A great adventure starts with feeling prepared.

Whether you’re planning a day with animals at the Columbus Zoo, heading out on safari at The Wilds, or cooling off at Zoombezi Bay, accessibility resources are available to help guests of different abilities plan an experience that works for them.

From sensory resources and accessible routes to mobility options and tools that help guests know what to expect before arriving, each park offers resources designed around its unique experiences.

Here are some of the ways we’re helping guests plan their next adventure.

Columbus Zoo: Explore Your Way

A trip to the Columbus Zoo can mean a full day of exploring animal habitats, attractions, experiences, and pathways across the park. For guests who benefit from additional planning or accommodations, several resources are available before and during a visit.

• The Zoo offers Quiet Hours during the first four hours of operation on the first Sunday of every month. Sounds, music, and visual stimuli are reduced during this time, and select seasonal attractions may also operate with reduced noise and visual effects.
• Guests can also request KultureCity sensory bags from Guest Relations. The bags include noise-reducing headphones, sunglasses, fidgets, a visual cue card, and a KultureCity VIP lanyard.
• Want to plan before you arrive? Sensory maps are available for several Zoo regions and identify sensory-friendly locations. Social Stories can help families prepare for what they may experience during a visit, while a Tactile Experiences Map identifies animal experiences, statues, and other tactile areas throughout the Zoo.
• A three-page communication board is also available for guests with limited English-speaking language skills. Featuring images of commonly used words, places, and items specific to the Zoo, the board can be downloaded to a mobile device, printed at home, or picked up at Guest Relations.
• For guests with mobility needs, accessible routes are marked throughout the Zoo, and manual wheelchairs and electric scooters are available to rent. An adult changing station is also available near Stingray Bay in Adventure Cove.
• Throughout the year, the Zoo also offers sensory-friendly events designed to create experiences with adjustments such as reduced sounds and visual stimuli, smaller crowds, or other accommodations depending on the event. Because opportunities vary throughout the year, guests can check the Zoo’s Events Calendar for upcoming sensory-friendly experiences.

Explore Zoo Events

Additional information about service animals, caregivers, rides, attractions, accommodations, and other resources is available on the Zoo’s Accessibility page.

Explore Zoo Accessibility Resources

The Wilds: Accessibility Across Wide-Open Spaces

A visit to The Wilds offers a different kind of adventure, spanning thousands of acres of pastures and forested areas. Whether you’re heading out on safari or staying overnight, accessibility resources can help you prepare for your experience.

• All visitor areas are ADA-friendly at The Wilds
• Wheelchair-accessible safari vehicles are available with advance request for Open-Air Safaris and Wildside Tours. Other tours may also be made accessible with arrangements ahead of time.
• Guests who want to know what an experience may feel like can review sensory information before their visit. Guidance covers touch, taste, sound, smell, and sight, including details about vehicle movement, outdoor weather conditions, animal and vehicle sounds, natural odors, and bright sunlight.
• KultureCity sensory bags are also available during visits and include noise-reducing headphones, sunglasses, fidgets, a visual cue card, and a KultureCity VIP lanyard.
• Planning to stay a little longer? ADA-accessible lodging options are available at The Wilds, including the Grand Yurt, Twin Woodland Yurts, The Lodge, and Straker Lake Cabin.

Because tours at The Wilds may travel through open animal pastures, guests who use service animals should review service animal information before their visit and contact The Wilds with questions about specific tours or experiences.

Additional details about mobility, sensory resources, service animals, tours, lodging, and accommodations are available on The Wilds’ Accessibility page.

Explore The Wilds Accessibility Resources

Zoombezi Bay: Making a Splash

Accessibility at a water park comes with its own considerations, and Zoombezi Bay offers resources to help guests prepare for a day in and around the water.

• All areas of the park are considered Accessible Routes, with the exception of one set of stairs where blue signs direct guests to an accessible pathway.
• A limited supply of aquatic-rated wheelchairs is available to help guests transfer into the water at zero-entry areas. These wheelchairs can remain in water up to ankle depth, and guests can visit Guest Relations for additional information.
• Guests may also use personal manual or motorized wheelchairs throughout the park, with specific guidelines for attractions and water areas. Wheelchairs and electric scooters are available to rent as well.
• KultureCity sensory bags are available at Guest Relations and include noise-reducing headphones, sunglasses, fidgets, a visual cue card, and a KultureCity VIP lanyard.
• A nursing station near the EMS office includes a temperature-controlled refrigerator, changing table, and nursing chair. Guests visiting with a service animal can also find information about where service animals may accompany them throughout the park, including guidelines for attraction lines and water areas.
• Zoombezi Bay also offers sensory-friendly events during its operating season, giving guests additional opportunities to experience the waterpark with adjustments designed to create a less stimulating environment. Offerings vary, so guests can check the Events Calendar when planning their visit.

Explore Zoombezi Bay Events

Find additional information about mobility, sensory resources, service animals, caregivers, and other accommodations on the Zoombezi Bay Accessibility page.

Explore Zoombezi Bay Accessibility Resources

Plan the Experience That Works for You

Every guest experiences a day at the Columbus Zoo, The Wilds, or Zoombezi Bay differently. Knowing what to expect and what resources are available can make it easier to plan an adventure around your needs or the needs of someone visiting with you.

Before you arrive, we encourage you to explore the accessibility information for the park you’re visiting. You’ll find details about mobility, sensory resources, service animals, caregivers, attractions, tours, and other accommodations, along with information about who to contact if you have questions about your specific visit.

And because accessibility needs can be as individual as our guests, our teams are here to help. If you have questions that aren’t answered online, reach out before your visit so we can help you prepare!

Then, when adventure day arrives, you can focus on the other stuff: Discovering wildlife, exploring wide-open spaces, making a splash, and creating memories together.