San Diego Zoo Plan - what makes the most sense?

[Megan4birdy]

Good afternoon!
This is my first post ever to the boards! I have been doing some research on our upcoming trip to Disneyland and San Diego and just stumbled upon these. So glad to be here with so many helpful folks!

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on our time at the San Diego Zoo. It will be my husband, our 5 year old daughter, and me. We'll be going on a Wednesday (6/21) and plan on arriving early to be there when it opens. I understand that the pandas are most active and the least crowded first thing, so I was thinking that we would go there first, then walk/take kangaroo bus to Africa Rocks, Elephant Odyssey, Northern Frontier. I was planning on taking the Skyfari back to the Discovery Outpost, eating lunch that I packed, and then doing the bus tour to see other parts of the zoo. We will have our baby jogger stroller, and I just discovered that is not allowed on the Skyfari. Now, I am at a total loss as to how to best navigate the zoo with the stroller.

I appreciate any help you can provide!!
Thank you!!!

 

[mickeymom61]

When you are at Northern Frontier you can walk down the hill past the Zebras and the Eagles to the hippo trail. There should be some tables over there where you can sit and eat and then make your way up tiger trail to the top. It's up hill but not too bad.
I will say though that I've been on the Skyfari several times with my stroller. Maybe play it by ear when you get there.

 

[PHXscuba]

With the bus transportation and the skyride you could probably get away without the stroller, although the zoo does have a lot of hills. We took the skyride up to the top and walked back down along the various exhibits, so you could at least leave it behind at the bottom of the hill for that part. Plus we rode on the top of the bus tour to see a lot of animals and decide which ones we were willing to walk to separately. Our 3-year-old did the zoo for 6 hours without a stroller.

I definitely agree that doing the pandas first is a good idea.

PHXscuba

 

[Megan4birdy]

Thank you both so much, I really appreciate the insight! I am so looking forward to the trip west!
Thank you again!!