Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens Reviews

Good size zoo with a good variety very well laid out and displayed. 2 to 3 hours to see it all

A great localneducational resource and fun for kids!!

This was such an awesome experience!! I love all animals, but never thought that we would be able to have such intimate interactions with animals from the wild. I actually got to feed my very favorite, a giraffe!! What an amazing lifetime experience that was! I'm so thankful to Candy, who was the giraffe helper that day. She was very knowledgeable, and her passion for the well being of the giraffes was clearly evident . Thank you to all the employees that we encountered while there! Everyone was more then willing to help with whatever we needed. I highly recommend a visiting! We will never forget this experience!

Pretty long waiting lines. A little pricey for such a very small zoo. We took the little train it really didn't go any where except around the parking lot. Most enclosures seemed very small for the animals.

What I saw I really liked. I went with a school and it was so structured we didn't see much. We plan on returning and taking our time. Looks like a smaller zoo and I loved all the kid activities we saw while walking through. We are excited to try the obstacle course in the trees and the zipline

Very peaceful and clean, restrooms could be better.

Don't have a lot of animals it's very small with a small selection but overall nice , nice splash pad and play area

Directions accurate from Google maps. Good location for ziplining in Orlando area. Good alternatives for younger, smaller children at location, too. Training staff (for safety, instruction, and supervision) were fun, friendly and helpful. Several demonstrated great patience with guests who were less adept at this skill set. Good combination of low and high elements as well as a few long runs!! You MUST be over the height requirement to adequately reach lines and use equipment. Very enjoyable experience. If you call, staff are not so friendly (slightly on the rude and vague side of communication). Plus, online and on phone we were told that college students (with IDs) and first responders received discounts. They are liars! Two different calls and two different visits and we necer received discounts. Otherwise, excellent experience.

Nice and quiet with plenty of employees giving great information on the animals there.

Nice lowkey zoo to visit. Many activities for young children to do in the event the animals don't interest them. You can feed the animals too. There is a lot of shade available but it can still get very hot so being water or buy refreshments in the park.

It has a lot of empty space and lack of cleanliness

A great little daytime getaway animals, zip lines, a bunch of fun.

First time going since I moved here in 2004, realize I have been missing alot. Great fun

Fun place to be with the family. They have a water park as well.

Amazing time with my wife and kids at the zoo! The zoo staff is friendly and the place is always clean!

Loved it! Friendly staff, lots of animals, clean facilities, and great layout. Everyone should go at least once:)

Interesting exhibits and exotic animals. Pleasant experience for 3yr old with petting area as well.

Lovely quaint zoo. Wonderful staff members who are very willing to share their knowledge. Perfect for small children.

Its a nice park to stroll through and the ropes course and train are nice attraction for the kids. The zoo is small and focused more on birds than other animals. The giraffes and big cats (leopard, jaguars and cheetahs) are definitely worth the $20 admission.

We enjoyed ourselves, everything was so clean, organized.

Loved it! So many wonderful animals and variety! The snake area was cool, lots of snakes and a variety I've never seen or heard of!! Giraffe feeding was really cool. My 5 year old thought it was hilarious!! Love the splash area, nice cool off but watch out for squirrels and crows they like to steal food. Train ride was short but fun.

We love heading over to the zoo on the weekends with our kids. The passes are priced fairly and we love the events they put on! They have a splash pad (free once in the zoo!) for the kids and a changing stall so be sure to bring your swim suits! Just about everything at the zoo is my son's favorite! The trampoline ($), the train ride ($), icee from kona ice ($ cheaper if you buy a souvenir cup and bring it with you next time!), airbrush tattoo/facepaint ($) and of course the playground and animals (free!). Although my son likes a lot of the items that cost extra I can say they are fairly priced. They also have events for adults as well!

Disappointing, we hadn't been to the CFZ in many years, thought it would be better. Bored animals in small cages. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. They need a larger site and open areas for the animals.

Great little hidden gem zoo! Ride a train, see animals, learn at educational sessions. Support this small local zoo and check em out! You ll be glad you did.

It's one of my happy places. Sunset at the Zoo is a fun date night: live music, adult beverages, Sonny's restaurant, amazing creatures, friendly people.

Nice zoo and gardens... still recovering from 2017 hurricane season but they have great displays and habitats, as well as a really cool zipline/climbing area available as you enter.

Very small nothing like we expected and the few animals that were there is nothing to write home about I wouldn't classify it as a zoo we were not impressed and wouldn't recommend it take your money somewhere else and visit a real zoo

We definitely were not happy about our time at this zoo. They have very few animals and not worth the time or money. When we were talking amongst OURSELVES about our experience at this zoo and the Melborne Fl zoo we said what kind of zoo doesn't have elephants an employee jerked her head around and said the kind of zoo that doesn't have the space. And that we should go back to that zoo it is right down the road. Left us completely speechless. Put the icing on our lousy day cake.

Zoo was very nice with walk ways to the different animals. My wife got to feed the giraffe, which she loved. There was not a big crowd because we went during the week and school is in. The exhibits we're well set up so even if the animals were resting you could see them. There is a train you can ride, adults were $3. The snake and amphibian house was very educational and a break from the warmth. We had a wonderful time walking around.

