Gatorland...opinions needed please

[RachaelAitken]

Ive been looking at maybe spending an afternoon at Gatorland for our October trip,

Its somewhere that seems to evoke very strong views and after researching all morning still not sure if it is for us!
..can anyone whos been recently share their feelings on whether its worth a visit, whether you felt it was cruel to the gators or whether it promotes conservation well. I had read on one review that there was a bear in a cage which sounds awfull but ive not read that anywhere else and so not sure if it is true.
Those that have been and enjoyed it where was the best place to buy tickets?

 

[SimonV]

I would say Gatorland is an essential part of any visit to Florida. It is fun, family-orientated and definitely conservation-minded. They do a lot of animal care and rescues and their staff are some of the friendliest people you will meet. We always feel it is the people who are in cages here and not the gators (!), most of whom are in fully natural habitats in the main swamp area. Their three main shows are very well put together and there is certainly nothing cruel about them (we have been back-stage several times and talked to the animal handlers, and know all the animals are well cared for).

Their new feature, Gator Gully splash park, is fantastic for kids to run around and let off some steam while parents kick back with a beer, so don't forget to bring swimsuits (or a change of clothes) for the children!

Yes, there is a Florida black bear here. Her name is Judy and she has been at the park since she was rescued from an illegal enclosure in 1989. Unfortunately, she could not be rehabilitated back into the wild because she didn't know how to fend for herself and Gatorland have looked after her ever since. She is now more than 20 years old, which is VERY old for a black bear, and she is largely inactive these days (although she is still well cared for). The other animals there include birds, goats, turtles and snakes.

Ultimately, it is a great slice of Florida life PD (pre-Disney) and should provide a really nice alternative to the main parks.

 

[pixiepower04]

I agree with Simon.

I think you should do it at least once in a lifetime.

We're glad we did although we probably wouldn't do it again now that the kids are older but the shows were great, the strolling band were great fun, they even have a gator called Dundee (which is where we live) and the staff really know their stuff. The guy doing the gator wrestling got nipped by one but carried on and made us all laugh.

We went at Christmas time and there was a huge sundeck where the gators were all sleeping, piled on top of each other and right in the middle of the deck was a christmas tree. Funny!

You should try it at least once, as Simon says it's a PD thing and should be enjoyed as such.

 

[dee slack]

my nephew will be 33 months and loves crocs/gators (they're all the same to him!) will he be too young?

 

[pixiepower04]

Not at all. I saw younger children than that there so if he loves crocs/gators then he'll have a field day

 

[dee slack]

Thanks!