Visit Sydney: Taronga Zoo

Disclosure: Our admission was complimentary.

Taronga Zoo Sydney was a must-place visit for us during our trip to Sydney.  Although we've been to zoos all over the world, our family always enjoys visiting zoos where we can see unique or rare creatures, and it's even more special when a zoo focuses on conservation and educational efforts, such as the Taronga Zoo Sydney, which is part of the Taronga Conservation Society Australia.

With over 5000 animals and over 350 species, some of which are threatened, the Taronga Zoo Syndey is home to creatures big and small - from giraffes and elephants to turtles and frogs. 

And of course - you'll see native animals, many of which you can find in the Nura Diya Australia habitat.  

We immediately went to look for koalas.  The nocturnal creatures were all sleeping, with little stirring, but it was neat to see them in the trees.  

For an extra fee, you can participate in the Koala Encounter, where you can get up close and personal with a koala and take amazing photos (the Taronga Zoo also offers other types of encounter experiences, with penguins, giraffes, meerkats, and other animals).

Photo taken by my youngest at the Koala Encounter

We also saw red kangaroos, dingoes, emus, and more.  

Throughout the day you can watch educational presentations or zoo keeper talks to find out more about various animals in the zoo.  It's a great way to learn more about the specific animals, and even get a close up look at some. 

We saw so many animals at Taronga Zoo - chimpanzees, camels, gorillas, meerkats, and all sorts of snakes, frogs, and feathered friends.

It's always fascinating to see animals that you wouldn't normally see anywhere, and it's always interesting to learn about them as well (such as how some snakes can swallow a small wallaby!).

The Taronga Zoo also has a playground as well as a Wild Ropes Tree Top Adventure, for kids (or adults!) who want to add to their zoo experience.  

There are a few eateries at the zoo, and we stopped at one to get a cool treat (despite being winter, it was quite warm the day we went to the zoo!).

My favorite animal at the zoo was (of course) the koala, but I also thought it was neat to see the Tasmanian Devil, as well as the Capybara - the largest living rodent in the world!

My youngest's favorite was the Indian Star Tortoise.  He was in awe of its shell.  This tortoise is one of many animals on the decline, and Taronga's efforts in breeding has resulted in new hatchlings over the years.  

As an Autism parent, I appreciate how the Taronga Zoo has "Access Taronga Days," where they welcome kids with autism and other special needs with an "Early Entry" opportunity.  You can read more about Access Taronga here.

The website says to plan for 3 hours at the zoo, which is doable (we were there for 2.5), but I would plan for a couple of extra hours if you really want to explore as much as possible without feeling rushed, and get the most out of your visit.  

You can get to Taronga Zoo easily via a short ferry wide from Circular Quay to the Targona Wharf.  At the Taronga Wharf, you have the option of walking 3 minutes to the lower entrance, or taking a bus to the main entrance.

We took the bus to the main entrance (use your Opal Card), and worked our way down to the lower gate where we exited and walked down to the wharf to catch the ferry back to Circular Quay.  I'm glad we did that option, because if we entered via the lower gate, it would've been a slow, uphill trek. 

The Taronga Zoo is overall quite hilly, but just take your time exploring the different areas and viewing all the animals.  It really is a wonderful place to take the family, and a place from which you'll learn and leave with more appreciation for the many amazing animals around the world, as well as more appreciation for organizations like the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, which helps to bring more awareness to animals, and helps to prevent the extinction of them. 

Taronga Zoo
Bradleys Head Rd

Mosman NSW 2088, Australia

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Disney's Disability Service Access Program

From our last visit to Disneyland in October, the Disability Service Access Card Program has changed.

Now, there is actually no card, and everything is done electronically via your pass/ticket.

Upon arrival to Disneyland Resort, we proceeded to Guest Relations (Chamber of Commerce at Disney California Adventure or City Hall at Disneyland Park) and advised the Cast Member of my son's situation.  The cast member then scanned the tickets/passes of everyone in our party, entered some important information, and gave a handy little flyer explaining the process and terms and conditions (in the back is also a log where you can write down return times). 

The procedure is pretty much the same - visit a Guest Relations kiosk to get a return time for a ride (write it down on the flyer if you wish) and the Cast Member will scan all riders' tickets.  Once your return time has passed, all riders present their tickets to the Cast Member who scans tickets to ensure it's not earlier than your return time.

The process seemed to go fairly smoothly, and although there were Wi-Fi issues that delayed or prevented cards from being scanned on a few occassions, fortunately, every single Cast Member was so helpful and accommodating, and we didn't have any issues at all with the new procedures. 

I love that Disney continues with their efforts in helping to ensure all guests are able to have a magical time!

