Dinosaurs Alive! (attraction) explained

Dinosaurs Alive!
Location:Canada's Wonderland
Section:Planet Snoopy
Status:Removed
Opened:[1]
Closed:October 29, 2018
Location2:Carowinds
Section2:Carolina RFD
Status2:Removed
Opened2:[2]
Closed2:August 18, 2019[3]
Previousattraction2:Joe Cool's Driving School
Location3:Cedar Point
Section3:Adventure Island
Camp Snoopy
Status3:Removed
Closed3:September 3, 2018
Cost3:$1 million[4]
Opened3:[5]
Previousattraction3:Paddlewheel Excursions
Replacement3:Forbidden Frontier (2019-2022)
Location4:Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Status4:Removed
Closed4:October 28, 2018
Location5:Kings Dominion
Section5:Old Virginia
Status5:Removed
Opened5:[6]
Closed5:October 28, 2018[7]
Replacement5:GrimmWoods (2021-Present)
Location6:Kings Island
Section6:Coney Mall
Status6:Removed
Opened6:[8]
Closed6:[9]
Replacement6:Orion, Kings Mills Antique Autos
Location7:Valleyfair
Status7:Removed
Cost7:$3.5 million[10]
Closed7:[11]
Replacement7:Monster Jam (2022-2023)
Location8:Worlds of Fun
Section8:Africa
Status8:Removed
Closed8:[12]
Replacement8:Zambezi Zinger
Status9:Operating
Type:Walkthrough exhibit
Theme:Dinosaurs
Pay Per Use:Yes

Dinosaurs Alive! was an animatronic dinosaur themed area which formerly operated at several amusement parks, but has since been closed.

The exhibits were created by Dinosaurs Unearthed. Some markets, like Toronto, previously staged their touring exhibit at other venues.[13] Some reviewers noted that seeing a roller coaster in the background was an "incongruity". A sand pit allowed children to "dig" for dinosaurs at an area near the end of the attraction.[14]

Dinosaurs

The exhibits featured dinosaurs that were built to scale and depicted various habitats they would have likely encountered. Among the variety of species present throughout the attraction, the dinosaurs themselves could range from several feet in height and length to the much larger Ruyangosaurus, which stood more than tall.[15] Each amusement park configuration was unique, with some featuring exhibits not present at the others:

ParkDinosaurs
Brookfield Zoo
2009Ruyangosaurus, Protoceratops, Yangchuanosaurus, Dilophosaurus, Metriacanthosaurus, Omeisaurus, Stegosaurus, Apatosaurus, Allosaurus, Baryonyx, Deinonychus, Parasaurolophus, Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus
2013Shantungosaurus, Styracosaurus, Kosmoceratops, Olorotitan, Gigantoraptor, Alxasaurus, Sinosauropteryx, Velociraptor, Microraptor, Stegosaurus, Amargasaurus, Spinosaurus, Omeisaurus, Triceratops, Parasaurolophus, Dyoplosaurus, Tuojiangosaurus, Carnotaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Dilophosaurus and Tyrannosaurus
-Calgary Zoo[16] Tyrannosaurus rex
Canada's Wonderland[17] Albertosaurus, Allosaurus, Baryonyx, Carnotaurus, Chasmosaurus, Deinonychus, Dyoplosaurus, Eotyrannus, Herrerasaurus, Huayangosaurus, Hypacrosaurus, Irritator, Kosmoceratops, Maiasaura, Mamenchisaurus, Mojoceratops, Monoclonius, Monolophosaurus, Ouranosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Ruyangosaurus, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Tenontosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus and Yangchuanosaurus
CarowindsTsintaosaurus, Dilophosaurus, Triceratops, and more
Cedar Point[18] Albertosaurus, Allosaurus, Amargasaurus, Angustinaripterus, Anhanguera, Apatosaurus, Baryonyx, Carnotaurus, Chasmosaurus, Deinonychus, Dilophosaurus, Eotyrannus, Herrerasaurus, Hypacrosaurus, Irritator, Kosmoceratops, Mamenchisaurus, Mojoceratops, Monoclonius, Monolophosaurus, Olorotitan, Omeisaurus, Ouranosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Ruyangosaurus, Saltasaurus, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Tenontosaurus, Torosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus and Yangchuanosaurus
Dorney Park[19] Albertosaurus, Allosaurus, Amargasaurus, Angustinaripterus, Apatosaurus, Baryonyx, Carnotaurus, Chasmosaurus, Deinonychus, Dyoplosaurus, Eotyrannus, Herrerasaurus, Irritator, Kosmoceratops, Mamenchisaurus, Mojoceratops, Monoclonius, Monolophosaurus, Ouranosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Ruyangosaurus, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Tenontosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus and Yangchuanosaurus
Kings Dominion[20] Albertosaurus, Allosaurus, Amargasaurus, Angustinaripterus, Apatosaurus, Baryonyx, Carnotaurus, Chasmosaurus, Deinonychus, Dyoplosaurus, Eotyrannus, Herrerasaurus, Irritator, Kosmoceratops, Mamenchisaurus, Mojoceratops, Monoclonius, Monolophosaurus, Ouranosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Ruyangosaurus, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Tenontosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus and Yangchuanosaurus
Kings Island[21] Albertosaurus, Allosaurus, Amargasaurus, Angustinaripterus, Apatosaurus, Baryonyx, Carnotaurus, Chasmosaurus, Deinonychus, Dilophosaurus, Dyoplosaurus, Eotyrannus, Herrerasaurus, Hypacrosaurus, Irritator, Kosmoceratops, Mamenchisaurus, Metriacanthosaurus, Mojoceratops, Monoclonius, Monolophosaurus, Olorotitan, Omeisaurus, Ouranosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Pinacosaurus, Psittacosaurus, Ruyangosaurus, Saltasaurus, Sauroposeidon, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Styracosaurus, Tenontosaurus, Torosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus and Yangchuanosaurus
Toronto Zoo[22] Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex
Valleyfair[23] Allosaurus, Apatosaurus, Baryonyx, Dilophosaurus, Huayangosaurus, Mamenchisaurus, Omeisaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus rex, and Yangchuanosaurus
Woodbine Fantasy FairSpinosaurus
Worlds of FunAllosaurus, Baryonyx, Carnotaurus, Chasmosaurus, Dacentrurus, Deinonychus, Herrerasaurus, Irritator, Kosmoceratops, Mamenchisaurus, Mojoceratops, Olorotitan, Pachycephalosaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Ruyangosaurus, Saichania, Saltasaurus, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Tenontosaurus, Triceratops, and Tyrannosaurus rex

