Gatorland has been a staple of Central Florida since before the days of Walt Disney World. So it seems almost fitting that it should be the first major tourist attraction in the area to reopen. The park has never taken itself too seriously, so in the days leading up to the reopening, a barrage of social media posts regarding the mythical Social Distancing Skunk Ape were seen on their website Gatorland.com. Thus, when he came out to welcome first day visitors, he was met with great joy!
Prior to purchasing tickets, new warnings have been added making all guests aware of the possibilities and liability of the park.
Changes inside the park include:
- All queue lines at admissions, shows, rides, food venues and retail shops have been marked for safe physical distancing based on CDC guidelines
- The park itself, food venues, retail shops, all shows, and rides now have reduced capacities and seats to provide comfortable and safe social distancing
- All rides, show seating, transaction counters, and pin pads are disinfected after every ride, show, or transaction
- All contact surfaces, doorknobs, handrails, grab rails, benches, chairs, and restroom surfaces are sanitized frequently throughout the day
- All counters, tables, and chairs at our food venues are sanitized and cleaned after every guest
- All public surfaces throughout the entire park are thoroughly disinfected every night
- Adding over 50 additional handwashing and hand sanitizer stations throughout the park
- The Jumparoo Show and Gator Gully Splashpark/Playground will be closed during Phase 1 and 2 due to limited space for proper social distancing
- All employees are required to have their temperature checked before working, and wear face masks at all times in the park. Guests are also encouraged to wear face masks
Even with the new adjustments to comply with the CDC Guidelines, the park is still as fun as ever, making this a very welcome return for another Florida tourist destination.