I haven't been to the Oregon Zoo in years and was ...

I haven't been to the Oregon Zoo in years and was very pleasantly surprised today when I took my 3 and 5 year old for a half day adventure. I only had 4 unfulfilled wishes: 1) that they had not run out of double stroller/wagons with umbrella for the kiddos 2) that I had not forgotten our giant water bottle in the car 3) that we had arrived at opening not in the blistering burning hot as all get-out hour of 12pm, and 4) that we had not missed the last train at 5:30. I really love riding the train even as an adult, it's such a beautiful relaxing treat. Moving on, we survived the insane heat only because the staff if awesome and at most food carts and restaurant areas you can get a decent sized iced water for free! We got adorable giraffe cups ($5.50 ea and totally worth it) for the kids and instead of doing $1 soda refills we just kept re-upping with ice water. The employees were so helpful kind and upbeat even in the heat ( so hot it tends to make me a grumpy bear after a few hours!). With two little ones drinking cup after cup of water I was very pleasantly surprised at the many easily accessible bathrooms some of which featured nursing area with couch, changing table, and seperate washing station, huge wheelchair/differently-abled stalls, some with their own washing station, and even small step stools for the kiddos at the sinks! We ate pretzels (meh) and elephant ears (so yummy). By the time we arrived they had already given free passes to the first 1,000 people but it was only a $4 admission after that. I do not recommend the zoo keys unless it's just a cute novelty item for the kids. There are very few places to use them and the sound is so quiet that you can barely hear the info in most exhibits. It's a great idea, just needs a little reworking.... maybe shorter info sets, more strategically placed, and louder. The kids loved all the water misting stations you can cool off at and I loved it too! They were a very welcome relief from the heat. Pro-tips: if you are pulling a wagon with about 80 lbs of gear and children in it, DO NOT park in the overflow parking. Or at least get dropped off and picked up! That was a long climb and by the time we reached the gate to go in I was ready to take a break lol. Bring your water bottle full of ice, there are awesome water refilling stations all over the zoo. So yeah that's all I can think of for now. I am not sure of the regular admission but I would say if it is under $20 per person I think that would be worth it. It is a really fun experience. Get there early and bring snacks and lunch or dine at one of the restaurants or delish food carts. There are elephant ears, cotton candy, Ben&Jerry's ice cream, shave ice, and I am sure even more yummy treats available. Also if you want to enjoy a craft beer on tap they have a decent selection ($8/beer) and you can enjoy it as you peruse the outdoor exhibits. I want to go to a concert here with just the "big kids" and try it out :). Great trip! Next time definitely taking max no doubt!