Denver Zoo Lights: Low-Sensory Night

In an effort to create a more inclusive experience for members of our community living with sensory processing disorders (SPD), we will be tailoring our New Year’s Eve event to meet the needs of those who may feel overwhelmed by typical Zoo Lights offerings. 

Created in collaboration between our Event Staff and external partners with SPD expertise, Zoo Lights: Low-Sensory Night will treat guests to all the magic of Zoo Lights—without some of the features that individuals with SPD may find triggering. 

During your journey around our accommodating campus, be sure to swing by Wildlife Plaza, our New Year’s Eve hub! Throughout the night, we’ll peacefully ring in the New Year—with rolling celebrations that touch on the time zones around the world where Denver Zoo Field Conservation programs are working to save wildlife and wild places.

Here are just a handful of the SPD-friendly accommodations guests can expect:

• Attendance will be capped at a much lower number to preserve personal space.
• Quiet rooms throughout our 84-acre campus to provide respite from stimulation.
• Movement (including strobing, flashing and blinking) effects will be dramatically reduced. 
• Free sensory kits will be available for checkout, on a first-come, first-served basis. 
• Since our train whistle cannot be turned off for safety reasons, our sponsor Union Pacific Railroad is graciously in support of closing the Denver Zoo Railroad for the evening. 
• Our Conservation Carousel will be operational, but with music volume significantly lowered. 
• For areas where we cannot reduce stimuli, we are working with community partners to ensure guests know exactly what to expect—and what to avoid, if need be.

Zoo Lights / Presented by Your Hometown Toyota Stores 
Low-Sensory Night / Presented by Union Pacific Railroad