Group Sales Department
1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
Phone: (401) 785-3510 ext. 691 • GSales@rwpzoo.org

Group Policies & Procedures

These policies only apply to self-guided groups. Groups visiting with an education program will have separate policies to follow. All other zoo policies (listedonline, on zoo grounds, and/or relayed by a zoo employee/representative apply.

How can I book a field trip?
• You can book a self-guided field trips on the zoo’s website (https://www.rwpzoo.org/groups/).
o Any trips with an education program must be arranged directly with the Education Department.
• Visit any time during the zoo’s hours of operation, which vary seasonally.
What are the group rates?
RWPZ provides the following discounted group rates to parties with 10 or more paying guests:• Adult: $19.00• Child (ages 2-12): $13.00• Seniors (ages 62+): $15.00
Can I get an extra discount?
Providence schools: Roger Williams Park Zoo is owned by the City of Providence, and so Providence
residents do pay taxes that help fund the Zoo. As a thank you for supporting us, Providence School K-12
students receive complimentary admission during the school year only (September – June) when visiting with a
Providence elementary, middle, or high school. Under these terms, students admit free and one chaperone forevery ten students also receives complimentary admission. Any additional chaperones above the 1:10 ratio will
be charged the adult group rate, due at time of visit. Because it is through the City of Providence, thisagreement is only valid for Providence and therefore cannot be extended to any other school networks.
Non-profit or low-income schools: Sadly, we do not have the endowments to distribute discounted orcomplimentary admission to any organizations.
Groups with guests who have special needs: Groups visiting with those who have special needs will be able
to admit using our special needs rate. Under this rate, every special needs guest admits for just $13.00 each.
For every 10 special needs guests, one adult chaperone will receive complimentary admission. Additional
chaperones will be able to admit for just $13.00 each. Do keep in mind that for the safety and comfort of all,special needs groups are required to have 1 adult chaperone for every 5 guests.
Do chaperones admit free? What’s your chaperone policy?
Chaperone ratios are designed with safety and security in mind. For that reason, Roger Williams Park Zoo insists allgroups must follow the policy below:• Groups with children age 8 and above: We require one adult chaperone for every ten students. Thatchaperone receives complimentary admission.
• Groups with children under age 8 OR groups for those with special needs: For the safety and comfort of all,these groups are required to have 1 adult chaperone for every 5 guests. However, complimentaryadmission is still limited to just 1 adult for every 10 students/special needs guests. Each remaining
chaperone will admit at the adult group rate.
• A chaperone must be 18 years of age or older. High school students attending with their schools cannot
serve as chaperones, even if they are 18 years of age. For this reason, all high school students (regardlessof age) must be chaperoned by a non-student adult.
When is payment due?
• Full admission is due at time of visit and is to be paid in one lump sum.
• Groups only pay for the actual number of attendees on the day of your visit, so do not worry if your final
numbers change from your estimates on the reservation form.
• Payment is accepted in the form of checks, credit cards, or cash.
Page 1 of 3

Last revised Mar-24

Group Sales Department
1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
Phone: (401) 785-3510 ext. 691 • GSales@rwpzoo.org

