Dinosaur (Disney's Animal Kingdom)
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| Dinosaur | |
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| Disney's Animal Kingdom | |
| Land | DinoLand U.S.A. |
| Opening date | April 22, 1998 |
| Length | 3 ft (0.9 m) |
| Height requirements | 40"" (Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character """ cm) |
| Previous name | Countdown to Extinction |
| Sponsored by | McDonald's |
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Dinosaur (originally named Countdown to Extinction) is a thrill ride at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. It is a rough dark ride. Guests are taken through primeval scenes populated with audio-animatronic dinosaurs. The ride is loosely related to the Disney movie of the same name; originally named Countdown to Extinction, the ride's name was changed to fit the movie, but no significant changes were made to the ride itself.
The ride's director is Jerry Rees, best known for his animated film The Brave Little Toaster. It was written by Steve Spiegel, with Reed Smoot as Director of Photography.
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[edit] Story
In Dinosaur, guests board "Time Rovers" at The Dino Institute, a once secret research facility. The guests are taken into the Cretaceous period, just before the arrival of the meteor which is believed to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs. Their mission is to capture a living Iguanodon (Aladar from the Dinosaur movie to be exact) and to return it to the present. The mission is complicated by encounters with various dangerous dinosaurs (including a Carnotaurus) and the arrival of the meteor.
[edit] Dinosaurs encountered
- Styracosaurus
- Alioramus
- Parasaurolophus (mentioned as "Hadrosaur")
- Velociraptor
- Carnotaurus
- Cearadactylus (mentioned as "Pterodactyl")
- Saltasaurus (mentioned as "Sauropod")
- Iguanodon
[edit] Accidents
In April 2005, 30-year-old Ryan Norman of Mooresville, Indiana, lost consciousness shortly after exiting the ride and later died. He wore a pacemaker, and Norman's parents said he had a heart condition. An investigation showed the ride was operating correctly and was not the cause of Norman's death.
[edit] Attraction facts
- Grand opening: April 22, 1998 (Opened with Disney's Animal Kingdom)
- Previous attraction name: Countdown to Extinction
- Show length: 3:10
- Height Requirement: 40" (102 cm) or taller
- Additional features:
- Interacts with Pal Mickey
- Location: DinoLand U.S.A.
- Geographical location:
- Ride system: Computerized ride vehicle synced to show scenes
- Uses the same technology and shares a similar track layout as Disneyland's Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye.
[edit] External links
- Official Walt Disney World Dinosaur page
- Dynamic ride vehicle - Patent #5,623,878. US Patent & Trademark Office. Retrieved on November 17, 2005. - Patent for the Enhanced Motion Vehicle used in this attraction.
- All Ears Net Dinosaur Page * WDWMAGIC Dinosaur Page
