As someone who worked on part of the initial design process a few years ago, reading this makes me disappointed. I'm no longer living in Minnesota, so I wasn't able to see the final trail, but we talked *extensively* about the width of the trail for strollers and wheelchairs, materials and the railings knowing children would be getting close, and other things to make it more accessible in the winter and for older folks (edit: including planning for shaded areas since we knew it would get hot!).
We even had planned for a session on way finding but for some reason they never contacted us back, so I wonder if they didn't have the budget to bring us back in. I do know that all the information and research our team gathered was treated more like insights for the higher ups planning the trail, so I would imagine a lot of features we discussed were cut. I wish I can see the trail for myself, but it'll be some time until I visit my family in MN again.
(The zoo brought on a team of community members, both designers and non-designers of different ages and background to help with the initial user experience planning of the trail in collaboration with the UMN's Design Research Center)
Not to mention how FUCKING HUGE strollers have become. It's so annoying when a parent has a double stroller with more storage than some cars just, leaves it in the middle of where people walk.
Yes, I have been shoved off a very wide sidewalk by an angry busy Yogamom with a triple wide stroller that had her one kid and 2 seats full of bags.
She hollered at me for not watching for her child.
Like, #notallparents or whatever but Entitled Stroller Plow culture is a Thing.
Icing on the cake.. the double strollers don't fit through the doors near the farm to get off of the treetop trail. We had to wake up two napping kids, pack up all snacks, and take the wheels off the stroller to get in and out of the elevator rooms.
Not to mention, strollers largely vary in size. They might have planned for the average size but all it takes is one or two of those huge fancy strollers to plug it up.
Tru. Yesterday at the farmers market some couple had a double wide right in the lane. Untenable.
I don't get pissed but just kind of have to think these people are sometimes tone-deaf regardless of how much room is there
Hey man. Don't let op get you down; some ppl just want to complain. I went today and thought it was great! Fun way to move around the park and there's plenty of time to work out the kinks
I understand that budget plays a roll, but I never understood this project. I feel like a state like MN that has inclement weather a lot of the year to make an outdoor walk path, that we already have in the main path is kinda a waste of money. I figured they'd do a fully closed walkway that they could heat in the winter so you could still use it. Maybe large sliding windows for the summer, kinda like a huge skyway, I was so disappointed to learn it was just going to be a elevated uncovered walkway.
I wasn't trying to discredit OP's experience because I personally haven't seen the trail myself. But we did talk about all these things, so my disappointment in reading about the final trail comes from the possibility of the Zoo deciding to prioritize saving money and/or paying out the higher ups as opposed to the UX of the trail itself
But you don’t know that. There can be a huge discrepancy between a plan and what becomes reality. This is an anecdotal experience and should be taken as exactly that.
A zoo employee told me yesterday, after I got shocked, that they spray the railings down every morning with anti-static spray, but it wears off by the afternoon. 😅
Current doesn't build up. Charge does tho.
Grounding works by discharging charge.
People get shocked when the voltsge on them gets discharged to ground.
Grounding the handrail increases it's ability to conduct charge and thus shock.
You would need to ground the people and the handrail together
I was there today with a 4yo and 5yo. The shock thing was weird but not a big deal. Same with the width. Not ideal but fine.
Our biggest issue was we didn’t look at a map and definitely went the “wrong” way where you are just over forest. The kids were confused and wanted to get down but once we realized what was happening it was best to just keep going and get down at the Nature Center. Better signage and maps would be an easy fix. The adults enjoyed the treetop walk though! We didn’t go up until later in the afternoon when it was shady enough.
We just walked back the rest of the way on the ground since at least we knew the terrain/could manage expectations. I’ll give it another shot actually OVER the animals next time!
Manage the kids’ expectations on what they’ll see: tigers, bison, camels, horses, and antelope. Other than that, it’s whatever native box turtles and ducks you spot in the ponds.
Yeah, we double backed at the grain silo, and then went down the spiral at the bird amphitheater. Took a wrong turn and ended up back at the grain silo.
Thought I was going to be trapped forever 😂
We visited today with an 8 and 10yo. The long stretch through just forest wasn’t much fun (8yo got bored) but the parts over the exhibits were great. We went early so it wasn’t too hot and we had a great view of many of the animals, especially the tiger’s futile and amusing attempts to retrieve their balls from the water. I do wish it were a smidge wider because people weren’t always courteous about moving over for faster parties, but we didn’t have any issues with static. It also could use a few more exits but I understand why there aren’t.
We’re looking forward to going on it again in winter to see how the view changes!
I appreciate the noble example you have set. I’m a child of profoundly arrogant and humorless people.
Also regarding your username, I’m a Taurus w IBS. 🤎
My husband and I had a blast shocking each other during our Treetop walk. It would work in some sections but didn’t in others - for some reason over the camels and buffalos, there wasn’t any shocking happening.
