Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens Review

I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND IT WHAT SO EVER, WE PAID $20 FOR NOTHING JUST TO WALK AROUND. MOST EXHIBITS I'D SAY 80 % "ANIMALS" WERE NOT EVEN THERE. YOU SAW MORE SQUIRRELS THAN ANYTHING. EXHIBIT ENCLOSURES LOOK UNATTRACTIVE PROBABLY EVEN FOR THE ANIMAL. "SNACKS" WERE OK PRICED AND NOT TO MENTION THERE WAS 2 DIFFERENT TRANSACTIONS NEEDED TO BE MADE IN MY CARD AT GIFT SHOP DUE TO "MERCHANTS". RELOCATE THE ANIMALS TO ANOTHER ZOO AND CLOSE THIS LOCATION OR MAKE IT LIVELIER. -CC

Great place to enjoy the outdoors and social distance

Small zoo but pretty nice variety of animals, most friendly animal care takers I ve met till date (been to many zoos).
Worth a visit.

I went to see the Asian Lanterns night display. They were outstanding. You walk through the zoo in the dark, lit only by lanterns which are both traditional Asian motiff like butterflies and dragons, and animals, birds, reptiles and insects from around the world. My favorite were the swans and the cheetahs. This is a must see exhibit that shouldn't be missed.

Nothing to catch anyones eye. The place is dirty and nothing was really that entertaining. It honestly felt as a waste of money. Nevertheless it still appeals to children and shows them things you dont see everyday. It is a great way to get your child to get excited and smile.

Awful experience. We have been to several other zoos and this zoo had nearly no space for the animals. So many stressed out animals pacing around with nothing to do or sleeping. It was clear that the staff walking around cared about the animals and they were all friendly and we'll informed but I am frustrated with whoever owns this zoo and is responsible for putting such large animals in such cramped areas. Maybe think about using all that empty parking lot to expand enclosures. Saddest animals I've ever seen.

Staff is friendly and there are always different events

Always love coming to this zoo . Lots to do here . Its a nice touch adding the ziplines . My family comes here atleast once a year . They also have a summer camp . My daughter had lots of fun at and made lots of new friends . This zoo has been steadily growing over the years and i cant wait to see what they add next .

Very small. Staff was super friendly though. Nice place to bring children.

My husband and I spent a couple hours here together. It is a small zoo, but it was nice. The bear was my favorite. He was very entertaining. They also had a small zip line and ropes course which looked like it would be best suited for children.

Really nice family friendly environment with splash pad for the little ones and zip lining for all ages!

Nice zoo for the area. I like the wooden walking path through the woods.

Really not worth it. More like a nature trail. Would not go again.

The staff are super friendly the zoo is very small though. You'll finish the walk within about an hour. They have zip lines and a splash pad for kids they have an area to feed the animals which is neat. They have a little train though it hasn't worked the few times we went I would've loved to take my toddler on it. The parrots at the front were either molting or stressed I wasn't sure which since the we're bald in large spots the poor things.

Nice zoo
Does not even compare to major Orlando attractions

This is pretty good, especially the animals being up super close!

Various animals & plants! Informative keeper chats!

I was expecting more animals. Clean and easy to walk around. A great experience.