In addition to being life-sized, many of the dinosaurs were animatronic. Models featured moving skin, with no visible joints or seams. Some were interactive, that allowed visitors to press buttons on the exhibit's sign to control the movement of various body parts depending on where the button was located (e.g., button on snout opens jaws, button on throat thrashes neck and button on rear makes the tail sway). The non-interactive animatronic dinosaurs were activated when motion sensors detect movement by guests walking by. Sound effects from hidden speakers also accompanied the various movements including roaring, bellowing and/or shrieking.[24]

Size

Location Park Dinosaurs Trail length Area
Calgary, Alberta Calgary Zoo 20
Vaughan, Ontario Canada's Wonderland 40 7acres
Charlotte, North Carolina Carowinds 32 1000yd[25] 5acres
Sandusky, Ohio Cedar Point 50 1900feet 4acres
Allentown, Pennsylvania Dorney Park 37 2100feet 3.3acres
Doswell, VirginiaKings Dominion 36 3000feet 6acres
Mason, Ohio Kings Island 60 4000feet 12.5acres
Scarborough, Ontario Toronto Zoo 16
Shakopee, Minnesota Valleyfair 2837feet 5acres
Kansas City, Missouri Worlds of Fun 35 1900feet 2acres

Movie

A dinosaur-related 3D movie was shown at Carowinds in their respective Action Theater with the motion seats removed. It was also shown at King Dominion and Canada's Wonderland as well. The film was included with park admission at most parks,[26] [27] [28] while admission to both the attraction and film costed $6 at Canada's Wonderland. At Wonderland, the film shown in the theater is the 11-minute Monsters of the Deep,[29] while Dinosaurs: Monsters of Patagonia was shown at Carowinds and Kings Island.

Kings Island, Cedar Point and Carowinds charged an additional $5 admission per person over the age of 2. However, Carowinds did offer special Dinosaurs Alive! endorsement stickers that could be attached to season passes for $15, granting the passholder unlimited trips through the exhibit for that season.

Reception

The added admission fee was the target of criticism. Cedar Point representatives have stated that the fee is to avoid overcrowding in the section. A writer for Wired.com suggested that, given the cost of admission, parking and food at Canada's Wonderland, the added cost of Dinosaurs Alive! was trivial. Some theme park enthusiasts suggested in advance of opening that the attraction would not be "repeatable", in advance of its Cedar Point opening.

