http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/conte...71.html?sid=101

It looks like an awesome water park/ride park. I hope word gets out and more people start visiting it. The zoo also needs to advertise in the state and have discounts available at AAA and different stores. I'm glad the park is reopened and I hope they had a successful first season.

Zoombezi Bay and Jungle Jack's landing is a nice little park combination. I took a trip to the Columbus Zoo with a friend of mine Back in mid July. The park is not yet fully landscaped, but if the zoo puts the kind of time and money into landscaping the park that they put into the zoo, then there will be some nice rides with some nice sights. The rides lineup is quite nice for what you get. Not to mention every employee that my friend and I came across were extremely friendly! She and I were very impressed with what the Zoo is trying to do with the former Wyandot Lake area!

They also have FLYING SCOOTERS!! And I got my first ride on the Sea Dragon, which still utilizes Manual operation!

I will post the pictures I took here soon, I know someone will want to see people attempting to snap the scooters, lol. I just haven't put them on photobucket yet!

They have great plans for the Zoo and Zoombezi bay. Just had my wifes firm outting there. Man you want to talk about crowds. Really a nice setting having both parks now. Although I must admit Im a little dissapointed in the zoo. Just seemed to be a lack of animals. Ill be honest I find the Louisville Zoo even the Cincinnati Zoo with the new Elephant and Giraffe exhibts to be a much nicer Zoo. Just seemed that all of the attention is at Zoombezi Bay and the animals seemed like an after thought. The animal exhibts could really use some updating.

But I have a good feeling that the overall park will really grow over the next few years.

They have great plans for the Zoo and Zoombezi bay. Just had my wifes firm outting there. Man you want to talk about crowds. Really a nice setting having both parks now. Although I must admit Im a little dissapointed in the zoo. Just seemed to be a lack of animals. Ill be honest I find the Louisville Zoo even the Cincinnati Zoo with the new Elephant and Giraffe exhibts to be a much nicer Zoo. Just seemed that all of the attention is at Zoombezi Bay and the animals seemed like an after thought. The animal exhibts could really use some updating.

But I have a good feeling that the overall park will really grow over the next few years.

Seemed to be a lack of animals? The Columbus Zoo has the largest species count of any zoo in the world, and is second in size only to the San Diego Zoo which it will tie in 2009 with the unveiling of Polar Frontier, and surpass in 2011 with African Savannah!

Also Asia Quest was new in 2006 and it is a very nice area!

You must have went on a day when the animals just were not out in full force. Compared to the Columbus Zoo the Cincinnati Zoo is a hole-in-the-wall! Both in acreage and in Species count!

I do agree with you that some of the exhibits could use updating. That is coming...in the next couple of years...stay tuned!

Yes I know the Zoo has a huge species count, but here is a blatant missing species. There are no Giraffes anymore!!! How can you have a zoo without Giraffes? I think a lot of the Zoos animals have been sent to the Wilds. Seeing as they have Giraffes, Rhinos, and the new Mid Size Carnivore Center. Brief tangent, if you have not been to the Wilds nor have any idea what it is, make a trip asap. You cannot imagine a place like this in Ohio no less.

The Wilds

I have been to the zoo this summer 5 times and was there about the same number last year. My trips this year were at different times of the seasson to and still lack of animals and movement. Personally I think they are also counting the animals at the Wilds now as well. Asia quest is not that impressive, a few stones here and there a giant gong and some winding paths. Some new animal exhibits and thats it.

The Cincinnati Zoo has gone through some major updates, the exhibts look fresh and you can get very upclose. The Polar Bear and Giraffe exhibts are excellent, not to mention the Schott Elephant house. They also have one of the largest collections of big cats around, in species and number.

I still think the Louisville Zoo is one of the nicest I have ever been to.

Yes I know the Columbus zoo is going to be making a lot of changes, The redirecting of Powell Road, the onsite resort, and more additions to the parks. But right now it just seems that the animals are an afterthought.

Giraffes, zebras and several other African species have been temporarily moved to other zoos, and will be moved back when the "African Savannah" opens in a few years. (This will be a 50-acre open range Savannah...I picture it looking something like similar areas at BGT or DAK...)

The tigers at the zoo disappeared for a few years too, while the Asia Quest exhibit was being developed...as have the polar bears until the new Arctic area opens (I think it opens later this year?)

Yes, The Wilds is a great place. The Columbus Zoo and The Wilds have a very close working relationship, with the zoo providing administrative, fund raising, and advertising support. (Jack Hanna and Jerry Borin are also--or at least recently were--Wilds board members...)

There was a disease pandemic that nearly wiped out the entire Giraffe Population at the Columbus Zoo a few years ago. To protect the herd's animals they were split up and put on lease to other zoological facilities throughout the country. This happened right about the same time that the old african area of the zoo was transformed into Asia Quest! It was a way to quarantine the animals, protect them and in the same time frame update an area of the zoo.

The disease affected many of the African Savannah type animals at both the Col Zoo and the Cincinnati Zoo as well as many others throughout the world. If I can dig up more public info I will share. If not just take my word for it!