Asian Lantern Festival Presented by Meijer

1. Does a ticket to Asian Lantern Festival also provide entry to the Zoo? 

No. Asian Lantern Festival is a separate ticketed event.

Daytime Zoo admission hours are 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. and does not provide entry to the Asian Lantern Festival. Daytime general admission ticket holders must exit the Zoo by 5:00 p.m. If separate tickets for the Asian Lantern Festival were also purchased, entry is permitted starting at 6:30 p.m.
 

2. What is admission to the event? 

Buy ahead and save the most! Ticket prices increase based on event date proximity.

The cost on Walk-Through evenings when purchased with the most advance notice  is $24 for Zoo members and $27 for non-members, or a 4-pack bundle of tickets for $70 for Zoo members and $80 for non-members.  Advance ticket prices increase when purchased the day of the event at $27 for Zoo members, $29 for non-members and $87 for the 4-pack bundle of tickets for Zoo members and non-members. The price includes a non-refundable transaction fee of $1.00 per ticket that will be added at check-out for all online ticket purchases.

The Walk-Up rate the evening of the event is $30 per person for both members and non-members once the online pre-sale window closes. 

Children under 2 are admitted for free. 

Online ticket sales end at 5:30 p.m. on the same day as the event. After that, all tickets will be sold at the Walk Up rate.

The Box Office opens at 6:00 p.m. and closes at 9:30 p.m. during Walk-Through Events.  

Drive-Through event dates are sold by the vehicle. The Box Office is not open during Drive-Through nights but online sales will remain open pending availability. 

Scroll down further to the Drive-Through FAQs for this pricing and information.

3. Help! I can’t find my online ticket. What do I do? 

After an online purchase, guests should receive their ticket order via email within a few hours. If you notice that you have not received your emailed ticket order yet, try the following. Ticket orders from the Zoo are emailed from [email protected]. Try searching for that sender in your inbox. Ticket orders are attached as PDFs and some email clients will divert these attachments into a Spam/Clutter/Junk or similar folder. Try checking these alternate locations if you cannot locate your ticket order in your inbox.

Guests may also retrieve their own online ticket order by going back to the online store and clicking MENU in the top left corner and then selecting “Order Lookup”.

Past online order history can be retrieved by entering the email address and phone number used during the original purchase process.

If these suggestions did not work, please call 216.635.3391 for assistance in having the ticket order resent to you. 

If you realize that on the evening of your event, that you cannot locate your online ticket purchase, please check in at the Ticket Plaza between 6:00 p.m.- 9:30 p.m. to have Zoo staff assist you in person. During Drive-Through evenings, please notify Zoo staff directing traffic flow as the Box Office is not open on Drive-Through nights.

Guests can now add their tickets to their virtual wallets. Please make sure to add EACH ticket separately.

4. How do members get their discounted tickets? 

 Members receive a discount on Asian Lantern Festival tickets only when purchased in advance. Members who walk-up the evening of the event must pay the regular Walk-Up price of $30. Members should log in to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo website using the email and password associated with their membership. Once logged in correctly, members can access the reduced price ticket from the "Member Tickets" section of the webstore. If you have any questions regarding your Membership you may contact Cleveland Zoological Society between 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. at 216.635.3329.

5. Are there any other discounts? 

Group pricing is available for the Walk-Through event for groups of over 20 people. Large group ticket orders require order placement and payment at least ten (10) days in advance for processing. Please call 216.635.3304 for details. Discounts do not apply on Drive-Through evenings.

6. Are there any discounts for children? 

Children under age 2 enter Asian Lantern Festival free. Ages 2 and up require a ticket. Families can save by planning ahead and purchasing the 4-pack ticket bundle in advance online before 5:30 p.m.

7. What days can I come for an Asian Lantern Festival Walk-Through? 

Walk-Through Dates: 

July 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 31

August 2,3,7,8,9,10,14,15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24

8. What are the hours of the Asian Lantern Festival? 

The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 10:30 p.m.

