Wild Florida Archives - On the Go in MCO

On The Go with Gail: A Trip To Wild Florida

We recently visited Wild Florida located in Kenansville, if you haven’t been yet there is so much to do! You can do airboat rides, there’s a gator park, animal encounters, and a drive-thru safari park!

This time we just did the drive-thru safari park, but I know we will be back to do the rest soon!

At only a 45 minute drive away from Orlando, this is an attraction you don’t want to miss. They have over 100 native and exotic animals roaming freely.

As soon as you enter the drive-thru you start seeing animals right away, not only are they roaming around the 85 acres of untouched scenic landscapes, but the way it is set up gets you upfront and personal with the animals. We even saw the car in front of us had an emu come right up to their vehicle and stick their head inside! You are not permitted to feed them but I’m sure they get curious and want to take a look!

They have animals from as far away as the African Savanna to the deciduous forests of North America. They do state that your vehicle has to have a top, no convertibles (could get awkward when an emu decides to call shotgun and ride with your family!). No motorcycles either, assuming you are too exposed and the noise could frighten the animals.

You will have the opportunity to get up close to many animals such as giraffes, zebra, eland antelope, scimitar oryx, American bison, mouflon sheep, and many more! It’s a two-mile path through the safari, and there are places to hug the path a little if you wanted to pull to the side and let people by, while you admire the animals and take some epic photos! It really does feel amazing to be that close to these animals.

I loved how they had little feeding areas scattered around the route to encourage the animals to graze close to the safari path so we could see them better. It was even nice to see them resting so close to us!

After you have driven the route you can come back anytime during that day to drive it again as many times as you like before they close, which is great because you get the opportunity to see animals you may not have seen that close the first time. You can also head over to the giraffe encounter after, this is where you can pay extra to actually feed the giraffes up close. We didn’t do it this time but it looks like an amazing experience for the family! They even offer a painting with a giraffe package which sounds amazing!

Included in your drive-thru safari ticket is admission to their Gator Park. Here you can view more than 200 additional animals, as well as enjoy a variety of educational animal shows. You can also meet Crusher, their biggest American alligator (weighing just over 1,000 pounds). You can also watch a demonstration with some of their residents during their Exotic Animal Show.

They also have airboat rides and special animal encounters. You can pick from meeting a sloth, porcupine, tamandua, lemur, and more! They have unique swamp delicacies served at their Chomp House Grill so you really can make a whole day of visiting here!

Since 2010, their goal has been to provide an unforgettable Everglades experience that promotes a connection with animals while inspiring education and conservation. There really is something for everyone here, we can’t wait to go back and experience more. You can visit their website http://wildfloridairboats.com to purchase tickets in advance, and check out the VIP Tours and Florida resident tickets/annual pass options. Or you can call 407-957-3135.

They are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m to 6 p.m and closed on Sundays.

Want to be On the Go with Gail more? Follow her @gailyw on Instagram and find posts like her visit to the Apopka Wildlife Drive here!

GATOR WEEK Returns to Wild Florida

For 10 years Wild Florida, located on Lake Cypress in Kenansville, has been sharing their passion for protecting, conserving, and enhancing Florida’s diverse ecosystem including the often misunderstood alligators.

To help share their knowledge and to foster an appreciation for some of Florida’s most misunderstood residents, Wild Florida will once again host its annual Gator Week from May 24 to 29, offering special programming with FREE Gator Park admission to everyone who brings in spare change (more on this in a moment).

During Gator Week Wild Florida focuses on educating guests, debunking common myths, and developing a more positive attitude towards these reptiles through unique experiences highlighting alligator behaviors.

Sam Haught, co-owner of Wild Florida, announced, “We look forward to this event all year, and we’re excited to celebrate alligators with visitors in new and fun ways. From alligator cake decorating contests to gator jumpathons, we love that these demonstrations and activities build a connection between our guests and our environment in creative and unique ways.”

