defending the so called "Cheap" carnival attractions

[Dragonrider1227]

Ugh, no. The point of Dino-rama was that it is/was cheap. That's the problem with these rides and "minilands" like Dino-rama. There is no creativity put into them, and that's what this company is supposed to be about. Giving the people what they can't get anywhere else. I'm not saying they aren't fun, but they are unoriginal, and there are too many of them in the parks already.

Give me something new, something novel.

Actually, you kinda miss part of my point about this thread when you say that. Aside from a few areas here and there, you CAN'T get those types of carnival places anywhere else because places like Disney and Universal pretty much killed them all. Therefore, Disney is preserving a piece of American history. Above all else, I think Disney HAD to go with this kind of approach with Dino-land 'cause quite frankly, I think anything else would've turned into a Jurrasic Park knock-off XD

The cheap rides are an interesting study. Even R&RC is actually on the cheap side, in comparison to most roller coaster. Disney does made it immersive.

And that, I think, is the difference we see. We all like immersive attractions, and that is what we expect Disney to provide. Be they E-ticket or not, they are immersive. And when the rides aren't immersive, it doesn't feel as much like Disney.

What Dino-rama and Paradise Pier at DCA try to do is let the atmosphere around the rides be immersive, rather than make the rides themselves immersive. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but there are several reasons that it is a good idea. One reason for that is that it is chepaer to do it this way. It is also, as others have noted, nostalgic. But another reason to do it this way, which I didn't understand until I started bringing my small son to WDW, is that the completely immersive attactions can, quite frankly, be overwhelming to little ones.

When my son was 3, we had a trip to WDW that started pretty badly. He was old enough to really be aware of all that was going on, and it was too much. Spaceship Earth, Winnie the Pooh, Maelstrom, Ellen's Energy Adventure, the Tiki Room, El Rio de Tiempo, Festival of the Lion King, etc...were all too much for him. Finally, we switched our thinking around and looked for things that were less immersive. The Carousel, TTA, Magic Carpets, Dumbo, Toontown Judge's Tent, CircleVision movies, Living with the Land, Big Thunder, Kilamanjaro Safaris, Lights Motors Action, Tom Sawyer's Island, were all fine and he enjoyed them. Not because they are better attractions, but because the theming wasn't as all-encompassing. And around that time, he actually liked DCA better than Disneyland Park because the theming in the park and the attractions is less overwhelming (plus there's actually enough space to move).

My little brother was the same way in '90. (Not only was he three, but he's autistic on top of that) All the big attractions people think Disney should only be building overwhelmed him. In fact, the only thing I recall him actually REALLY enjoying at Disney World in '90 was the characters because they were familiar to him and relaxing. To this day, they're still his favorite thing at WDW. This is why I also support those playgrounds they build like Poohs thoughtful Playground. It gives a place for the children to relax and unwind after all that "immersive theming." As you all say, Disney World is for EVERYBODY! That includes kids like his son or my little brother who need a quick break for the overwhelming immersive theming.

 

[Disneyfanman]

This is an interesting thread. My kids and I think Dinorama is out of place and cheapens the atmosphere of the Animal Kingdom. Yet we have enjoyed taking a spin on PWhirl, and have dropped a few bucks in the games. My daughter (a 19 year old Disney nut) endlessly talks about how they ruined the feel of that corner of the park.

So we kind of think that there are two problems. First, Animal Kingdom still doesn't have enough to do. We never spend a full day at the park, although we never miss going on our annual trips. Dino-Rama feels like a half way attempt to address that, and we are always sad when Disney does something half way. So it just feels out of place sitting in the most beautiful theme park every built. I always picture the Imagioneers sitting around drinking with a small check to add something, and wondering how the heck they can do anything with that teeny amount of money. Then somebody mentions Dino-Rama.

Second, the theme just doesn't work. There's nothing magical about it, and and it reminds me of a kids area of a Six Flags park. Even if they had spent millions more on it, the idea was kind of flawed.

So bad idea, and then half way executed. But we still ride the roller coaster. When the wait is less than an hour. Which is rare.