This is a small but attractive zoo. It's easily walkable in just an hour or so. Exhibits are nice and we'll maintained. There is a mini train and a carousel at the entrance. There's also a nice picnic area right outside the zoo itself, perfect for bringing lunch. Since the zoo itself won't allow outside food, the picnic area is ideal for grabbing a cooler from the car and saving a few bucks. There is also an over head obstacle course with zip lines located on the outside, it looks fairly large and fun but I didn't get to try it out on my visit.
Inside the zoo there are a good variety of exhibits for its size. Giraffes, rhinos and the variety of big cats are the stand outs here. No Zebras, only a couple of small monkeys and no elephants creates some disappointment. There is also a lizard and snake house and, being Florida, loads of gators.
There are lots of opportunities for interaction. A petting zoo will loaded with farm animals will provide you with food to feed the animals for$1.50, the giraffe exhibit nearby provides a chance to get close and feed a giraffe for $5. A little pricey but especially worth it for young kids.
I do have to mention the size of many enclosures was very small for the animals housed. This is particularly true of all the big cats. They have very little room to move and it's quite frankly a little sad.
The other big negative is the price of food and drink. For a zoo as small as this one the prices were ridiculous. Expect to spend around $12-$15 per person if you eat a meal here.
Finally the zoo features a fantastic splash pad. It's a great way for the kids to cool off after exploring and they love it. It's bright and fun with ample shaded seating for parents.
Overall very impressive for a small zoo and worth the price of admission. If you're local it's worth a visit for a great family outing. For tourists, while it's a bit further then most attractions it's also a lot more affordable. Don't expect it to compare to a big city zoo, but your kids will probably still love it.

Scary and fun and a lot of exercise. Do this if you wanna feel like a superhero

Great little zoo, perfect for a morning outing with a kid.

The zoo had no animals. $60 is a bit much to not see anything Couldn't feed the giraffes because they were resting and a zoo keeper said come back within 45 mins-1 hr. There's only one person manning the carousel and train so there's a wait for both. The zoo could definitely use upgrades on animals and different features.

Went to take the kids on the ropes course. There was a birthday party that we obviously wouldn't know about just about to go out. Instead of letting us go with them and ahead of them, they said it would be 30-60 minutes. They graciously offered free admission to the zoo while we waited. When we returned, the 15 kid party had still not even gotten to the end of the training portion. We got a refund and will return, but it could have been easy to let 2 kids that have done the course numerous times out ahead so we could enjoy the rest of our day. Out of our many trips here, this is the first bad experience where we felt we wasted our time. It's just too hot in August to be up on the ropes course for 2-3 hours behind a bunch of 6yr old taking pictures at every station.

Smaller zoo with fewer animals, but it's nice, and less stressful than a big place. Has a splash pad that's included in the ticket price. Our kids love this place.

Update: The new black bear exhibit is great. Easy to get a really good view, and they were quite playful and active when we saw them.

The zoo itself was great but the food here is awful. Jungle Grill is extremely expensive and the food is so not worth the cost. The cheeseburger I ordered was burnt, cost over $8 and was smaller than the bun it was served on. My son ordered a chicken sandwich and you couldn't even see the chicken until he lifted the bun. His fries were greasy and so salty that he couldn't eat them.

The price is insane for a zoo of this size. It's pretty but when a family of 3 is looking at 60 dollars or more bananas aren't just for monkeys then.

This is a beautiful place to visit with your family and friends. It is kept immaculately clean and is well done for a small zoo. The people that work there are friendly and very helpful.

not alot to do here. we saw everything within 30 minutes the zip line course is the perk of it all

A fun place for the family and the animals are always doing something different so you'll get a new experience each time you go.

Not a great zoo. Fortunately it is not very expensive but I've seen more animals in my back yard.

I am not a big fan of animals being held in captivity, but I have to say the central Florida Zoo seems to do a fine job of creating a healthy environment for the animals they have. I bought an annual pass for our family so we could take our small grandson even if it was for an hour at a time. The zoo is closed and proximity to my home and my daughter's home which makes it very convenient for a nice family out.

Fantastic zoo it's small and no exhausting lol considering I'm from Kansas City Missouri and the zoo there is huge. I wish here in Orlando they would have lions, elephants ect more variety of animals. But....they have a water park, kids park and bungy walking way more activities. I still love it!

Feels more like botanical gardens than zoo, which is fine, because the enclosures for the animals are relatively small. The small enclosures break my heart.

Nice Zoo. Very clean and the Staff is friendly and informative. Glad we got a membership, it is a great value.

It was a nice zoo, haven't been to one in a couple of years but wish it was bigger

It's more of a kids petting zoo. This place needs a little work. But overall..it was a nice afternoon with the hubby!

