FAQ

Zoo Boo is a long-standing family tradition at the Detroit Zoo and we want to do what we can to ensure an enjoyable experience for all. Below are a few tips to help you prepare for your Zoo Boo experience.

  • Accessibility
    • Drop-off and Pick-up: If a member of your party has mobility limitations, there is a drop-off and pick-up up area in front of the main admission gates. Please follow the signs.
    • Wheelchairs and Electric Convenience Vehicles (ECV’s): We recommend that guests bring their own wheelchairs and electric scooters. A limited number of wheelchairs and electric scooters are available for rent at the Chrysler Main Train Station while quantities last. Wheelchairs are $10 and ECV’s are $28.
    • Special Needs: The Detroit Zoological Society is committed to accommodating individuals with diverse backgrounds and learning abilities. We have a strong desire to be autism and special needs-friendly, and we hope all families have an enjoyable experience!
    • Sensory Support: Zoo Boo contains interaction with sound and live entertainment. You may want to consider bringing these items to support a sensory-friendly experience:
      • Noise-reducing headphones or ear plugs
      • Fidget tools
      • Weighted lap pad
  • Allergy Info

    While we do not include candy with peanuts and tree nuts in the goodie bags, some items may be made in a facility that processes these products.

  • Animal Habitats
    • All 125 acres of the Detroit Zoo will be open for Zoo Boo
    • All indoor areas will be open for Zoo Boo.
  • Bags

    Join us on our Green Journey by bringing your own trick-or-treat bag.

  • Costumes

    Guests of all ages are encouraged to wear costumes!

  • Dates

    Zoo Boo will be hosted from 2 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 8-9, 15-16 and 21-23.

    The last entry will be at 5 p.m.

  • Food and Gift Options

    Table 28, Cup & Pint, Buddy’s Pizza, Boardwalk Station and Mitten Market will be open for food and beverage service during your Zoo Boo experience. Make sure to visit Zoofari Market and Photo Memories to purchase your favorite Detroit Zoo keepsake before you depart! Credit or debit cards are strongly preferred as means of payment.

  • Mask Policy
    • Face masks are encouraged indoors for the well-being of each other, staff and the animals who call the Detroit Zoo home.
  • Parking

    Parking is $8 per car for all Zoo Boo attendees, including Detroit Zoo members.

  • Pricing

    Member admission:
    Member Early bird pricing for members is valid through Sept. 15. Advance tickets range from $15-$21 per person, ages 2 and older.

    General admission:
    Tickets go on sale on Sept. 16. Advance tickets range from $17-$23 per person, ages 2 and older.

    Parking is $8 per vehicle for all attendees.

    • Children younger than 2 are admitted for free.
    • Tickets must be purchased in advance online or at Customer Care during regular Zoo hours.
    • Walk-up tickets will not be available on event days.
    • The number of tickets available is limited.
    • Tickets are valid only during specific event dates and hours
  • Refunds
    •  Zoo Boo is a rain-or-shine event. No refunds will be provided.
    • Visitors who try to visit on a different date of Zoo Boo will be required to pay a change fee per ticket.
    • Event tickets may not be used for general admission to the Detroit Zoo.
  • Restrooms
    • All restrooms at the Detroit Zoo are equipped with an accessible stall and baby changing stations.
    • Family restrooms and our Mommy & Me nursing station will be accessible for the entire event.
  • Rides

    • The 4D theater, Tauber Family Railroad and the Carousel will be open for your enjoyment during Zoo Boo. Tickets for the 4D theater are $6 per person; train tickets are $3 per person for a one-way ride; and the Carousel is $3 per rider.
    • Bundle these with the Theater+ pass for $7 and get access to a 4D theater movie and your choice of the train OR Carousel.

  • Safety Guidelines

    You can read the current safety guidelines at detroitzoo.org/health. We are updating the page often.

  • Themed Weekend

    We’re taking the fun to the next level with special themed weekends! Throughout the month of October, we will be decorating the park each weekend to honor our favorite heroes and villains, celebrate our friends in the animal kingdom or cast a spell over Metro Detroit.

    Want to join in on the extra special fun? Feel free to dress up according to each weekends theme! All costumes are welcomed during Zoo Boo.

    Wildlife and Wild Places| Oct. 8-9
    Fly through the evening as a butterfly or stomp through the park as a dinosaur, because we are celebrating the beautiful world around us through our Wildlife and Wild Places weekend. Show your support for the Detroit Zoological Society’s mission by dressing up as a Zoo animal, a leafy tree or a crawling critter. This weekend is all about cherishing our planet and the animals who share it.

    Witches, Warlocks and Werewolves, Oh My! | Oct. 15-16
    Grab your brooms and get ready to howl at the moon – we are entering into a world of magic with witches, warlocks and werewolves. Let your imaginations run wild as you take a bite out of the evening as a vampire or let the pixie dust fly as a fairy.

    Heroes and Villains | Oct. 21-23
    Put on your capes or practice your best villain laugh — Zoo Boo is getting a heroes and villains takeover! Whether you want to be a doctor or fireman, dress up as your favorite crime-fighting superhero or take over the world as your favorite galactic super villain, Heroes and Villains weekend is for you.

  • Trick-or-treating

    Zoo Boo is a trick-or-treating event. Stations will be located throughout the Zoo, please reference Zoo Boo map for locations.

    Treat bags will not be provided, though a limited number of reusable bags will be available for purchase inside Zoofari Market.

  • Wagons, Strollers, Segways and Bicycles
    • Guests are welcome to bring their own wagons and strollers.
    • Single and double strollers, wagons, wheelchairs, and Electronic Convenience Vehicles are available for rent at the Main Train Station (near the front of the park) and at the Africa Train Station (in the far corner of the park when the train is operating). Rented items cannot be taken on the Tauber Family Railroad.[ Convenience Rental Pricing ]
    • Segways, bicycles and other self-propelled vehicles are not permitted at the Detroit Zoo.

     

  • Weather
    • Please come dressed for the weather. Zoo Boo is held rain or shine.
    • Even though the event is primarily outdoors, masks are encouraged in all indoor locations. We recommend all guests ages 5 and older wear masks in areas where it may be difficult to maintain 6 feet of social distancing or more from other groups.
    • The Zoo Boo trail has been expanded to allow for you to enjoy all 125 acres of the Detroit Zoo
    • Printed maps will not be available. Please download/view the event map below.
    • The Zoo is 125 acres. If you walk all the primary pathways on the main route, it is a 1.7-mile trip. Adding in smaller paths increases your distance.