ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Gatorland workers continue to take care of their animals as they also branch off into an even bigger project: Catering to virtual guests across the world.
As Florida’s theme parks sit empty because of the coronavirus, Gatorland has developed a new way to reach out to visitors.
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Though park officials said Gatorland has probably missed out on 70,000 guests over the pandemic shutdown, the animals are still in action.
Even without the incoming revenue from the guests, the park still needs to maintain all operations, which includes feeding 2,000 alligators and crocodiles.
Employees got the idea to bring the park virtually to children out of school through Facebook Live.
They’re coming...
— George Waldenberger (@GWaldenWFTV) April 28, 2020
Human crowds have disappeared from Gatorland, but the alligators still congregate. Today’s story, what the park is doing to reach guests who can no longer visit. pic.twitter.com/0hrRGqgabU
This School of Croc has actually incorporated some schools' curriculum into content, as the principal explained, from a safe distance, one alligator-length away.
It's all given a small bump to gift shop sales, one thing Gatorland attributes to still being able to pay their employees through this time without guests.
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If you’d like to learn a little something about alligators, or ask the experts a question, Gatorland’s School of Croc runs daily at 10 a.m. on their Facebook page.
Gatorland, empty.
— George Waldenberger (@GWaldenWFTV) April 28, 2020
Despite this, the park told me they’re still paying their full and part-time employees... check out our story at 5:25pm on #WFTV. pic.twitter.com/uhwYdNiEus
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