Indiana Jones Adventure Vs. Countdown to Extinction/Dinosaur

[The Empress Lilly]

The need to overcome existing site conditions is why we have the first half of POTC, Haunted Mansion stretching room/changing portrait hallway and the Indiana Jones queue. Disney parks need more complex existing site conditions!

Nice list. The need to overcome existing site conditions gives us DL Resort, perfect working conditions renders us suburban transport hell WDW.

It is a common phenomenon in urbanism. Difficult circumstances creates creativity, originality. Venice, Amsterdam, in America New York and San Francisco are all the result of geographical constraints, whereas an empty slate renders you dullness like Houston and Akron.
Never really thought about how it works on the small scale of a single Disney park or ride. I guess it should not come as a surprise that the best examples are from DL, the most layered of all parks. I'm trying to think of more examples now...

 

[NormC]

The original version with all the effects working and giant asteroid at the end was awesome.

Exactly. Now it is just a bumpy jeep ride in the dark. Whenever an AA breaks they just turn off the lights. Bad Show!

 

[coachwnh]

Been on both many times, and I have to admit I really look forward to Indy when we are in Disneyland. I like Dinosaur, but Indy has it beat!

 

[UofMGuy423]

I kind of agree with the OP. I first rode Indy this past January for the first time and maybe my expectations were set really high, but I didn't think it was that great. The themeing and overall presentation is great, but I didn't like how I could see the other vehicles and it felt a little corny. I ended the ride preferring CTX more because (1) I like how I can't see the ride track, so it really feels like you're back in time on an uneven surface; (2) the immersiveness of the all the animatronics, etc.; and (3) the thrill of the ride, the sounds and the dinos all over the place.

Both are good, but I prefer CTX.

 

[Mickey_777]

I find Indy to be far more immersive than Dinosaur. It helps that I don't get out to Anaheim more than every couple years or so. I get blown away every time and it's easily my favorite attraction in the country Disney or Uni. One of the main reason I ride/like Dinosaur is cause it gives me a little taste of Indy out in DL. Indy FTW.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Nice list. The need to overcome existing site conditions gives us DL Resort, perfect working conditions renders us suburban transport hell WDW.

It is a common phenomenon in urbanism. Difficult circumstances creates creativity, originality. Venice, Amsterdam, in America New York and San Francisco are all the result of geographical constraints, whereas an empty slate renders you dullness like Houston and Akron.
Never really thought about how it works on the small scale of a single Disney park or ride. I guess it should not come as a surprise that the best examples are from DL, the most layered of all parks. I'm trying to think of more examples now...

They had to overcome that sinkhole with Horizons!

 

[cheezbat]

I like Dinosaur enough...I mean, it's one of the only E-tickets in DAK, but it's still decent. BUT...
Anyone who thinks its better than Indy is either crazy or hasn't ridden both. I've ridden both numerous times and Indy wins hands down. Cool animatronics, fire effects, phenomenal queue, awesome ride soundtrack, Mara, the vehicles are much more suitable for Indy, and the boulder! (Gotta love the boulder!)

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I've ridden both a million times. CTX is so underrated it's ridiculous.

In its prime, when it had dinos with full range of motion, the crazy violent Time Rovers, the Carnotaurus chasing you and the asteroid spinning above you before the time jump, it was completely awesome.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I definitely prefer Indy over Dinosaur (and yes, it's Dinosaur, as lame of a name as that may be, it has not been called Countdown to Extinction since I was 5. That's 15 years). Dinosaur is great, but it's not nearly as good as Indy. Indy it's almost like you can't tell which way you're going, there's always something happening to you, there are poison darts being thrown at you; it's just a ton of fun.

Dinosaur is fun. But it's pretty simplistic by comparison. Travel back in time. Look for the Iganadon. Oh nope, that's not our Dino, all of the sudden we are being chased by a Carnatorous, and oh no, we're not going to make it (though seriously, he says it every time and I've never not made it. ). It's a lot of fun, but usually it's something I'l do once or twice a trip. Indy I make it a point to do five or six times when I come out to DL. Also, it probably needs a refurb, but the past two trips, I've noticed some effects that were previously broken are now working. Granted, I don't know of all the effects specifically because when it opened, I was 3 and ergo unable to ride it (or, if I had been, even remember all of the effects) but I have noticed effects that previously weren't there are now up and running.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Something I find really annoying about IJA is that while, yes, it kinda looks like Temple of Doom, it also really, really looks like Legends of the Hidden Temple.

 

[Figments Friend]

CTX is so underrated it's ridiculous.

In its prime, when it had dinos with full range of motion, the crazy violent Time Rovers, the Carnotaurus chasing you and the asteroid spinning above you before the time jump, it was completely awesome.

Now this is something i can agree with.
The original version of CTX was pretty cool as far as the actual ride-through scenes go.
Then it was toned down..and certain effects were turned off because of maintenance issues or costs involved in keeping them going.
Then Disney decided they needed a quick *synergy* tie-in to promote their new forthcoming animated film release *Dinosaur* and a few more changes were made.

I like the current version of the Attraction, but it really hurts riding through and seeing all the missing effects and stationary figures ( Compys and the flying reptile as examples ).
It is still fun though for a couple of bumpy rides.

*Indiana Jones Adventure* however is far and away my preference.
That i can re-experience over and over when visiting the Park and usually make it a point to ride at least 8 to 10 times.
I am done with *Dinosaur* after two or three ride throughs per visit when it happens.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Something I find really annoying about IJA is that while, yes, it kinda looks like Temple of Doom, it also really, really looks like Legends of the Hidden Temple.

Legends of the Hidden Temple: The Experience! Get building Universal Studios Florida!

 

[Cosmic Commando]

The difference is that when you're driving through a detailed temple scene in Indy, you're usually driving through darkness designed to cover emptiness in Dinosaur. The original proposal for Dinosaur was just as grand as Indy, maybe more so. I still like Dinosaur, but it's not the same as Indy.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

CTX is scarier because you can't see where you're going.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I've ridden both a million times. CTX is so underrated it's ridiculous.

In its prime, when it had dinos with full range of motion, the crazy violent Time Rovers, the Carnotaurus chasing you and the asteroid spinning above you before the time jump, it was completely awesome.

I can imagine CTX would've been awesome. I can see why. Sadly, I never got to ride the first version myself. The current version is a bore though. Stretches of nothingness interspersed by loud noises, if you are lucky together with some dino on a stick moving one feet up.