Does "Dinoland" need some work?

[Model3 McQueen]

If I was to visit Dinoland today, is it up to Disney standards? Or does the entire area need some TLC?

I know there were some rumors flying around that Dinoland might be re-themed to Indiana Jones land..which makes no sense because "ANIMAL" Kingdom, but I feel like dinosaurs in theme parks deserve the most up-to-date, realistic animatronic technology. I've always been fascinated by what these creatures were. We have Jurassic Park at Universal which looks amazing, but I know Disney can do better then that. Have they done better with "Dinosaur!"?

I haven't been to WDW in over a decade. What're your opinions on this entire area? Would I go in feeling wow'd, or would I be better off spending my time elsewhere?

 

[JIMINYCR]

Dinoland has NEVER been up to Disney standards. Its been a sore point standing out in AK for so long. You have nicely themed areas until you hit that point and its like you entered some 1950's carnival side show.... Disney ran out of money at one point and they were stuck to put something there. Dinosaur and Finding Nemo show are the only thing we go there for.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Dinoland has NEVER been up to Disney standards. Its been a sore point standing out in AK for so long. You have nicely themed areas until you hit that point and its like you entered some 1950's carnival side show.... Disney ran out of money at one point and they were stuck to put something there. Dinosaur and Finding Nemo show are the only thing we go there for.

That's a shame.. from what I've seen in pictures the land looks laughable, but I've only seen one or two TBH. Dinosaur! looks pretty, does that ride itself meet the standards?

 

[JIMINYCR]

That's a shame.. from what I've seen in pictures the land looks laughable, but I've only seen one or two TBH. Dinosaur! looks pretty, does that ride itself meet the standards?

Dinosaur was put in by Eisner to help heavily promote the Dinosaur film they were putting out. They had put a tremendous amount of money into production and wanted to draw guests into that area of the park with a thrilling Dinosaur attraction. I have enjoyed it... theres good story line, good theming, the ride car is fun with all the starting/stopping/ rocking action, the dinosaurs are well themed. The lighting sometimes is off what it should be so that can hurt the experience. I think it meets Disney standards because it hold all the elements I look for and enjoy. I go back for repeat rides.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Dinosaur was put in by Eisner to help heavily promote the Dinosaur film they were putting out. They had put a tremendous amount of money into production and wanted to draw guests into that area of the park with a thrilling Dinosaur attraction. I have enjoyed it... theres good story line, good theming, the ride car is fun with all the starting/stopping/ rocking action, the dinosaurs are well themed. The lighting sometimes is off what it should be so that can hurt the experience. I think it meets Disney standards because it hold all the elements I look for and enjoy. I go back for repeat rides.

Thank you @JIMINYCR appreciate your response. Dinosaur looks similar to Indiana Jones Adventure in CA, and that itself is an incredible attraction. Hoping they put that same love into Dinosaur.

 

[Chef Mickey]

It's needed work since the day it opened and should have never opened in the first place.

 

[Phonedave]

Dinoland is perhaps the most accurately themed area in all of WDW.

It is supposed to look like a tacky roadside carnival that 99% of all people would never stop at, and that is EXACTLY what it looks like.

-dave

 

[Bairstow]

Thank you @JIMINYCR appreciate your response. Dinosaur looks similar to Indiana Jones Adventure in CA, and that itself is an incredible attraction. Hoping they put that same love into Dinosaur.

They didn't have time to.
Dinosaur/Countdown to Extinction is actually a near-clone of Forbidden Eye, with an essentially identical ride path, but not nearly as nice an attraction. There's a handful of decent Carnosaur animatronics that do a good job of popping up and scaring guests, but because the imagineers ran out of money and time the sets of the ride are threadbare, and much, if not most of the ride is bathed in total darkness to hide the fact that you're basically in an empty warehouse. It's not as bad as I'm making it sound, but the ride completely pales in comparison to Indy.

The best-executed part of Dinoland is restaurantasaurus, where the wall decorations tell the story of several years of a college paleontological program. It may be the best execution of storytelling through interior design that Imagineering has ever pulled off. I'm not even kidding- that McDonalds is a small masterpiece.

 

[MileZXO]

Terrible part of what is a beautifully themed park, you turn a corner and it feels like Butlins.

 

[HonorableMention]

If I was to visit Dinoland today, is it up to Disney standards? Or does the entire area need some TLC?

I know there were some rumors flying around that Dinoland might be re-themed to Indiana Jones land..which makes no sense because "ANIMAL" Kingdom, but I feel like dinosaurs in theme parks deserve the most up-to-date, realistic animatronic technology. I've always been fascinated by what these creatures were. We have Jurassic Park at Universal which looks amazing, but I know Disney can do better then that. Have they done better with "Dinosaur!"?

