Select Nights in December
Don’t miss out on the excitement; access all of our event details from the palm of your hands! Get walking directions to all of the event locations, view the nightly show schedule, and more.
Preview our Christmas in the Wild Foodie Guide and know what special winter-themed delicacies are available and where to find them.
Take a look at our print map and see the scare levels for each zone and show. All content available on the print map is also available on the mobile app.
We have curated a Holiday Gift Guide for your favorite animal lover from Gift Memberships to personalized messages, and more! With this guide you can shop for exciting gifts that support ZooTampa.
GENERAL ADMISSION:
You must purchase an event ticket for every member in your party except for guests 2 years of age and under, who are admitted free. On your selected date of visit, you must present your CITW ticket(s), which will be emailed to you. Prices listed are per person and do not include service fees. Not valid with any other discount.
MEMBERS & PAY FOR A DAY, REST OF YEAR FREE TICKET HOLDERS “PFAD”:
Entry to this event is limited; advanced purchased tickets and reservations are strongly encouraged and the only way to guarantee admission.
There is a $5 reservation fee for Members and Pay for a Day ticket holders, which is returned in the form of a voucher that can be used for food or merchandise purchases on the evening of the event. By instituting a small fee that’s returned upon entry in the form of a voucher, it allows us to bring this wonderful event to as many people as we can, in a safe and efficient manner while removing any uncertainty of entry for our valued Members and Pay for a Day ticket holders.
MEMBER AND PFAD DINING/MERCHANDISE VOUCHERS:
Vouchers are valid only on the date of your CITW reservation and are not valid during daytime hours. Vouchers may not be used for photography, calligraphy letter painting, caricatures, face painting, Frosty cart by Wendys, and Kona Ice. The $5 vouchers must be used in a single transaction. No change or credit will be given. Multiple vouchers may be used in a single transaction. Vouchers have no cash value. Purchases made with this voucher are non-refundable.
SAFETY PROTOCOLS:
ZooTampa is principally an outdoor fresh-air experience; therefore, when outside on zoo grounds, guests who maintain proper social distancing are not required to wear facemasks.
We courteously encourage guests to wear masks at our indoor venues, which includes retail shops, restrooms, restaurants and Manatee Mangrove.
For the safety of our performers, we ask that all guests refrain from touching our performers and maintain a distance of 3ft from them at all times, which includes visits and photos with Santa.
ARRIVAL INFORMATION:
Please do not arrive before your ticketed time; you will not be admitted entry to the park before your ticketed time, or on any other date than the event night selected. No readmission. Please enter the event within the 30-minute window of your reservation.
DATE CHANGES, TICKET/RESERVATION CANCELLATIONS, WEATHER:
CITW is a rain or shine event. Tickets and reservations are non-refundable. Operating hours, products, attractions, services, and schedules are subject to change without notice. CITW may be cancelled due to weather that poses a safety hazard. Guests will be notified via the email provided during the reservation/ticketing process of any changes to event scheduling. Due to the limited nature of this event, no changes can be made to your tickets/reservations within 72 hours of your scheduled event date/time. Rescheduling is subject to availability. To make a change to your ticket/reservation, please request a reservation change using this form or call 813-935-8552 ext. 0 at least 72 hours before your scheduled event date/time.
WALK-UPS:
This is a limited attendance event. Date and time-specific tickets and reservations are the only way to guarantee admission. Please make your reservation or purchase your ticket before arriving to the Zoo. Walk-Ups will only be accepted if the event date is not sold out.
Open today from:
9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
1. Please make one field trip per reservation order. Complete one and start a new one if you have multiple days you are booking.
2. Headcount can be approximate. Please include children and adults in your headcount. Please do not include pass holders in your headcount for a ticket.
3. On the ticket page, choose the correct grade level (to the left of your screen) to receive the correct chaperone ratio.
4. On the ticket page, when on the calendar section, the number of tickets available will appear in the top right corner for each particular day. Tickets available include children and adults. If you have more people than tickets available, please choose another day.
5. Anyone that is ordering lunch, even pass holders and adults that receive free chaperone tickets, do need to pay for a lunch IF they are ordering one. Free chaperone tickets and pass holders are for admission only.
6. Payment does not need to be paid at the time of registration. Choose the pay upon arrival option if you would like one person to pay for your entire trip on the day of your visit.
7. The prices of adult and children’s tickets are different.
8. You will receive a confirmation number and confirmation letter via email when your trip is confirmed. If you do not, please contact Jamie.Elkington@Zootampa.org right away.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park offers a variety of delicious food for guests at several restaurants and concession stands throughout, but we understand that guests may need to bring outside food for special dietary needs. Acceptable and prohibited food items are listed below. For the convenience of our guests, there is a picnic area located outside the park near the main parking lot.
For the safety of our animals, guests and employees, the following items are not permitted to be brought into ZooTampa:
The following items are also prohibited to avoid blocking of walkways and/or trip hazards:
Please leave any unnecessary articles secured within your vehicle to expedite your entry into the park.
We reserve the right to deny entry to anyone not observing Zoo Rules.
With a new Pay For A Day, Rest of Year Free ticket – for a limited time – you get unlimited admission through December 31, 2023 including access to our seasonal event series. Some blockout dates apply — see below for details. Not valid with any other discounts.
When does my Pay For A Day ticket expire?
For a limited time, new Pay for a Day, Rest of Year Free tickets are valid from the day of purchase until 12/31/2023 Pay for a Day, Rest of Year Free tickets which were purchased prior to October 1st, 2022 are valid until 12/31/2022.
What are the blockout dates?
3/11/23 – 3/19/23
11/24/23 – 11/26/23
12/26/23 – 12/31/23
Can I purchase a Pay For A Day ticket on a blockout date?
Yes! You can purchase a Pay for a Day, Rest of Year Free ticket for first-time use on a listed blockout date and have full access to the park on that day. Blockout dates apply to repeat visitation.
Can I use my Pay For A Day ticket on blockout dates?
If you already have your Pay for a Day, Rest of Year Free ticket and wish to visit during a listed blockout date, please stop by the Zoo’s ticketing windows for alternate options:
