Ticket self kiosk Clean grounds…read more Check out the fine art in collesium Rides were fun - wait lines were decent for Thursday evening People watching great Looked at the animals Sky ride is a must!

The Arizona State Fair's pricing has become ridiculous and increasingly unaffordable for ordinary…read morefamilies. In 2016, admission was $10 for adults and $5 for children. By 2023, admission had increased to $15 for everyone age 8 and older, and unlimited-ride wristbands cost $50. In 2025, gate admission increased again to $17.50. Now, for 2026, adults are charged $20, children ages 5-12 are charged $12, and unlimited-ride wristbands are $55 per person. They have also reduced the free-child benefit. Children age 7 and younger were admitted free in 2023 and 2025, but in 2026, only children age 4 and younger enter free. Families with children ages 5-7 are now paying an additional $12 per child just to walk through the gate. Admission doesn't include a single ride, so families are essentially being charged two admission fees: one to enter the fair and another to enjoy the main attraction. For one adult and one child, regular admission plus two ride wristbands costs $142 before parking, food, games or souvenirs. This is a temporary state fair, not a permanent amusement park like Disneyland or Universal Studios, yet the total cost is moving into major theme-park territory without offering anything close to the same experience or value. The fair should include rides with admission or offer a genuinely affordable family package. A state fair is supposed to be a community event, but continually raising prices is making it inaccessible to many Arizona families.

1 Star - Dangerous and disappointing experience on the Big Wheel…read more I rode the Boardwalk Big Wheel at Arizona Boardwalk today with my two young boys, ages 2 and 4. The experience was honestly terrible and, more importantly, felt unsafe. It was 105°F outside, and we were placed in the orange #15 gondola. The gondolas are primarily enclosed by glass and have no effective air conditioning. The AC in ours was clearly broken and was blowing hot air instead of cooling the cabin. Within minutes, all three of us were drenched in sweat and the heat inside was becoming extremely uncomfortable. The biggest issue was that the attendant locked us inside the gondola despite the extreme heat. We waved at her to let us out, but she didn't. We went around the entire wheel and, when we came back around, we waved again. She saw us, but still didn't open the door. I ultimately had to yell and knock on the glass to get her attention before she finally let us out after the second trip around. When we got off, I explained what had happened to the attendant. Her response was essentially an unenthusiastic, unapologetic "sorry." There was no concern about whether my children or I were okay, no offer to move us to a functioning gondola, and no refund or other attempt to make the situation right. I paid $22.71 for the ride, but the money isn't really the issue. What concerns me is putting young children into an enclosed, extremely hot gondola with a malfunctioning cooling system and then failing to respond when the passengers are clearly asking to get out. I would strongly recommend that Arizona Boardwalk inspect and properly maintain these gondolas and, more importantly, make sure attendants respond immediately when passengers are signaling that they need to exit. I would not recommend riding the Boardwalk Big Wheel, particularly with young children in extreme heat.

Such a fun place to visit! There are so many restaurants and activities all in one area, plus…read moreparking is easy. Not too fun during the summer though because it's open parking! It's also a great spot to entertain and tire out the kids! Lol There's even a Ferris wheel, but it was way too hot for us to ride. We also found a photo booth near the restrooms ($8), which was a fun little bonus. It's conveniently located near OdySea, Topgolf, and Talking Stick, and it's super easy to get to from the freeway. If you're visiting during the summer, I'd recommend saving the outdoor walking for the cooler months and spending the hotter afternoons indoors at OdySea.

My boys 8 & 5 loved this place! Will go back again and in January they're getting new animals.read more

Let me tell you something, I hate and cannot stand lizards. They are literally my fear and phobia,…read morebut I have two boys, and they want to see them. So, I went, and let me tell you, absolutely amazing. It was such a great experience! So educational and hands on (for the kiddos). I kept my distance while the owner would take the lizards out but my kids were so engaged. I would recommend this to anyone. Even if you hate lizards like me. Definitely 10/10. I'd go back for sure.

We stopped by the zoo a few months ago and wanted to give a review of all the amazing animals and…read morethe fantastic staff! We have been here a few time over the years. We love the conservation efforts Wildlife World zoo does and does consistently. They are always trying to improve living quarters for the animals. They always have many toys for the birds, which is so great to see, since exotic birds need lots of metal stimulation. We fed the lorikeets this time around and that was so fun and beautiful. We can't wait until we stop in again for a fun day trip to The Wildlife World Zoo.