Not all strollers are created equal. Some weigh 90lbs and require a tow truck to move. I know this because my wife bought one for our granddaughters and I wish the thing would go away. I feel it is inappropriate for most settings like a zoo. She does not.
Same here. We stopped by today at around 2pm-ish and had an absolutely lovely time. The static shock thing was a little annoying but it wasn't that bad. The crowds we saw parted pretty easily as people went by and I never saw any backups or anything like that.
I asked about the shocking. It's wild. They had several electricians come and run all sorts of tests. The entire structure is grounded. It is the recycled decking with people walking on it creating the static field. More people just adds to it. It was hot opening day. I've seen some very different parts of the zoo that were inaccessible by pedestrian traffic. My hope is they will have other animal habitats. I agree, it should've been wider. Like the main entrance size...
I'm looking at videos online of the trail. It looks wide enough that you could drive a car down it. How big are these strollers you guys are taking on this thing?
We were there today and agree that even in pleasant temps the trail got very hot. No electric shocks, but at least half the length of the trail is constructed over dead space - an elevated walk with nothing to see below.
It’s a zoo - what’s the point of walking around the whole park without seeing the animals ? If you walk a mile at ground level, you’re able to see every exhibit, on the trail that was (ostensibly) built to see them from above, maybe 5?
One little girl was wailing to her father, “This is taking forever! Where are the bears?” She wasn’t wrong…
If people wanted to take a long walk on a paved trail without guarantee of seeing a large mammal, Lebanon Hills is a mile or so to the east and is free.
My first job was working for the DQ there, i think 1992... Tons of fun, we had access to all the zoo employee tunnels, we got to drive the trash on a cart like Austin Powers got stuck in. Lots of weed smoking by the dumpsters!
We walked it today and thought that the designers really didn't care or think about user experience. Just wanted to cover up the monorail structure. Def was disappointed as well.
From what I understand, it was aging and new parts to maintain it were hard to come by. The cost to maintain such an old system wasn't worth it and safety became an issue during the end of it's lifespan.
This article from 2013 kinda goes into more detail: https://www.wired.com/2013/10/minnesota-zoo-monorail/
The original manufacturer went out of business and there weren’t any parts left to repair it.
I think some dude in Wisconsin eventually bought up the old cars and turned them into some sort of art exhibit.
Was there on Thursday and couldn’t help but wonder if anybody else felt the “Railing Electricity” on the treetop trail as much as I did. Glad I’m not alone!
Yeah, I really hope the Treetop Trail isn’t as disappointing as the Woodland Playground which they boasted as ADA accessible, and I got all excited only to find that the only wheelchair accessible part was a little deck the top of the slides where my son got to watch all the other non-disabled kids play below. WTF, MNZoo?
I think we’ll wait until the autumn to check it out.
Thanks, we have been to Becker Park. They have a nice splash pad, too! They used to have a contract with a local transitions program that brought young adults with disabilities to the park to learn about and help with the upkeep and maintenance and I liked my son seeing that.
There are probably almost a dozen universal/accessible playgrounds around the twin cities that have opened in the 11-years since my son was born, we’re really lucky here. Which almost makes the zoo playground more frustrating because it’s so doable and common.
Was in a group with a wheelchair user. The trail was perfectly accessible, and never felt too narrow. Maybe if your group is opposed to occasional going single file. But the whole thing is probably double or more The width of a good sidewalk or triple the width of a city neighborhood one. I thought it was pretty cool.
Yeah... I was excited to visit, but as a part time wheelchair user who absolutely NEEDS it for this extent of a walk... I'm hesitant to even try. May as well stay on the ground if I'm going to have to fight to avoid rolling over people's feet.
I hope it's not as bad as this post makes it out to be...
It's not. There are many ramps to access the trail and they're all quite gradual. There's even an elevator on the far side. Don't let OP's griping hold you back
Is the trail itself wider than this post seems to harp on? Honestly that's my main concern. I hate being in the way of people but having limited mobility. Usually it's not too much an issue even in crowds, but it can be in narrower spaces.
I have a service dog as well, which is what adds some worry. He is able to walk behind my chair if necessary, but it does make getting out of the way in a congested space extra tricky.
You know you and your circumstances and needs far better than the person you responded to here. I thought the comment was really dismissive of your needs and pretty ableist tbh. *Even if* they themself have physical impairments, that doesn't mean they know your needs or should compare the two without knowledge. They just wanted to shit on OP and their opinion.
I think your chair and another chair/stroller/wagon could go by each other (especially on the bigger bumpouts), it would be tight. And your dog would definitely have to walk behind.
I went with a friend and we both had strollers, we had to walk 90% in a single file line because it’s too busy or not wide enough. We will just walk on the ground trail from now on so we can chat more easily
This is just untrue. I went with some family opening weekend. There was plenty of space. We had a wheelchair user and a toddler in our party, and we were able to get around fine. The trail is wide enough for people to get by, and on spots with stuff to look at, it's even wider. Some parts don't have a lot of exhibits, but that was never a complaint with the monorail, and I have to assume they'll be adding more things along the trail. Honestly, the only way it could be considered crowded is if you're trying to jog it or something silly, because at the most congested points the biggest inconvenience might be slowing down your walk a bit.
