Indiana Jones Adventure Vs. Countdown to Extinction/Dinosaur

George Lucas on a Bench

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Yep, I'm going there. Admittedly, I have been drinking. But the Indiana Jones Adventure talk and expected bashing of CTX got me to thinking...and drinking.

I kinda prefer CTX. Hear me out.

I feel that Indy is by far the most overrated Disney attraction I have ever experienced. I've only heard praise. True, I enjoy it. I think the queue is a lot of fun. I dig on that main Temple of Doom-esque chamber with the bridge. Aside from that...meh?

It's the newest and perhaps most celebrated E Ticket at Disneyland (come on, Star Tours 2 doesn't really count, that was a refit and it's just screens), yet the effects are all corny. Skeletons on sticks popping out of the wall, obvious projections of bugs on the walls (with seemingly unrelated inexplicable air blasts straight out of a Universal attraction), a silly Jafar snake that barely moves, completely un-themed corridors after the skull room and that awful Mr. Toad's Wild Ride-esque dart room. It was a huge letdown. I remember the Disney PR pimping how it was never the same ride twice. The only difference is the door at the beginning, and that's constantly broken. Well, I guess broken effects also make it different.

Indy doesn't sound like Indy and in fact, seems to be completely out of character, dangling above the transport and asking you to let him in. What was that? He doesn't even shoot anyone. Okay, I'll excuse that last part.

CTX...yes, everything is broken these days. But is it that different than the situation with Indy? In its heyday, CTX was pretty awesome. Giant dinos in your face, meteors crashing all around, Dr. Seeker on the radio yelling "they're not gonna make it!", time travel tunnels that look like you're inside of the toaster, etc. Incredibly fun! I know that everyone prefers Indiana Jones, but for Pete's sake, CTX was a good ride in its day! Dr. Seeker, while only in there briefly, is one of the coolest and most oddly endearing characters in a Disney attraction, hijacking your time travel tour for his own insane purpose of bringing a dino back. Maybe it's my man crush on Seeker that makes me prefer CTX! "I tagged him with a locator during an "unauthorized" field trip. Otherwise, I'd be traveling with you." Seeker > IJA version of Indy
 

Little Green Men

Well-Known Member
I admit when I clicked on this thread I expected the OP to be about how far superior Indy is to CTX/Dinosaur. I like both rides, yes CTX has a lot of moments in the dark but that kind of adds to the creepiness of the ride. Even in it's current form CTX is a great ride and no trip to DAK is complete without a ride on that. "They're not gonna make it" is definitely an epic quote.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
The queue was a huge part of the Infiana Jones Adventure experience. Even at Tokyo DisneySEA it's not quite the same without the meandering queue dictated by the complexities of existing site conditions.
 

dweezil78

Well-Known Member
Indy all the way for me. CTX is tacky and boring IMO. That said, I never went on the original more intense version, but even still, I don't think it'd be enough for me to choose it over Indy. To each his/her own though!
 

kap91

Well-Known Member
I actually tend to like CTX better as well, though certainly more effort was put into Indy BUT

This topic has been covered at least twice before
 

dweezil78

Well-Known Member
Honestly, I think because Indy is way less reliant upon animatronics, it's a big part of why it has managed to hold up a lot better over the years. Those things just don't age well sadly and stand out like sore thumbs. They are far more forgivable when seen in classic rides like Pirates because we've come to accept it for what it is and understand their timeless place in Disney history -- but when seen in a more modern attraction, they unfortunately come across as hokey and dated.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
I can't say I agree with most of your points, especially considering the odd title change to the ride made two years after opening to promote a bad movie that no one remembers or cares about. CTX/Dinosaur also loses points for being sponsored for most of its life by McDonalds, for no apparent reason. As has already been said here, Indy has just held up much, much better over the last 20 years.

That said, I simply had to give you a Like because you opened your thesis with this statement...

Yep, I'm going there. Admittedly, I have been drinking. But the Indiana Jones Adventure talk and expected bashing of CTX got me to thinking...and drinking.

Some of the best Disney fan discussions take place under those conditions! I toast you @Endor Sightseer ! :D
 

Thumper14

Active Member
I love the campiness of the Disney attractions. That is part of the magic! We spent a long weekend at Universal in Florida last summer. Oh how I missed the King Kong ride and his banana breath. The Harry Potter and Simpson lands were awesome, but I missed the Disney magic. The magic of the Tea-Cups, Carousel of Progress, Jungle Cruise and of course my favorite Mr. Toad's wild ride. I feel like a giggly 6 y/o every time I ride them. Whether you are visiting Sleeping Beauty's or Cinderella's castle you are a guest and it is up to you to be gracious or not.

