Gatorland

  Hundreds of gators! If you want to see alligators while visiting Orlando this is the place. We were a little hesitant about Gatorland because we thought that the animals would be hugely exploited for our entertainment but most of it was okay. Watching the gator wrestling and the added attraction where members of the audience can sit on the back of an alligator (for a fee) was not enjoyable for us but the breeding marsh is great. Native birds have made the marsh a nesting ground and there’s a lot of activity. The marsh is home to 100 female and 30 male gators so even though very little alligator merchandise is sold by the park it appears that Gatorland is an active alligator farm, something that’s not mentioned anywhere. They also provide a home for nuisance alligators and animals that have been rescued and can not be released into the wild.

  The park is accessible but the railings are at eye level for wheelchair users making it difficult to see everything. The gator wrestling arena has railings that block the view to an extent. The Jumperoo Show, where the alligators jump out of the water to grab chicken meat, has a section with plexiglass for children and wheelchair users. The observation tower has a long ramp with flat landings that accesses the first level.

  We had the pleasure of spending the week with our daughter who came to Florida to help out after Tony’s surgery. She works at Seattle Childrens Hospital as a photographer and also takes photographs for her own enjoyment. She got some beautiful shots of the birds. For more click here.

   Parking for RVs is in the grassy area at the south end of the parking lot. An accessible sidewalk leads to the front entrance.  Park
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