It's a giant zoo & the aquarium has some really cool features. However, I just don't think it's…read moreworth the cost. I purchased the annual membership and it costs more than the family plan at the Phoenix Zoo. As a stay at home mom, I was looking for things to entertain my daughter during the week. Most of the restaurants and exhibits were closed the days I came by. I purchased a membership so of course I want to come on a day other than Saturday to avoid the huge crowds, but I felt like I couldn't use my membership to its full advantage because it was practically deserted during the week staff/amenity wise. Could only buy a drink/food at one of the food courts at the front of the zoo which was frustrating considering how huge this place is and when it's hot, the rides were closed most of the time (plus they cost extra, even for members), and the giraffe feedings weren't ever available either. I tried multiple days during the week as well and had the same experience. I'm not sure if the little snack shacks & places are open on Saturdays or if they are closed permanently, but there were a ton of unused/unopened spaces that look like they'd be cool... if they were operable. $261.59 felt like a lot to just walk around in dirt to look at animals in an outdated space. Plus only I could take my daughter alone or else we would need to spend an additional $262 for my husband to have a membership. If you have kids 3+, it would be an additional $133 per child! Greeeeeedy if you ask me considering the Phoenix zoo prices. We didn't renew and will make the drive to the Phoenix zoo. The gas money will be worth the much lower membership price over there.

We came around 9:15 for a play date on a Friday, it was super hot so the splash pad was busy.. or…read moreso I thought. Not long after we showed up and started playing, a ton of other people came too. The parking lots were almost full when we got there, but I think there was an event at the swim center. My son loved the fire truck theme and enjoyed playing under the sun shaded splash pad! The only concern was the number of people that kept showing up, nobody had any room to move near the splash pad and shade became limited fast.

beautiful splash pad AND park! absolutely awesome splash pad and park for littles to explore - lots…read moreof shaded areas to sit or set out a blanket at the park (not pictured), the splash pad is also very shaded with lots of bench space available inside to sit. So many squirt gun, jumpy pads, and little water falls for younger kids to play in and of course the awesome center structure that has slides and a bucket that dumps when full. Amazing park to spend a few hours at, the littles will not be bored. They also have concessions and very clean and nice restrooms available. Plenty of trash cans throughout and ample parking!

It's amazing how much there is to see considering this aquarium is in the mall…read more It is accredited by the association of zoos and aquariums. The animal displays were beautiful. There was lots of information to read and learn about sea life and preservation. It was a great deal for the money. We went on a Monday morning and it wasn't crowded at all. The staff were pleasant and helpful. All in all a great visit.

I went for the Animal Crossing event, and it was so disappointing. Barely any reference to Animal…read moreCrossing - only random signs. An employee stood next to character cutouts to give you a stamp. Of the five possible stamp locations, three of them were awkward. No employee. Wrong stamps. If you're going to have an event, please be prepared. Additionally, it would be nice to not flirt with the VR guy and instead be in your spot. Also the gift shop was messy and again, employees were avoiding customers. Highly disappointing. The fish were cool. So I guess they have that going for them...

This group puts on great events. I attended the Halloween ride and tonight, I took my grandkids on…read morethe Christmas train ride. Everything was well decorated, and ran smoothly. There was hot cocoa, cookies, and gifts. The train rides are free although they do accept donations

This was so fun!! I really can't believe it's free! Be prepared for a little wait, and then when…read moreit's your turn, you sit in the little train and head off - at a fun speed! - for a 20 minute ride! It's fun and relaxing at the same time. :) I definitely gave a donation after because there really should be an entrance fee!! After riding the train, my girls loved walking around the little Western village and playing pretend. My only complaint is that babies can't ride if they can't walk, which was not currently stated on the website. But it's surprising because a baby strapped to a carrier on someone's chest or back shouldn't be a problem at all, but my wife had to stay back because of that.

We recently went to our Godson's 11th bday party at SpoCha (Sports Challenge). It's located in the…read moreArrowhead mall above Round 1 amusement center. The party was three hours of free for all play and was completely enclosed so that the kids could run around while the parents chilled in the party room. (That's not true, Tenacious D karaoke broke out). Activities included: arcade games, billiards, trampolines, batting cages, basketball, pickleball, volleyball, baseball, virtual reality, and a skate rink. Everything was included in the price. The roller rink had all sizes of Rollerblades, roller skates, helmets, and pads. They were all sprayed and disinfected between each use. Gloves, balls, paddles, and Frisbees were provided at each area. They not only provide the general grip socks but also tennis shoes in all sizes to borrow for the court sports if anyone didn't bring closed toe shoes. The party room was spacious and a nice retreat from the chais with tables, chairs, couches. Each room also has karaoke! Which is what our adults seemed to enjoy the most (at least the ones singing did ) There is a snack bar you can purchase from, and they provide pizza and soda pitchers for parties. The pizza was late and service was slow. I wasn't the one organizing and paying, and I have seen some bad reviews, but we did have fun as guests of the party.

policy is stupid, wouldn't reccomend to literally anyone over other arcades, it makes sense why…read moreit's so empty at the rush hour of the day, waste of money and extremely overpriced for their attractions.