Gatorland reopens Saturday with safety restrictions

Small attractions submit plans to reopen

Small Orlando-area attractions are waiting for the green light to reopen. We talk to the president of Gatorland about the reopening plans.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Gatorland is ready to welcome guests back on Saturday.

The self-proclaimed "Alligator Capital of the World" opened its doors to guests starting at 10 a.m.

The theme park was given the go-ahead after presenting its safety operational plan to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and the Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force.

They then passed it over to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for final approval.

Courtesy: Gatorland

Gatorland closed on March 18 amid COVID-19 advisories and created a daily Facebook Live program, called "School of Croc," to maintain engagement with Gatorland fans.

The company produced 50 episodes of the series, generating almost two million views worldwide, according to a news release from Gatorland.

Courtesy: Gatorland

The following are just some of the many changes guests will see upon the park’s reopening:

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
Frequent and visible disinfection of all “touch” areas throughout the park
All counters, tables and chairs at food venues are sanitized and cleaned after every guest
All public areas throughout the entire park are thoroughly disinfected every night
Over 100 additional handwashing and hand sanitizer stations have been added throughout the park
All employees are required to have their temperature checked before working and wear face masks at all times in the park;

By entering Gatorland, guests must agree that:

They do not have a fever, cough or other symptoms of COVID-19
Gatorland reserves the right to check their temperature if they exhibit symptoms
They will endeavor to maintain social distancing from other groups
They will frequently use handwashing and hand sanitizer stations
Guests are also encouraged to wear face masks.

To learn more, visit Gatorland's website.