This weekend we decided to visit the Franklin Zoo which was open for the Lantern Experience and it was so much fun. As we entered the Zoo, we were greeted by an illuminated welcome sign giving us a little tip on what to expect and let me tell you we were not disappointed. At the entrance they scanned our tickets and let us in. To ensure social distancing at the Zoo and maintain limited capacity to avoid overcrowding, it is essential to make an online reservation here. They have ticket options available starting from 18:00 daily until 9:30 pm daily until 1st November 2020.
We had a 9pm reservation which allowed us enough time to enjoy the shows as the Zoo closed at 10:30pm. We spent a good 1.5 hours enjoying the screens, which we found to be enough without rushing. If you’re planning on traveling with kids, I strongly recommend arriving earlier so you don’t feel rushed and you have enough time in case the kids decide to spend more time on the interactive screens.
Spanning 72 acres of the Franklin Park Zoo, there are more than 50 epic performances for everyone to enjoy. As we entered, we saw interactive displays such as the conservation wheel that let you spin the wheel to learn about the different ways to conserve nature and wildlife, and step on the stones. Illuminated bricks bloom the petals on the wall display.
As we go further, we see beautiful Asian lantern displays and 197-foot fire-breathing dragon details bordering the Chinese Zodiac signs by year of birth. Right at the tail of the dragon there are interactive stars that follow the music step-by-step which is quite popular with children. We saw a lot of kids dancing around the music stars and dancing their way. I won’t lie, I did too. After all, doesn’t everyone have a kid among them?
Walking in front there were various light displays when we reached the Panda display area – A tall giant panda, 2 pandas kissing. Another Panda exhibit that caught my eye was the brightly lit colorful tree with Pandas on it.
As we walked ahead, we saw displays of giraffes, zebras, elephants, crocodiles, hippos, and a few others. But what caught my eye the most was the glittering butterfly display. It’s bright, colorful and full of life.
Walking forward under the tunnel of white lanterns hanging above, we saw another display that I really enjoyed, the Peacock launching its spectacular feathers. Everyone stood there calmly waiting to see the peacock feather changing color beautifully. It is a delight to see the Peacock, the National Bird of India in all its glory.
As we walked ahead through the many dazzling displays of lanterns and dazzling displays of flowers, we watched the tree transform its beautiful colors. My husband said that this tree reminds him of the tree from the movie Avatar (The Tree of Souls).
Passing the blue Jellyfish screen, we enter another screen that I absolutely love. The walk through the illuminated 66-foot shark tunnel completely caught my eye. It’s like you’re going straight into the shark’s mouth. It is so creative and beautiful.
As we go ahead, we’re nearing the end and come across the Cinderella Carriage, and an interactive giant piano where you can dance your way across the keys make it light up and play tunes . Will definitely bring out the child inside you.
These are just a few of the main highlights for me but there are many more and literally for everyone. It was an interesting experience. If you enjoy watching lights, wildlife, nature and cultural traditions then this is definitely the place for you. As part of the Zoo’s commitment to conservation and preservation, they used energy-efficient LED lights to create the entire experience.
The whole experience is magical and in the interactive parts as well makes it totally captivating. Highly recommend it to everyone.
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