Highlights of Gator Week 2021

May 24, 2021: Alligator Expert – Despite their tough exterior, alligators and crocodiles get sick just the same as we do. Join Wild Florida experts in the Gator Pavilion at 1 p.m. to hear about the different ailments they experience and how they are treated.
May 26, 2021: Gator Jumpathon Contest – People often think alligators can only hunt for food that happens to go for a swim, but their powerful tails can help propel half of their body out of the water and into the air. During the Gator Jumpathon contest, you’ll get to experience what it’s like to hunt and jump for your food. Want to join the fun? Sign-up to participate! After you sign-up, a Wild Florida team member will reach out to you with the Gator Jumpathon details for the day so you’ll get to see what it’s like to jump for your food like an alligator!
May 28, 2021: “Gator Green” Pie Eating Contest – Alligators can only use their mighty jaws to bite and hold on to their food. Unlike humans, they aren’t able to pick up and grab their food with their hands. The alligator-themed pie-eating contestwill allow guests to unleash their inner alligator! Want to join the fun? Sign-up to participate! After you sign-up, a Wild Florida team member will reach out to you with the “Gator Green: Pie Eating Contest details for the day to see who can eat a green pie the fastest WITHOUT using your hands!
May 29, 2021: National Alligator Day – Earlier this year, Wild Florida helped establish a National Alligator Day to be recognized annually on May 29, giving alligators the official recognition they deserve. To celebrate, they’re throwing a huge 1st birthday party throughout their Gator Park with balloons, cupcakes, and more to celebrate the 1st EVER National Alligator Day.

This Gator Week is also extra special as Wild Florida’s adult albino alligators, Snowflake and Blizzard, have produced their third batch of eggs.

At the end of Gator Week, Wild Florida will also celebrate the inaugural #NationalAlligatorDay on Saturday, May 29th.

So what about the spare change? During Gator Week, Wild Florida is trying to collect Crusher’s (their largest alligator) weight in spare change to benefit Croc Fest.

Be sure to check out www.GatorWeek.com for the full schedule of events.

Gaylord Palms Announces Partnership with Wild Florida

Gaylord Palms Partnership with Wild Florida

The Gaylord Palms is pleased to announce Wild Florida as the resort’s new wildlife partner, providing brand-new educational and interactive guest experiences, including up-close animal encounters and live shows.

For almost two decades, Gaylord Palms has become known for its 4.5-acres of atrium-enclosed gardens with thousands of tropical plants and several species of animals that are native to Florida. With this new partnership, Wild Florida is providing access to many of these unique species including alligators and snakes.

“We are very excited that Wild Florida is our new wildlife partner because they provide a one-of-a-kind experience for our guests,” said General Manager of Gaylord Palms Johann Krieger. “Their family-friendly experiences allow our guests to learn more about Florida’s diverse ecosystem and get up-close with unique animals, all while exploring the rest of our resort’s distinctive environment.”

Educational and interactive guest experiences Wild Florida is providing include:

20 alligators that live inside the resort’s St. Augustine atrium habitat, Gator Springs
Six hatchlings, also known as baby gators or “grunts,” that have a home in the Everglades atrium
Four snakes that guests can see in Sawgrass Place, located within our Everglades atrium
Live gator feedings with a Wild Florida representative at Gator Springs at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday and Saturday
Up-close animal encounters with critters from Wild Florida’s nearby zoological park on select days

Plus, each experience is complimentary for overnight guests, allowing them to enjoy the lush gardens and native species at any time throughout their stay.

“Gaylord Palms Resort is an amazing world-class facility,” said Sam Haught, Co-owner of Wild Florida. “We are grateful to partner with a company that shares our same passion for inspiring visitors to make a connection with Florida’s wildlife.”

In accordance with Marriott’s “Commitment to Clean” practices, the resort provides enhanced cleaning technology, hospital-grade disinfectants, attendants dedicated to sanitizing frequently throughout the day, social distancing protocols, and hundreds of new cleaning processes to take care of guests while they enjoy the resort’s amenities.

For more information about Wild Florida’s new educational and interactive experiences, visit the resort’s website.

Wild Florida Opens Drive-Thru Safari

Wild Florida Drive-Thru Safari Gator Park

For ten years Wild Florida, in Kenansville, has focused on educating individuals on Central Florida’s natural resources, and now they are taking guests around the world with the opening of their new Drive-Thru Safari Park experience.

The new expansion includes 85 acres of untouched scenic landscapes giving guests of the wildlife and safari park the opportunity to identify species from as far away as the African savanna to the deciduous forests of North America from the comfort of their own car.

Along the over two miles of pathways, drivers and passengers will come up-close to over 100 animals roaming freely including giraffes, zebra, eland antelope, scimitar oryx, American bison, mouflon sheep, and more.

The Drive-Thru Safari experience is not just confined to your car because there is an elevated giraffe platform where you can hand-feed these beautiful animals.

The park also contains a massive pond dedicated exclusively as a home for all “nuisance”alligators, trapped by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) SNAP program.

Wild Florida also plans to open a world class zip-line through the safari park that spans across untouched cypress swamps, animal exhibits and scenic landscapes in Spring 2020.

As an added value, Safari Park tickets include FREE admission to Wild Florida’s Gator Park with over 200 native and exotic animals, a petting zoo, a variety of educational animal shows, delicious food, and more.