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Visiting Disneyland Resort with a Child on the Spectrum

Going out into public with my oldest son, who has an autism spectrum disorder, is always a source of anxiety for me. 

He is the sweetest boy, with the biggest heart, yet his lack of comprehension skills, inability to understand social norms, and tendency to have a meltdown for random reasons makes me worry whenever we go somewhere that is usually very crowded and loud, such as Disneyland.

For the most part, he behaves very well, but as any parent with a child on the spectrum can attest to - whatever we can do to help minimize the meltdowns we will do.

That is why whenever we go to Disneyland Resort we be sure to get a Disability Access Service Card.  On previous occasions he would be issued a Guest Assistance Card, but due to "abuse that was, unfortunately, widespread and growing at an alarming rate," as noted on the Disney Parks website, they decided to change the procedures.

About the Disability Access Service Card:
The DAS Card is designed to accommodate guests who aren’t able to wait in a conventional queue environment due to a disability (including non-apparent disabilities). A Disability Access Service Card will be issued at Guest Relations main entrance locations and will offer guests a return time for attractions based on the current wait time. As soon as the Guest finishes one attraction, they can receive a return time for another. This service can be used in addition to Disney’s FASTPASS Service and Disney FastPass+ service.It is very similar to programs that we have used at other large attractions.

Upon arrival we went to get the card at City Hall at Disneyland.  I discussed my son's situation with the cast member, registered him for the card, and his photo was taken.  The cast member then asked my son what ride he wanted to go on first, and he said "it's a small world," so she wrote down the ride and return time on the card, and off we went to enjoy Disneyland!

To use the card for subsequent rides, we simply went to a Guest Relations kiosk found throughout the park and was given a return time for the specific attraction my son wanted to ride.  We then would go to another ride with a minimal wait time, and went to the ride on the card once the return time had passed (you do not need to return at the exact time at the card - as long as you return after the time indicated you can redeem it at any time).

We had absolutely no problems using the pass at all.

I applaud Disney for their efforts in continuing to ensure all guests have a magical experience, including those with special needs.

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Visit Vancouver: Vancouver Aquarium

My kids love to visit aquariums, so we knew a visit to the Vancouver Aquarium, Canada's largest aquarium with over 50,000 animals, was a must during our trip to British Columbia.

Highlights of Our Hosted Visit
We saw so many interesting and amazing animals at the Vancouver Aquarium - frogs, birds, snakes, and of course, many, many fishes.

Poison Dart Frogs

Hyacinth Macaws

Anaconda

The kids loved watching the fish swim by

By far our family's favorite exhibits were those of the jellies.

Jellies

There were jellies big and small, and watching these graceful creatures swim in the water was just entrancing.

The Vancouver Aquarium showcased so many different types of beautiful animals, and other favorites included the Strawberry Anemone (my middle son thought they looked so neat), the African Penguins, the Beluga Whale, and of course, the Clownfish (aka "Nemo" to my kids).

Strawberry Anemone

African Penguins

Beluga Whale

Clownfish

The volunteers at the Vancouver Aquarium were very friendly and helpful, encouraging my kids to interact with props (e.g. trying on a turtle shell; feeling the fur of a sea otter), and providing us with information about different animals (e.g. the differences between dolphins and porpoises).

Trying on a sea turtle's shell

Feeling the fur of a sea otter

Throughout the aquarium there were also numerous kid-friendly areas and activities, such as Clownfish Cove (it was in the process of being moved on our visit), as well as areas for crafts, story time, a puppet show, and more.

Dining
Onsite is the Upstream Cafe, which serves burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and more.

Our Experience Visiting as a Special-Needs Family
My oldest son has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and although I know kids on the spectrum all behave and react differently in various environments, I always try to share our personal experience when visiting attractions.

On the Vancouver Aquarium's website, a Photographic Preview (social story) is available for downloading and printing. I think this is a fantastic resource, as it gives children an idea of what to expect on their visit. Social stories often help my son whenever going to new places, and I love that the aquarium has the photographic preview readily available so I could simply print it out.

We went to the aquarium on a Saturday just after it opened, and there was already a huge crowd. Fortunately my son did not get overwhelmed with the number of people at the aquarium, but if your child does not do well in crowds, the aquarium advises that the quietest times to visit are on weekdays or prior to 12pm or after 2pm during winter, and prior to 11am or after 4pm during the summer.

Although my son can sit through shows fairly well, on this day he was adamant about not watching any shows, so we did not want to force him.  However, he was quite eager to walk around the aquarium and explore.

Fortunately he enjoyed viewing the various exhibits, and his favorite part of the day was trying on a turtle shell.

If we needed to take any breaks, there was plenty of seating throughout the aquarium.

