Gatorland in Orlando Florida – More than Alligators

posted by Stacie on June 30, 2010 // 2 Comments »

Gatorland in sunny Orlando, Florida is about a lot more than alligators! While there are thousands of alligators and crocodiles to see, there is also an aviary, observation tower, nature walk, petting zoo, gift shop and amazing reptilian shows.

At Gatorland in Florida, there are shows including the Gator Wrestlin' Show and the Upclose Encounters Show. At the unique Gator Wrestlin' show, you watch gator wranglers catch a 6 to 8 foot alligator by hand and climb on to the gator's back to demonstrate survival features to the audience. The wrestler then shows you how he rolls the gator over and puts him to sleep and later wakes the gator up with a tickle!

With the Upclose Encounters you never know what kind of animal you might see! You will get to meet interesting creatures from around the world and Florida's own wildlife which includes some of the most dangerous snakes alive. There is a softer side of the animal world that you can witness yourself with Miss Vera, trail boss Gabe or one of the other Gatorland entertainers at Critters on the Go. This is the newest interactive animal show at Gatorland. Children love this park's demonstration of cute and cuddly creatures.

There is an open gator mouth entrance for everyone to walk through at Gator Gully Splash Park! Go there to cool off and have fun! Cute and cuddly creatures can be found at Allie's Barnyard. Gracie, the friendly goat, is one of those creatures and she is a friendly goat who just loves to eat from your hand. Harley the Macaw is here too and might just say hello to you!

Some people have a fascination with snakes – others have a deathly fear or them! Snakes are actually misunderstood reptiles that have gotten a bad reputation; however, they play a very important part of the environment. Florida has a huge variety of snakes, but most of them are harmless!

Flamingo Lagoon is home to the beautiful American flamingos that were found in tropical and subtropical locations all over the world! Enter Jungle Crocs if you dare! It is home to some of the largest and most dangerous crocodiles on the planet!

If you want to see the largest reptiles in the park, go to Alligator Island! Hundreds of alligators live at Gator Lake in Alligator Island. You can see alligator and crocodiles up close and personal as they soak up the Florida sun!

The Breeding Marsh and Bird Rookery contains 130 adult alligators of which 100 of them are females! The gators live in a natural environment and produce the next generation of reptiles. At the bird rookery you can see birds such as the green heron and flamingos and many other different varieties.

Express Railroad gives visitors a view of the south end of Gatorland in Florida as it carries its passengers over alligators and by the animal displays on the way back to the station. Friendly, beautiful colorful Lorikeets make their home at Very Merry Aviary. These brightly colored parrots are from the Western Pacific and East Indies. The Lorikeets are on a diet of pollen, nectar and fruit. Very Merry Aviary is a great place to get up close to nature!

Swamp Walk is a self guided tour through a native Cypress Swamp where raised wooden walkway is built and where visitors get a rare look back into what Central Florida looked like before people drained the wetlands to build their farms and homes.

A trip to Orlando, Florida would not be complete without visiting fascinating, interesting and fun Gatorland!

DISCLOSURE: As a part of the Team Mom #OrlandoMom group, my travel expenses, hotel, attraction tickets, and meals are being covered by the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau. All information shared about our trip is solely my own opinion as well as that of my son.