Countdown to Extinction/Dinosaur history?

[Jerm]

I know this is the place to go for the background of any WDW attraction, so here I go. I went on the attraction when it was CTX and I have been on it a few times since changing to Dinosaur, but other then the name and the outside did anything really change? The only thing I seem to recall that was different was at the end it used to be (again this is my memory) the meteor would come at you at the very end and your car would duck under it...I could just be really confused with Indy here at DL. But now it is a Carnotaurus (on a stick) charging you? I know that I am most likely confused and it has always been a big red dino head at the end but if someone has the history of the attraction to help clear it up that would be great!

J

 

[Chape19714]

I believe it has always been the same. I know it's been debated if the ride's movements were "re-programmed" during the name change.

 

[wdwmagic]

I know this is the place to go for the background of any WDW attraction, so here I go. I went on the attraction when it was CTX and I have been on it a few times since changing to Dinosaur, but other then the name and the outside did anything really change? The only thing I seem to recall that was different was at the end it used to be (again this is my memory) the meteor would come at you at the very end and your car would duck under it...I could just be really confused with Indy here at DL. But now it is a Carnotaurus (on a stick) charging you? I know that I am most likely confused and it has always been a big red dino head at the end but if someone has the history of the attraction to help clear it up that would be great!

J

You are right! There was a metoer instead of the carnotaur head at the finale. He was added a few months after soft opening of AK. The soundtrack narration was also heavily changed, and a few more dinos added.

The changes when CTX changed to Dinosaur were pretty much just the name change, and a reduction of motion base to suit the lower height limit.

 

[Chape19714]

Thanks Steve!

 

[Jerm]

Thanks so much Steve!!!! Now I feel that my memory is as good as ever;-) I know that it is not half as bad as Indy but I know it can get rough in the dark.

J

 

[THECARISMINE]

I think the name change was just because the movie was finally out (as bad as it was) and they wanted to hype it up more

 

[coltow]

I was just checking pictures from 2000 before the name change. There is also a different dino standing out front, a tricertops.

 

[erasure fan1]

I think it was a bit toned down from when it first opened.

 

[marni1971]

Steve... interesting. I neevr knew about the Meteor finale. How did it relate to what is there now (or was in 2001) - a meteor effect passes over your EMV right before the carnotaur is visible?

 

[Lee]

Steve... interesting. I neevr knew about the Meteor finale. How did it relate to what is there now (or was in 2001) - a meteor effect passes over your EMV right before the carnotaur is visible?

As I seem to recall...mind you it's been a while...the meteor was in place of the carnotaur....I think...:lookaroun

 

[mitchk]

I also never knew about that effect, and I would love to hear how the exact sequence went. Also, more Dinos were added, and a lot of the diolage was changed? I like to know about that as well :veryconfu

 

[Maryssa*]

I was just checking pictures from 2000 before the name change. There is also a different dino standing out front, a tricertops.

I seem to recall it being a Styracosaurus. Man that was ages ago

 

[wdwmagic]

As I seem to recall...mind you it's been a while...the meteor was in place of the carnotaur....I think...:lookaroun

Thats right, it was a fairly large meteor, with some nice lighting, that you dipped below on the entry back into the time corridor. The air powered meteor was also present, as it currently is (if you are lucky).

I believe that the meteor effect wasnt considered a very thrilling finale, and only ran during the AK's soft open period. Once the park officially opened, the finale had been changed to the Carno.

Unfortunately I dont have any video or stills of it.

 

[DigitalDisney]

Wow, I don't remember the meteor ending at all. I gotta admit that the Carnotaurus ending is great. It gets me every time. Ha

I wish they'd do something with the sauropod encounter though. I think the long-rumored raptor scene would be a great replacement.

 

[Yen_Sid1]

Thats right, it was a fairly large meteor, with some nice lighting, that you dipped below on the entry back into the time corridor. The air powered meteor was also present, as it currently is (if you are lucky).

I believe that the meteor effect wasnt considered a very thrilling finale, and only ran during the AK's soft open period. Once the park officially opened, the finale had been changed to the Carno.

Unfortunately I dont have any video or stills of it.

Actually, it was when Eisner rode the ride and thought the finale was really weak, so he made WDI change it. A laser effect was originally part of the meteor crash, when it was replaced they moved to the laser to the Iguanadon.

 

[SirGoofy]

Wow, I don't remember the meteor ending at all. I gotta admit that the Carnotaurus ending is great. It gets me every time. Ha

I wish they'd do something with the sauropod encounter though. I think the long-rumored raptor scene would be a great replacement.

What's the raptor scene include? Raptors are awesome.

I remember seeing the meteor when it was CTX, and then I remeber it changing to the Carnotour when it changed to Dinosaur.

Also, I could've sworne that there was a carno AA that came out of a ceiling towards you. But I probably made that up.

 

[WaltzingMatilda]

I freakin' hate this ride.

 

[SoFlaDisneyFan]

I freakin' hate this ride.

I freakin' LOVE it!

 

[AEfx]

I freakin' LOVE it!

Same here. Scariest dark ride ever.

It makes me fantasize about what could be done to really scare the bejezzus out of people if Disney really let the reigns loose.

AEfx

 

[CommandoDisney]

i remember the meteor finale. wasnt it just a stationary rock, and they used fiber optics to create its tail and it basically lit up as if it was flashing down to earth? it looked pretty good actually, that description, not so much. also are we sure they didnt make the ride longer? particularly the part where you are "fishtailing"? for some reason i didnt remember that when i went on it last summer