This is a nice little zoo that's great for families! Love the splash pad, train and playground. The petting zoo is a hit with lots of kids and you can feed the giraffes. I highly recommend the annual pass if you live in the area.

Trying new things.....this was definately a good place to start! Staff were knowledgable and helpful through the whole zip course!! Awesome prices compared to the other zip courses around Central Florida. Twilight Zipping was a lot of fun, actually came back and brought friends!!!

Beautiful place, super organized, loved everything!

I love the zoo, this place always amazes me. They always are adding, and expanding!

Reliable family fun. Kid has also enjoyed ZoomAir since he was 4. They now also have charging spots!

Nice and decent place to visit. Their animals like puma, cheetah and other wild cats looks proud and healthy. Good variety of wild and exotic animals. Very informative and helpful staff.

Nice place to head for education and fun for everyone to enjoy

Went with my family. Zoo is small, but not bad for little kids. My niece and nephew loved the playground. It was hot that day, so animals were sleeping. The two ladies at the bear exhibit were very informative.

Decent zoo, a little on the smaller side. There are plenty of activities for the kids and ways for them to cool off. Sonny's BBQ is the in house restaurant for the park and they don't slack on things. Would be nice if there was more walking room and parking. Make sure to get there early as the lines can take a while with only two windows ioen.

Small quaint zoo. You can do the whole zoo in about 2 hours. Staff is friendly. Cages are small and not a lot of animals, but what they have they do well. The zoo camps they offer are some of the best I have seen. That is the main reason we have a pass.

It was very well organized and clean and easy to find

It's a beautiful walking zoo with lots of trees and a splash pad for the kids.

Nice little zoo. Even the squirrels were fun to watch. One of the last places I ever walked with my dad, so it has a special place in my heart.

VERY Disappointed. Have went 2 or 3 times to this zoo since purchasing a year membership. My husband wants to see the bears. It has not happened. First time we got there after 1pm and they had the bear exhibit closed for the day. AND, since Hurricane Irma it has had water issues and has not reopened at all. SEPT, OCT, & NOV.

The zoo is decent but my review is based on the harsh and strictly reinforced mask policy. For an outdoor zoo and 90 degree temps this is just unrealistic. Kids don t have to wear masks but adults do and I was told it was for the protection of the animals So don t go until the County comes around and lifts the mask mandate cause your choice will be heat stroke or being kicked out! Oh wait except for the kids splash pad. That s the one place in the zoo where there is no mask reinforcement or social distancing. I appreciate their inconsistency and we ll likely just come to the splash pad until November

We Were here for the Asian lantern festival. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see the animals but we will go back!

I wish we could see more animals from where we were standing. It's cute for what it is. The water park was fun for my 6 year old nephew, but watch out for the bigger kids. I like that they have the train. I'd go back some time.

Free admission for Mother's Day was a nice surprise.

Great experience with the family. Nice place to visit.

Lovely Gazebo and I hope that I can visit this zoo again

Beautiful grounds and excellent exhibits. A wide array of birds, big cats, exotic mammals, and reptiles. The otters are a must see! Expect to pay a little less than $20 each for admission. There's a playground and a really great splash pad and plenty of places for the adults to stay dry in the shade. Train rides, zip lines, and some other animal shows are extra. Parking is free. You can't bring in outside food but there are some limited concessions available. As long as you keep the receipt you can leave and come back, so a cooler of food in your vehicle is an easy option. As far as I can tell the entire park is wheelchair accessible.

If ypu get the chance to see the illumination hope you go. I loved it.

Ok love the zoo idea, but this zoo seemed lacking in major displays. It was great to see zoo staff with show and tell animals.loved the orange iguana. Lots of extra curricular activities that cost money to do. Price of admission was a bit high.

Great place, loads of animals. It was hot day, but still really enjoyed.

Fantastic little zoo. Clean, friendly, and great exhibits.