Make checks payable to the Rhode Island Zoological Society. Returned checks incur an additional$25 fee. If possible, do not fill in check amount until visit day, when cashier calculates final cost.
o Purchase orders will not be accepted.
All overpayments will be refunded in the form of a check and will take 3-4 weeks to process.
o•What if some students have a zoo membership?
• To enter the zoo on a family membership, an adult cardholder must be present and show a membershipcard with matching photo ID. Please keep in mind the child cannot redeem the member benefits if thecardholder is not present.
• Parents who are admitting themselves and/or their children on a zoo membership should also plan on
staying for the zoo visit to ensure the group maintains proper chaperone ratios.
• Those admitting on a zoo membership will not count toward the minimum 10 paid guests required to earn
the group rate.
What do I need to know for the day of my visit?
• Only the group leader should enter the admissions line. The group leader should know the exact headcountand have payment in hand prior to entering the line.
• Security will be on grounds to assist with bus parking. At time of arrival, busses will be directed toward themain entrance plaza for passenger drop-off. Security will then direct and assist busses with parking in adesignated on-grounds location.
Do you offer rain dates? What if it’s raining when I visit?
The zoo is open rain or shine, so we do not reserve rain dates. If your trip needs to be postponed, contact Group
Sales prior to your arrival time and we will be happy to reschedule your visit. We do not issue refunds or rainchecks.
• RWPZ makes every effort to be open rain or shine, but extreme weather conditions may call for unexpected
closures. While these unexpected closures are infrequent, RWPZ does reserve the right to close the zoo forany reason, including current or forecasted weather conditions. These closures will be posted on the Zoo’s
website and social media accounts as soon as they are announced. When possible, we will make an effort
to reach out to guests but sometimes this is not possible. Please be sure to always check our website
before your visit for the most accurate announcements.
Is there a place to eat lunch?
• Groups are welcome to bring their own lunches onto zoo grounds.
o Please note, there is no public storage or refrigeration, so students will want to plan on carrying
their lunches with them.
o Alternatively, groups can also purchase catered meals or boxed lunches from the zoo’s catering
partner. Please ask for more information.
• The Zoo does have picnic tables and public eating spaces spread throughout the Zoo. They are available
on a first-come, first-serve basis and during peak times, can fill quickly. To guarantee you a great place toeat, the zoo does accept private venue reservations for a small fee. A large, covered eating space in
our Event Tent would accommodate a group of your size and could be rented for an added fee ($150 for 90
minutes; accommodates up to 80 guests). Advanced registration is required, so be sure to contact theGroup Sales Department to lock in your request.
NEW IN 2024: I heard the Dragons & Mythical Creatures! exhibit is coming to the zoo. Tell us more!
For those who don’t know, Dragons & Mythical Creatures is a brand-new exhibit feature premiering at our zoo in
2024, taking place from April 7th through August 11th! As you adventure through this legendary landscape, yourimagination will come alive as you find yourself among dragons, unicorns, wyverns, and krakens, amongst manyother magical creatures. Come face-to-face with roaring magical beasts and immerse yourself alongside these lifesize, animatronic moving marvels. As students traverse the trail, they’ll discover how myths and legends haveshaped these creatures and learn about the scientific influences behind the fantastical creatures. The captivatingPage 2 of 3

Last revised Mar-24

Group Sales Department1000 Elmwood Avenue, Providence, RI 02907
Phone: (401) 785-3510 ext. 691 • GSales@rwpzoo.org

displays and interactive experience will encourage visitors to explore their imaginations. Don’t miss out on a magicaltime – book today to soar into adventure!
• Visitors must purchase daytime zoo admission to enter zoo grounds, plus a separate Dragons ticket to enjoy
the Dragons & Mythical Creatures exhibit. Dragons & Mythical Creatures tickets are sold both online or canbe added to a field trip reservation. There is limited capacity, so be sure to reserve your tickets as soon as
possible!
Groups SAVE! Save $2 on each ticket when you buy 10+ Dragons tickets in a single order. This drops the price tojust $7 per guest.
•The pricing is the same for adults and children. Every child ages 2 and older requires a ticket.
•Since this is a special zoo feature, normal group policies may not apply. There are nocomplimentary chaperone admissions to Dragons and Providence School students do not admit free.
•School groups enjoy an even more magical discount when visiting between April 7th and June 28th!
During this time, Dragons tickets are available for just $5 per person when purchasing a minimum of 10tickets, our greatest savings!
Ready to buy? Log onto rwpzoo.org if you’d like to buy your Dragons tickets online, in advance. The group discountwill automatically apply after you have added 10 or more paid tickets to your card and advance to the next screen.
•After buying tickets, immediately distribute tickets to chaperones. Please do this prior to visiting thezoo, as groups will not be able to gather or hold at the feature’s entrance.
•Tickets can also be added to your field trip reservation and paid for upon your arrival. Schoolgroups enjoying the $5 discounted rate are required to purchase their tickets as part of a field trip
reservation, to verify eligibility.
•Note: Dragons & Mythical Creatures also has family-friendly rides available on-site. These
weather-permitting rides are a separate admission and ride tickets are sold during your visit.
•Interested in learning more? Visit rwpzoo.org and search “Dragons” to access the general
information page.
COVID-19 Safety & Masking Requirements
Please visit rwpzoo.org for COVID information and masking requirements, which are subject to change. Masks may
be required inside our Faces of the Rainforest exhibit, for the safety of our free-roaming animals. Masks are notprovided, so you will want to remind your group members to bring their own, or plan on bringing masks for yourgroup.
Additional notes: RWPZ is undergoing construction to bring new opportunities, programming and exhibits to zoo
grounds. During this time, you may see a limited number of areas temporarily closed for renovation. RWPZ is still
operating with a limited capacity via timed entry, so you may be denied entry if maximum capacity has already beenreached.

Page 3 of 3

Last revised Mar-24