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5 Things To Do At Gatorland

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If you want a true, classic, Florida attraction experience (you know, one without all the flash and bling) then a visit to Gatorland needs to be at the top of your list. Gatorland, located near Kissimmee, FL, is a large 110-acre park that combines a bit of Old Florida charm with fun exhibits and entertainment. Em & I stopped by to explore the park and had a great time.

After passing through the ticketing area we walked along elevated decking and watched many of the alligators that call Gatorland home soaking up the Florida sun. In addition to seeing a lot of alligators we spotted so many different birds. This is a great place for birders to see birds up close. I was finally able to photograph a Blue Heron within a few feet vs a football field length away.

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We spotted egrets, wood storks, black birds (no, that’s not their actual name, but I have no idea what they are called), and more. Additionally, colorful parrots call Gatorland home and you can get up close to them, but dont try to put your fingers near them because they will bite!
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A stroll to the far end of the park took us to the alligator wrestling show. A large sand box with a alligator housing moat circled the sandbox and was center stage. Sets of canopied bleachers were placed around the perimeter of the alligator wrestling box so that there wasn’t a bad seat in the house.

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At the start of the show a Florida ‘Craker’ (aka cowboy) shared some Florida history and how the ‘cracker’ term came to be used. Then, it was time to see some gator wrestling. An audience member (a young boy) was asked to select a gator from the moat and then the gator wrestler pulled it up on the sand. During the show the wrestler shared tidbits about gators and then things got a little crazy. While talking about the strength in the gators jaw and the number of sharp teeth they have he place the gator’s mouth between his chest and chin. That is not something you want to try in the wild.

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After the show Em had a chance to get up close and personal with the gator and try her own hand at ‘wrestling’ it. She has held small gators before but has never been this close to one of this size. She done surprisingly well. I stayed safely on the other side of the moat during her adventure.

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5 TOP THINGS TO DO AT GATORLAND

1. Wrestle an alligator
2. Zipline over the gators
3. Feed the gators
4. Go to a show (Upclose Encounters, Gator Wrestlin’, Gator Jumparoo)
5. Bird watch

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Gatorland is an affordable, friendly-family attraction that educates, in a fun way, about the lives of gators. Plus, for the bird watchers in the group it provides ample opportunities to get pretty close to birds you would normally see from quite a distance.

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Learn more about Gatorland:

NOTE: Parking is FREE (almost unheard of in the Orlando area)

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disclaimer: I was hosted by Gatorland in order to share my experience. I was not asked to state a particular point of view and all opinions are my own.

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