave a comment about your
thoughts on the addition of amusement rides to non-amusement park venues.
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