I know a lot of people want dinosaurs to remain at DAK: realistically what could’ve been done to save the land as “Dinoland”? Personally, while I would’ve loved to see “the excavator” happen, I don’t think it would really be the best option for DAK as it is today.
I maintain that the carnival has merit.
- Make the games an interactive entertainment thing. Within the official Dinoland story, they're all Chester and Hester's cousins; lean into that, hire actors instead of sticking merchandise CMs that clearly did not sign up for that in there, make it like Citizens of Hollywood but you can win a prize from it. Give the actors dinosaur facts to include in their improvising.
- Child-friendly dinosaur dark ride. Primeval Whirl's concept was that Chester and Hester were cashing in on the Dino-Institute's Time Rovers with their own time travel ride. That would be a great concept for a dark ride! It doesn't need to include the meteor element so it doesn't feel the same. That's where you can shove your more recognizable ones (t-rex, stegasaurus, etc.) for maximum dinosaur profit. It doesn't need to have a Dinosaur level budget, but should have enough money put into it for moving 3D figures. Let's say Journey of the Little Mermaid level.
- Add one more fairground ride with custom assets. Nothing extreme, just something we don't have already. Maybe a tilt-a-whirl.
- Bring back/expand Dino-Diner. Give it a signature novelty fairground food, either with dinosaur decorations or just make it really big and label it "dino sized". The kind of thing that makes the obnoxious people advertise for you on social media.
If need be, I think a simple reskin from the intentionally kooky, rough looking C+H art style to a more generic Disney style on the signs might have been a cheap way to help make the idea more palatable. Paint over/remove the fake asphalt, proper planters instead of tires and license plates. While I really enjoy what they were going for, I think the joke either flew over a lot of people's heads or they just didn't like it. Chester and Hester can spend a bit more money on their park and keep the general idea.
Okay, now here's the crazy part; I would actually spend some money marketing specifically Dinoland. They already make shorts for their collectathon plush lines (e.g. Munchlings). Do that with the Rama plushes. Use that as an intro to the land for people to help explain the story of Dinoland. Nothing fancy or complex, just like six two minute silent animated comedy shorts, don't intentionally make them advertisements but make sure they all take place in different parts of the land. Easily accessible, shareable content featuring three extremely popular dinosaurs in a distinct, appealing art style (the plush designs are just begging to be cartoons). Put them on Youtube and mix them in with the Resort TV cartoon loop they play in quick services. Disney Plus, too; might as well.
Emphasize the family friendly dinosaur angle with the recognizable species in a medium that catches the attention of kids. A lower budget version of making movies out of rides. It doesn't need to be a permanent thing or something regularly updated, just a marketing push to emphasize that a land is being revitalized.
Then I would add some form of "living dinosaur" experience somewhere; for story purposes it would probably need to be outside of the carnival. Something herbivorous presented as docile. Preferably an igaunadon, but that might be too much effort to pull off.
Dinosaur can still be there as the option for the more adventurous dinosaur fans, but the idea would be to pitch it as a more fully realized dinosaur-themed family friendly land, with six experiences (three C+H rides, games, Boneyard, real dinosaur, potentially also Dino-Bash) that are all good for kids but have a good amount of variety.
If the carnival absolutely cannot be used, just expand the Boneyard theme. Big rock walls with fossils in them. Use it as either the facade for a tame dinosaur dark ride or just build the Excavator. I mean, Hollywood Studios definitely doesn't need more thrill rides but is getting one, so why not Animal Kingdom?
