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Theme parks. Stunning beaches. Endless sunshine. Florida instantly brings to mind wholesome family-friendly stays. However, the Sunshine State has a wild side, and one native reptile truly defines this alter ego - the mighty alligator. If you want to add a little authentic Florida to your itinerary, there’s no better place to get up close with these legendary reptiles than Gatorland – the Alligator Capital of the World.
For over 75 years, this wild attraction has been wowing visitors with jaw-dropping experiences, featuring more than 2,000 gators spread across the 110-acre park. But don’t let the name fool you, Gatorland isn’t just about alligators. You’ll also find crocodiles, exotic birds, wild cats, snakes, tortoises, and plenty of other fascinating creatures.
Gatorland is the perfect spot for a full-day of wildlife thrills, but to make the most of it, planning ahead and booking key attractions is a smart move. To get you started, we’ve picked out our favourite must-do experiences for your wild day in nature.
First up is a must-do for the thrill-seekers among us. The Screamin’ Gator Zip Line is an award-winning outdoor adventure where you whoosh through the air along 1,200 feet of exciting zip wires over some of the park’s main attractions. Carefully walk across the swinging bridge above the park’s main entrance, then soar from seven storeys high over the Breeding Marsh at speeds of up to 30mph while 130 giant alligators bask beneath your feet.
At Gatorland, adventure knows no limits, and nothing proves this quite like the Gator Gauntlet. This fully accessible zip-lining experience is designed so guests of all abilities can enjoy the thrill of gliding 350 feet over the swamps. With an inclusive design, this exhilarating ride ensures that everyone, including people with mobility issues, can participate in the excitement and feel the rush of flying high above gators and lush Florida scenery.
Conquer Gatorland's wildest challenge - The Croc Rock Adventure. This new attraction is packed with climbing, balancing, and soaring through the air. First, you'll scale a 32-foot sandstone rock wall, designed to feel just like the real thing, complete with rugged handholds and a secure auto belay system to keep you safe. Once you reach the top, it's time to test your balance as you cross a 150-foot swinging cable bridge. But the real thrill? The grand finale - a 350-foot zipline ride that launches you high above the park, treating you to breathtaking aerial views of Bobcat Bayou and beyond.
How about a different sort of adrenaline-fuelled experience? Gatorland’s behind-the-scenes Adventure Hour has some serious bite. Reserve your place on this extra special trip to an area of the swamp usually closed to the public, then get up-close-and-personal with some hungry reptiles. Whack on your gator-feeding gloves and help with the feeding frenzy before posing for a photo with your new scaly friends. Get in early when you arrive and reserve your spot before 12:30pm!
Keep an eye on the show schedule for the various entertainment throughout the season including Alligators: Legends of the Swamp, Gator Jumperoo and Up-Close Encounters. Each of these performances usually takes place twice a day (weather permitting), giving you a chance to revisit your favourite events.
Alligators: Legends of the Swamp features fearless park rangers showcasing the incredible survival skills of these majestic animals while Gator Jumperoo lets you witness some of the world’s largest alligators, who can leap up to four feet out of the water while you learn all about their formidable strength. Up-Close Encounters brings you closer to a host of astonishing critters from around the world, including some of the most dangerous snakes to slither the planet.
Jump aboard this utterly bonkers 15-minute ride on an off-road truck hauling and careering around the park's rugged terrain. Not for the faint-hearted, the Stompin’ Gator Off-Road Adventure is a unique ride of three 12-foot-high, custom-made 4x4 monster vehicles adorably named after notorious crocs and gators in the park: Bonecrusher, Cannibal Jake and Swamp Ghost. You can reserve your spot on one of these wacky journeys on arrival but do note it isn’t included in the admission price.
This after-hours escapade is both fun and educational, taking you along the meandering walkways of Gatorland’s Alligator Breeding Marsh equipped with only a torch and gator food—although arguably you are the gator food… only kidding, it’s perfectly safe! Slowly make your way through the swamp at dusk with the rest of your group and observe only the splashing of the water surrounding you and the dozens of gleaming red eyes staring back — this one is sure to get your heart pumping.