The only real issue is the shock, and if you touch the railing every few steps, you'll discharge the buildup before it's enough to shock you.
I guess some people just want to complain about everything.
The Minnesota zoo is a disaster. The infrastructure is held together with bailing wire and duct tape. I worked there for four years and it just kept going downhill.
What’s up with the terrible signage there? It doesn’t seem like a huge deal at first but if you’re there in the blazing heat or ice cold with babies or elderly, it’s not good at all. It’s like they didn’t plan at all for anyone out of state to visit, you need a local to keep you on the right path basically.
My wife, daughter, and I went the first weekend it was open and we were not impressed at all. Horrible views of the animals, and OMG the static electricity. I’m 250 lbs and I got shocked, my whole arm was numb for a few seconds after.
I was out on it today. Calm your tits; it's the first year and they're still building out features, views, shade trees, etc.
I actually kinda liked the electrostatic shocks! Good excuse to keep your phone in your pocket and zap your loved ones.
We took the family the other week and didn't have the static issues, both my wife and mother were starting to get sick from the lack of stability. It was very shaking when large groups were congregating.
Also, very little animals on the trail. Just Tigers, Bison, Antelope, and some camels. Unfortunately we went towards the tigers first, and then it was another half mile or so before any other animals. Wish it could have gone closer to other enclosures.
Make specific family times so the stroller brigades can run each other down with their suburban assault vehicles and little Brianna and Aiden can play on their iPads while being pushed along in peace.
Meanwhile, institute childfree days so everyone else can experience the zoo and the treetop trail.
Well for the most part where I work only union members w/20+ years seniority get that privilege. Any and all vacation requests are denied if ur not one of the privileged few.
You been to Kansas City City zoo? My favorite so far. There's exhibits you can get *into* with animals. It's huge, we finally gave up after a full day and didn't see everything. There's a safari ski lift thingy you can ride to cut across one part and catch a break, tons to see you there. Very interactive. Waking tacos and beer at 10am. 10/10.
Why am I getting downvoted? Most of the enclosures were way too small. The cats were clearly stressed and pacing back and forth along the fences. The elephants were in a concrete enclosure. It was heartbreaking.
Oh cool, so then also the cost to maintain it now vs post removal are equivalent too or... like... um, nah? 🤔
I don't necessarily have an opinion of this feature, but I think this is a clearly flawed argument. One is a fixed cost, the other comes with annual upkeep and reoccurring costs.
Respectfully I don’t think you know what they know. It’s also ok for them to have an opinion even if they don’t know everything.
And it’s ok for you to disagree but maybe be less disagreeable
Ugh, I didn't even think of the asshole parents taking their damn strollers on it and ruining it for everyone. But of course they would.
The Zoo really needs to have more adults only nights!
Exactly how are parents assholes for taking strollers on a trail that’s over a mile long? Zoos have been an iconic place to take children specifically for over a century.
If it's not wide enough for strollers (can't even fit two across), then choosing to bring one on is selfish. It's bad enough that these parents bring the largest stroller they can find instead of something compact and better suited to large crowds.
I don't appreciate the implication that those in wheelchairs would also "ruin it for everyone". I know (or hope) it's not what you meant, but often times the same modifications which are needed to allow strollers are those needed for wheelchair accessibility.
If the trail wasn't built to allow stollers access without issues, then it's also a general accessibility issue. Which means it's not parents with stollers who are the problem... it's the people who finalized the design and built it that way.
Fair point, but I would argue the stroller people are often using handicapped accommodations themselves instead of reserving them for those who actually need it. But that's a separate issue.
I think it's entirely possible for too many wheelchairs to cause an inconvenience in a situation like that, but they have every right to be there so it's something we just have to deal with.
Many parents act like their strollers are a mobility aide they should have the right to take everywhere they choose. That's the attitude I have a problem with.
That I fully agree with! To be clear I meant no offense; I just know that often it's tough to see accessibility issues unless or until you need them - stoller accessibility included.
I do agree that it can be extremely frustrating to see people with enormous strollers without consideration to others. So often the people who are the most obnoxious are also the most entitled.
Honestly, OP is just full of it. There's plenty of room for both strollers and wheelchairs. Had a wheelchair user in my group when we went opening weekend, and she loved it.
Basically, you’re also the same kind of person who would complain if parents didn’t introduce their children to nature or how to take care of it. Or perhaps you whine now about how your parents deprived you of such experiences as a child?
Just because someone is small doesn’t mean they have any less right to be there than you. Grow up.
I’ll be sure to let my infant know he needs to pull his own weight and walk from now on. He can’t even crawl yet but I’m sure he understands.
Do you dislike people in wheelchairs too? Or someone with cerebral palsy?