Many dinosaurs in the Canada's Wonderland attraction were juveniles, causing one reviewer to speculate this was "a cost-saving measure." The reviewer also noted that in some instances, the info panels didn't match the depiction in the exhibit. For example, the Canada's Wonderland Eotyrannus lacked feathers despite the nearby illustration suggesting otherwise.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dinosaurs Unearthed at Canada's Wonderland. Press Release. Canada's Wonderland. 17 November 2011. 15 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111116104937/http://www.dinosaursalive.canadaswonderland.com/dinosaursalive/press/index.cfm. 16 November 2011. dead.
  2. News: Carowinds opens for the year . March 30, 2013 . Seattle PI . March 29, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130330070103/http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Carowinds-opens-for-the-year-4394908.php . March 30, 2013 .
  3. Web site: Dinosaurs Alive Animatronic Dinosaurs Carowinds. www.carowinds.com. en. 2019-07-23.
  4. Web site: Press Release . Cedar Point . October 17, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111026062246/http://www.cedarpoint.com/dinosaursalive/press/index.cfm . October 26, 2011 .
  5. Web site: Dinosaurs Alive! about . Cedar Point . January 19, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120121075950/http://apps.cedarpoint.com/dinosaursalive/#about . January 21, 2012 .
  6. Web site: Kings Dominion's new attractions on schedule — Richmond Times-Dispatch: Business: p, business, economy, local, companies . .timesdispatch.com . 2012-03-06 . 2013-01-25 . 2012-04-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120410202549/http://www2.timesdispatch.com/business/2012/mar/06/tdbiz03-biz-to-go-kings-dominions-new-attractions--ar-1742785/ . dead .
  7. Web site: Dinosaurs Alive! Update. www.kingsdominion.com.
  8. Web site: Dinosaurs Alive! at Kings Island opens to rave reviews . KI Insider Blog . May 30, 2011 . October 17, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110920225338/http://www.visitkingsisland.com/public/fun/blog/2011/5/30/Dinosaurs_Alive%21_at_Kings_Island_opens_to_rave_reviews.cfm . September 20, 2011 .
  9. Web site: Kings Island To Retire Dinosaurs Alive This October. Screamscape. September 27, 2017. September 30, 2017.
  10. Web site: Dinosaur exhibit new Valleyfair attraction in 2013. Shakopee Valley News. September 6, 2012. September 6, 2012. September 9, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120909002440/http://www.shakopeenews.com/news/general_news/dinosaur-exhibit-new-valleyfair-attraction-in/article_e8bbda15-e300-54a8-bdc4-e35cd49649b3.html. dead.
  11. 1126260551238213633. ValleyfairMN. Dinosaurs Alive! Date of Extinction:.... 8 May 2019.
  12. Web site: Amusement Park & Attractions | Kansas City, MO | Worlds of Fun. www.worldsoffun.com.
  13. News: Moon. Brad. Canada's Wonderland Plays Host to Dinosaurs Alive! Exhibit. 10 May 2014. Wired.com. 11 June 2012.
  14. News: "Must go faster!" RUUUUUUUUN! Dinosaurs Alive! at Canada's Wonderland. 10 May 2014. Afar.
  15. Web site: Ruyangosaurus . Dinosaursalive.kingsdominion.com . 2013-01-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130405211554/http://dinosaursalive.kingsdominion.com/dinosaursalive/dinos/dinosaur_details.cfm?dino=300 . 2013-04-05 . dead .
  16. Web site: A SNEAK PEEK INTO DINOSAURS ALIVE 2016!. https://web.archive.org/web/20210214001238/www.calgaryzoo.com/blog/members/a-sneak-peek-into-dinosaurs-alive-2016/. 2021-02-14. dead. calgaryzoo.com.
  17. Web site: Canada's Wonderland Dinosaurs. Canada's Wonderland. November 15, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111118025545/http://dinosaursalive.canadaswonderland.com/dinosaursalive/dinos/dinosaurs.cfm. November 18, 2011. dead.
  18. Web site: Dinosaurs Alive! At Cedar Point . Cedar Point . October 17, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111025005759/http://www.cedarpoint.com/dinosaursalive/ . October 25, 2011 .
  19. Web site: Dinosaurs Alive! At Dorney Park. Dorney Park. January 19, 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140726004510/http://dinosaursalive.dorneypark.com/dinosaursalive/. July 26, 2014.
  20. Web site: Dinosaurs Alive! At Kings Dominion Info Page . Kings Dominion . October 17, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111024211330/http://www.kingsdominion.com/rides-attractions/ride-detail.cfm/ride_alias/Dinosaurs-Alive/ride_category/Family-Attractions . October 24, 2011 .
  21. Web site: Kings Island Dinosaurs . Kings Island . October 17, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111024174339/http://www.visitkingsisland.com/dinosaursalive/dinos/dinosaurs.cfm . October 24, 2011 . dead .
  22. Web site: Toronto Zoo | Press Releases. www.torontozoo.com.
  23. Web site: Dinosaurs Alive! at Valleyfair . Dinosaurs Unearthed . June 8, 2021.
  24. News: Egan . Kerry . Budding paleontologists can find dinosaurs at Carowinds . 10 May 2014 . South Carolina. Just Right. . 12 August 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140401071920/http://www.discoversouthcarolina.com/Insider/Family_Travel/Blog/12997 . 1 April 2014 .
  25. News: Bullock. Joel. Carowinds and Valleyfair to add Dinosaurs Alive! for 2013. 10 May 2014. The Coaster Critic. 23 September 2012. Virginia.
  26. Kings Island. "E-Newsletter — Dinosaurs Alive! 3D an Adventure With Teeth!" VisitKingsIsland.com. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. May 10, 2011, accessed May 10, 2011.
  27. Web site: Sim. Nick. Kings Island's Dinosaurs Alive! 3D movie to be free for 2012 season. Theme Park Tourist. 10 July 2012.
  28. News: Carowinds Offers Newest Attraction: Dinosaurs Alive!. 10 May 2014. The Weekend Homemaker.
  29. News: Fox . Jim . Summer of thrills at Canada's Wonderland, Toronto's CN Tower . Toronto Sun . 2013-05-04 . 2014-07-16.

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