While many Florida theme parks are currently looking for the best way to open, Gatorland Orlando will be re-opening during Phase Two of Florida’s re-opening plan.
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The attraction submitted its health and safety proposal to the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force for consideration. Now, as the theme park moves forward in getting its park ready for guests, Gatorland released some very…interesting…videos explaining their new guidelines (and you just have to see them for yourself). They are…a lot to take in.
In the first video, Gatorland CEO, Mark McHugh, shows how they’ve been taking care of the park since the temporary closure. He details what Gatorland will be doing from now on to keep guests and employees safe. The video also showcases park employees (in gator face masks, of course) putting up informational signs, washing their hands, and placing social distancing markers on the ground.
©Gatorland
Well, our questions were answered… and we can never unsee whatever the Social Distancing Skunk Ape is supposed to be. Apparently, he’s such a big deal to Gatorland that he has his own page on the site. Oh, but don’t worry — it gets BETTER (or weirder).
©Gatorland
The Skunk Ape has his own video to promote social distancing while also highlighting the importance of hand sanitizer and face masks. And, if anybody doesn’t comply — he will attack! We’re not kidding. In the video, he shoves people apart, throws hand sanitizer canisters at them, and more. Even we can’t make this stuff up… .
The Crazed Look in His Eyes… ©Gatorland
A woman brushes it off by saying (er, yelling) “he’s insistent that you stay distant” or “it’s always wise to sanitize!”
©Gatorland
Skunk Ape is what we imagine if Disco Yeti were to take a vacation from Expedition Everest and “rebrand” himself. Honestly, we’ve never seen anything like this before. But it’s everything we didn’t know we needed.
©Gatorland
You can watch Skunk Ape in all his glorious action in the Gatorland video below. And, if you can’t get enough of the newest mascot, you can wear his face on a shirt for $19.99.
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We’ve been watching Gatorland’s daily live videos during the pandemic, and they’re awesomely offbeat. Their “School of Croc” Facebook Live dailies for kids have also been fun. While big toothy reptiles may not be your cup of tea, you can’t deny these folks love and enjoy their jobs. My wife and I have decided that Gatorland is a must for our next Orlando trip.
I think the Skunk Ape is funny. I am sure that there will be some folks who will say it is “Racist !” or something similar, instead of seeing the humor in it. At least Gatorland is being creative and has put a plan together. Being from out of state, I have never been to Gatorland, but I am now curious and wonder if I should stop by just to see what happens. I am sure there will be those who will not comply just to see what the Skunk Ape does.
This is hilarious and awesome! I hope DFB continues to provide information on non-Disney Central FL attractions after WDW reopens. I really like DFB’s honest and informative approach, and I’d love to get DFB coverage outside of DFW.
Love everything Gatorland has done through the stay at home orders. Skunk Ape fits right in with their sense of humor and care for the park, it’s employees and safety of guests. The woman you are referring to has been around a lot longer that the person you compared her to and is absolutely fabulous! Bringing School of Croc and daily Vlogs to children and their families while no school is open has been absolutely refreshing and a great learning experience. Here’s to Gatorland, Mark McHugh and the who team for all the time they have spent with us and the care they provide to all the animals at the park, along with the respect they have for each other.
Don’t be so snobby. Gatorland is awesome and Social Distancing Skunk Ape is pure genius! You’ll never forget him and what he stands for, in a fun way.
Savannah – the woman in the video – is a very accomplished alligator expert and conservationist, who has even given a TED talk (among many other things). During this crisis she hosted a daily Facebook live show – School, of Croc – for kids about the animals at Gatorland and how the park takes care of all of them.
You didn’t mention that in his video, CEO Mark tells us that unlike other attractions Gatorland furloughed exactly ZERO employees .
DFB would be well served to head down Orange Blossom Trail, leave your Netflix prejudices behind, and visit a wonderful piece of real Florida that showcases a magnificent and misunderstood creature, while having loads of fun.
PS I don’t work for Gatorland i any way. I just love the place!
A little over the top for me. And if he throws something at the wrong person, it might not end well. I swear…people are losing their minds.
Gatorland has done an amazing job with their vlogs and daily school of croc videos. They have gained so many new fans especially the kids with the videos that are really informative but they have loads of fun doing them. What an amazing family that owns the park to keep paying their employees through such tremendously difficult times and they really deserve special recognition for all they have done. We can’t wait to get up there as soon as they can reopen, we had tickets for the day they had to close so it will be great to get out of the house and go somewhere like Gatorland that really treats their employees and guests so great.
LOVE IT! We have never been to Gator Land, but we will be going for sure now.
The video is great.
I grew up in South Florida, in the country, my dad would talk about the Skunk Ape anytime we would here a noise in the woods. Ahhhhh!!!
First, I’d like to commend Mark McHugh and Gatorland for keeping their employees whole during this time – I sincerely hope it returns to them ten-fold!
And second, just a note about the skunk ape…that is a “real” thing. There is a legend much like Bigfoot regarding the skunk ape (also know as a stink ape). It’s been said these apes exist in the Florida swamps and are as elusive as their northern cousins. I’ve lived in Florida all my life and heard these stories when I was a kid. So I think Gatorland bringing the legend to life is just hysterical!
I’d also like to thank DFB for keeping us well informed, I get so much Disney information from the Blog and emails, and I think it’s great y’all are putting information from the other parks out, as well!
Thank you for this article, because I nearly forgot about Gatorland in all this and now am enjoying their videos. I think they’d appreciate the attention you gave them here and your appreciation of their humor!
Who is this dollar store Carol Baskins?
Savannah is the real thing. Baskins is the dime store knockoff
Here’s a good video to fill you in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C9ULwZ1nh0
This article needs to be edited. It offends me that you are referring to Savannah to Carol Baskin. She does so much good for this community. She reaches out to the kids during the entire quarantine, donates her time to charities, spends countless hours helping rescue crocodiles and alligators around the world, teaches the public about reptile species through her Gatorland Vlogs, has her own TED talk, and does the Monsters in the Morning radio show. This needs to be fixed. You might need to do a little research before calling people names.