Know Before You Go
Thank you for being a member. We look forward to seeing you at the parks!
Please note: For the health and safety of our guests, staff, and animals, and in accordance with NY City and State mandates and guidelines, we have made changes to our entry process, as well as our daily operations. Please review these important details below.
Questions? Please call or email Member Services
Tickets
MEMBERS MUST HAVE A DATE-SPECIFIC TICKET. Tickets are free for Members but required in order to manage the number of guests in the park.
MEMBERS MUST HAVE A VALID MEMBER ID/CARD TO MAKE A TICKET RESERVATION. Members must present tickets, valid Membership card and photo ID for park entry.
DON’T HAVE YOUR MEMBER ID? Please email membership@wcs.org or call (718) 220-5112.
Important Note on Date Selection for Tickets: If the date or time you wish to visit is not listed in our calendar, please select another date. Dates are removed from the calendar once we have already reached the maximum number of guests for that date. The Reservation Center and Member Services will NOT be able to reserve tickets for that date.
TICKET CANCELLATION. Due to strict park capacity restrictions, please let us know so that others can visit on that day. If your plans change, please immediately email membership@wcs.org with the subject “Member ticket order cancellation” and include the order number in your email.
Park Policies
IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ PRIOR TO VISITING.
VACCINATION: Effective on 9/13/21, in accordance with the mandate recently announced by New York City, all guests age 12 and older must show proof of at least one vaccine dose in order to enter indoor exhibits at the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo & Prospect Park Zoo. Children age 11 and younger are permitted into indoor exhibits and with a vaccinated adult chaperone. There are many outdoors experiences for all guests to enjoy, regardless of vaccination status, at these parks!
Queens Zoo is an all outdoors experience. Indoor areas which are used for quick and limited purposes require masks but do not require proof of vaccination: restrooms, gift shop.
Due to the NY Aquarium entry and most experiences being indoors, vaccination will be required for all guests 12+ to visit/enter the NY Aquarium. All guests age 12 and older must show proof of at least one vaccine dose in order to enter the park. Children 11 years and younger are permitted to visit with a vaccinated adult chaperone.
MASKS: Masks are required for all rides* and all indoor areas for all guests over the age of 2 years, regardless of vaccination status. Unvaccinated guests over the age of 2 years are also required to wear a mask at all outdoor areas where social distancing cannot be maintained. Face coverings remain optional for vaccinated guests in outdoor areas.
Be sure to check the park-specific websites for details on policies at each park.
- Bronx Zoo: Know Before You Go | FAQs | Rules
- New York Aquarium: Know Before You Go | FAQs | Rules
- Central Park Zoo: Know Before You Go | FAQs | Rules
- Prospect Park Zoo: Know Before You Go | FAQs | Rules
- Queens Zoo: Know Before You Go | FAQs | Rules
WHAT IF I’M NOT VACCINATED AND ALREADY A MEMBER? There is a full-day of outdoor-only experiences at the Bronx Zoo. The NYC Executive Order only impacts access to some exhibits*. Additionally, the Queens Zoo is an all outdoor experience and will not be impacted by the proof of vaccination requirement. Central Park Zoo and Prospect Park Zoo have both indoor* and outdoor experiences to offer. Proof of vaccination is required to visit the New York Aquarium since it has an indoor entry and most exhibits are indoors.
WCS Memberships are non-refundable and we are unable to provide a refund for WCS memberships that were used during their valid dates. However, Members who will not be vaccinated by September 13th can choose to place their WCS Membership on hold by calling Member Services at 718-220-5112. You will not lose any remaining time that’s left on your membership.
*Bronx Zoo indoor exhibits include: Congo, JungleWorld, Butterfly Garden, World of Birds, World of Reptiles, Madagascar!, Mouse House, Aquatic Bird House, Carter Giraffe House. Central Park Zoo indoor exhibits include: Tropic Zone, Penguin & Seabirds, and 4-D Theater. Prospect Park Zoo indoor exhibits include: Animal Lifestyles and Hall of Animals buildings.
Additional Questions
FOR OTHER ZOO AND AQUARIUM VISIT-RELATED QUESTIONS, please refer to the FAQs for each specific park:
If you have additional questions or need assistance, please contact Member Services at 718-220-5112 from 9am-5pm daily or via email at membership@wcs.org. We ask that you please be specific in your subject line to help us prioritize your message (for example – Need my Member ID, Renewal Issue, Member Ticket Order Cancellation, etc). For urgent requests, we suggest calling instead of email.
Please note that we are experiencing a very high volume of calls and emails at this time, and longer wait times should be expected. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
