The North Carolina Zoo doesn’t list a discount for individual teachers. What it does list is free admission for North Carolina public, private and registered home schools on a school trip, with 1 free staff ticket for every ten students, so if you’re the teacher leading the class, your own ticket is covered.
If you teach in North Carolina and you’re planning a field trip, the benefit comes with the school reservation, and the page says the confirmation letter you print is your ticket. A day out with your own family is a different ticket, and we cover that further down.
How To Get The North Carolina Zoo Teacher Discount
There isn’t an individual teacher discount to claim, so the way in is the school reservation. The school field trips page says to call Zoo Advance Tickets/Reservations at 336.879.7700, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Reservations have to be made at least 1 week before the visit date, and they’re for Monday through Friday visits only.
The page also says the zoo places a daily limit on the number of free school entries allowed, and if the day you want has met that limit, you’ll be asked to choose another date. School reservations aren’t available for holidays, weekends or certain high-visitation dates such as spring break, though schools are welcome to visit on those blackout dates by purchasing tickets online. A class is limited to 2 free visits per school year. Once you’re booked, print the confirmation letter that arrives by email and bring it with you, since the page says that letter is your ticket.
What The Free Staff Ticket Covers
A school reservation comes with one adult staff ticket for every 10 children in your class, and the page says those tickets are for your teachers and bus drivers. School staff are expected to stay with and supervise their students at all times. Parents and chaperones beyond that ratio can buy tickets online in advance or at the gate.
The zoo says North Carolina public and private school reservations are for teachers and the students in their class. Free admission doesn’t apply to parents, siblings, other children, clubs, after-school programs, extracurricular activities or summer camps, so bringing your own children along isn’t covered by the school reservation.
Which Schools Qualify
The zoo says only North Carolina public, private and registered home schools (K-12) are eligible for free admission benefits. Registered home schools get one complimentary adult admission per reservation, for the adult listed on the home school registration, and they’re limited to 2 free visits per school year. They also have to be registered with the state and make individual school reservations, not as a group.
Out-of-state public, private and home schools don’t get free admission, and neither do colleges and universities.
If Your Group Doesn’t Qualify For Free Entry
Out-of-state schools and college groups are welcome to visit by purchasing tickets online, and the school trips page says group ticket pricing is available for groups of 15 or more. The group information page lists group rates for 15 guests or more by season, with adults at $17 and $13, children ages 3 to 12 at $13 and $9, and children under 3 free.
If you buy group tickets in advance, the zoo gives complimentary admission to one group leader and one bus driver. A group rate bought at the gate on the day of the visit doesn’t include those complimentary admissions.
Visiting On Your Own
For a day with your own family or a few friends, we couldn’t find anything aimed at teachers. The zoo’s FAQ says it offers discounted rates for children, seniors, military members, and those with a NC EBT card (with matching valid photo ID), and teachers aren’t on that list. The tickets page and the membership page don’t mention teachers or educators either.
Planning The Day
A few rules from the school trips page can change how you pack. Students may not carry backpacks inside the zoo, and backpacks are allowed for teachers and chaperones only. Lunches from home aren’t allowed inside the zoo; schools that bring them eat outside the entrance gates at the picnic areas. Lunches are also available for purchase through the zoo’s Catering Department, and they have to be ordered and paid for two weeks before the visit.
If you leave the zoo to eat during your visit, the page says to see a representative from admissions for a hand stamp before exiting, which guarantees re-entry.
What We Couldn’t Confirm
The school trips page says there’s a daily limit on free school entries but doesn’t say what the limit is, so the only way to find out whether your date is open is to call. It also doesn’t spell out whether a class of fewer than ten students still gets a staff ticket, which is worth asking when you book. We also didn’t find a specific list of blackout dates in the page text, so ask for them when you call.
Q&A
Does the North Carolina Zoo have a teacher discount?
Not for individual teachers. The zoo’s FAQ names children, seniors, military members and NC EBT cardholders, and the tickets and membership pages don’t mention teachers. Teachers on an approved school trip get a free staff ticket for every 10 students.
How far ahead do I need to book?
The page says reservations must be made at least 1 week before the visit date, by phone at 336.879.7700, for Monday through Friday visits only.
Can my own children come along on the school ticket?
No. The page says free admission doesn’t apply to parents, siblings or other children, who can buy tickets online in advance or at the gate.
Can a home school visit for free?
Registered North Carolina home schools can, with one complimentary adult admission per reservation and a limit of 2 free visits per school year. They book individually, not as a group.
We’re from another state. Do we get in free?
No. Out-of-state schools are welcome to visit by purchasing tickets online, and group ticket pricing is available for groups of 15 or more.
Can students bring backpacks or lunches?
Students may not carry backpacks inside, and lunches aren’t allowed in the zoo. Schools that bring lunches can eat at the picnic areas outside the entrance gates.
More Information:
Everything above comes from the North Carolina Zoo’s own school field trips, group information and FAQ pages as they loaded when we checked. Rules and rates change, so confirm the details when you call to book. See more entertainment discounts for teachers.