I am so excited!!  
 

Mukta

Well-Known Member
I love both of them! Dinosaur is my favorite ride in AK these days, but it is in bad shape. I rode it 3 times in Jan 2015 and a few of the animatronics aren't working. If the pterodactyl swept over my head again, I might like it better than Indy.

I don't agree with your complaints about Indy. The rooms are currently in great working condition, the projections over Mara's face look great. After sitting through the Tony Baxter presentation yesterday, I have a new appreciation for the ride. The turns in the dark, snake and bugs are all great for me.
 

rle4lunch

Well-Known Member
CTX = Boring/Cheesy/Dumb Story/Outdated
That goes for all of Dinoland tho. That land is so out of place in AK. It feels like a cheap state fair over there.
Indy = Fast paced/Fun/Nostalgic/Broken A Lot

Indy wins. period.
 

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
I liked the far more exciting CTX version, before several of the effects were turned off or just not maintained.
The ride was a bit more rough too...those Rovers used to jostle you a bit but that was also turned down a notch.
The current version is fun...and i do enjoy it when i pass through, but comparing it to IJA is something i cannot do.
Both have their strengths and weaknesses.

For me, IJA has great strength in it's amazingly detailed settings.
You are 'there' and experiencing your own adventure in exploration.
It succeeds in placing me 'there' in that setting.
I really love fully immersive Attractions, and IJA is one of the best in my opinion.

CTX/'Dinosaur' can also be this, but i don't find the detailing to be as enveloping.
The time traveling aspect is fun, but at no time do i actually feel like i am 'there'.
There is no sense of total immersion.

I enjoy the dino AAs, and the Carnotaur who chases your Time Rover is a great effect when working properly.
IJA also has it's issues in regards to effects not working sometimes, but so do most complicated Attractions of this nature.

If all the AAs and effects were restored back to their original SOP settings, 'Dinosaur' would be ten times better then what it currently is.
It really hurts the ride experience seeing all those flying reptiles static, and several other items not working or turned off.

I like both Attractions, but IJA is my first choice of the two.
I never turn down a offer to ride 'Dinosaur' however.
:)
 

George Lucas on a Bench

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
seeker2.jpg


CTX wins
 

tirian

Well-Known Member
I prefer Indiana Jones for its atmosphere, but my sister thinks CTX/Dinosaur is better for the reasons you mention. I have to agree that the darkness in CTX is a better psychological thrill ride than the obviously fake areas of IJA.

Yep, I'm going there. Admittedly, I have been drinking. But the Indiana Jones Adventure talk and expected bashing of CTX got me to thinking...and drinking.

I kinda prefer CTX. Hear me out.

I feel that Indy is by far the most overrated Disney attraction I have ever experienced. I've only heard praise. True, I enjoy it. I think the queue is a lot of fun. I dig on that main Temple of Doom-esque chamber with the bridge. Aside from that...meh?

It's the newest and perhaps most celebrated E Ticket at Disneyland (come on, Star Tours 2 doesn't really count, that was a refit and it's just screens), yet the effects are all corny. Skeletons on sticks popping out of the wall, obvious projections of bugs on the walls (with seemingly unrelated inexplicable air blasts straight out of a Universal attraction), a silly Jafar snake that barely moves, completely un-themed corridors after the skull room and that awful Mr. Toad's Wild Ride-esque dart room. It was a huge letdown. I remember the Disney PR pimping how it was never the same ride twice. The only difference is the door at the beginning, and that's constantly broken. Well, I guess broken effects also make it different.

Indy doesn't sound like Indy and in fact, seems to be completely out of character, dangling above the transport and asking you to let him in. What was that? He doesn't even shoot anyone. Okay, I'll excuse that last part.

CTX...yes, everything is broken these days. But is it that different than the situation with Indy? In its heyday, CTX was pretty awesome. Giant dinos in your face, meteors crashing all around, Dr. Seeker on the radio yelling "they're not gonna make it!", time travel tunnels that look like you're inside of the toaster, etc. Incredibly fun! I know that everyone prefers Indiana Jones, but for Pete's sake, CTX was a good ride in its day! Dr. Seeker, while only in there briefly, is one of the coolest and most oddly endearing characters in a Disney attraction, hijacking your time travel tour for his own insane purpose of bringing a dino back. Maybe it's my man crush on Seeker that makes me prefer CTX! "I tagged him with a locator during an "unauthorized" field trip. Otherwise, I'd be traveling with you." Seeker > IJA version of Indy
 

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