Inside the Gator Park you can spend the day learning about American Alligators with Crusher – the park’s biggest American alligator who weighs over 1,000 pounds, view hands-on demonstrations with some of the Wild Florida residents during an Exotic Animal Show, and witnessing the power and speed of the American alligator during the Gator Feeding Show.

Did you know…The park also hosts an annual Gator Week to celebrate their inhabitants!

Admission to Wild Florida’s Drive-Thru Safari Park is only $29 for adults and $20 for children under the age of 12 that includes free admission to the Wild Florida Gator Park.

Gator Week 2019 at Wild Florida

Wild Florida hosts 3rd Annual Gator Week promoting alligator conservation & family fun

It’s no secret Wild Florida knows a thing or two about alligators. To share this knowledge and passion with visitors, Wild Florida will host their 3rd Annual Gator Week May 6-11 and offer free admission for everyone to its Gator Park throughout the week.

To many, alligators are viewed as fierce carnivores on the hunt, but that’s not the case. Like many misunderstood creatures, myths develop based on a lack of knowledge and focus too much on fear. Because of this, Wild Florida decided to dedicate an entire week to educating guests, debunking common myths and developing a more positive attitude towards these reptiles.

Jordan Munns, co-owner and co-founder of Wild Florida, says, “The most common emotional response to alligators is fear and that can lead to negative outcomes for wild predators. We hope to convert that fear to a healthy respect and appreciation for these incredible animals. ”

Wild Florida’s mission has always been to provide an unforgettable Everglades experience that promotes a connection with animals while inspiring education and conservation.

GATOR WEEK SCHEDULE:

May 6, 2019

Alligators and crocodiles rank in the top two for having the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom. During day one of Gator Week, this power will be displayed during a live demonstration as alligators and crocodiles smash fruits and vegetables with their jaws. Later in the day, there will also be a gator water polo game in the Gator Pond.

May 7, 2019

Just like cats and dogs, alligators make very distinct sounds that everyone can master. At 12:00 p.m. inside Wild Florida’s Exotic Animal Pavilion, Wild Florida will host a Gator Call Competition. Later on, the Wild Florida team will host their first “Clock-the-Croc” demonstration, where, using a speed timer, the team will record the speed of one of their crocodiles on land and in the water.

May 8, 2019

During day three of Gator Week at Wild Florida’s Gator Feeding Show Pavilion, the Wild Florida team will measure the bite force of a snapping turtle, freshwater crocodile, alligator, and caiman. After the bite force test, stop by the Chomp House Grill as the Wild Florida team tries to break the world record for longest gator po’ boy!

May 9, 2019

Wild Florida’s popular Gator Jumpathon returns! At 11:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., Wild Florida’s 3rd Annual Gator Jumpathon takes place inside their Gator Pond, where you can witness the true power of these animals and see just how high they can jump to catch their prey. Then, guests will have an opportunity to jump like a gator themselves and participate in the first-ever “Gator Jump Competition.” There will also be bounce houses available for kids to enjoy throughout the day and educational seminars from experts on alligator hatching, mating and farming.

May 10, 2019

Everyone might be used to seeing alligators during the day, but what about at night? Wild Florida will stay open after dark and do a special gator feeding show with their biggest alligator, Crusher. They will also host a Wild Paint Night Out, where Wild Florida’s albino alligators Snowflake and Blizzard will be the stars of the show. Guests will get to paint these impressive animals and see them up close while enjoying a delicious buffet dinner. Wild Florida will also be offering discounted night airboat tours to give guests a unique experience of seeing how wild the swamp is in the moonlight.

May 11, 2019

Capping off another year of Gator Week, there will be a Gator Week Corn Hole and Gator Slushy Drinking Competition where the winner from each competition will win a special prize.

Wild Florida Gator Week Gators March 2017

Be sure to follow Wild Florida on social media for updates, fun polls, educational tidbits, myth-busting stories, and giveaways throughout the week.

Also, check out www.GatorWeek.com for a full schedule of activities. Admission to Wild Florida’s Gator Park is only $10 for adults; Florida residents receive a 50

percent discount year-round. Admission to the Park is free for any guest who purchases a Wild Florida airboat tour or animal encounter. Learn more about Wild Florida’s offerings at WildFL.com.

Wild Florida Airboats and Gator Park, which opened on Lake Cypress in Kenansville in 2010, focuses on educating individuals about Central Florida’s natural resources. The Wild Florida team is dedicated to protecting, conserving, and enhancing Florida’s diverse ecosystem to ensure that future generations can enjoy the wonders of wild, native Florida.