On Walk-Through nights, guests may enter at any time after the start of the event and stay on the grounds until 10:30 p.m. Drive-Through nights have timed entries between these operating hours for which guests must reserve a specific entry time online. Your entry time for the drive through event is selected at the time of ticket purchase.

9. Can I visit all the animals during Asian Lantern Festival? 

No. The event footprint does not extend to the whole zoo. Lanterns are placed across several destinations of the Zoo including the Welcome Plaza, African Savanna, Wilderness Trek, Asian Highlands, Waterfowl Lake and more.  Along the event pathway, some animals may be less visible at night, and depending on their needs, they may stay out of public view during the evening. Oftentimes, elephants, tigers, bears, and snow leopards may be seen. Best viewing likelihood is before 8:00 p.m.

10. What parts of the Zoo will I NOT be able to see? 

The Asian Lantern Festival will not include any part of Australian Adventure or Primate, Cat & Aquatics areas; all buildings, will remain closed.

11. Are these the same lanterns as last year? 

No. This year's festival features 70 large-scale illuminated vignettes featuring thousands of individual lanterns.

12. Is Asian Lantern Festival a family-friendly event? 

Asian Lantern Festival is designed for everyone to enjoy- from a family outing, romantic date, or coworker get-together. 

13. Are attractions such as the carousel and zipline going to be open? 

The Eagle Zip Adventure and Circle of Wildlife Carousel, will be open during the Walk-Through nights of the festival, separate tickets required. These attractions are not included in the price of an Asian Lantern Festival ticket and must be purchased separately on-site. Memberships with the add-on Wild Savings privileges will be honored during the event.

Zipline pricing is $9 per person, $8 for Zoo members, and $7 per person for Zoo members with Wild Savings privileges.

The Circle of Wildlife Carousel pricing is $4 per person, $3 for Zoo members, and free for Zoo members with Wild Savings privileges.

Boomerang Train and 4D Theater will not be open during the festival.

14. Does the 4-pack work for any combination of adults/children? 

The 4-pack ticket bundle is only available during the online advance sale time period (which ends at 5:30 p.m. daily) and works for guests of all ages. All four people must be present at the same time to gain entry. Children under 2 years are free and do not need a ticket for entry.

15. Who can I contact with general questions about this event? 

You may contact us at 216.635.3391. Staff are available 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily. On event evenings, staff are available through 9:30 p.m.

16. Are refunds or rain checks available for inclement weather? 

No, this is a rain or shine event. No rain checks are available for either the Walk-Through experience or Drive-Through dates.

17. When will the special performances occur each night? 

Live performances can be seen during Walk-Through nights at 6:45, 7:45, 8:45, and 9:45 p.m. Each performance will total approximately 15 to 25 minutes and occur at the Savanna Theater inside the Zoo.

18. How much walking is required to see the lanterns? Will there be any trams available? 

Most lanterns are located throughout the lower portion of the Zoo along an approximate 1.5-mile paved path. For guests that require assistance walking, wheelchairs and electric scooters are available for rent through the Main Gift Shop, reservations are suggested at 216.661.7603. No, trams will not operate during the event.

19. Can I rent a stroller or wagon during the Asian Lantern Festival? 

Yes, our rentals are located in the Welcome Plaza at the main gift shop. We have strollers and wagons available to rent. Strollers are $12 plus tax, wagons are $15 plus tax. On high volume days, walk-up guests can rent strollers from the Wilderness Trek gift shop as well when the Bear overflow parking lot is used.

20. Can I rent a wheelchair or electric scooter during the Asian Lantern Festival? 

Yes, our rentals are located in the Welcome Plaza at the main gift shop. We have push wheelchairs and electric scooters available to rent. We highly suggest that guests reserve wheelchairs and electric scooters in advance. You can place a reservation by calling the gift shop at 216.661.7603. Electric scooter operators must be 18 years or older. 

Pricing: 

• Push Wheelchair: $12 plus tax (ID required) 
• Electric Scooter: $30 plus tax (ID required) weather permitting as electric scooters will not be available if it is raining.

