Accessibility at Safari

Commitment to Accessibilty

At Wildlife Safari, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience and cultivate a positive connection to native and exotic wildlife.

Facilities

Wildlife Safari strives to remove physical barriers that may prevent various groups from visiting all areas in the park. Wildlife Safari’s accessibility strategies include:

Facilities

  • Wildlife Safari’s grounds are ADA-accessible, including ADA seating around the Safari Village.
  • Handicap-accessible restrooms and parking spaces are available.
  • Wildlife Safari maintains an ADA-accessible vehicle for tours and encounters.
  • Wildlife Safari’s on-site restaurant has trained staff knowledgeable about food allergies and special preparation.
  • Family restrooms and diaper changing tables are available.
  • There are meeting rooms in the Safari Village for guests to utilize as calming spaces.
  • The Children’s Playground offers a variety of sensory activities, and there are tactile opportunities with statues around the Safari Village and the Children’s Zoo.
  • Wildlife Safari continues to find avenues to help disadvantaged communities by providing scholarships to enable low-income families to utilize education programs for free, or low cost; grants to pay for drive thru tickets for low-income families; and regularly donates drive thru tickets to fundraisers that aid families, schools, and disadvantaged communities.
  • Free admission to the Safari Village for all guests. The Safari Village hosts a variety of free keeper talks and seasonal shows.
  • All walkways and activities designed with accessibility in mind.

Service Animals

  • Wildlife Safari permits service animals in the drive-thru Safari Park and a large portion of the Safari Village.
  • People with service animals do have to follow a few rules for the Drive Thru and Village
    • A service animal is a dog or miniature pony, not an emotional support animal
    • Drive Thru:
      • Windows must stay rolled up while in the drive thru of the safari
    • Safari Village
      • Service animals are not able to go in the cheetah spot, petting zoo, or past the Safari Grill.

Discounts on Tickets and Memberships

  • Wildlife Safari regularly donates drive thru tickets to fundraisers that aid families, schools, and disadvantaged communities.
  • Wildlife Safari offers membership to foster families at a reduced cost.
  • Wildlife Safari allows the caregiver to a fully disabled individual to enter the drive thru park for free to aid their client.
  • Wildlife Safari offers discounted senior and military pricing for the drive thru.
  • Active and inactive military get free drive thru passes while their families discounted passes on Veteran’s Day.
  • Active military go through the drive thru for free.
  • Wildlife Safari provides scholarships to enable low-income families to utilize education programs for free, or low cost.
  • Wildlife Safari regularly seeks grants to pay for drive thru tickets for low income families.

For additional information and questions regarding accessibility, email frontdesk@wildlifesafari.net, call 541-679-6761, or visit Guest Services inside the ongrounds gift shop.

Encounters

Wildlife Safari strives to create an accessible and engaging experience of native and exotic species for the public. Wildlife Safari offers many encounters for the public to get a closer look at certain species. The majority of our encounters are wheelchair accessible or can be altered to be more accessible for guests. The current exceptions are the Big Bear, along with the lion, tiger, and bear feeds, due to location and the nature of the encounter.

For best preparation, please contact the Guest Services Department at frontdesk@wildlifesafari.net or call 541-679-6761. To ensure the best experience, please contact us at least 24 hours prior to your visit.

Bear Feed

The Bear Huts are difficult for wheelchairs to get into if the guest isn’t mobile due to steps and hillsides. If the guest has a hard time walking, climbing stairs, or is wheelchair bound, please contact the Guest Services Department.

Big Bear

The open caged truck is used for this encounter. If the guest is mobile enough to get onto the caged truck, there are benches for them to sit on. If the guest has a hard time walking, climbing stairs, or is wheelchair bound, please contact the Guest Services Department.

Tiger Training

This encounter is held in Cheetah/Tiger Loop. The Carnivore Department would prefer prior notification to offer best assistance; contact 541-679-6761 or guestservices@wildlifesfari.net.

Cheetah Photo

This encounter is held on the Events Lawn, but location may change. For the Events Lawn, if the guests aren’t able to travel the distance (approximately ¼ mile), the ADA vehicle is available, with prior notification.

Elephant Encounters

The ADA vehicle can be utilized to get down to the elephant barn, or guests can use their personal vehicle if they are more comfortable with that.

Giraffe Feeds

Typically, guests have to walk up a few steps onto our caged truck. If the guest is mobile enough to go up a few steps, there is a bench on the caged truck for them to sit on. If they are not able to walk the steps onto the caged truck, they can do the giraffe encounter if the giraffes are in the barn. To ensure this, the Guest Services Department would require an at least 24- hour notice for proper preparation.

Hippo Encounter

Typically, guests have to walk up a few steps onto our caged truck. Once on the caged truck, there are benches available for sitting. If guests are not able to walk up the steps onto the caged truck, an ADA bus is available for use or guests can go in their personal vehicle, if that is more comfortable for them, and they can watch from the bus/personal vehicle.

Lion 101

This encounter is held either in the Lion drive thru or by the Lion Huts. The ADA vehicle is available to drive guests to the locations.

Lion Feed

This encounter can have guests in wheelchairs, but is not recommended. The hallway access to see the lions is very narrow, and the cement wall barriers are too tall for someone sitting down to see over. If a guest can walk a few steps, they would be able to sit after seeing the lions.

Rhino Encounter

An ADA accessible vehicle is available to guests with mobility issues. Guests may also follow the Jungle Guide to the Rhino Boma in their personal vehicle. Once at the Rhino Boma, the area is wheelchair accessible.

Red Panda Feed

This encounter uses no vehicles and wheelchairs can easily fit into the
encounter area.

Events

Wildlife Safari offers a wide variety of special programs, events, and experiences targeted to specific diverse groups, including low-income families, veterans, caregivers, people with developmental disabilities, group homes, foster families, and terminally or chronically ill children.

Check our events page and Facebook to stay up-to-date on upcoming free community events.

Day of Discovery

An annual day for group homes, families and disabled individuals of all ages to visit the park for free.

Call Guest Services at 541.679.6761 for more information. Schedule for events here.

DreamNight

An annual event devoted to supporting children who have experienced significant illness or injury. Wildlife Safari invites terminally or chronically ill children and their families to join them in a completely free evening in the Safari Village. “Cool off” rooms are available as the event takes place in August.

Call Guest Services at 541.679.6761 for more information. Schedule for events here.