Great little place..just expected a wider array and maybe more Exotic from a zoo.. but id go back. Kids had a blast and thats all that matters to me in the end.

It was fun but there were some exhibits that were closed.

Great place for thise who need something to so with kids for a few hours. Got great Groupon rates! Also have train, carousel, zip line, jumping belt, water balls, but all are optional. Very clean as well. Very educational.

Really a sweet zoo. Not too little, not big. A really nice day with super zoo workers who are knowledgeable and a nice assortment of animals. Special options.... Feed the giraffes and pet a rhino! A nice discovery in an unexpected place!

Very beautiful Asian lanterns. Note this event has ended.

Lots to see and do for such an affordable price it was clean the staff were very informative and friendly a good variety of animals and insects lots of rest areas will definitely go back.

No flowers in botanical garden and no butterflies in butterfly garden

I favor this zoo over lowery park any day. Animals were active boardwalk approach is so much nicer.

Lots of animals, a splash pad and changing rooms. Also has Sonny's bbq in the park. Good value for the money.

Surprisingly good small zoo, a little out of the way. Granddaughter loved it...especially the giraffe

Kids loved it! Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Would recommend. Wish there were more animals.

The Asian Lantern Festival was very beautiful although he traveled a little short.

My two sons and I have visited many amazing zoos in the past.
Our family loves visiting the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Florida.
My Youngest son Rain wants to be a Zoologist after he graduates from high school.
Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens has some of the most beautiful zoo animals in the world.
This amazing zoo has the most breathtaking botanical garden located north of Orlando, Florida.
The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens is near the intersection of I-4 & Hwy 17-92 near the city of Sanford.
This awesome zoo has been an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 2011.

We liked it here! Lots of interesting animals to see and the way it is set up with the plants and wooden walkways was really neat. I dont think it should be $20 though
For the size of this zoo thats kind of a steep price

Relatively small zoo, can easily get around and see everything in about 3 hours. I've been on a Saturday and a Sunday and it's never been overly crowded. The annual pass is worth it if you have kids and go at least twice. Being I live nearby it's really nice to take the kids, let them run and get some fresh air. The zoo feeds the crocodile on Saturday and the alligators on Sunday at 330pm, it's pretty cool to watch. If you go during the high heat of the day most of the animals will probably be sleeping or hanging in the shade. Feeding time and early or late in the day you will most likely see more activity.

Its a great little zoo with a lot of animals, some even being a little less common then most zoos. The works are friendly and are happy to answer questions about the animals. Great place to take the whole family.

Good small zoo, can be better. Some improvements are needed. Feeding animals should be easier. Giraffes are too far away. I like train route.

Great place for kids and adults. Lota of stuff to do. Bring swim suits for the kids as the water park area.

You have to wear masks in most of the park, there are some places where there are signs that says you can take your mask off. Very clean zoo, I enjoy it. It's small but fun

Very small , not much exhibits either..... If I were them I would lower the entrnace fee... we walked around the whole zoo in less than an hour.......

I think it needs some maintenance, and it puts the animals active most of the animals were hidden.

It was nice seeing the animals even though we couldn't find the leopard (neither could the associate). More crowded than anticipated and there wasn't much enforcement of mask policy. Most guests wore them but took them off after entering which I didn't like, and there were no associates roaming to enforce social distancing either. Overall a nice visit but I wouldn't go back until covid clears.

Smaller than I thought it would be. They didn't hand out a map, which I am used to from other zoos we have been to. Two of the workers scolded my son when he touched a piece of bamboo, saying if he touched it again, we would be asked to leave (even though there were no signs anywhere saying do not touch foilage).

Good place to be with the kids. My kid enjoyed the kids water play zone more than the zoo.
There is a small train joy ride at the entrance. Adults and kids both can enjoy the same. But this is outside the Zoo and not inside.
A similar tram/train ride for moving inside the zoo would have been a really nice thing.

Well, it's a Zoo, but a very small one at that. There isn't much to see which is a massive let down, and the animals don't look the least bit excited to be there. I won't say I wasted 60 dollars on 3 visitors for nothing, because there is potential, but there definitely needs to be more animals and a larger atmosphere before I consider coming back here. Otherwise, the staff are friendly and informative about the animals on site.

Nice zoo. Great for families with littles. Be sure to bring swim gear or dry clothing. Nice water play and playground areas.

It was ok. We visited on a Wednesday and it was slow. The animals were not active and the train wasnt working. Don't feel like I got my $20 worth.

Good little zoo. Decent exhibits. Really enjoyed the herpetology exhibit. The otters were a favorite as well. There is a splash pad for the kids and Sonny's BBQ onsite.
The only thing negative is that some of the predators looked a little bored. The bears and the big cats (leopard and cheetah) were just pacing back and forth like they were bored out of their minds. It was a little depressing seeing such beautiful creatures relegated to small spaces.

Get a pass! Come back again and again. The splash pad is great. Everything is well maintained. Kids love the petting zoo and the playground. We always have lots of fun here.

Extensive ropes course as you walk in. Has a train ride and bungee jumps (all for extra money).

This zoo was absolutely tiny, I am not sure where Google got its information from. They used the space they had very poorly and almost every habitat was identical to the last. I expected much much more. Sadly not worth the price of admission, unless you have small children for the little water area.