*Electronic rentals are available weather permitting as Electric Scooters will not be available in inclement weather (i.e., rain).  Guests may call 216.661.7603 to reserve a push wheelchair or electric scooter. All reserved wheelchairs and scooters must be picked up at the main gift shop near the Zoo’s front entrance. Please inform the parking attendant if you have a reserved item from the gift shop. 

21. Will there be Food and Beverage available for purchase? 

Yes, however only on Walk-Through event dates.

Asian inspired food options will be available as well as some daily favorites and many more. Food stands are located throughout the event walking path.

Alcoholic beverages will also be available at select concession stands.  

 22. Can I bring my own food to the event? 

Yes, outside food and drinks (excluding alcohol) are permitted. Disposable straws, glass bottles and grills are prohibited.

23. Are there items I should not bring to the zoo?
Glass bottles, disposable straws, bicycles, skateboards, recreational scooters, Heely’s shoes, roller skates, hoverboards, electric powered toy cars/trucks, remote controlled cars, drones, sporting balls, grills and pets are prohibited inside the Zoo.

24. Will there be any areas open for retail shopping? 

Yes, we will have artisan made Asian crafts for sale along the lower African Savanna pathway in addition to the following retail locations selling souvenirs and themed items: Wild Gifts (main zoo gift shop) and Asian Highlands. Retail shops will not be open during Drive-Through event evenings.

25. Are pets allowed? 

No, pets are not allowed through either Walk-Through evenings or in vehicles during Drive-Through evenings. 

1. What is admission to the event on Drive-Through nights? 

$59 per car, one trip for non-members. For Cleveland Zoological Society members, $49 per car, one trip.

The price includes a non-refundable transaction fee of $1.00 per ticket that will be added at check-out for all online ticket purchases.

Box Office is closed during Drive-Through Events. Day-of tickets will need to be purchased online, pending availability.

2. What days can I come for the Asian Lantern Festival Drive-Through? 

Drive-Through Dates: 

July 9, 16, 23

August 6, 13, 20

3. Can I get out of my vehicle? 

No, guests must stay in their vehicles at all times. If there is an emergency, there will be marked pull-off areas during the tour.

“Guests participating in Asian Lantern Festival drive through experience at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo are hereby prohibited from exiting their vehicle except in designated safety zones or unless exigent circumstances exist. Regulation 509.01 (a)(5). Violation of this is a minor misdemeanor.”

4. What size vehicle can I use to tour the Zoo? 

Vehicle size is limited to 20 feet in length, and 6 ½ feet width, for example a Ford F250 truck. It is recommended for guests to drive their smallest vehicle, if possible.

5. What does my ticket include? 

One drive through Asian Lantern Festival experience at the designated entry time on your ticket. Please arrive within 30 minutes of your scheduled time.

6. How long is the experience? 

Times may vary, the average estimated time is 45-60 minutes.

7. Do I need to buy tickets online or can the tickets be purchased on site? 

All tickets must be purchased online in advance; tickets are timed in 30-minute time slots.  Tickets must be shown before entering the Zoo at two locations. Please make sure your ticket is available to show staff prior to entering.

8. I purchased tickets online, what do I do next? 

Please either print your tickets prior to arrival or have them readily available on a mobile device to be scanned at the Zoo. Please arrive within 30 minutes of your scheduled time. If you cannot locate your emailed ticket, please refer to the earlier response for question #3 under “General FAQs for Walk-Through and Drive-Through Dates”.

9. Do you drive through in your own vehicle, or do you have shuttles available to rent? 

You will drive your own vehicle. There are no shuttles available. 

10. Will there be restrooms available? 

There are restrooms available prior to the entrance of the Zoo near the Otter parking lot. Restrooms will be unavailable on Zoo grounds.

11. Can I drive through in a convertible with the top down or motorcycle? 

Convertibles are permitted, motorcycles are not.

12. Can we ride in the back of a truck? 

No, all guests must remain inside the vehicle.

13. Once I exit the Zoo, can I go through it again on the same day? 

No, unless another available ticket is purchased.