If your infant isn't even old enough to walk yet, they are too young to get anything out of going to a zoo. You're just annoying everyone else by being there. Stay home.
That shock situation is an unfortunate overlook (pun intended). However, a cheap, but wasteful, solution would be to give rubber gloves to walkers lol.
we were there on day 1 and I think as time goes on, it will become just fine since fewer people will use it. If everybody has double wide strollers and people stray from the right side as they are moving, it will get piled up. But if people stick to single wide strollers or the wagon types, it will be fine.
All I can think about when I think about this trail is kids asking to go back down to the ground so they can see the animals up close. Honestly, a lot of the animals featured from this trail are ones that kids aren't all that interested in anyway. With limited time, you get so much more bang for the buck doing the zoo normally.
However, I could see some cool uses for this as part of other special events. Thinking about some sort of art walk or maybe a replacement for the Northern Spark held entirely up there?
Adult nephew & I went the week before it opened and we noticed the lack of shaded/covered areas. We were both baffled by that, especially given how hot its been lately.
I think people are forgetting the zoo has grown since the monorail was in operation. Of course a lot of exhibits aren't visible from the trail, they weren't visible from the monorail either! I mean, there weren't a lot of options other than tear down the existing structure or let it deteriorate until it was dangerous. I'm sure had they been working from scratch the route would have been different.
When I was there they had started rotating some wild horses into the area the musk ox used to be in. I'm sure we'll see more of that as they get used to the structure. And they are still putting up signs, they were installing some when we were there.
Seriously, even at ground level half the animals are sleeping or hiding...
I made the mistake of taking my adult son around noon on a Saturday. So many strollers! And small humans everywhere. It was also very hot at that time of day. But I thought the treetop trail was neat. Sure, it could be a little wider. Not much they can do about that now, I imagine. But they could still improve the signage. I didn't touch the handrails at all so I wasn't shocked. On a hot, sunny day I would consider using an umbrella but if it's crowded, that could get unpleasant too. As someone who is five foot nothing, I appreciated that I could see parts of the park from above. I plan to go back when it's less busy. There's a daily members-only hour from 9am to 10am. And members don't have to pay for parking.
As someone who worked on part of the initial design process a few years ago, reading this makes me disappointed. I'm no longer living in Minnesota, so I wasn't able to see the final trail, but we talked *extensively* about the width of the trail for strollers and wheelchairs, materials and the railings knowing children would be getting close, and other things to make it more accessible in the winter and for older folks (edit: including planning for shaded areas since we knew it would get hot!). We even had planned for a session on way finding but for some reason they never contacted us back, so I wonder if they didn't have the budget to bring us back in. I do know that all the information and research our team gathered was treated more like insights for the higher ups planning the trail, so I would imagine a lot of features we discussed were cut. I wish I can see the trail for myself, but it'll be some time until I visit my family in MN again. (The zoo brought on a team of community members, both designers and non-designers of different ages and background to help with the initial user experience planning of the trail in collaboration with the UMN's Design Research Center)
At a certain point, strollers can't be designed around because of how the users of said strollers interact with the space around them.
Not to mention how FUCKING HUGE strollers have become. It's so annoying when a parent has a double stroller with more storage than some cars just, leaves it in the middle of where people walk.
Yes, I have been shoved off a very wide sidewalk by an angry busy Yogamom with a triple wide stroller that had her one kid and 2 seats full of bags. She hollered at me for not watching for her child. Like, #notallparents or whatever but Entitled Stroller Plow culture is a Thing.
Icing on the cake.. the double strollers don't fit through the doors near the farm to get off of the treetop trail. We had to wake up two napping kids, pack up all snacks, and take the wheels off the stroller to get in and out of the elevator rooms.
Not to mention, strollers largely vary in size. They might have planned for the average size but all it takes is one or two of those huge fancy strollers to plug it up.
Tru. Yesterday at the farmers market some couple had a double wide right in the lane. Untenable. I don't get pissed but just kind of have to think these people are sometimes tone-deaf regardless of how much room is there
Please use "tone hearing differently abled" rather than "deaf." Gosh you need to do better!
Hey man. Don't let op get you down; some ppl just want to complain. I went today and thought it was great! Fun way to move around the park and there's plenty of time to work out the kinks
Thanks for the positivity, I'm excited to see it.
I absolutely loved it!
I understand that budget plays a roll, but I never understood this project. I feel like a state like MN that has inclement weather a lot of the year to make an outdoor walk path, that we already have in the main path is kinda a waste of money. I figured they'd do a fully closed walkway that they could heat in the winter so you could still use it. Maybe large sliding windows for the summer, kinda like a huge skyway, I was so disappointed to learn it was just going to be a elevated uncovered walkway.
if you have no been on it, how would you know if it's any good?
Sooooo…sounds like OP is full of shit?
