Gatorland is swapping a few of its reptiles into holiday costumes again this year, bringing back Gator Claus, Krampus Croc and the Florida Skunk Ape for the park's seventh annual Holiday Ho, Ho, Ho-Down. The event runs across six days in December, falling on Saturdays and Sundays during the first three weekends of the month: Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20, 2026.
According to WFTV, the event is included with regular Gatorland park admission, and the same six dates are confirmed by Visit Orlando's event listing. The Ho, Ho, Ho-Down will run alongside Gatorland's regular wildlife attractions and shows, so visitors can mix holiday festivities with the park's usual lineup of animal encounters during their trip.
Familiar Faces Return to the Swamp
Guests can once again take photos with Gator Claus, the park's seasonal take on Santa, and meet the mischievous Krampus Croc as part of the festivities, per the station's report. The Florida Skunk Ape is also set to return, performing what the event calls “cryptid carols” for visitors wandering the park's holiday displays. Jack Frost appears on the event poster as well, rounding out the cast of costumed characters tied to the Florida swamp theme.
The Holiday Ho, Ho, Ho-Down features holiday music, festive displays and interactive characters scattered throughout the grounds, the outlet's report notes. Arts and crafts vendors will be on hand offering holiday gifts, while seasonal treats will be available for purchase throughout the event. The Guzzlin' Gator Waterin' Hole will offer holiday drinks and craft beers for guests looking to warm up between character meet-and-greets.
A Tradition Nearly Seven Years in the Making
Gatorland President and CEO Mark McHugh said the Holiday Ho, Ho, Ho-Down has become a favorite family tradition for visitors, according to the same account. The event has grown into a recurring holiday fixture since Gatorland first launched it in December 2020, when the inaugural edition ran on the same six-date pattern — Dec. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 — and was included in the regular price of admission, according to Gatorland's original announcement. That first-year event featured holiday displays, interactive characters and holiday entertainment, laying the groundwork for what the park now calls its seventh annual go-round.
The event has evolved somewhat in format over the years. The fifth annual edition in 2024 ran every weekend starting Dec. 7, spanning Dec. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22, and included holiday displays, sing-alongs to classic songs, festive seasonal treats and arts-and-craft vendor booths selling unique gifts, as reported by clickorlando.com. The sixth annual event in 2025 shifted to a Dec. 6 start with select dates running through Dec. 21, and featured the same Gator Claus, Krampus Croc and Florida Skunk Ape lineup performing cryptid carols, per clickorlando.com's coverage of that edition.
Gatorland provides admission prices and additional visitor information at gatorland.com, and the park can also be reached directly at 407-855-5496 for guests with questions about this year's schedule.
