When Hurricane Irma swept through Florida and the Caribbean in the fall of 2017, Jungle Island—the much-loved, 80-year-old animal park, in Miami was hit hard. The park had to close for almost six months as the animals took refuge.
Coincidentally, Jungle Island had recently sold (to ESJ Capital Partners for $60 million), so the new ownership took the downtime to roll out phase one of the park’s changes. The overall plan for the new park is being presented as a full-scale eco-destination; complete with a manmade Crystal Lagoon and lazy river, SkyWire–Miami’s first immersive zip line course; and Joia on the Beach–a beachfront dining experience. ESJ is also currently trying to get a 13-story, waterfront, on-site hotel approved.
As for now, families can finally return to one of Miami’s most popular destinations and check out two, major new attractions. The first is called SuperFlight; it’s the city’s first permanently installed vertical wind tunnel with free fall simulation. The attraction features a 45-minute session which includes gearing and training by Latvian wind tunnel instructors. They also offer breathtaking nighttime rides with views of the whole city. In other words, it’s skydiving without the airplane. Or any real falling. Or the risking-of-one’s-life. Adventurous kids won’t be able to get enough of it.
The park also debuted NeoSplash, a water park with multiple jumbo-sized blow-up slides (up to 65 feet) and pools. They’re kind of like monster bounce houses on the water. I must admit, while my first instinct was that these plastic water slides weren’t very “Jungle Island-y,” after a hot day in the sun walking around the park, my kids couldn’t have been happier to cool off and play for a bit. Keep in mind that they’re temporary, and will be replaced by the lagoon down the line (expected summer 2019). NeoSplash is included with admission and will be open through Labor Day.
Another new element is the food. While the dining room is under construction, Pink Flamingo Kitchen has set up shop in a pop-up food truck surrounded by picnic seating and kids’ games (it’s located where the Liger used to be…more on that later). Their selection is mostly meat options (in fact, it’s all meat) like BBQ bacon burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches with traditional sides like French fries, and post-lunch ice cream treats (the popsicles were particularly yummy). The burgers are juicy and large; definitely count on younger kids sharing one! Concrete Beach Brewery from Wynwood has also set up a cart for those in need of a cold one (who isn’t?).
Further additions coming soon include escape rooms with three unique plots and themes that integrate Jungle Island’s natural environment—they’ll open in August. The Flying Squirrel, an expansive indoor trampoline park is expected later this year, and a flow rider wave machine should be ready by early 2019.
At the end of the day, the best part of Jungle Island is the animals and the trainers, and those remain very much the same. The only removals were the wildcats (lions, leopards, and the famous Liger), which will certainly be missed, but if you ask most animal experts, they were living a rather contained life. A Nerf Battle Zone is now inside the old liger den. While it’s a bit jarring, there’s no denying that some kids will love the chance to battle each other on this enclosed obstacle course much like an indoor paintball park. One game is included with admission, with additional games costing $10.
The bird shows are still glorious. Jungle Island has one of the only trained Cassowary’s in the world; a lethal bird that is the closest living relative of the Velociraptor. (Side note: its trainer, Ryan, has worked at Jungle Island for many years, and somehow won over this usually aggressive species). The lemurs are as cute as ever–on our visit, the new babies were still vying for a queen. And the big Orangutans are still winning everyone’s hearts.
Speaking of winning hearts, the absolute best way to see Jungle Island is still through a private tour with Ryan Jacobs (another, different Ryan)–arguably the heart and soul of the park. Ryan’s mother was responsible for training the Orangutans since their birth, thus, Ryan grew up in the park. He knows everything about every animal and will give you and your kids an intimate, unforgettable experience.
Stay tuned for updates as Jungle Island continues to debut new exhibits and developments!