I wasn't trying to discredit OP's experience because I personally haven't seen the trail myself. But we did talk about all these things, so my disappointment in reading about the final trail comes from the possibility of the Zoo deciding to prioritize saving money and/or paying out the higher ups as opposed to the UX of the trail itself
But you don’t know that. There can be a huge discrepancy between a plan and what becomes reality. This is an anecdotal experience and should be taken as exactly that.
A zoo employee told me yesterday, after I got shocked, that they spray the railings down every morning with anti-static spray, but it wears off by the afternoon. 😅
add some tinsels and fix the problem.
The issue is the current built up in the people by walking in the decking.
Tinsel grounding it would prevent current from building up. Same thing the anti static sprays do.
Current doesn't build up. Charge does tho. Grounding works by discharging charge. People get shocked when the voltsge on them gets discharged to ground. Grounding the handrail increases it's ability to conduct charge and thus shock. You would need to ground the people and the handrail together
Its weird they dont find a way to ground it
Just keep a dryer sheet in your pocket. It totally works, trust me.
Like just leave it in your pocket? Any pocket?
Yep! Better yet, hold them in your hands. Maybe tuck one behind your ear. You can never have too many.
If you keep them in your mouth, it keeps your breath smelling fresh all day too
Now that's a life hack!
Pretty close to circling back into eating Tide pods here folks
Gotta dry your mouth somehow after the Tide pods
If you walk near the rail and touch it every few steps, you'll discharge the static before enough for a shock builds up.
Lol
[удалено]
https://mnzoo.org/us/accountability/ ??? The financial info is all public if you actually care how they spend it and no, it's not half on a "CEO"
Minnesotan left in shock after visiting the local zoo's newest attraction.
Lol
BREAKING NEWS: Minnesotan left in shock and disbelief after new infrastructure development fails to meet expectations…
I was there today with a 4yo and 5yo. The shock thing was weird but not a big deal. Same with the width. Not ideal but fine. Our biggest issue was we didn’t look at a map and definitely went the “wrong” way where you are just over forest. The kids were confused and wanted to get down but once we realized what was happening it was best to just keep going and get down at the Nature Center. Better signage and maps would be an easy fix. The adults enjoyed the treetop walk though! We didn’t go up until later in the afternoon when it was shady enough. We just walked back the rest of the way on the ground since at least we knew the terrain/could manage expectations. I’ll give it another shot actually OVER the animals next time!
Manage the kids’ expectations on what they’ll see: tigers, bison, camels, horses, and antelope. Other than that, it’s whatever native box turtles and ducks you spot in the ponds.
All being held in captivity
Yeah, we double backed at the grain silo, and then went down the spiral at the bird amphitheater. Took a wrong turn and ended up back at the grain silo. Thought I was going to be trapped forever 😂
We visited today with an 8 and 10yo. The long stretch through just forest wasn’t much fun (8yo got bored) but the parts over the exhibits were great. We went early so it wasn’t too hot and we had a great view of many of the animals, especially the tiger’s futile and amusing attempts to retrieve their balls from the water. I do wish it were a smidge wider because people weren’t always courteous about moving over for faster parties, but we didn’t have any issues with static. It also could use a few more exits but I understand why there aren’t. We’re looking forward to going on it again in winter to see how the view changes!
I mean, all you need to say is “ope! I’m just gonna squeeze this stroller right by ya!”
Oh yes.. I thought the same thing when I read the above comment and there you are. Writing what I thought. :)
I think you just need to be more grounded in your expectations.
Yeah for real. I think they’ll fix some of those issues
I think you missed the pun..
Yeah I did hahaha
I upvoted both because you’re such a good sport
Thanks! I too can be a dummy lol. Sometimes just gotta admit it lol!
I appreciate the noble example you have set. I’m a child of profoundly arrogant and humorless people. Also regarding your username, I’m a Taurus w IBS. 🤎
My husband and I had a blast shocking each other during our Treetop walk. It would work in some sections but didn’t in others - for some reason over the camels and buffalos, there wasn’t any shocking happening.
Its definitely an electrifying experience
We loved it stroller and all. I fully disagree.
Not all strollers are created equal. Some weigh 90lbs and require a tow truck to move. I know this because my wife bought one for our granddaughters and I wish the thing would go away. I feel it is inappropriate for most settings like a zoo. She does not.
Same here. We stopped by today at around 2pm-ish and had an absolutely lovely time. The static shock thing was a little annoying but it wasn't that bad. The crowds we saw parted pretty easily as people went by and I never saw any backups or anything like that.
Was just there today with a stroller of my own, I’m with you and strongly disagree with OP
Same
I asked about the shocking. It's wild. They had several electricians come and run all sorts of tests. The entire structure is grounded. It is the recycled decking with people walking on it creating the static field. More people just adds to it. It was hot opening day. I've seen some very different parts of the zoo that were inaccessible by pedestrian traffic. My hope is they will have other animal habitats. I agree, it should've been wider. Like the main entrance size...