An interesting recent trip included a friend of the family who had never been to Disney. We didn't mention anything about Dino-Rama. She mentioned on the way home that she thought it was the one thing that she saw that seemed out of place. So it's not just us Disneyphiles who hate changes. It seems wrong to normal people too.

But Disney makes mistakes too.

 

[disneymyway]

Just recently one of those old amusement park that my mom went to when she was little, I went to, and even my daughter remembers fondly - closed. It was seedy and a little spooky, actually, but totally cool.

Dinoland reminds us of that - we love it. It is kitschy and fun, imo.

 

[ChrisFL]

You can have a cheap trailer park, put mickey mouse ears all over it, paint it in bright colors and with lots of flashing lights and sounds, add an elaborate back-story and it's still a trailer park.

That's the problem with Dino-Rama, it does not represent what makes Disney different, it doesn't have anything truly above and beyond what you'd find at other places, like Cypress Gardens.

The same problem with DCA, it has an entire section devoted to oceanside amusement parks like you saw in California. The problem is that are these types of parks still open in California! The effort wasn't there enough to make it that much different or better.

 

[I-Miss-Horizons]

I think the problem with Dino-Rama is that at the time it was built, AK didn't have many popular attractions. All it had was Dinosaur, It's Tough to be a Bug, Kilimanjaro Safari, and Kali River Rapids (forgive me if I'm forgetting something because I feel like I am). Even those attractions didn't have long waits (except for Kilimanjaro Safari at least when I was always there) and it was never an all day park. Expedition Everest was probably on the drawing board and Disney knew that it would be a while for AK next E-ticket attraction so they were probably in a hurry to build something that would keep people in the park and that wouldn't cost them a ton of money. Then came Dino-Rama. I personally don't think it fits with Dino-Land like many of you do, but I do agree that AK was in desperate need for something. I do love riding Primeval Whirl when I'm there because my family and I always end up laughing hysterically while we ride it (I don't know why, it's just fun to us I guess). It may be ugly and I agree that it doesn't fit but it does attract some crowds and I guess you could say it did it's job while everyone waited patiently for Expedition Everest. It at least seems that way to me because it's always a longer wait for Primeval Whirl than Dinosaur when I'm there. Once AK starts to get more attractions than maybe they will be able to gut Dino-Rama and I would sort of love/hate to see it go.

Disney has done worse things with Cheap attractions. Such as The magic Carpets of Aladdin overcrowding Adventureland when Dumbo isn't far away. Too me that ride makes Adventureland look more worse than How Dino-Rama makes Dino-Land look.

As for other Carnival themed areas like at DCA, I don't think it was meant to necessarily be "cheap". I think it fits well with the park IMO (maybe not the bugs life part). But I will always defend the "Cheap" carnival rides at Disney world because where else are you going to ride them now a days? Disney is taking you to the past. Enjoy it!!! and no you can't ride them at Six Flags like someone earlier mentioned. Six Flags is the opposite of what Disney is doing. Disney spends a lot of money on making there "Cheap" carnival rides look nice. Six Flags spends little money on attempting to make ALL there rides seem expensive and they turn out looking bad.

 

[ChrisFL]

But I will always defend the "Cheap" carnival rides at Disney world because where else are you going to ride them now a days? Disney is taking you to the past. Enjoy it!!! and no you can't ride them at Six Flags like someone earlier mentioned. Six Flags is the opposite of what Disney is doing. Disney spends a lot of money on making there "Cheap" carnival rides look nice. Six Flags spends little money on attempting to make ALL there rides seem expensive and they turn out looking bad.

Like I said, there's plenty of areas that DCA is trying to emulate that are still there in California! The other problem is that they didn't take all of the steps necessary to make it fully immersive, to make it seem like, say, victorian era like they could have.

 

[Dragonrider1227]

yeah, but i'd be kinda afraid to ride them. I don't think they're as well maintained as Disney's are.

