Experience Kissimmee: 5 Reasons You Must Check Out Gatorland!

Someone just asked me if I had been to the snow recently.  Instead of screaming, “heck no, I live in California for a reason!” I politely said, I don’t like being cold.  Then the question of taking the kids skiing came up. I’ve skied as a child, but since having children, I’m terrified of falling and getting hurt or anyone else in my family.  Or worse.  Then my friend piped up, “but Jen, I saw you hugging a live alligator just a few weeks ago on Facebook!”  Oh yeah, that…

I’ve been to Florida twice, and twice to the Kissimmee area where there is so much to do along the lines of family travel.  Our recent media tour took us to Gatorland, a classic venue in Central Florida for over 60 years and quite unique when it comes to theme parks.  After an amazing day, I can see how this park has come to compete with the area’s world-famous attractions and hold it’s own.  Here are my top five reasons thrill-seekers and nature lovers alike should check out Gatorland on your next vacation!

1. Gators, of course!  Over 1800 alligators and even extremely rare leucistic “white” alligators grace the 110-acre property, that’s a lot of gators!  I had only seen one in a natural habitat (other than a zoo) on my first visit to Florida and well this location pretty much trumps that location by leaps and bounds! They are so fascinating!  Their prehistoric look, their grenade-like (armor) textured skin, and their mouths-full of sharp teeth makes them both awe-inspiring and downright scary.  Yes, that’s me sitting pretty close to this leucistic alligator, I think that gator is hungry, they told me he was just smiling {phew]!

2.  So many other fabulous animals! Turtles, and birds, and pathers, OH MY!  See that adorable Aldabra tortoise right there?  He was cute and that shell, and that skin.  Unfortunately, I could totally relate to that neck skin.The birds were a colorful feast for the eyes and Holly down below, well she likes hair, she spent some time preening me!This powerful cat was sweet as a kitten and I was happy there was a glass and fence separating the two of us, but boy was he handsome, Hi Neicko! Animal lovers will enjoy this park immensely, with a petting zoo, pythons, and even adorable raccoons kids of all ages will shouting “cool!” and “aww!” at the same time!

3.  Staff.  As  a group, we toured the park with Tim Williams a 30-year veteran alligator expert who’s been seen on television shows such as Good Morning America, Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures, The Early Show, Fear Factor, National Geographic as well as news and travel shows nationwide. He also has assisted with documentaries for BBC, Nippon TV, Travel Channel and the Discovery Channel.  Needless to say, he knows his stuff and he showed pride in his love for the park.  The guys in tan, well they are some of the stars of Gatorland’s daily shows and they are a kick in the pants!

4.  Shows/Experiences. Three unique shows are performed daily (just about hourly) that are entertaining and some even use audience participation!  So picture Up Close Encounters…they pass out a mystery box to the audience and they sat it right next to me.  Then they come back and get it and demand I come to the stage so they can open it and let me hold it.  My anxiety kicks in and I’m shaking!  My group encourages me to go down and I put my hands out….then this happens:Cheatin’ death all for the sake of the blog!  Just kidding it was safe but strange and even the little kid next to me was fearless and probably laughing at my pale face!  Again, the staff keeps you entertained each minute and the shows are fun as well as informative.  Then I did this…after watching Gator Wrestlin’ why don’t I just jump on the back of an alligator and hold him by his jaw, no problem!  The experience after the show is $10 a person and a photo is extra, but it was pretty cool and I was brave to touch his teeth only because his mouth was taped shut! Gator Jumparoo was exciting to watch as well, the true natural instinct of a hungry alligator is expressed in this show and they can often jump 4-5 out of the water!

There are so many neat things for kids to see and experience at Gatorland including Trainer for a Day that gives a child 12 and over a really cool VIP behind the scenes advance you don’t want to miss!  Also, adventurists can try the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line that has you soaring 1200 ft above gators and the Breeding Marsh, and you get the two hour adventure plus your Gatorland all-day admission ticket for only $69.

5.  Breeding Marsh and Bird Rookery. On this warm morning, the stroll was quiet and the views stunning, one of my favorite parts of the tour!

The famous Gatorland Bird Rookery was created in 1991 as an alligator breeding marsh. This unique habitat has grown into one of the largest and most accessible wading bird rookeries in Florida. Today, this area provides protected nesting, foraging, and roosting area to over 20 different species of birds, many of which are listed as Endangered or Species of Special Concern. Gatorland’s boardwalks provide birders and photographers with close access to these incredible birds, allowing people to safely observe them and capture stunning photographs.

With the Snowy Egrets and Roseate Spoonbills flying about I could have propped a chair on the boardwalk and soaked up the sun all day, a very serene and peaceful area!

Ready to visit?  Stop by http://www.gatorland.com/ and link to social media channels and plan your next trip to Central Florida’s must-see attraction!

Our visit was a part of a media tour.  Tickets were provided, all opinions my own.