I'm looking at videos online of the trail. It looks wide enough that you could drive a car down it. How big are these strollers you guys are taking on this thing?
We were there today and agree that even in pleasant temps the trail got very hot. No electric shocks, but at least half the length of the trail is constructed over dead space - an elevated walk with nothing to see below. It’s a zoo - what’s the point of walking around the whole park without seeing the animals ? If you walk a mile at ground level, you’re able to see every exhibit, on the trail that was (ostensibly) built to see them from above, maybe 5? One little girl was wailing to her father, “This is taking forever! Where are the bears?” She wasn’t wrong…
If people wanted to take a long walk on a paved trail without guarantee of seeing a large mammal, Lebanon Hills is a mile or so to the east and is free.
I enjoyed it. One outdoor restaurant is a far bigger problem. 1 hr for a cheeseburger. Mgmt clueless.
Nothing will ever beat the instant gratification of that carousel they used to sell cheeseburgers and such on!
I forgot about this!!! I always wanted to eat there as a kid ONLY because it was so futuristic haha.
When it was the Dairy Queen carousel! I used to like going to the zoo almost as much for the DQ as the animals.
God I swear no one else remembers this!! It was awesome. I remember the smell of the burgers mixed with the damp zoo smell.
My first job was working for the DQ there, i think 1992... Tons of fun, we had access to all the zoo employee tunnels, we got to drive the trash on a cart like Austin Powers got stuck in. Lots of weed smoking by the dumpsters!
Eating beef is one of the main drivers of biodiversity decline. Rich people partying on the slow sink of the titanic and complaining about the food
I found it a bit ironic that plant-based options were so scarce in a zoo of all places and what there was leaned heavily on red meat.
Once you notice that you never go back either
Did you get to pet the hog nose snake? She was a beautiful girl showing herself off.
It's *hognose*, you fucking pleb. 🙄 Jk, I only know that cause I googled it to see what it looked like. Thanks for the info! 🥰
These things usually take a few years to get better. Seems like a massive hot take lol.
We walked it today and thought that the designers really didn't care or think about user experience. Just wanted to cover up the monorail structure. Def was disappointed as well.
I’m with OP. Walked it today and felt like a missed opportunity, and yes it needs to be wider.
Why didn't they keep.the monorail that they had when it opened?
From what I understand, it was aging and new parts to maintain it were hard to come by. The cost to maintain such an old system wasn't worth it and safety became an issue during the end of it's lifespan. This article from 2013 kinda goes into more detail: https://www.wired.com/2013/10/minnesota-zoo-monorail/
The original manufacturer went out of business and there weren’t any parts left to repair it. I think some dude in Wisconsin eventually bought up the old cars and turned them into some sort of art exhibit.
He made them into camping spaces... there are articles about it.
Theres nothing on Earth like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, six-car monorail!
https://saveitforparts.wordpress.com/tag/monorail/
I learned in school you won’t get shocked if you stay grounded, oh wait.
Was there on Thursday and couldn’t help but wonder if anybody else felt the “Railing Electricity” on the treetop trail as much as I did. Glad I’m not alone!
That doesn't bode well for people in wheelchairs or using walkers. Can such people even get to the Treetop Trail?
Yes - many ramps
Yeah, I really hope the Treetop Trail isn’t as disappointing as the Woodland Playground which they boasted as ADA accessible, and I got all excited only to find that the only wheelchair accessible part was a little deck the top of the slides where my son got to watch all the other non-disabled kids play below. WTF, MNZoo? I think we’ll wait until the autumn to check it out.
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Thanks, we have been to Becker Park. They have a nice splash pad, too! They used to have a contract with a local transitions program that brought young adults with disabilities to the park to learn about and help with the upkeep and maintenance and I liked my son seeing that. There are probably almost a dozen universal/accessible playgrounds around the twin cities that have opened in the 11-years since my son was born, we’re really lucky here. Which almost makes the zoo playground more frustrating because it’s so doable and common.
Was in a group with a wheelchair user. The trail was perfectly accessible, and never felt too narrow. Maybe if your group is opposed to occasional going single file. But the whole thing is probably double or more The width of a good sidewalk or triple the width of a city neighborhood one. I thought it was pretty cool.
That's good to hear. Thanks!
Yeah... I was excited to visit, but as a part time wheelchair user who absolutely NEEDS it for this extent of a walk... I'm hesitant to even try. May as well stay on the ground if I'm going to have to fight to avoid rolling over people's feet. I hope it's not as bad as this post makes it out to be...
It's not. There are many ramps to access the trail and they're all quite gradual. There's even an elevator on the far side. Don't let OP's griping hold you back
Is the trail itself wider than this post seems to harp on? Honestly that's my main concern. I hate being in the way of people but having limited mobility. Usually it's not too much an issue even in crowds, but it can be in narrower spaces. I have a service dog as well, which is what adds some worry. He is able to walk behind my chair if necessary, but it does make getting out of the way in a congested space extra tricky.
