What does the price of the overnight include?
The price of the overnight includes general admission, parking, educational activities, an encounter with one of our ambassador animals, pizza dinner, non-alcoholic beverages, late-night snack & and continental breakfast. A deposit of $1,600 must be made made upon booking, with the balance due one month prior to the event. We will not accept payment for registration the day of the program.
What do we need to bring?
- Sleeping bag and pillow. If you are bringing an air mattress, make sure to bring a battery-operated pump.
- Comfortable clothes and non-slip, close-toed shoes (no flip-flops, crocs or heels).
- Personal items (toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, facial soaps and any medications). Overnights are co-ed, so make sure to bring the appropriate sleepwear.
We also recommend that participants bring a reusable water bottle and a flashlight.
Why can’t children under 5 attend?
The overnight is designed for groups with children 5 and older. Because of the program content and late night activities, we cannot allow families or groups with children younger than 5 years old to attend.
Do all children need to be accompanied by an adult?
We require at least 1 adult per 5 children (participants under 18) for each group.
Do you provide sleeping bags?
Participants are required to bring their own sleeping bags.
What about bad weather?
The overnight will take place rain, snow or shine. Some activities will take place outdoors, so be prepared with appropriate outdoor attire. Sleeping accommodations for Group Overnights are indoors. In the event of severe weather, the overnight may be canceled and a full refund will be issued.
What if I cannot arrive on time?
In order to pack as much fun as possible into one night, we must start on time! Check-in starts at 5:30pm and ends promptly at 6:00pm. If you are not able to arrive in that time slot, please contact us at least 2 weeks prior to the overnight to let us know. If an emergency situation comes up and you’ll be arriving late, email is the best form of communication (bzeducation@wcs.org).
What if I need to leave early?
Please contact us no later than 2 weeks prior to the overnight if you need to leave early so that we can requires us to coordinate with our Security team since all parking lots will be closed.
Can I get a refund if a participant is sick and cannot attend the overnight?
We cannot grant refunds if you or your child is not able to attend the overnight.
How far do we have to carry our gear?
You’ll need to carry your gear from the Southern Blvd Parking lot to the sleeping site, which is a 5-10 minute walk. Please make sure to label ALL gear with your first and last name so items are not mistaken by someone else. Make sure to keep it light. We suggest no more than one backpack and sleeping bag per guest.
Where will we be sleeping?
All program participants will be sleeping in the education space of the Congo Gorilla Forest.
What should we wear?
Comfortable clothes are a must. The program will run rain, snow, or shine, so make sure to bring appropriate outerwear if rain or snow are in the forecast. Comfortable walking shoes are highly recommended since we will be doing a lot of walking.
What time does the program start?
Check-in begins at 5:30pm and closes at 6:00pm. It is essential that you let us know if you are going to be late, otherwise you will not be able to get into the zoo.
During the Program
Are there showers? Will we have overnight access to a bathroom?
All bathrooms are a quick walk from the sleep site and located inside the education space. There are toilets and sinks, but no showers available. The bathrooms will be open throughout the night.
Are there any outlets at the sleeping location?
There are a limited number of outlets which are reserved for Education staff use. If you plan on bringing an air mattress, make sure to bring a battery-operated pump to inflate the mattress. For your cell phones and other electronics, think about bringing an external charger.
Do we need to bring any food?
A pizza dinner, non-alcoholic beverages, late-night snack & and continental breakfast are all included in the registration price. We also encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle for use throughout the event. Please inform us at least 2 weeks in advance if there are any dietary restrictions in your group. Please note that group overnights are alcohol and drug-free events.
Someone in my group has a food allergy. Should I let you know ahead of time?
Yes please. We make every effort to ensure that our dinner, snacks, and breakfast do not contain nuts or nut products. However, if you have a child with severe allergies, we suggest that you bring a snack and breakfast item in a sealed lunch box or food container. Please let us know at least 2 weeks before the overnight if you have any other dietary needs, and we’ll do our best to accommodate the requests.