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Gatorland

Ranked #7,507 in Travel & Places, #200,902 overall

Gatorland, Florida

Built in 1949, Gatorland is the epitome of, "old Florida charm," and is an excellent half-day adventure. But they don't have just gators laying around, looking like any old lake in Florida. No, they have a scenic overlook tower you can climb and see the whole 16 acre lake full of gators.
You will see gators jumping at the gator jumparoo show. There is a gator wrestlin' show and there are gator nuggets at the restaurant.
There are big gators and little baby gators and all sorts of gator souvenirs in the gift shop.

Really, can it get any better than this?

Google Maps


Want an awesome gator mouse pad, card, magnet, or postcard?

Cuddly Gators mousepad2 Crocs mousepadGator postcard

In 1954, Owen Godwin Sr. renamed Snake Village to, "Gatorland."


Makes a great gift for yourself or someone else!

Gator mousepadSwimming Gator speckcaseSwamp Hut print

In 1999, Gatorland expanded to 110-acres

Bird Poll

They say that Gatorland is an oasis for one of the largest wading bird colonies in Central Florida.

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Another Bird Poll

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Fire!

In November of 2006, the gift shop caught fire and was destroyed. Gatorland was closed and things looked bad for the park.
"It rips your guts out. It tears your heart out, but we're like an old alligator. We'll keep on going. I don't know how. We're going to have a meeting today. But we'll keep on going," said Gatorland's Tim Williams (dean of gator wrestling).

Gatorland worked hard at cleaning up the damage and reopened the day after Thanksgiving 2006.

The damaged historic alligator's mouth was repainted in 2008 and is no longer the main entrance to the park.

Gatorland Weather

Current weather conditions in Orlando, FL (32837)

Local Pollen Reports

74°F (Feels like 74°F)

Last update: 5/31/12 10:53 PM EDT

Humidity: 91%
Visibility: 10.0 mi
Dew Point: 71°F
UV Index: 0 (Lawn and Garden Weather)
Barometer: 29.94in rising
Moon: Rush Hour Traffic
Wind: calm From: Airport Conditions
powered by weather.com

White Gator Poll

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Not just Gators

My boy has been going to Gatorland his whole life. When he was little, he loved the train that goes around the park and the petting zoo. Now that he's a big ol' teenager, guess what Gatorland has put in?
The Screamin' Gator Zip Line!
I don't know if I'm going with him.
Know what I'll do? I'll send his father up there with him. They can meet me later on the Swamp Walk.

Poll

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Tastes Just Like Chicken!

In case you were wondering, actually, yeah, gator does taste just like chicken - tough, gamey chicken

I had so much fun writing this, reliving some of the old trips, that I think we'll all go back this weekend. What about you?

Don't forget your Gatorland coupon!

Gator Poll

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More Florida Adventures

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Enjoy my Photography?

My photos can be purchased at my Zazzle store. If you're a model in the Central Florida area, my Model Mayhem number is 1640818. If you're not a model but want to look like one in your next portrait, drop me a line.

Guestbook

  • davespeed Feb 27, 2012 @ 2:15 pm | delete
    I'm glad Gatorland has survived all of these years. When I was a child, our family went to Kissimmee. I remember visiting a tourist attraction in Florida that had gators, but I can't remember if it was Gatorland...it probably was. Loved your photos!
  • CashChri Nov 3, 2011 @ 2:03 pm | delete
    I want to go to Gatorland! Love reptiles, especially the big ones :)
    Nice lens.
  • straw-hut Nov 3, 2011 @ 7:50 am | delete
    I like this lens. Beautiful photography. I think I get why someone would watch those birds. It is probably very relaxing and serene.Thanks for the lens.
  • daria369 Nov 1, 2011 @ 7:19 pm | delete
    Your photos are stunning, very much enjoyed them! :)
  • Wednesday_Elf Nov 1, 2011 @ 4:46 pm | delete
    Your photographs are outstanding! And, by the way, I once lived in Florida and been to Orlando a couple of times, but never heard of Gatorland before I read this. Now I've been 'educated'. :)

    We had a waterway behind our house in southern Florida and had a half-grown alligator come swimming up near our house. All the neighbors were out, trying to get him to swim away from the dead-end where our houses were (we all had very small children at the time) and go back to open waters. No luck. So we called the county animal control and they knew who to send to deal with the alligator. No alligators were harmed.....just 'relocated'. Quite an interesting afternoon, though.
  • MelissaInTheSky Oct 28, 2011 @ 3:55 pm | delete
    Fun lens! Thank you for sharing this neat place. Thank you, also, for liking my OWS lens. :)
  • aeknuth Sep 8, 2011 @ 11:31 pm | delete
    this lens is super fun!
  • bakerwoman Sep 7, 2011 @ 10:32 am | delete
    I was fasincated by Godzilla the giant alligator that chomp on the whole chickens strung on a clothsline during a show at Gatorland. The alligator was huge when it jumped out of the pond after being taunted. I will not forget the sound made by the alligators jaws when it clamped down on one whole dressed chicken. It was like someone slammed a very heavy door. Thanks for bringing back memories with this lens.
  • debnet Jul 18, 2011 @ 10:24 am | delete
    Gatorland looks fun! I've been to Billy's swamp safari in the south of Florida and that was fun too.
  • SeanVernall Jun 27, 2011 @ 3:29 pm | delete
    I have been to Orlando twice now (2004 & 2005) and both times I never got around to visiting Gatorland. It looks great so the next time we're there, it's definately gonna be on the list of must sees.
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About Me

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by

Cinnamonbite

This is my camera. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
I'm an award winning fine art/nature photographer in Florida and I hate talking about... more »

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