 

[SirGoofy]

Actually, you kinda miss part of my point about this thread when you say that. Aside from a few areas here and there, you CAN'T get those types of carnival places anywhere else because places like Disney and Universal pretty much killed them all. Therefore, Disney is preserving a piece of American history. Above all else, I think Disney HAD to go with this kind of approach with Dino-land 'cause quite frankly, I think anything else would've turned into a Jurrasic Park knock-off XD

Except Disney has the creative people to make something that isn't a knock off JP. But they chose the easy way out instead.

And I'm not saying that one or two of these attractions is a bad thing, but FOUR? That's overkill.

Plus I've heard stories of third shift finding bolts from Primeval Whirl on the ground every night. Now how much cheaper can you get?

 

[krankenstein]

Above all else, I think Disney HAD to go with this kind of approach with Dino-land 'cause quite frankly, I think anything else would've turned into a Jurrasic Park knock-off XD

I would've liked to have a JP knock-off that better fit the theme of DAK than the hunk of junk Dino-Rama they shoehorned in. The area does not fit in with the rest of the (agruably) best themed park at WDW.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

And I'm not saying that one or two of these attractions is a bad thing, but FOUR? That's overkill.

I agree, but if you're talking about spinner rides, three of the four are at MK. That's where the overkill is IMO.

 

[Glasgow]

My impression is that they only had X amount of money to finish AK and Dinoland is what they came up with. I don't care for it personally but I can see how some people would enjoy the campy, nostalgic feel.

It may be themed very well but it still somehow feels unfinished, unpolished and to be honest, temporary in nature to me.

 

[hack2112]

My problem is that Dino-Rama destroys the themeing of my favorite land in DAK. The Institute theme is so well done when you're in that area, and it really does take me to another world. Then the moment I step outside of the Institute, I get sensory overload with all the colors and complete out of place-ness.

 

[raven]

Ugh, no. The point of Dino-rama was that it is/was cheap. That's the problem with these rides and "minilands" like Dino-rama. There is no creativity put into them, and that's what this company is supposed to be about.

It DOES look cheap. It's ugly, and not the sort of ride that belongs at Disney. It's an eyesore. At least they could have put it inside a building shaped like volcano and made it a trip through something. And I wouldn't mind the carney games if the whole thing felt remotely, roadside fairlike.

...when you're at Dino-Rama, you really are at a cheap little park. This is a theme park. Just because it's THEMED like a cheap little park doesn't mean is has to BE a cheap little park.

My problem is that Dino-Rama destroys the themeing of my favorite land in DAK. The Institute theme is so well done when you're in that area, and it really does take me to another world. Then the moment I step outside of the Institute, I get sensory overload with all the colors and complete out of place-ness.

Let us first understand that no one in our present time has ever seen a real living dinosaur. So to make it "real" would be impossible. What we have come to know of dinosaurs are 2 different views: real (Jurrasic Park, etc.) and cartoon (Flintstones, Barny, etc.). Disney has incorporated both of these because not all guests share the same view.

Now for the Imagineers explaination behind the story of Dinoland from the book The Imagineering Field Guide to Animal Kingdom:

"The original residents of Dinoland predate the discovery of fossils on the site and don't know quite what to make of all the hubbub. Some are just trying (mostly) to go about their business - like the proprietors of Restaurantasaurus - but others have figured out numberous ways to capitalize on the notoriety. Have you seen Chester & Hester lately?

...Dinoland really takes its cues these days from the crazy grad students who enrolled in classes up at the Dino Institute. They leave their mark all over town through pranks and practical jokes. The haven't reined in the halls of academia and still see dinosaurs as being fun, fun, fun. Just like we do!

...The staff at the Institute tries to uphold a sense of decorum regarding its paleontological research. They certainly don't condone the more playful activities of the grad students - but they can't control them!

..The students never miss an opportunity to tweak their professors and amuse themselves between digs. Note the lawn chairs on the roof of Restaurantasaurus, and the plunger arrows stuck on the side of the adjucent water tower. Also note the handy device they've rigged in order to avoid having to actually exert and effort in retrieving their handiwork.

