OUTDOORS & NATURE TOP NATURE EXPERIENCES AN INSIDER VIEW DAVID LEMIEUX Operations Manager & Rescue Guide, Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park SPECIALTY: Outdoor sports enthusiast who oversaw every detail of park creation WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE: Our aerial obstacle courses are mentally and physically challenging—and exhilarating! During your adventure through the pine forest, you’ll traverse suspended rope bridges and nets, swing like Tarzan, and careen down a zipline. There are two courses for kids, three for juniors, and four progressively harder ones for adults. WHAT’S TO LOVE: Adults get to be a kid again, and kids feel very grown-up! Everyone gets a stimulating but safe adventure. This is the perfect way to overcome a mild fear of heights. You’re so focused on the obstacle in front of you that you don’t think about how high you are. TIPS: Come early in the day during the summer. Wear gym clothes and sneakers, and bring a hat. DONNY ALDARELLI Gator Wrestling Trainer, Gatorland SPECIALTY: Alligator expert, educator, trainer, and off icial “Cooter” character in the Jumparoo show WHAT YOU’LL EXPERIENCE: Thousands of gators! We have three diff erent gator shows where staff wranglers wrestle large animals. Kids can experience “rookie wrestling” before and aft er the performances. The Jumparoo show features 900-pound gators leaping up to seven feet to grab food. Our Up-Close Encounters let guests get close to rattlesnakes, tarantulas, and pythons. WHAT’S TO LOVE: These intimate encounters touch people’s hearts, make them passionate about conservation, and change their beliefs. Our Gator Night Shine experience is one of the coolest things you can do anywhere. TIPS: If you want to zipline, wear closed-toe shoes. For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, sign up for the 1 pm feeding as soon as you get here. You’ll toss large pieces of steaks to scores of huge gators and watch a true feeding frenzy. BE A ZOOKEEPER FOR A DAY AT WILD FLORIDA 68 Kissimmee Destination Magazine 2018
Experience Kissimmee 2018 Kissimmee Destination Guide: Page 68
