Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium — Attraction in Kansas City

I am a friend of the zoo member. I love the zoo but unfortunately they are unwilling to make accommodations on their “amusement rides” (the Tram) for those who need very very basic accommodations. I simply asked to skip the physical line, not the assumed place in line. In fact there was no one in line the other day when I was asked to weave through the line when I felt unwell due to my disability symptoms randomly popping up. I felt like a simple solution to help myself would be to walk to the handicap line so I could avoid weaving. Sometimes it’s the little things that compound that make it easier to continue after a short rest and sometimes those little things add up to the point of me having to leave early. I have chosen to advocate for myself and ask to have those very doable needs met very politely. Anyone who deals with a disability understands that sometimes the little changes can make the difference in the experiences we have. The manager for the “rides” was firm on the excuses he created to exclude members who need simple accommodations. He told me that I shouldn’t be riding the rides that give me the ability to come here with my daughter. He made an excuse that it was “clearly posted” that the “rides” exclude those with ANY health condition that may interfere with the safety of the rider. I took pictures to help see those “clearly posted” rules. He is not a medical professional to my knowledge and I have not been excluded from rides from my healthcare professional. Simply not wanting to make my symptoms worse and accommodate / advocate for my needs was reason enough for him to imply that my conditions must be apart of his exclusion which was in fact NOT clearly posted. There was a very simple solution to be had. I wasn’t requesting something outlandish. I asked to simply come to the handicap entrance when I was physically struggling with my disability. I am legally and permanently disabled. My disability isn’t always visible like many disabilities. I am not always able to determine the extent of the impact that my disability will have on my abilities at the start of the day but I try to make the most of every day for my daughter regardless of not knowing how my day will go. We have a lot of fun at the zoo and in the past I was always accommodated in the past. I’m not sure if this seemingly able bodied Caucasian man is right for the job if he cannot take the issue of invisible disabilities seriously or promptly. The conversation needs to be had because many families struggle with disabilities and those families want to be included in an outing funded by our tax dollars as well as their membership fees. It’s an unacceptable way to run the “amusement rides”. Hiding behind “liability” by listing something like the Tram as an “amusement ride” and telling me that I shouldn’t use something that makes the zoo possible for me and my family is a very poor excuse to continue to hide behind. Do better because I know I am not the only visitor/member that feels this way. I hope more people speak up from their experiences here and the zoo makes progress on their policies for individuals and families with disabilities and necessary accommodations. I wanted to add that he was a former WOF ride manager, he seemed to believe that the same restrictions for real amusement rides applied to the African Tram. I did snap a picture of the African Sky Safari, which I don’t use currently. I feel it was some of what he continued to repeat every time I tried to engage in a conversation with this manager in regards to him assuming I was somehow a liability with a condition he truly knows nothing about. I added a photo of the African Sky Safari that shows rules for that specific attraction. It addresses those with medical conditions that should not engage in this activity UNLIKE the...

So, for those who are concerned about the welfare of the animals, I visited some 20 years ago and wasn't crazy about it. There seemed to be a lot of small cages and a less than great interactive experiences for some of the animals, for their sake.

Having visited more recently, it is still a zoo. But, they are accredited by the AZA for what that is worth and seem to have improved a great deal. A number of the exhibits seem to have much larger areas - and a lot of the animals can choose to go off on their own or be around where they can see or interact with people if they feel like it. They have some enclosures that are relatively expansive or open, for example the Kangaroos actually have a large open area with paths that you walk through.

It is divided up into areas, like Australia, Africa, etcetera, with animals you would generally find in those continents.

There is an extensive amount of walking, I would definitely recommend bringing or renting a stroller or wagon if you have little kids. You can also pay extra for a pass with trolley / train access to get around over the longer distances, which makes things a bit more pleasant - although the little train doesn't allow strollers or anything large on board the trams do have a trailer.

If you are in Jackson or Clay County they have discounts, unfortunately not for the rest of the city. They have day passes, or annual family memberships at different tiers - with or without transportation, and premium with special events. If you go often they would likely be well worth it, if you know someone with a pass you also get a discount as their guest if you go with them. It is relatively expensive, especially if you have a number of people.

They have a pretty neat indoor penguin area - those little guys can move fast! They also have a pretty decent and fairly good sized aquarium with some huge tanks and a large variety of sea life. There is usually a line you have to wait for 10-20 minutes to get into the aquarium, it seems to be one of the most popular draws.

There are a few indoor areas where you can avoid the heat, mostly the aquarium and the penguin enclosure, but there is also a barn with a slide and a handful of animals near the goats.

If you have kids who love animals, it provides an opportunity for them to experience seeing a wide variety of animals in person. They also have a carousel which the littler kids seem to love.

If you happen to be strictly vegetarian AKA vegan, the options are pretty limited in the park so you might want to pack a cooler, snacks, or plan around meal times. They do have jumbo Pretzels which can be made without butter. They have kettle corn and Dip 'n Dots, but I have NOT confirmed if they have any without dairy or not yet. Otherwise options are extremely limited from...

Following a chilly and prolonged winter, a February visit to the zoo on such a beautiful day became a necessity. The traffic leading to the zoo was quite chaotic, particularly with cars hastily maneuvering up the one-way lane to skip ahead in line, risking near head-on collisions to check crowded parking lots. Despite the promotion of Polar Bear weekend, we were disappointed not to catch a glimpse of the bear. Despite the mild to high 60-degree weather, many animals were not in their habitats.

Upon completing our tour of Australia, we decided to grab some snacks at Bluey's. Despite its simple menu, we were surprised that it took nearly 45 minutes to place our order. Although ICEE drinks were in high demand, we were informed they were unavailable. On a positive note, I ordered a plain sausage, and the cashier only charged me for a hot dog, which was a pleasant surprise. The zoo bathrooms were well-maintained, and despite the crowd, there were no long lines.

Opting to take the tram to Africa, we were informed upon arrival that it was closed due to the high number of visitors. Walking to Africa, we observed a queue of people waiting for the tram, yet the boardwalk around the exhibits was surprisingly uncrowded. Around 4 pm, with the zoo closing at 5, the animals began disappearing for feeding time, leaving us disappointed as we assumed we paid to see them until the zoo officially closed. Consequently, the last 30 minutes were spent passing by empty exhibits.

While the day was enjoyable and resulted in some fantastic photos, there are several suggestions I'd have for enhancing the overall experience.

Edit: In regards to owner response. Current hours were that day same as I just added to the photos I got from your google hours listed. Hours were and still are listed 5pm on the weekends, our visit was on a Sunday during your Polar Bear weekend!! I also corrected my 4:30 close time to 5 because thats what it should of said and again animals started to go inside just after 4pm on a Sunday...