Gatorland, Orlando

Growing up in Kissimmee in the 1960s, the choice of tourist attractions was pretty limited. Owen Godwin’s Gatorland was about it. Today, I toured Gatorland with its President Mark McHugh. Mark has an interesting history in the attractions industry, having once been a killer whale trainer at SeaWorld.

Gatorland received national media attention in 2006 when the world-know attraction caught fire destroying the main entrance and gift shop, but sparing the gapping alligator mouth entrance and all of the exhibits and animal habitats.

Construction of the new entry building with ticketing and admissions and gift shop are all well underway and slated for completion. Gatorland is a consummate old-Florida attraction. The front area with large gator ponds, a gator wrestling arena, the gator “jump-a-roo” show, swamp boardwalk, reptile exhibits, and a waterpark.

Walking the paths and trails of Gatorland brought back fond memories of life in Kissimmee in an era when nothing could beat the thrill of a train ride around a pond full of Florida gators.