Of corse Chester & Hester are not to be missed, either. Their quirky style creates and entirely new zone within Dinoland - Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama! - that revels in the exuberant love of dinosaurs. They don't hesitate to have a little fun at the expence of our prehistoric forebears. They can be thanked - and blamed - for all the billboards that clutter up the highway attempting to attract some business to thei Dinosaur Treasures shop. Chester & Hester will always be there to remind us that there were people here in Dinoland before their were dinosaurs! Well...sort of."

This sheds a whole new light on the Dinoland after reading it. And it also lends itself for some fun in searching the area for these details! :wave:

 

[krankenstein]

This sheds a whole new light on the Dinoland after reading it.

No it doesn't. I've known the background story for a looooonnnngggg time. Even though I enjoy it and can see where they are coming from, it doesn't change the fact that the area is a cheap fix. It's nothing more than a band-aid put in place by the WDI to cover up for the accountants not allowing them to create a full fledge park.

 

[raven]

No it doesn't. I've known the background story for a looooonnnngggg time. Even though I enjoy it and can see where they are coming from, it doesn't change the fact that the area is a cheap fix. It's nothing more than a band-aid put in place by the WDI to cover up for the accountants not allowing them to create a full fledge park.

The area is "a nostalgic reflection of our appreciation for the intentions of such places, not a cynical view of their creators' somewhat less sophisticated skills as show people. Like many of our fantasy environments, it evokes a place that never really existed in exactly this form, but which we all somehow carry shared memories. This is a heartfelt place, sincere in its intentions, if not necessarily skilled in its presentation."

So in other words it uses the same theory as Tomorrowland.

 

[krankenstein]

The area is "a nostalgic reflection of our appreciation for the intentions of such places, not a cynical view of their creators' somewhat less sophisticated skills as show people. Like many of our fantasy environments, it evokes a place that never really existed in exactly this form, but which we all somehow carry shared memories. This is a heartfelt place, sincere in its intentions, if not necessarily skilled in its presentation."

So in other words it uses the same theory as Tomorrowland.

Your comment doesn't change the fact that it is the biggest band-aid on property. They can put whatever propaganda spin on it to justify there actions. At the end of the day it is, and always will be, a quick fix that doesn't fit the park it is located in. You cannot say the same thing about Tomorrowland.

 

[ChrisFL]

This sheds a whole new light on the Dinoland after reading it. And it also lends itself for some fun in searching the area for these details! :wave:

That's great and everything except for the problem that 95% of guests will never know the back story and even if they did, it doesn't change how the place looks.

I can give a pet rock an incredible 12 book documentary written about it and at the end of the day, it's still just a rock

 

[SirGoofy]

I can give a pet rock an incredible 12 book documentary written about it and at the end of the day, it's still just a rock

Bravo, sir. You can give an area all the story you want, but it needs quality attractions to back it up.

 

[Rabflmom]

My impression is that they only had X amount of money to finish AK and Dinoland is what they came up with. I don't care for it personally but I can see how some people would enjoy the campy, nostalgic feel.

It may be themed very well but it still somehow feels unfinished, unpolished and to be honest, temporary in nature to me.

>>>>>>

I may have totally the wrong take on this part of the park, but I have always felt like when you go to Animal Kingdom, they want you to experience Africa etc. The "carnival theming" to me is what it might look like if a small company set up a carnival in a village to entertain the people who are living and working there. It isn't supposed to be big city, modern day, but sort of nostalgia of what might have been in the late 50s and 60s when road side carnivals moved from town to town. In this case it would have been there for the natives as well as the English and missionaries who were working in Africa. JMHO but for me it justifies that section of the park. BTW I love Animal Kingdom and spend part of every day I go to the parks there.

 

[larryl9797]

I feel that although we cant really say what is a cheap ride and what is not... Granted Dino-land really does not fit in AK.
And I would *never* take my kids on a 100 year old wild mouse (no pun intended) ride at some rinky carnival.

There are places that some consider a yawn fest, to others its the best place in the MK. All I can say is that I went on the Dino-Spin with my wife and had a great time.


my 2 cents..