For those on a GFCF diet or who have other food allergies, the cafe's allergy list is available online.

Final Thoughts
Our family had a wonderful time seeing so many different types of animals at the Vancouver Aquarium.

I loved that there was a nice variety of exhibits and activities to keep everyone engaged, and we learned a lot from our visit.

The Vancouver Aquarium is great place for families to spend a few hours or even the entire day.

I can't wait to go back again one day and see the new expansion.

Vancouver Aquarium
845 Avison Way
Vancouver, BC V6G 3E2, Canada
604-659-3474

For admission prices click here; for hours click here

Thank you to the Vancouver Aquarium for hosting our visit.

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Off-Island: LEGOLAND California

During our trip to San Diego, we knew a visit to LEGOLAND California in Carlsbad was a must, and everyone in our family was excited for our very first visit! 

Highlights of Our Visit:
As expected, LEGOLAND was full of fun rides and super cool LEGO creations.

Just about everywhere we looked there were animals, plants, vehicles, buildings, instruments, and even people - all made out of LEGO bricks (click on all photos to enlarge)!

 

Every single one of my kids thought the Musical Fountain in Water Works was the coolest thing.  They'd jump from circle to circle to activate various instruments which would start playing music while shooting water.  They had so much fun making music that we made numerous stops at the Musical Fountain during our visit.

 

My middle and oldest son both loved the Volvo Driving Schools.  There's a Junior Driving School for kids ages 3-5 in which kids drive around a track, and then there's the "regular" Driving School for kids ages 6-13 in which kids drive throughout a bigger area with more turns and even working stoplights.

My kids also loved DUPLO Playtown, and many of the rides, specifically Splash Battle, and Royal Joust.

My oldest also loved The Dragon and Coastersaurus coasters.

I personally loved the amazing LEGO masterpieces, especially those in Miniland USA.

The buildings, the scenes, and even the STAR WARS models were just incredible.

It's amazing what can be done with LEGO bricks!

Food:
For lunch we ate at Fun Town Market.

The boys ordered Kids Meals with either Chicken Strips or a Hot dog.  The meals came with a drink and a snack.  I ordered the Oriental Chicken Stir-Fry.  After seeing how huge the serving was, DH and I ended up sharing the stir-fry.  It was quite good and loaded with veggies and chicken!

Also, towards the end of our visit I couldn't resist getting some of Granny's Apple Fries.  They were quite delicious, but next time I'd try and get them earlier in the day, because when I bought them it was within a 1/2 hour of closing and they were a bit soggy (but still yummy!).

Visiting a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):
I know every child with an ASD is different, but whenever we venture out, we always try to prepare as best as we can to minimize challenges.

As with any attraction we plan to visit, I researched any autism-related information, and I was very pleased to find this post on LEGOLAND's Model Mom Mary's blog regarding autism awareness, and how they provide exit passes to families of children with autism.

So upon arrival at LEGOLAND I was able to obtain an exit pass for my son (I loved that a Guest Services window was open before the actual park opened, which meant as soon as we entered the park we could go straight to a ride!).

Upon receiving the pass, I was advised to simply show the pass to an employee at the exit of any ride (with the exclusion of Fairy Tale Brook, which the pass is not valid on).  The employee would then proceed to let us know when we could go on.  Also, we were told the pass can only be used once an hour per ride.

Because the day we visited was a "slow" day, we only ended up using the pass twice (on the Safari Trek - since it was one of the rides closest to the entrance the line got long rather quickly, and Treasure Falls, because that ride had a pretty long line), and any other rides my son wanted to go on was either very short or non-existent and he was able to wait in line without any major issues.

Throughout our visit the only meltdowns he had was whenever he finished with Driving School.  Whenever it was over, he cried and screamed because he wanted to go again and again, but once we specifically told him how many more times he could drive again before we had to leave, he was able to self-calm and we were able to leave the ride.

Also, for those who have kids on a GFCF diet or any other special diet, LEGOLAND has a very handy Dietary Guide on its website with allergy information of various dining venues.

Final Thoughts:
Overall we had a fantastic time at LEGOLAND.

I love that LEGOLAND is an autism-friendly attraction, and that there was so much to see and do.  I also loved that there were so many LEGO creations all throughout the park, and even several places where kids could get creative and build their own creations.

Although there were a few employees that we encountered that were not too friendly, just about everyone else on staff were super friendly and helpful.

My kids had an amazing time, and they keep asking to go back (and hopefully when we do we'll get to stay in the new LEGOLAND hotel, which opens on April 5!).

Below are more photos from our visit. Enjoy!

LEGOLAND California: 1 Legoland Dr  Carlsbad, CA 92008; (760) 918-5346

 

Admission: 1-Day LEGOLAND: $78 Adults (ages 13+); $68 Kids (ages 3-12); Visit the LEGOLAND website for more ticket promotion options.