Gatorland’s Trainer-For-A-Day programme lets you step into the boots of a real reptile expert for an up-close, hands-on experience like no other. Start your 2-hour adventure with a chance to meet and hold adorable baby alligators before heading behind the scenes to get face-to-face with some of the biggest gators and crocs in the park. Plus, you’ll also get to handle fascinating reptiles and critters from the Up-Close Encounters Show, and learn mind-blowing facts straight from the pros.
Alongside the American alligators in the park is also the largest collection of albino and leucistic alligators in the US. Brothers Feros Zonbi and Trezo Je are extremely rare and are only two of 12 leucistic alligators that exist in the entire world today that we know of. Make sure you stop off to say a quick hi and ‘see ya later, alligator’ to these magnificent creatures chilling out in the sun.
The park’s stunning 10-acre Breeding Marsh comes alive during the spring nesting season as a bird rookery, featuring many feathered friends who seek sanctuary and safety amid the ferocious yet protective alligators. Interact with some colourful parrots, macaws, and cockatoos at the Parrot Playground, or enter the Very Merry Aviary and socialise with hundreds of budgies and let them feed from your hands or perch on your shoulders.
For the little ones in your party, there is also Allie’s Barnyard Petting & Feeding area where they can hand over special feeding pellets to some less fearsome animals such as goats and emus. And don’t miss Baby Gator Marsh, a sweet habitat that is home to more than 60 of the park’s smallest alligators—sometimes called ‘grunts’ due to their cute snorting noises—as well as the year’s latest hatchlings before they grow and are moved to the outdoor pools with their fellow older chums.
If you are seeking new and different things to do on your next Orlando holiday, Gatorland is a must-visit destination full of entertainment and learning that focuses on the beautifully wild side of Florida and its extraordinary inhabitants.
For more information or to snap up some tickets to Gatorland, get in touch with our Travel Specialists today.
For over 75 years, this wild attraction has been wowing visitors with jaw-dropping experiences, featuring more than 2,000 gators spread across the 110-acre park. But don’t let the name fool you, Gatorland isn’t just about alligators. You’ll also find crocodiles, exotic birds, wild cats, snakes, tortoises, and plenty of other fascinating creatures.
Gatorland is the perfect spot for a full-day of wildlife thrills, but to make the most of it, planning ahead and booking key attractions is a smart move. To get you started, we’ve picked out our favourite must-do experiences for your wild day in nature.
Screamin’ Gator Zip Line
First up is a must-do for the thrill-seekers among us. The Screamin’ Gator Zip Line is an award-winning outdoor adventure where you whoosh through the air along 1,200 feet of exciting zip wires over some of the park’s main attractions. Carefully walk across the swinging bridge above the park’s main entrance, then soar from seven storeys high over the Breeding Marsh at speeds of up to 30mph while 130 giant alligators bask beneath your feet.
Gator Gauntlet
At Gatorland, adventure knows no limits, and nothing proves this quite like the Gator Gauntlet. This fully accessible zip-lining experience is designed so guests of all abilities can enjoy the thrill of gliding 350 feet over the swamps. With an inclusive design, this exhilarating ride ensures that everyone, including people with mobility issues, can participate in the excitement and feel the rush of flying high above gators and lush Florida scenery.
Croc Rock Adventure
Conquer Gatorland's wildest challenge - The Croc Rock Adventure. This new attraction is packed with climbing, balancing, and soaring through the air. First, you'll scale a 32-foot sandstone rock wall, designed to feel just like the real thing, complete with rugged handholds and a secure auto belay system to keep you safe. Once you reach the top, it's time to test your balance as you cross a 150-foot swinging cable bridge. But the real thrill? The grand finale - a 350-foot zipline ride that launches you high above the park, treating you to breathtaking aerial views of Bobcat Bayou and beyond.