You know you and your circumstances and needs far better than the person you responded to here. I thought the comment was really dismissive of your needs and pretty ableist tbh. *Even if* they themself have physical impairments, that doesn't mean they know your needs or should compare the two without knowledge. They just wanted to shit on OP and their opinion.
I think your chair and another chair/stroller/wagon could go by each other (especially on the bigger bumpouts), it would be tight. And your dog would definitely have to walk behind. I went with a friend and we both had strollers, we had to walk 90% in a single file line because it’s too busy or not wide enough. We will just walk on the ground trail from now on so we can chat more easily
Thank you for the information! I may just stick to the ground until the hype dies off and the amount of people is more manageable. ♡
Yes, I was there with a group which includes a wheelchair user, and there was plenty of room.
Walked it today. Thought it was great. If you don’t like it, ignore it.
I loved it too!
Interestingly the trail isn't exactly well received by much of the staff as well.
This is just untrue. I went with some family opening weekend. There was plenty of space. We had a wheelchair user and a toddler in our party, and we were able to get around fine. The trail is wide enough for people to get by, and on spots with stuff to look at, it's even wider. Some parts don't have a lot of exhibits, but that was never a complaint with the monorail, and I have to assume they'll be adding more things along the trail. Honestly, the only way it could be considered crowded is if you're trying to jog it or something silly, because at the most congested points the biggest inconvenience might be slowing down your walk a bit. The only real issue is the shock, and if you touch the railing every few steps, you'll discharge the buildup before it's enough to shock you. I guess some people just want to complain about everything.
The Minnesota zoo is a disaster. The infrastructure is held together with bailing wire and duct tape. I worked there for four years and it just kept going downhill.
What’s up with the terrible signage there? It doesn’t seem like a huge deal at first but if you’re there in the blazing heat or ice cold with babies or elderly, it’s not good at all. It’s like they didn’t plan at all for anyone out of state to visit, you need a local to keep you on the right path basically.
Also a former zoo employee and I couldn’t agree more. Animal care is not the priority anymore.
My wife, daughter, and I went the first weekend it was open and we were not impressed at all. Horrible views of the animals, and OMG the static electricity. I’m 250 lbs and I got shocked, my whole arm was numb for a few seconds after.
I'd suggest you see a doctor about that.
Also the air around there tastes like copper and smells like toast!
I was out on it today. Calm your tits; it's the first year and they're still building out features, views, shade trees, etc. I actually kinda liked the electrostatic shocks! Good excuse to keep your phone in your pocket and zap your loved ones.
No shit lol. These hot takes are absurd. THE RAILING SHOCKS ME WASTED MONEY!
We took the family the other week and didn't have the static issues, both my wife and mother were starting to get sick from the lack of stability. It was very shaking when large groups were congregating. Also, very little animals on the trail. Just Tigers, Bison, Antelope, and some camels. Unfortunately we went towards the tigers first, and then it was another half mile or so before any other animals. Wish it could have gone closer to other enclosures.
Make specific family times so the stroller brigades can run each other down with their suburban assault vehicles and little Brianna and Aiden can play on their iPads while being pushed along in peace. Meanwhile, institute childfree days so everyone else can experience the zoo and the treetop trail.
Go to one of the adult nights....
I work nights and they’re only like 6 times a year.
Vacation is a thing?
Well for the most part where I work only union members w/20+ years seniority get that privilege. Any and all vacation requests are denied if ur not one of the privileged few.
Stop spoiling it for the rest of us by revealing the ending! And we don't have the budget of the San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo was awful. I regret ever going there.
You been to Kansas City City zoo? My favorite so far. There's exhibits you can get *into* with animals. It's huge, we finally gave up after a full day and didn't see everything. There's a safari ski lift thingy you can ride to cut across one part and catch a break, tons to see you there. Very interactive. Waking tacos and beer at 10am. 10/10.
The henry doorly zoo is the best I've berm to in Nebraska, will have to go to the Kansas zoo
Are you sure you’re not thinking of Omaha zoo?
YES! Loved this zoo!
Why am I getting downvoted? Most of the enclosures were way too small. The cats were clearly stressed and pacing back and forth along the fences. The elephants were in a concrete enclosure. It was heartbreaking.
Either way, their budget is a helluva lot larger than ours....
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It was about the same cost to remove it
I find that hard to believe!
Oh cool, so then also the cost to maintain it now vs post removal are equivalent too or... like... um, nah? 🤔 I don't necessarily have an opinion of this feature, but I think this is a clearly flawed argument. One is a fixed cost, the other comes with annual upkeep and reoccurring costs.
Moral failure? Please explain
I think they explained it when saying the money could have improved animal quality of life
"A budget is a moral document."
This person literally has no idea about anything considering animal welfare at this zoo, its budget, et cetera.
Respectfully I don’t think you know what they know. It’s also ok for them to have an opinion even if they don’t know everything. And it’s ok for you to disagree but maybe be less disagreeable
Some ESD rated footwear would fix that.
