A crocodile farm in Homestead will transform the Everglades for one night into the setting for a “terrifying prison break”, featuring actors, fog, immersive scenes, encounters with crocodiles and snakes, and a nighttime airboat ride.
The experience, called «Gatorween: Prison Break» (Gatorween: Prison Escape, where Gatorween is a play on words between 'alligator' and 'Halloween'), will take place on Saturday October 17 at the Everglades Alligator Farm, located at 40351 SW 192nd Ave, in Homestead.
It is exclusively for those over 18 years old and will take place between 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
Visitors must choose one of three entry times —7:30, 8:00, or 8:30 p.m.— and the complete experience will last approximately 80 to 90 minutes.
General tickets cost 65 dollars per person; a presale for 50 dollars was available until September 20th. Advance purchase is mandatory and seating is limited.
The tour will begin with supervised interactions with alligators and snakes, continue with a night ride of about 30 minutes on an airboat through the Everglades, and will end with a haunted trail around the farm, where attendees will encounter actors, themed sets, fog effects, loud sounds, and jump scares.
The organizers of this attraction in Homestead warn that it is not recommended for individuals with heart conditions, epilepsy, or sensitivity to intense environments, and advise wearing comfortable shoes for walking on the natural terrain at night.
The event will be for one night only, and all sales are final due to limited capacity. The organization recommends arriving about 15 minutes before the scheduled time.
The farm clarifies that it is not a conventional haunted house, but rather an experience that combines wildlife, nighttime navigation, and a prison escape story.
The theme, however, inevitably reminds one of Alligator Alcatraz, the immigration detention center that operated in the Everglades until June of this year.
Univision explicitly made that comparison by highlighting the coincidence between a prison surrounded by alligators, the Everglades, and a escape story now turned into Halloween entertainment.
Hoodline also noted that the premise of the event has drawn comparisons to immigration facilities in the area, although it clarified that there is no evidence that the farm officially inspired the concept at Alligator Alcatraz. The organizer does not claim this either on the official event page.
That distinction is important because Alligator Alcatraz was surrounded by very real allegations regarding the conditions in which the detainees were kept.
A report from the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security documented overcrowding, small metal cages, hygiene issues, and other deficiencies.
Among the findings was the use of metal enclosures measuring only 1.7 square meters, where dozens of migrants were confined.
The inspectors also found that, at maximum capacity, the available space per detainee was far below the standards required, and they collected complaints about medical delays, insufficient hygiene products, poor food, and long periods without access to the outside.
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