Adventure Hour
How about a different sort of adrenaline-fuelled experience? Gatorland’s behind-the-scenes Adventure Hour has some serious bite. Reserve your place on this extra special trip to an area of the swamp usually closed to the public, then get up-close-and-personal with some hungry reptiles. Whack on your gator-feeding gloves and help with the feeding frenzy before posing for a photo with your new scaly friends. Get in early when you arrive and reserve your spot before 12:30pm!
Three Gator-rific Shows
Keep an eye on the show schedule for the various entertainment throughout the season including Alligators: Legends of the Swamp, Gator Jumperoo and Up-Close Encounters. Each of these performances usually takes place twice a day (weather permitting), giving you a chance to revisit your favourite events.
Alligators: Legends of the Swamp features fearless park rangers showcasing the incredible survival skills of these majestic animals while Gator Jumperoo lets you witness some of the world’s largest alligators, who can leap up to four feet out of the water while you learn all about their formidable strength. Up-Close Encounters brings you closer to a host of astonishing critters from around the world, including some of the most dangerous snakes to slither the planet.
Stompin’ Gator Off-Road Adventure
Jump aboard this utterly bonkers 15-minute ride on an off-road truck hauling and careering around the park's rugged terrain. Not for the faint-hearted, the Stompin’ Gator Off-Road Adventure is a unique ride of three 12-foot-high, custom-made 4x4 monster vehicles adorably named after notorious crocs and gators in the park: Bonecrusher, Cannibal Jake and Swamp Ghost. You can reserve your spot on one of these wacky journeys on arrival but do note it isn’t included in the admission price.
Gator Night Shine
This after-hours escapade is both fun and educational, taking you along the meandering walkways of Gatorland’s Alligator Breeding Marsh equipped with only a torch and gator food—although arguably you are the gator food… only kidding, it’s perfectly safe! Slowly make your way through the swamp at dusk with the rest of your group and observe only the splashing of the water surrounding you and the dozens of gleaming red eyes staring back — this one is sure to get your heart pumping.
Trainer-For-A-Day
Gatorland’s Trainer-For-A-Day programme lets you step into the boots of a real reptile expert for an up-close, hands-on experience like no other. Start your 2-hour adventure with a chance to meet and hold adorable baby alligators before heading behind the scenes to get face-to-face with some of the biggest gators and crocs in the park. Plus, you’ll also get to handle fascinating reptiles and critters from the Up-Close Encounters Show, and learn mind-blowing facts straight from the pros.
White Gator Swamp
Alongside the American alligators in the park is also the largest collection of albino and leucistic alligators in the US. Brothers Feros Zonbi and Trezo Je are extremely rare and are only two of 12 leucistic alligators that exist in the entire world today that we know of. Make sure you stop off to say a quick hi and ‘see ya later, alligator’ to these magnificent creatures chilling out in the sun.
The Breeding Marsh
The park’s stunning 10-acre Breeding Marsh comes alive during the spring nesting season as a bird rookery, featuring many feathered friends who seek sanctuary and safety amid the ferocious yet protective alligators. Interact with some colourful parrots, macaws, and cockatoos at the Parrot Playground, or enter the Very Merry Aviary and socialise with hundreds of budgies and let them feed from your hands or perch on your shoulders.
For the little ones in your party, there is also Allie’s Barnyard Petting & Feeding area where they can hand over special feeding pellets to some less fearsome animals such as goats and emus. And don’t miss Baby Gator Marsh, a sweet habitat that is home to more than 60 of the park’s smallest alligators—sometimes called ‘grunts’ due to their cute snorting noises—as well as the year’s latest hatchlings before they grow and are moved to the outdoor pools with their fellow older chums.
If you are seeking new and different things to do on your next Orlando holiday, Gatorland is a must-visit destination full of entertainment and learning that focuses on the beautifully wild side of Florida and its extraordinary inhabitants.
For more information or to snap up some tickets to Gatorland, get in touch with our Travel Specialists today.
Tagged: Orlando
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