This was recently reviewed on ITV holiday show as the best value attraction! It is inexpensive to enter and if you mention you are villa owner, they are very good with discounts. This will, in reality, only take up half a day - very interesting if you are into alligators and animals (my eldest loved is but my 5yr old niece said it was "too much information", she doesn't like zoos and things).
You really can get up close with the crocodiles and alligators at this park and after all this is what Florida was famous for originally before Mickey arrived. There were some hundred and thirty alligators on the Breeding Marsh when we visited, several hundred adult animals in the front lake areas and another several hundred young alligators in the display pools and the nursery for a total of over one thousand alligators plus around 200 alligators. You don't get to see them all but the Breeding Marsh was a site to see when we went to feed them. Everyone buys the food (frankfurter sausages which are quite expensive at $3 for 6 but a must) and goes straight to the front lakes, so these alligators/crocs are quite uninterested so nip off to the Breeding Marsh and you will see a feeding frenzy as I think most people have run out of food by the time they get here! Be careful around here as there are lots of ants and bugs around and I did get bitten so my advice is to take your anti-histamine before you go and some cream to rub on just in case but this did not distract from the fantastic view you will see here when feeding. Also walking along the bridges, spot the crocs just below your feet with their huge eyes gazing up at you! Can be a bit frightening.
Definitely see the shows - watch as an alligator jumps some 8ft out of the air to swipe a chicken from the trainer’s hand - it was amazing. This live show is funny and educational at the same time. Another great show is in a small arena where you can watch the trainers wrestle with the alligators and play with snakes - if you are brave enough you too can sit on the back of a croc and hold their jaws tightly shut - not a very large one but you won't see me trying!! There are many "guides" to answer any questions all over Gatorland and you can spot them in dirty swamp explorer outfits! - I'm sure they start the day clean.
Take the $1 train ride around the park which gets your bearings and stop off and see the huge brown bear that was rescued recently and they are looking after him – he’s gorgeous!
Have your photo taken in the jaws of an alligator (not a real one!!!) and have it put into the usual key ring etc but the T-shirts were fab!
A small play area for the younger children but definitely a park not to be missed but many people do – it took us 15 years to visit but it won’t take another 15 to go back.