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- Zoo Admission (value up to $150)
- A T-shirt for the birthday child
- Decorated Party Room for 2 hours
- Zoo educator to conduct party activities and take care of your party needs
- Guided Zoo Tour—approximately 1/2 of the zoo will be visited during your party
- Live animal presentation—Your educator will present a fun, hands-on animal demonstration
- Train Ride—Train rides are seasonal and weather/facilities permitting. If train rides are not available, additional animals will be used during the presentation
- Cupcakes, ice cream, potato chips, pretzels and punch. (You can choose either chocolate or yellow cupcakes with candles for the birthday child to blow out!)
- Themed paper goods (cups, plates, napkins etc.) Theme choices: “Frogs”, “Dinosaurs”, “Zoo Animals” or “Barnyard”
- Party Favors—Each child selects one from an assortment of items or chose our deluxe party favor boxes for an additional cost
- Post-card invitations—Invitations are ready for you to date, address and mail
EXTRAS!
Here are some things you may wish to add to your party. Arrangements for “Extras” must be made at the time of party booking.
- Deluxe Party Favor Boxes
Themed gift box with assorted favors related to the party theme. Item selection varies depending upon availability. The zoo reserves the right to substitute items.
- Barnyard Favor Box: a pinwheel, farm animal blowout, cow bean bag, Play-Doh, and cookie cutter.
- Dart Frog Favor Box: 5" frog bean bag, candy gumball machine, mini plastic frog, dart frog magnet and Dart Frogs sticker sheet.
- Zoo Animal Favor Box: safari jeep, plastic jungle animal, 4" jungle animal bean bag, toy binoculars and candy necklace.
- Dinosaur Favor Box: 5" dinosaur bean bag, plastic dinosaur, coloring poster, crayons and blowout.
- Zoo Keys
Zoo Keys activate ten kiosks with fun animal jingles and exciting animal information. These colorful collectable keys are popular with children.
- Food
If you would like additional food with your party, you may choose from the following:
- Hot Dogs
- Pizza 16" cheese or pepperoni (8 slices per pizza)
- Animal Sponsorship
Give the birthday child a really wild gift! An animal sponsorship! With a birthday party sponsorship the child will receive a certificate of sponsorship, animal photo-fact sheet, and a surprise gift (gift selection based upon availability).
- Gift Registry
The Nature Express shop at the zoo now has a gift registry for birthday parties. The shop has a wide range of gifts, toys and clothing for children and adults of all ages. Stop by the zoo gift shop or call 304-243-4035 for more information.
PARTY PRICES
Basic Party Package:
Good Zoo Members: $190
Non- Zoo Members: $225
Additional Guests(All people —adults and children— entering the zoo for the party must be included in the party attendance):
$5.00 for each additional child
$2.50 for each additional adult
Extras:
Deluxe Favor Boxes $ 5.00 each
Zoo Keys $ 2.50 each
Hot Dogs $ 1.50 each
Pizza - 16" cheese $12.00 each
Pizza - 16" pepperoni $14.00 each
Animal Sponsorship $ 25 per gift
Sleepover Birthday Parties
Sleepover Birthday Parties are now available. Join your child and their friends in an overnight adventure at the zoo! Sleepover activities are lead by zoo education staff and include items found in the basic party package. Prices start at $450. Call 243-4068 for more details.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT BIRTHDAY PARTIES
How do I schedule a party?
To schedule a party, call the zoo education department at 304-243-4068 or email vmarkey@oglebay-resort.com
When can I have a party?
Birthday parties are held on either Saturday or Sunday year-round. During the summer, some weekdays are also available. Parties last for 2 hours and time slots vary. Contact the zoo education department for exact times.
How early should I schedule a birthday party?
Because the zoo education department conducts large numbers of programs and space at the zoo is limited, it is advisable to schedule your party as early as possible. You must schedule a minimum of two weeks in advance.
What age is appropriate for a zoo birthday party?
Zoo parties can be held for any age! The zoo educators who conduct the parties are experienced in providing programming for all ages. However, we have found that parties are most appropriate for children 3 through 12 years old.
What is included with a birthday party?
The following are included with the basic party package: zoo admission for up to 25 people (any combination of children and adults), party room for 2 hours, paper goods and decorations, an educator to lead activities and take care of your party needs, a t-shirt for the party child, cupcakes, ice cream, punch, potato chips, pretzels, post card invitations, animal presentation, guided zoo tour (approximately ½ of the zoo), party favors and train ride (seasonal/weather/facilities permitting).
Can I purchase additional birthday party t-shirts?
Yes you can. Your party includes one t-shirt for the birthday child. Additional shirts may be purchased for $10 each.
Do I need to pay for adults who stay with their children?
Yes, due to admission policies at the zoo, all people who attend the party – adults and children – must be included in the attendance count. Up to 25 people, any combination of children and adults are included in the basic party fee. If your attendance is over 25, there is an additional charge of $2.50 per adult and $5 per child. Adults attending the party are entitled to cupcakes, ice cream etc.
When do I pay for my party?
A $30 non-refundable deposit is due at the time you book your birthday party. The balance of your party is due on the day of your party. You may make a larger deposit or multiple deposits if you wish. For Good Zoo Members, the basic party (up to 25 people) is $190. Non-members are $225.
Do I need to arrive early?
You do not need to arrive early for your party. The educators will have everything set up for you. Should you wish to come early to greet your guests, you may do so up to ½ hour before your party is scheduled to start.
