Wildlife Prairie Park's Cheapest Weekends of the Year Are the Next Three

As of Monday, November 9, adult admission at Wildlife Prairie Park dropped from $17 to $14. Seniors went from $15 to $12, and children ages 3 through 12 went from $12 to $9. On every Saturday and Sunday in November, the Prairie Zephyr train also runs free. In summer it costs $7 for an all-day ticket. Lower admission and a free train only overlap on November weekends, and three of them are left: November 14–15, 21–22 and 28–29.

From now through the end of the month, a visit to the park on Taylor Road costs less than at any other point on its calendar.

What a November Saturday Costs Compared With a Summer One

The new rates are posted on the park's Hours & Prices page. The winter schedule runs from November 9, 2026, through March 2027. Infants 2 and under get in free, and so do Wildlife Prairie Park members, in both seasons. The train math assumes the regular $7 all-day ticket for everyone 3 and older, since kids 2 and under ride free.

That family of four saves $40 on the same day: same animal trail, same train loop, about half the price. In summer, the train ticket comes close to a third of the bill. In November, it costs nothing.

December weekends keep the lower admission, but the free rides are only advertised for November. If the train is the reason you're going, the deadline is Sunday, November 29.

The Afternoon Ends at 3 p.m., Not 4:30

On days it's open, the park runs 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but nobody gets in within 90 minutes of closing. So the last entry is 3 p.m., and the train's last full ride leaves at 3:15. If you leave the house after lunch, you're working with a short window.

On the remaining November Saturdays, the schedule fits together like this:

1. 10 a.m.: The Prairie Zephyr starts its free weekend runs through the woods. It runs Saturdays and Sundays only and is closed Monday through Friday.
2. Noon to 1 p.m.: On November 14, the park's Critters & Cookies program is "Flip or Flop: Skunk Edition."
3. 2 to 4:30 p.m.: Family Movie Saturdays shows a family-friendly film in the Little Big Theater inside the Visitor Center. The park suggests picking up snacks and drinks at the Gift Shop. It runs November 14, 21 and 28.
4. 3 p.m.: Last entry at the gate.
5. 3:15 p.m.: Last full train ride.

If you want the train and the movie on the same day, ride in the morning. The movie starts at 2, and the last full ride leaves at 3:15.

On Saturday, November 28, a Wildlife Waddle on the Flood Plain Trail runs from 10 to 11 a.m. It's the only guided hike on the November calendar, and it falls two days after Thanksgiving. The park is closed on Thanksgiving Day itself. That makes the weekend of November 28–29 the one to plan around if family is in town. The hike starts the morning, the train is free that afternoon, and both days come in at the lower winter rates.

Wednesdays Get Their Own Programs

When the train stops for the week, the noon Critters & Cookies sessions keep running. Several land on Wednesdays, which suits anyone with a free midday hour or a preschooler at home:

• Wednesday, November 18: "Flip or Flop: Skunk Edition," noon to 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 9: "Aquatic Turtles: On Ice!," noon to 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 16: "Ernie the Red-Nosed Rein-Elk," noon to 1 p.m.

The animals are there all week, too. The Animal Trails loop is 1.5 miles of naturalistic enclosures, home to more than 60 species, all native to the Midwest. At $14 for an adult, a weekday walk on that loop now costs less than it did all summer.

Your Ticket Also Covers the Westside

General admission includes the park's Westside property across Taylor Road. That's where the disc golf course, the pump track and the bike trails are. Ask the ticket gate staff for a pass, and note that the Westside is open until sunset.

• Biking: The park's biking page lists 12 miles of Westside trails. That includes 3 miles of beginner two-track, 8 miles of beginner and intermediate single-track, and a pump track. The park maintains the trails together with the Peoria Area Mountain Biking Association.
• Disc golf: The park describes its 18-hole course on the west side of Taylor Road as championship-level, open from dawn to dusk.

Admission dropped on November 9, so a round of disc golf or a few laps on the pump track now costs $14 for an adult, the same as a visit to the animal trail. One ticket covers both sides of the road. A household with one person who rides and one who'd rather walk the animal trail can split up for the afternoon, all on that one admission.

The Calendar Through December

Lower admission runs straight through December. The free train doesn't, and five dates close the park completely.

Saturday, December 12, is the busiest day on the December calendar. Christmas at The Park fills the whole open day, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Rein-Elk Critters & Cookies session and a movie happen the same day. The park's Christmas at The Park page has the details. Event days can have their own pricing, and the park takes special-rate questions at (309) 676-0998.

The other thing to plan around is the run of closures at the end of the year. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve fall within eight days of each other, and New Year's Day follows. If you're hosting relatives that week, December 26 is the Saturday between the closures. That day has a Family Movie Saturday at 2 p.m. and winter admission.

If Your Guests Need a Bed

The park also rents lodging on its own grounds, advertised starting at $98 a night. Its lodging FAQ lists Legacy Cabins, Train Cabooses, Cabin on the Hill, the Americana Homestead, North House, Prairie Stables and Grain Cottages. The same FAQ puts the average rate at about $175 a night, varying by season. The accommodations page notes that the Americana Homestead has a first-floor ADA-accessible area. Dates and availability are listed in the park's online reservation system.

Picture a cousin's family in a caboose for Thanksgiving weekend, in time for the Waddle on Saturday morning and free train rides that afternoon. Every part of that trip happens on one property off Taylor Road.

We're always glad to share what's happening on the west side of Peoria County, from Prairie Zephyr weekends to Westside trail days. If holiday guests at the park start asking what living nearby is like, The Move Smart Group can walk them through the Hanna City area in person. Schedule a Free Consultation whenever the questions turn from train times to home searches.