'Real Close' dinosaurs will rock and roll at Seattle's zoo

The Seattle Times: 'Real Close' dinosaurs will rock and roll at Seattle's zoo
By Madeline McKenzie

Seattle Times staff

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ELAINE THOMPSON / AP
Animatronic dinosaurs roam a primeval forest in Woodland Park Zoo's "Dinosaurs. Real Close" exhibit, the star attraction among summer-season activities at Seattle's zoo starting this weekend.

The outdoor exhibit, running Saturday through Sept. 5, includes a 19-foot-tall Brachiosaurus, a full-size T-Rex, a nest full of duck-billed Edmontosaurus hatchlings and other animatronic creatures that move, roar, snarl, hiss and spit, along with opportunities to learn about fossils, dinosaurs and the robotic wizardry that brings them to life.

Among other new features at the zoo, the carousel will now be powered with the assist of energy-saving solar panels. To celebrate the change, the zoo offers free carousel rides for visitors of all ages this Saturday and Sunday. The historic carousel with hand-carved wooden horses is open zoo hours daily, usually for $2 a ride.

Summer-season pricing, hours and programming start Sunday, including a new opportunity to feed an elephant; it happens from 1:30-2:30 p.m. daily for a fee of $5 per person (free for children 2 and younger). Other extra-fee summer activities include giraffe feeding from a raised platform, 10-11 a.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m. daily ($5/person); the Willawong Station Bird Feeding Experience with 150 colorful Australian birds ($1 per seed stick), and Upapi African beading from 12:30-4:30 p.m. daily, with $3 per bracelet and $8 per necklace fees that support water-hole restoration in Kenya.

Other summer activities and attractions are included with zoo admission. They include African Savanna Safari and African Village storytelling, Wednesdays-Sundays; meeting cows, chickens, goats, sheep and pigs in the Family Farm from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; along with Raptor Flight programs, the Rain Forest Food Pavilion and food concessions, keeper chats and up-close Animal Encounters. Zoomazium, an indoor, nature-themed playspace for ages 8 and younger, is open zoo hours with daily special programs for toddlers and older kids.

Summer special events include the popular ZooTunes outdoor concert series, announcing this year's performers Friday, with tickets on sale May 6; and evening and overnight Zoo Adventures, camps, classes and volunteer opportunities.

The details

Time: 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday through Sept. 30.

Cost: Saturday: $11.50/adult, $8.50/ages 3-12; Sunday through Sept. 30: $17.50/adult, $11.50/ages 3-12; $2 discount for ages 65 and older and people with disabilities. Additional $3 for dinosaur exhibit; cash-only elephant or giraffe feeding, $5/person; bird feeding sticks, $1/each.

Location: West Entrance, 5500 Phinney Ave. N.; South Gate, 750 N. 50th St., Seattle.

Getting there: From the south, take Interstate 5 north to Northeast. 50th Street (Exit 169), go west 1.3 miles to the South Entrance at North 50th Street and Fremont Avenue North. From the north, take I-5 south to Northeast 50th Street (Exit 169), go west 1.3 miles to the South Gate. Zoo parking $5.25. Metro Transit information: 206-553-3000 or tripplanner.kingco.gov. Bike racks at all zoo entrances, covered bicycle parking at West Entrance.