![]() Well, they decided to get a new bus since our other bus AC was broken. After we finished with the excursion, everyone was waiting to get on the bus. They have a short alligator show and if you want to hold the baby alligator at the end of the show you had to pay to hold it. We saw a few alligators but nothing that impressive. Well, instead of waiting for everyone to use the restrooms the employees started screaming our group number and that if we did not hurry up we were going to miss our airboat. Once we got there, 40 minutes later, they told everyone where the restrooms were so there was a long line at the restrooms (understandable). And, I'm pregnant so this made me very angry. I could feel myself going in and out of consciousness. I literally nearly passed out from the heat. Well, once we crammed everyone on the bus and started heading down the highway, we quickly learned that the air conditioning on the bus was not working and there was no way to put down any windows. There weren't enough seats for all of the passengers. It went all wrong from the very beginning and didn't get better until we arrived at the airport. We went on this trip as part of an excursion with a cruise ship company which gave us something to do before heading to the airport for our flight. Some might call this place a tourist trap, but it at least is not the worst one in the Everglades. I enjoyed seeing the variety of different crocodilians on display, instead of just the American varieties. The presenter stated that they don't wrestle them like most attractions as it puts them under stress. This show at least involved 4 grown gators. The Alligator show wasn't as bad as the one at the Everglades Alligator farm which only involved a guy in a t-shirt dragging around and wrestling 1 gator. A positive was that all who boarded the airboat were provided with complimentary ear plugs, which is not the norm everywhere. ![]() Guests were also asked to provide a $5.00 "donation" to hold the baby alligator after the alligator show. There were signs posted throughout the interior of the boat which stated that the guide works for tips, which I felt was tacky. I almost felt like taking over the tour and pointing them out to the rest of the tourists on the boat so they wouldn't be bored. I personally spotted other wildlife on the airboat ride that the guide missed and didn't point out such as a great egret, turkey vulture, baby alligator, swallowtail butterfly, yellow bellied slider turtles, etc. Oh really, all the mammals and birds too? I am very aware that wildlife in the Everglades comes and goes as it pleases, but I felt insulted to be told this excuse. I found the airboat ride enjoyable, though there were a few negatives: it rained during the boat ride (not the guide's fault) and the whole tour the guide only located and pointed out 1 animal, an alligator (and that one was right by the dock waiting for a handout) The guide stated that due to the heat most of the wildlife was underwater. Within seconds of getting our tickets, we were already being lined up to board an airboat, which is followed by an "alligator Show", baby alligator photo opportunity, and a stroll around the boardwalk area at your leisure. ![]() It is run basically like an assembly line. It was better than the Everglades Alligator Farm or Gator Park, but I don't know if that says much. Everglades Safari Park is one of the few attractions in South Florida I had never visited, so I was eager to check it out. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |