Butterfly Wonderland — Attraction in Four Corners States

We stopped before going to the airport on our way back from the Grand canyon.

My wife loves butterflies so we've been to several butterfly conservatories around the country, and neither of us were really impressed.

Right off the bat, I was frustrated that on walking in you're sent down a hallway to wait for a film to play, and it's not me made particularly clear what you're even in line for in the first place.

Our group thought it was a quick presentation about the rules and expectations once you enter, but it turned out to be a 15+ minute long 3D documentary about monarchs that apparently we could have skipped.

On finally getting into the butterfly area, it wasn't remarkably large, and just appeared to be a commercial greenhouse. Not on its own disappointing, but not immediately registering as the largest in the country. My suspicion is they're counting the total square footage of their property to get to that number.

Signs indicated they usually have roughly 3k butterflies at a given time, hatching 1k a week with a 3 week life span. I would estimate the number of butterflies much closer to 1k, as I've been to other conservatories roughly the same size where it felt as if you were walking through clouds of butterflies, compared to this where they were absolutely present and abundant, but not exactly impressive in numbers.

Aside from the butterflies, they did have some koi fish and a honey bee display, but we did also notice a handful of hornets hanging around that could be a nasty surprise. I think they would do well to get some quail to run around on the ground and balance out the space a bit better.

After leaving the butterfly room there's a small bug and fish exhibit, which was a pleasant surprise as ultimately I don't feel like the entrance fee would have been worth it without a bit more going on. The film at the beginning already felt like they were trying to inflate the amount of time spent there.

Ultimately, I think it's all well and good enough for locals looking for something to do with their kids, but isn't quite worth it to add to your itinerary as a tourist...

We love Butterfly Wonderland and took our granddaughter this past weekend. We have had annual passes for six years now and enjoy the serenity of the atrium and watching the butterflies. This weekend the butterflies were exceptionally active and it even seemed they had many more than usual.

My three stars has more to do with the other exhibits. Yes, I know it is BUTTERFLY wonderland, but they do have another small area with reptiles and fish. Those areas have never been changed, the glass in the reptile area is about three-four feet high (guessing) and the glass was blurry in a lot of areas so small children cannot see in unless you lift them up and hold them. BW could simply build a platform all the way around the reptile area so children can step up on the platform and look in the glass. What an inexpensive and easy fix this would be. Same with the stingray pond -- just build a platform so small children can step up. I'm just shocked no one has thought of this, and I never did until we took our granddaughter.

Finally, the little cafe is such a nice touch but good grief, my granddaughter wanted a "scooter pie" and it was $12.95! While I appreciate the thought of supporting a local bakery/cookie/candy maker (or whatever it is), the treats were astronomical. This would also be an easy fix. There is no need to have gourmet treats. Also, the ladies working in the cafe, while friendly, were VERY slow. I mean, they could only take care of one order at a time - literally - one hot dog, one pizza, etc. Once they completed that order, they'd go to the next. This may be a training issue, and yes, I know it is not fast food, but maybe we could make it at least efficient.

Seriously, I love the butterflies, but they could do so much more with the space and make it much more child friendly. The Phoenix valley is such a beautiful place to live, but it seems these venues never reinvest the money they make in upgrading. In six years, it has not changed one bit. Come on BW...

Fun way to spend part of a day. You can purchase tickets onsite or online (they don't send a QR code to your phone so if you purchase online you'll need to print your tickets). Walking in, it's self service and you scan your own ticket at the front counter. Be sure to pick up the card on the counter with all the names and types of butterflies listed. An attendant has you pose for a couple of photos which are loaded onto a card you can access by scanning the QR code on the card. There is a small hallway with various displays of butterflies, and then it gets a little confusing. There are no signs explaining next steps or any employees to ask, just three closed doors, a line of patrons, and a dead end. Turns out, the door on the right is the theater where you view the 3D butterfly documentary (mandatory before you proceed to the live butterflies). Pick up your 3D glasses and sit in the top row of the theater (you're welcome). The 3D effects are very cool and worth watching. After that, the second door opens and a larger room houses a fascinating exhibit of the various stages of butterfly development. Soon, an employee appears, rounds up everyone and opens the third closed door, which leads into the world of live butterflies. The live butterflies are gorgeous, and there are many lush and vibrant plants, as well. The room is quite humid, but does wonders for a local's parched desert skin. 😉 There is a koi fish pond and a waterfall, and lots of benches to just sit, relax and observe. It's a stunning and serene atmosphere. After exiting, there is a separate section of unique reptiles, bugs and critters, and a small aquarium area. It's a fun spot to browse around and explore. All in all, a very pleasant visit. I would recommend the establishment add some signs or a staff member after check-in to clarify the sequence of events, but other than that, it was a...