After 77 years of staying dry, Orlando’s Gatorland has finally bellied up to the bar. The longtime family-run attraction has installed its first dedicated drinking spot, an outdoor beverage space dubbed the Guzzlin' Gator Beverage Barn, tucked inside the park. The move pairs the classic roadside-style reptile park with a local craft brewer, layering in adult-focused drink options while keeping the daytime animal shows and the park’s Screamin' Gator zipline front and center. The new setup gives locals and tourists alike another reason to linger after the gator action wraps.
What the Guzzlin' Gator will pour
As reported by the Orlando Business Journal, the Guzzlin' Gator Beverage Barn serves rotating beers and ciders, wine, canned cocktails, and nonalcoholic options from a shaded, walk-up outdoor bar. The outlet notes that Gatorland teamed up with Crooked Can Brewing Company for the launch, and that the Winter Garden brewer created a special beer just for the park’s first bar. Park materials pitch the barn as a laid-back spot to grab a drink between shows, exhibits, and ride times rather than a full-blown nightlife pivot.
Local brewer steps in
Crooked Can Brewing Company, based in Winter Garden’s Plant Street Market, already runs a taproom and turns out a rotating slate of small-batch beers. Its website highlights events and locations across Central Florida. By partnering with a regional brewery, Gatorland locks in a hometown connection and a flexible lineup of rotating taps for the new barn. It also gives the park an easy way to experiment with short-run releases and seasonal pours that can change with the crowds and the calendar.
A notable shift for a long-running park
Gatorland opened in 1949 and has built its reputation on family-friendly exhibits and live animal demonstrations, so carving out a standalone adult beverage space marks a small but noticeable shift in the park’s footprint. The attraction, still owned and operated by the Godwin family, has traditionally emphasized reptile conservation, live shows, and hands-on experiences instead of dedicated bar areas. That legacy, outlined on Gatorland's website, helps explain why the arrival of a full-fledged bar is turning heads among longtime fans.
Visitor notes and timing
According to a press release cited by the Orlando Business Journal, Gatorland announced the Guzzlin' Gator on Monday and says the beverage barn is already open to guests. Parkgoers can reach the bar only from inside the attraction during regular operating hours and will still be subject to existing admission requirements and park rules. Visitors can expect rotating taps and occasional small-batch releases from Crooked Can as the Guzzlin' Gator settles into its debut season.
