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Gatorland - Question for Florida folks

StubbyUK

StubbyUK

New member
Okay, well its official I'm heading to the US of A for two weeks holiday - woohoo :)

Was thinking of going to Gatorland but have heard some mixed reviews of late - run down, badly cared for animals etc.

Anyone got any comments/opinions they can fill me in with? Or maybe suggestions of better places to go and see cool scaly critters in the Orlando area :D

All comments appreciated very muchly.

Cheers

StubbyUK
 
Go to George VanHorn's St. Cloud Serpentarium, its awesome and George is the greatest guy to know! Venomous snakes and Exotics along with natives. Top notch in my book!
 
I worked at Gatorland

it is what it is. It is a third rate tourist attraction. I've known George Van Horn for 25 years. He is in it for the love of snakes, not the dollar. He produces venom first, the attraction is a bonus for us. Tell him Craig from Lakeland recommend the Serpentarium.
To be honest, there is a store in Casselberry called PetBazzar which would be better than an attraction. Go to Tosohatchee State Park in Christmas. I've seen dozens and dozens of gators, turtles, racers, coachwhips and even a diamondback there. There are many parks in the area.

Feel free to E-mail when you arrive. Happy to give ya advice on the state attractions.
 
i went to gatorland in 2001, thought it was ok back then.. its cost such a small amount to get in too, good day out.
 
I was at gatorland a couple of months ago. If your looking for snakes to see there aren't many. They have one cornsnake, one coachwhip, one copper head, i think there was some type of rattlesnake, and a cotton mouth. Then they had the big named pyton coiled up under a hide in view.

There are lots of gators and the breeding marsh is really cool. The serve beer which is nice. There is a little train ride around the park the kids will enjoy. You can buy F/T hot dogs and feed them to the gators. The food there isn't bad price wise. The gift shop is were they get you. I spent about $100 with addmission for my two kids and me.
 
They serve flippin beer

at Gatorland! That was discussed when I was there. To make money of course. But the thought was some knucklehead would get sauced and jumpmin to try to rassle a gator. Or pull a Michael Jackson and dangle his kid overthe rail. It is true the price to get in is not bad.
 

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Is that the same Gatorland that was started by Owen Godwin back in the fifties? I vaguely remember stories of a 15' gator he called "Bone Crusher" :wavey:
 
Bonecrusher

was a South American croc. Sawgrass was a fourteen footer with his own little enclosure. In the lake there were several 14+ gators. The top two were Achilles (when he died they had to go rent a tow truck to get him out of the lake) who topped out at 15'9". Here is a pic of King Agamemnon (spelling is wrong I know) He is still alive as far as I know. One winter day I went out and walked him. I estimate him at 14 and a half.
 

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St Cloud Serpentarium is a top place. Not huge, but some of the best condition captive reptiles I've seen. I'd highly recommend it.

Been to Gatorland a couple of times. It struck me as more of a gator farm than anything else. If you want to see gators, that's the place to go. But if you look closely, you'll spot the occasional animal with a missing limb. They mostly have big enclosures, but there are a large number of animals in each.

As a previous poster said, it is what it is. To me, it seemed to be a tourist attraction first and an education/conservation facility second. Worth a look and enough there to keep you busy for a day, but don't expect anything too worthy.
 
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