14. Can I smoke in my car? 

No, the Zoo is a tobacco-free campus. 

1. What is included in the VIP Package for Asian Lantern Festival? 

This exclusive option is available on most Friday and Saturday nights and is limited to 6 groups per evening.

The cost of the VIP Walk-Through Package is $481 and includes a non-refundable $1 transaction fee for online processing. 

Children are welcome. The Asian Lantern Festival is a family friendly event for all ages. 

The VIP Package includes:

• Asian Lantern Festival Walk-Through Admission for up to 8 people (ages 2 and older)
• Private covered area for your group
• Culturally inspired menu items served in your personal VIP tent between 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. 
  1. The VIP catered menu includes crab rangoon dip and wonton chips, vegetable pot stickers, vegetable fried rice, sliced flank steak, and chicken teriyaki
• Two (2) alcoholic beverages per person of drinking age brought to you in your tent by a server
  1. Alcohol choices include Miller Lite, Blue Moon, Summer Shandy, High Noon seltzer, Archer Pinot Grigio, Archer Pinot Noir
• Eight (8) sodas
• Eight (8) waters
• Unlimited rides on the Circle of Wildlife Carousel
• Everything the Asian Lantern Festival Walk-Through event has to offer

Advance online ticket sales end at 4:30 p.m. on the same day as the event. The VIP Package is not available as a “Walk Up” purchase.

Guests that have purchased the VIP Package will need to check in at the Guest Resource Center at the front of the Zoo upon arrival to have their admission QR code scanned and get their VIP access wristband. Each guest should have a copy of the admission QR code if they are arriving separately from the original purchaser.

2. Is the cost of the VIP Package less if I don’t have 8 people? 

No. The VIP Package is sold per personal tent and is the same price regardless of group size. Group size is limited to no more than 8 people to comfortably fit in the tent.

3.Help! I can’t find my online ticket. What do I do? 

After an online purchase, guests should receive their ticket order via email within a few hours. If you notice that you have not received your emailed ticket order yet, try the following. Ticket orders from the Zoo are emailed from [email protected]. Try searching for that sender in your inbox. Ticket orders are attached as PDFs and some email clients will divert these attachments into a Spam/Clutter/Junk or similar folder. Try checking these alternate locations if you cannot locate your ticket order in your inbox.

Guests may also retrieve their own online ticket order by going back to the online store and clicking MENU in the top left corner and then selecting “Order Lookup”.

Past online order history can be retrieved by entering the email address and phone number used during the original purchase process.

If these suggestions did not work, please call 216.635.3391 for assistance in having the ticket order resent to you. 

If you realize that on the evening of your event, that you cannot locate your online ticket purchase, please check in at the Guest Resource Center between 6:00 p.m.-9:30 p.m. to have Zoo staff assist you in person.  

Guests can now add their tickets to their virtual wallets. Please make sure to add EACH ticket separately.

4. What are the hours of the Asian Lantern Festival? 

The event starts at 6:30 p.m. and ends at 10:30 p.m.

5. Who can I contact with general questions about this event? 

You may contact us at 216.635.3391. Staff are available 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily. On event evenings, staff are available through 9:30 p.m.

6. Are refunds or rain checks available for inclement weather? 

No, this is a rain or shine event. 

7. How much walking is required to see the lanterns? Will there be any trams available? 

Most lanterns are located throughout the lower portion of the Zoo along an approximate 1.5-mile paved path. For guests that require assistance walking, wheelchairs and electric scooters are available for rent through the Main Gift Shop, reservations are suggested at 216.661.7603.  No, trams will not operate during the event.

8. Are there items I should not bring to the zoo?
Glass bottles, disposable straws, bicycles, skateboards, recreational scooters, Heely’s shoes, roller skates, hoverboards, electric powered toy cars/trucks, remote controlled cars, drones, sporting balls, grills and pets are prohibited inside the Zoo. Guests are not permitted to bring their own alcohol.

9. Are pets allowed? 

No, pets are not allowed inside the Zoo.