- VisitExploreLearnDanny the Dragon Capital Campaign
A Dream for Danny
Danny the Dragon has symbolized the spirit of Happy Hollow Park & Zoo for more than 63 years. It’s Danny’s footprints that lead guests to the Entry Plaza of Happy Hollow and it’s Danny who has served as a mascot for the park and zoo over the past six decades!
The Danny the Dragon ride experience is nostalgic for many lifetime park and zoo visitors. However, the scenes and stories are less relevant to today’s visitor. Happy Hollow Foundation, in partnership with Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, envisions a makeover for the ride that honors Danny’s legacy and sparks the imaginations of the next generation of Happy Hollow’s visitors.
Hop Aboard With Us!
Happy Hollow Foundation, the nonprofit partner of Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, has launched the Community Phase of a Capital Campaign to raise $500,000 to fund a reimagined Danny the Dragon ride experience. You are invited to be part of this historic project to revitalize this beloved ride and extend its legacy for generations to come!
Learn about A Dream for DannyDanny’s Dragon Scale Donor Recognition
Danny is a dragon and dragons have scales! The completion of this project will rely on private funding, and we invite the community to help make Danny’s dream real.
Our donor recognition includes a Buy a Dragon Scale program in which various sizes of scales, depending on giving levels, will be displayed along the fenceline of the ride. Have your family name associated with the historic project and see it every time you visit!
Larger scales and exciting naming opportunities are available at levels $5,000 and above. Additional ways to give, including donor advised funds and more are also available. For more details, please contact Executive Director, Rhonda Nourse at rnourse@ happyhollow.org.
All community gifts are welcome and gifts between $150 and $499 will receive the following benefits: Name listed on Happy Hollow Foundation website and early bird access to tickets for signature Hooray for Happy Hollow benefit event on Sept. 20, 2025.
If you would like to send a gift via check, please send your check to: Happy Hollow Foundation 1300 Senter Road, San José, CA 95112.
Join our Project Dream Makers
Lissa Kreisler
"Danny the Dragon and the iconic ride have been a cherished part of my family's story for generations, bringing joy to my childhood, my daughters' childhoods, and now my grandchildren's. To ensure Danny continues to create magical memories for generations to come, we need to invest in the future, giving the ride new life and new relevance."
Camie VanKeuren
“Happy Hollow is a core memory of my childhood, it was a place of adventure and fun for me and my cousins. Danny the Dragon was the symbol of that adventure, and of Happy Hollow.”
Betty Vosburgh
"Four generations of visiting Happy Hollow Park & Zoo started with Betty taking her son Jimm in 1961, continued with visits with granddaughter Megan, and the tradition lives on with great grandson Easton. We hope the Community Phase will turn into a great achievement for the Danny the Dragon ride!"
Happy Hollow Foundation
Happy Hollow Foundation fosters pride and involvement so that Happy Hollow Park & Zoo remains a community asset that is highly valued and accessible to all. We support conservation, education and play through innovative programming and strategic fundraising initiatives.
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