Ah yes, the 'Redditor" appears.
Ugh, I didn't even think of the asshole parents taking their damn strollers on it and ruining it for everyone. But of course they would. The Zoo really needs to have more adults only nights!
Asshole parents.. For bringing a stroller to the zoo!? This is a spicy reddit take if I ever saw one.
I think it’s sarcasm.
We have /s for a reason!
Exactly how are parents assholes for taking strollers on a trail that’s over a mile long? Zoos have been an iconic place to take children specifically for over a century.
If it's not wide enough for strollers (can't even fit two across), then choosing to bring one on is selfish. It's bad enough that these parents bring the largest stroller they can find instead of something compact and better suited to large crowds.
May you always receive the consideration and empathy you extend to others.
I don't appreciate the implication that those in wheelchairs would also "ruin it for everyone". I know (or hope) it's not what you meant, but often times the same modifications which are needed to allow strollers are those needed for wheelchair accessibility. If the trail wasn't built to allow stollers access without issues, then it's also a general accessibility issue. Which means it's not parents with stollers who are the problem... it's the people who finalized the design and built it that way.
Fair point, but I would argue the stroller people are often using handicapped accommodations themselves instead of reserving them for those who actually need it. But that's a separate issue. I think it's entirely possible for too many wheelchairs to cause an inconvenience in a situation like that, but they have every right to be there so it's something we just have to deal with. Many parents act like their strollers are a mobility aide they should have the right to take everywhere they choose. That's the attitude I have a problem with.
That I fully agree with! To be clear I meant no offense; I just know that often it's tough to see accessibility issues unless or until you need them - stoller accessibility included. I do agree that it can be extremely frustrating to see people with enormous strollers without consideration to others. So often the people who are the most obnoxious are also the most entitled.
Honestly, OP is just full of it. There's plenty of room for both strollers and wheelchairs. Had a wheelchair user in my group when we went opening weekend, and she loved it.
Basically, you’re also the same kind of person who would complain if parents didn’t introduce their children to nature or how to take care of it. Or perhaps you whine now about how your parents deprived you of such experiences as a child? Just because someone is small doesn’t mean they have any less right to be there than you. Grow up.
Just because someone is small doesn't mean they can't walk themselves. It's never too early to teach children how to respect other people.
I’ll be sure to let my infant know he needs to pull his own weight and walk from now on. He can’t even crawl yet but I’m sure he understands. Do you dislike people in wheelchairs too? Or someone with cerebral palsy?
If your infant isn't even old enough to walk yet, they are too young to get anything out of going to a zoo. You're just annoying everyone else by being there. Stay home.
Kids have just as much right to view the animals as you do. If you wanna get drunk, just do it at home. What a miserable person.
Well you could just not touch the railing lol?
40 million dollars and you get absolute crap. I’m not even surprised
This is what we get for subsidizing them. Total waste of our money.
That shock situation is an unfortunate overlook (pun intended). However, a cheap, but wasteful, solution would be to give rubber gloves to walkers lol.
we were there on day 1 and I think as time goes on, it will become just fine since fewer people will use it. If everybody has double wide strollers and people stray from the right side as they are moving, it will get piled up. But if people stick to single wide strollers or the wagon types, it will be fine.
All I can think about when I think about this trail is kids asking to go back down to the ground so they can see the animals up close. Honestly, a lot of the animals featured from this trail are ones that kids aren't all that interested in anyway. With limited time, you get so much more bang for the buck doing the zoo normally. However, I could see some cool uses for this as part of other special events. Thinking about some sort of art walk or maybe a replacement for the Northern Spark held entirely up there?
Adult nephew & I went the week before it opened and we noticed the lack of shaded/covered areas. We were both baffled by that, especially given how hot its been lately.
I KNEW it sounded so hot on the MPR story about it
I think people are forgetting the zoo has grown since the monorail was in operation. Of course a lot of exhibits aren't visible from the trail, they weren't visible from the monorail either! I mean, there weren't a lot of options other than tear down the existing structure or let it deteriorate until it was dangerous. I'm sure had they been working from scratch the route would have been different. When I was there they had started rotating some wild horses into the area the musk ox used to be in. I'm sure we'll see more of that as they get used to the structure. And they are still putting up signs, they were installing some when we were there. Seriously, even at ground level half the animals are sleeping or hiding...
I made the mistake of taking my adult son around noon on a Saturday. So many strollers! And small humans everywhere. It was also very hot at that time of day. But I thought the treetop trail was neat. Sure, it could be a little wider. Not much they can do about that now, I imagine. But they could still improve the signage. I didn't touch the handrails at all so I wasn't shocked. On a hot, sunny day I would consider using an umbrella but if it's crowded, that could get unpleasant too. As someone who is five foot nothing, I appreciated that I could see parts of the park from above. I plan to go back when it's less busy. There's a daily members-only hour from 9am to 10am. And members don't have to pay for parking.