Rodents and Reptiles and Rookeries, Oh My!

Welcome to Gatorland, Orlando, Florida

When we left home on January 18 for a winter getaway, gas in Jefferson City was three bucks a gallon.   As I drove into town today prior to this week’s blizzard, gas was $3.70 a gallon.  That’s an increase of 23% in 5 weeks.  If it maintains that same rate of increase for the final 40 weeks of the year, by December 31 gas will be $19.39 a gallon and we will be talking about “the good old days” when gas was only three bucks a gallon.  Come to think of it, I’m already talking about that.

 

Though most people think of Disney World, the entertainment empire built by well-known rodents Mickey and Minnie, when they think of Orlando, we spent one enjoyable day at a not-so-well-known attraction:  Gatorland.  Gatorland, home to around 3000 alligators & 89 crocodiles, has been around since 1949.  It is currently ranked #19 out of 163 attractions in Orlando on TripAdvisor.com.

 

I’m not sure all the discounts available on tickets, but if you are a veteran and your wife is “up there” when it comes to age, you can get in for about half-price.  We paid $35 total for 2 “deluxe” tickets that included admission to all the shows, a train ride around the park, a chance to get our picture taken with a gator, and free hot dogs.

 

The temperature was a chilly (to the gators) sixty degrees the day we were there.  Instead of jumping out of the water to snag chickens dangled on poles during the “Gator Jumparoo Show”, the gators were pretty much content to lie in the sun.  We went to plan B, the “Up Close Encounters” show.   This show gave visitors a chance to see, and in some cases hold, snakes, spiders, lizards, etc.   Large ones.  If you ever attend this show and get called up on stage, when the coin is flipped to see who holds what, pray that you do not get “heads”.  (Hint:  it involves a snake.)

 

When lunch time rolled around, we headed to the concession stand for our “free hot dogs”. 

 

Concession worker:  May I help you?

Me:  Yes, we got the tickets that include free hot dogs.

Concession worker:  Sir, the free hot dogs are to feed the alligators.

Me:  Oh. 

 

So the deluxe ticket does not include lunch for the visitor.  It includes the visitor feeding lunch to the alligators.  Actually, that was even MORE fun.  Hint:  When feeding the alligators, do not hold your wieners where they are visible to the large, sharp-eyed, predatory birds that also call Gatorland home.  They have bad manners, large appetites, and love hot dogs (and probably fingers).

 

Included in Gatorland’s 110 acres is a rookery and a breeding marsh (once again, for the gators, not park guests).  The day we were there, dozens of wild wood storks were building nests.  Per the guide, though the storks are wild and could nest anywhere, they have discovered how building your nest in a tree surrounded by a gator-filled swamp tends to discourage many predators.  

 

We had a very enjoyable time at Gatorland.  Like Silver Dollar City, the only exit from the park is through the gift shop.  It features a wide array of gator-related novelties and t-shirts with logo’s like Gatorland, Gator Hunter, Gator Country, Darth Gator and the ever-popular “BITE ME” gator t-shirt, the perfect attire for when you fill your car up with gas.

 

 

Perfect attire when you fill your tank