Parking: $12 for Cars

Thank you to LEGOLAND for providing complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Off-Island: Sea World - San Diego

On one recent Friday in San Diego, the forecast was for heavy rain, but that didn't stop us from making a visit to Sea World.

Highlights of Our Visit:

There is a nice variety of things to see and do at Sea World - San Diego.  We walked through an acrylic tube as sharks swam by, rode the Skytower and got a breathtaking view of not only Sea World, but of Mission Bay and Downtown San Diego, and peered into the chilly habitat of macaroni and emperor penguins. (click on all photos to enlarge).

Our family enjoyed going to the Wild Arctic to see polar bears and walruses; the Pacific Point to see sea lions; and the Aquariums to see all sorts of sea creatures.

I thought it was great that there were many opportunities for the kids to get up close and personal to various animals.  They were able to touch a dolphin at Dolphin Encounter, a sea star at the California Tide Pool, and even a ray at the Manta Aquarium.

The kids also really enjoyed the Sesame Street of Bay of Play.

Unfortunately, due to the weather, a lot of areas in the Bay of Play were closed, but my boys still got to ride on Elmo's Flying Fish and Abby's Sea Star Spin, and they even got a chance to meet Zoe and Elmo!

We also watched three shows at Sea World:

Blue Horizons featured dolphins and pilot whales performing neat stunts, as well as exotic birds and human acrobats, who were all part of a story revolving around a girl named Marina.

Sea Lions LIVE, featuring Sea Lions Clyde and Seamore, was a take on Saturday Night Live featuring various comedic sketches based on some of today's popular TV shows (e.g. Survivor, Dancing, with the Stars, etc.).

One Ocean featured killer whales who demonstrated their amazing abilities to leap into the air.

Food:
For lunch, we dined at Mama Stella's Pizza Kitchen.

My husband and I shared a BBQ Chicken Pizza, and the boys got a Cheese Pizza Kids Meal which included a Breadstick and Drink.  Everything was delicious - my boys especially loved the breadsticks!

You can check out the Sea World San Diego website to view more dining options, as well as menus.

Visiting with a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD):

I know every child with an ASD is different, but we always try various techniques to minimize challenges whenever we travel.

My oldest son has an ASD, and since I knew he'd be interested in going on rides while at Sea World, we went to the Information Center to enroll him in the Ride Accessibility Program.  We were given a pass which listed the various rides, boarding location, and boarding information for each ride.

For major rides, a "virtual queue" system is used.  For instance, upon arriving at the entrance of Manta, if the wait is an hour, the employee would initial the pass, write down a time to return, and you could watch a show or view other exhibits and return at the specified time.

For smaller rides, such as those in the Bay of Play, the ride operator will make you wait up to two cycles before you can board.

We knew the pass would be helpful if there were really long wait times, as my son has a tendency to have meltdowns and wander off, but because the day we visited was not a very busy day, any lines at rides my son wanted to go on were either non-existent or very short, so we never had to use the pass, but we are glad to know that this option is available.

Also, prior to our visit, we made sure to inform my son of where we'd be going and what he'd expect to see at Sea World.  We also downloaded the free Sea World app onto our iPhones so he could look up animals, etc.

Since my son loves watching coasters (because of the repetitive movement), I knew he would love watching the Manta, so whenever it was in view he'd always want to stop and see it.  Because of this, it made it a bit difficult for us to move on to other exhibits or activities, and he'd sometimes have a meltdown.  During such times we'd simply assist him with self-calming techniques (deep breaths, counting, etc.), then we could move on to the next exhibit.

Also, for those who have kids on a GFCF diet or any other type of medical diet, check with a park employee for assistance before entering the park if you have special diet food with you, since outside food is not allowed (however, water bottles are allowed). 

Final Thoughts:
Although several rides were not operating due to the weather, we still had a great time - even in the pouring rain!

My oldest son loved the Sky Tower, my middle son loved the Penguin Encounter, and my youngest son loved the Blue Horizons show (every time a dolphin would leap from the water he'd squeal in delight!).

I love that Sea World is an autism-friendly attraction, and that there was a good variety of exhibits and activities appealing to various age groups.

Below is a slideshow of more photos from our visit. Enjoy!

Sea World - San Diego: 500 Sea World Drive, San Diego, CA 92109

Admission: 1-Day Adult Ticket - $78; Child Ticket (ages 3-9) $70; Visit the Sea World - San Diego website for more promotions and ticket package offers.

Parking: $15 for cars.

Thank you to Sea World for providing complimentary passes for review purposes.  All opinions are my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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