After preview riding Everest several times, my girlfriend and I headed over to our all time Animal Kingdom favorite, Dinosaur, and took about 3-4 spins around the Cretaceous Period. Knowing full well that Dinosaur is a toned down version of its original CTX glory, we were shocked and upset to see that some of the still remaining intense scenes have also been toned. I am speaking of the second encounter with the Carnosaur (however you spell his name). Where the once ferocious beast charged your vehicle from the thicket of trees and shrubs, he now stands stil in full view as your ride vehicle approaches, his legs running in place as if on a dino-treadmill. Hoping that the sudden encounter was a ride mishap, we took a few more spins to verify what we had seen. Sure enough, as we rounded the corner, there he was, already charged, the missing backside of his body clearly visible in the dim lighting.
I truly hope this is not another softening of an already softened ride. I know many fans are not wild about Dinosaur, but I believe it to be an amazing dark ride, and I enjoy it several times over each time I visit Animal Kingdom. Heck, I found Dinosaur ten times more enjoyable and thrilling than all of Everest, but that's another story. All in all, I just wanted to point this little factor out to fellow Dinosaur fans, hoping someone here can shed some light onto what has happened. I know it's not a big deal, but the charging effect was perfect psychological perception. Having the feeling that the charging monster was about to tear me from my seat was always a favorite moment for me. Ugh, if they continue to mess with this classic dark ride they might as well throw in an Ellen AA and call it a day.:hammer:
I want to be scared again!