Beloved Danny the Dragon Ride to Reopen at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo 

July 10, 2025

Smiles and excitement fill the park as visitors celebrate the long-awaited return of the cherished mascot train ride, now featuring an all-new experience. 

Media Contact:  
Caitlin O’Hara, Conservation & Communications Manager
(408) 838-2859
[email protected]  

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in San José is thrilled to announce the reopening of the beloved Danny the Dragon ride on Tuesday, July 15. Guests are invited to join the celebration with a ribbon-cutting at 10:10 a.m. Festivities will run until 11 a.m. with special facepainting and Danny-themed sweet treats. Guests can enjoy the newly reimagined ride throughout the day during regular park and zoo hours.  

The decades-old family favorite ride now takes riders through five “lands” in a brand-new story, where Danny discovers that “home is where the heart is.” This renovation was made possible through partnerships with the City of San José Capital Team and generous donors of Happy Hollow Foundation. 

A county bond measure allowed for significant improvements to the overall facility in 2008-2010, when Danny’s engine was upgraded from diesel to electric, but the ride experience itself was not overhauled– until now. “This is Danny’s first scenery update in 64 years, and I am looking forward to seeing the excitement when families experience the renewed ride for the first time,” said Kiersten McCormick Manuel, General Manager at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. Manuel added, “We’re so thankful to all the partners who made this project possible. Danny’s new story takes every rider on a magical journey of exploration and belonging.”  

Part of Happy Hollow since its initial opening in 1961, Danny is more than a mascot; Danny is a figure that fosters a magical experience for all visitors. Danny is a guide who helps visitors learn about nature through play and contributes to the park and zoo’s focus on conservation and education.  

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is a family-friendly getaway that helps visitors of all ages discover nature and the importance of wildlife conservation through play. The park consists of a number of rides, play areas, and a historic puppet theater, while the accredited zoo is home to over 100 animals representing a wide variety of habitats. Danny the Dragon guides guests on a new adventure through some of these same habitats, such as a farm, jungle and “land of enchantment.”   

Happy Hollow is dedicated to conservation and sustainability, and Danny’s return supports that commitment. Happy Hollow awards grants for wildlife conservation projects and field research, works with aligned organizations to carry out Species Survival Plans and provides protected habitats for local wildlife to flourish. Furthermore, Happy Hollow takes pride in the fact that every guest supports this important work just by visiting the park and zoo, with a portion of every ticket and Membership going towards conservation.  

Happy Hollow Foundation Executive Director Rhonda Nourse said, “Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, Happy Hollow Foundation is proud to celebrate the successful completion of our first-ever capital campaign. This project is a shining example of what we can accomplish together, and we hope it inspires everyone who visits the park and zoo to become part of our donor family — helping us make even more meaningful improvements possible for generations to come.”  

With the renovations complete, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is looking forward to welcoming more visitors to this one-of-a-kind experience with Danny the Dragon. Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is currently open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

About the City of San José 
With almost 1 million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States and is Northern California’s largest city and the 12th largest city in the nation. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world. 

About Happy Hollow Park & Zoo 
Happy Hollow Park & Zoo has provided outdoor play to the Bay Area since 1961. Happy Hollow is a facility of the San José Department of Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services, and is supported by the Happy Hollow Foundation. The mission of Happy Hollow is connecting people to nature through play. Happy Hollow features a unique combination of family rides and amusements, a Puppet Castle Theater, nature themed play areas, special events for all seasons, an Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited zoo, and a zoo education and wildlife conservation program with classes and camps for all ages. Happy Hollow also offers annual memberships for families and individuals. 

About Happy Hollow Foundation: Happy Hollow Foundation, a non-profit organization established in 1958, supports conservation, education and play through strategic fundraising and innovative programming, and works to foster pride and involvement so that Happy Hollow Park & Zoo remains a community asset that is highly valued and accessible to all. 

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