(photos by Dr. Disney)

Minnessota Zoo

On Saturday we had beautiful weather and spent the day with our kids at the Minnesota Zoo. The zoo is very large and diverse and in a very heavily wooded area just south of Minneapolis. It costs about $50 for admission for two kids and two adults, but it is worth the cost –now, more than ever with the opening of Grizzly Coast — a brand new, state-of-the-art attraction celebrating the northern Russian coast.

I can’t even begin to describe how impressed I was with this new exhibit. Obviously, the designers had been to Disney World, especially the Animal Kingdom, but then again why not use some of the world’s best ideas?

The area begins with a winding path in black and yellow which leads to a Central Plaza with a beautiful honey colored wood – covered eating area serving American and Russian specialties. This relaxing and inviting area leads to an interactive play fountain, which was very busy with lots of kids having a blast. Right off the fountain is the start of the adventure of Russia’s Grizzly Coast.

The new exhibit features a spectacular area of the Russian Far East—the Kamchatka Peninsula. This 1,250-kilometer long peninsula lies between the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Sea of Okhotsk to the west. The central valley of Kamchatka is flanked by large volcanic belts containing around 160 volcanoes, 29 of them still active. Located in the center of the peninsula is the Valley of the Geysers, the second largest concentration of geysers in the world. All this seismic and geothermal activity creates a geologically-diverse landscape. Plants and trees blend with beached tree trunks, bleached whale bones and stone cliffs. The sounds of distant surf mingles with a geothermal rumble. The concrete path simulates very natural stone with cracks, embedded rocks and animal prints. There is even a large bubbling mud pit. The path leads you to the animal habitats which seem carved out of the rocky openings and lava tubes. Sea Otters frolic in a deep clear rocky pool. Warthogs root in fallen tree trunks. Amur leopards roam a very natural rocky hillside (It is estimated that there are only 30 Amur leopards in the entire world — all in this area of Russia.) A huge tiger exhibit is ringed by an elevated walkway lending fairly easy visibility to the tigers roaming in the tall grass. But the most amazing exhibit houses three grizzly bears. A deep multi-level pool with underwater viewing is ringed by rocks and a waterfall and opens up in front of guests onto a hillside complete with trees, geothermal vents and geysers. The bears, all orphans from Alaska were raised together and frolic and play extremely close to the guests. It is amazing. Although they are already big, they are only two years old and will grow bigger. My three-year old daughter said she thought it was going to be scary at first, but then she loved “the bear show.” What a great attraction.

From the feeling of the environment, the learning stations to the overall quality of the attraction, it is world class. (And, I’d have to say the restrooms – very impotant when a parent with little kids — were even nicer than Disney’s. Skylights framed in honey-colored rough hewn timbers and beautiful tiles on the walls and floors and ‘floating’ dark counters, frankly made a setting worthy of a four-star resort. Gorgeous.)

As an aside, the dolphin show was done poorly. I have seen the show in the past, and it has really deteriorated. The packed indoor stadium is nice but the show was not entertaining nor educational. The trainers said two of the dolphins were 40 years old – what is that, about 150 years old in human years? No wonder the show was slow and devoid of jumps. A video presentation, (with a screen you can actually see from the sides of the auditorium) might help liven things up as would a storyline. The trainers didn’t even make a pretense of doing any type of show — they just ran through a repetative bunch of behaviors — even the little bit of music they used didn’t cue on time. The bird show we went to earlier, put the dolphin show to shame. And hey, about the bird show, a fun show like that deserves some advertising in the park and a better cared for amphitheater (if you want to emulate Disney, remember it is not just building new attractions, it is caring for what you have as well)

With the talent to create exhibits like Grizzly Coast, the Minnesota Zoo continues to position itself as a major tourist attraction force to be reckoned with.