Where do my guests go when they arrive at the zoo?
Our zoo educators, volunteers and/or admission gate staff will be waiting for your guests to arrive. They will direct your guests to the party room. Latecomers can check in with the admissions gate staff for directions to the party room.
Can we stay longer than 2 hours?
You are given access to your party room for the two hours designated for your party. Due to the large numbers of educational programs and birthday parties conducted at the zoo, you must be out of the party room at the scheduled ending time for your party. You and your guests, however, may remain in the zoo, visiting the exhibits on your own.
Do I need to provide activities for the children?
No, the zoo educator who conducts the party has your two-hour party completely filled with activities from a zoo tour to animal presentation and of course she leaves time for your cupcakes!
What if it is cold or rainy?
If the weather makes going outside difficult, your party will visit the discovery lab rather than tour outside exhibits. The train ride is seasonal and may not run when the weather is severe. If your group is unable to take a train ride, your educator will add additional animals to your animal presentation.
What is the animal presentation?
During the animal presentation, your party will get up-close with approximately 3 of our zoo education animals. These may include anything from rabbits and ferrets to snakes and insects. The animals used will depend on their availability on the day of your party. If your party is unable to ride the train or if the weather prevents being outside, additional animals will be added to your presentation.
Can I bring party favors?
Each child attending a birthday party can select one item from our party favor basket. These items may include things such as small stuffed toys, toy animals, balls, masks, etc. If you desire, you may bring additional party favors.
You may also choose to add deluxe party favor boxes to your party. The deluxe party favor boxes match the theme you select for your party and include 5 party favors in a themed box. Below are examples of the favor boxes. (The zoo reserves the right to change the items in the boxes based on availability.) Favor boxes are $5.00 each.
- Barnyard Favor Box: a pinwheel, farm animal blowout, cow bean bag, Play-Doh, and cookie cutter.
- Dart Frog Favor Box: 5" frog bean bag, candy gumball machine, mini plastic frog, dart frog magnet and Dart Frogs sticker sheet.
- Zoo Animal Favor Box: safari jeep, plastic jungle animal, 4" jungle animal bean bag, toy binoculars and candy necklace.
- Dinosaur Favor Box: 5" dinosaur bean bag, plastic dinosaur, coloring poster, crayons and blowout.
Can I bring my own decorations?
The zoo provides themed paper goods (cups, plates etc.) as well as room decorations. You can choose from Barnyard Animals (this theme is well suited for younger children), Dinosaurs, Zoo Animals and Frogs. You may bring your own decorations provided they are confined to the party room, are not excessive in nature and any decorations you wish to keep are removed immediately following the party. Also, due to the nature of the party room, items can not be taped or tacked to the walls. In most cases, you can have access to the party room up to ½ hour before the party. (The zoo reserves the right to deny the use of decorations and any items left after the party become property of the zoo.)
Will you sing happy birthday and let my child blow out candles?
Yes, of course!
Can I bring my own cake?
You may provide your own cake either in addition to the cupcakes provided by the zoo or as a replacement for them. If you do not want the zoo to provide cupcakes for you, please notify the zoo at the time of your party booking or by the Tuesday before your party. There will be no discounts given for the deletion of cupcakes.
Can I bring extra food?
The zoo provides cupcakes, ice cream, punch, potato chips and pretzels for everyone at your party. You can also purchase hot dogs or pizza from the zoo. Hot dogs are $1.50 each. Pizza, which is provided by Wilson Lodge, is $12 for a 16” cheese pizza or $14 for pepperoni/cheese. There are 8 slices in a 16” pizza.
We highly discourage bringing extra food. From our experience even small amounts of food significantly increase the amount of time needed for eating. Your party is on a tight schedule. Educators allow sufficient time for food. Should your party take longer eating, some party activities may need to be shortened or eliminated. You may bring small amounts of food with you, just be aware it may cause changes to your party schedule.
Will we be able to open my child’s gifts at the party?
Your educator allows an adequate amount of time for opening gifts and will keep your party on schedule. If you would like to spend a larger amount of time opening gifts, please let your educator know, but keep in mind, this may shorten or eliminate other activities. If you prefer to open gifts at home, let your educator know when you arrive.
What is an animal sponsorship?
An animal sponsorship is a donation to the zoo that helps to offset the enormous expense of feeding and caring for the zoo’s animals. You may choose to sponsor any animal found at the zoo. When you sponsor an animal for a birthday child, they will receive a birthday card from the zoo with a picture of their animal, an animal fact sheet, their name on a plaque at the zoo and a small surprise gift. (Gift selection is based upon availability.)
What is the Gift Registry?
The Nature Express gift shop has a wide variety of gifts, toys and clothing for children of all ages. Your child can create their own registry at the zoo where your guests can purchase gifts that the birthday child wants. For more information, stop by the zoo gift shop or call the Nature Express at 304-243-4035.
What is a Sleepover Birthday Party?
Sleepover Birthday Parties are a fun and unique way to celebrate your child’s birthday. You can spend the night at the zoo with your birthday child and their friends doing fun games, seeing live animals and more. Sleepover birthday parties include your cupcakes, ice cream, punch, potato chips, pretzels, party favors, evening pizza snack and a continental breakfast. These programs are lead by zoo education staff. Prices for Sleepover Birthday Parties start at $450. Call 304-243-4068 or email vmarkey@oglebay-resort.com for more details.
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The Basic Party Package is a 2-hour party designed for up to 25 people (any combination of children and adults.) The Basic Party Package includes: 