I haven't been to WDW in over a decade. What're your opinions on this entire area? Would I go in feeling wow'd, or would I be better off spending my time elsewhere?

Dinorama sucks compared to the rest of the park, but until Pandora came along it had some of the only kid friendly rides. It’s kind of the Bug’s Land of AK in that respect.

Dinosaur itself is up to Disney standards in my opinion, but it’s definitely weak when compared to Indiana Jones. Even then, I think the dinosaurs in the ride are better than Jurassic Park’s, which barely move nowadays.

 

[Bairstow]

Dinorama sucks compared to the rest of the park, but until Pandora came along it had some of the only kid friendly rides. It’s kind of the Bug’s Land of AK in that respect.

Dinosaur itself is up to Disney standards in my opinion, but it’s definitely weak when compared to Indiana Jones. Even then, I think the dinosaurs in the ride are better than Jurassic Park’s, which barely move nowadays.

Countdown to Extinction still has a lot of real potential, if Disney were ever willing to shut it down long enough to fix some of its more fundamental problems and finish installing the sets. The last update didn't really accomplish much.

 

[marni1971]

Dinosaur was put in by Eisner to help heavily promote the Dinosaur film they were putting out..

No, Countdown to Extinction was renamed Dinosaur to promote the movie.

 

[Bairstow]

No, Countdown to Extinction was renamed Dinosaur to promote the movie.

But surely the ride and the choice of species therein was influenced by the movie in production.

I can't imagine that some degree of synergy wasn't intended from the beginning, even if the inane decision to rename the ride was not.

 

[Scrungo]

"Countdown to Extinction"
Who knew Disney Imagineers were such big Megadeth fans.

 

[HonorableMention]

Countdown to Extinction still has a lot of real potential, if Disney were ever willing to shut it down long enough to fix some of its more fundamental problems and finish installing the sets. The last update didn't really accomplish much.

I agree, but I feel like a decent amount was done considering how bad things were before. It got the new compy screens, better lighting and restored meteor effects, the projected laser net, and wasn’t the sauropod reprogrammed or something?

I always laugh at the stupid finale though since it kind of looks like you’re driving into the carnotaurus. I think we have the technology now to make a working meteor scene.

 

[Bairstow]

I agree, but I feel like a decent amount was done considering how bad things were before. It got the new compy screens, better lighting and restored meteor effects, the projected laser net, and wasn’t the sauropod reprogrammed or something?

I always laugh at the stupid finale though since it kind of looks like you’re driving into the carnotaurus. I think we have the technology now to make a working meteor scene.

Fine. So after the last refurb the ride is only slightly worse than it was when it opened.

 

[marni1971]

But surely the ride and the choice of species therein was influenced by the movie in production.

I can't imagine that some degree of synergy wasn't intended from the beginning, even if the inane decision to rename the ride was not.

Nope. CTX derived from an attraction developed in the early 90s. Obviously some of the media leant from the by-then in development movie but the ride itself was developed before the movie. It’s evolution as a full EMV ride happened almost in tandem with Indy.

Since the origins of Wild Animal Kingdom there was always a Dino based thrill ride in that corner. It was one of the four original corner pegs; Beastly, Safaris, Tiger River and Dino.

 

[Bairstow]

Nope. CTX derived from an attraction developed in the early 90s. Obviously some of the media leant from the by-then in development movie but the ride itself was developed before the movie. It’s evolution as a full EMV ride happened almost in tandem with Indy.

So the congruencies between all the species shown in the ride, and all the species shown in the film, including the inclusion of the previously-obscure and upscaled carnotaurus, and the selection of an iguanodon to be the "hero" animal are pure coincidence?

I find this, at the very least, unlikely.

 

[marni1971]

So the congruencies between all the species shown in the ride, and all the species shown in the film, including the inclusion of the previously-obscure and upscaled carnotaurus, and the selection of an iguanodon to be the "hero" animal are pure coincidence?

I find this, at the very least, unlikely.

Like I said, some media leant from the then in-development film but the ride had been in development for years

 

[WondersOfLife]

They shouldn't scratch dinosaurs at Animal Kingdom, as it is a vital part TO the history of the actual "animal kingdom." Plus there are so many children that LLLOOOVE Dinosaurs!

The Dinosaur ride is my personal all time favorite ride at any Disney park ever. (Yes, I rode the Indiana Jones ride at DL, but I like Dinosaurs better than Indy.) So. Re-vamp the land.