Dinosaurs Alive! (attraction)

Dinosaurs Alive!
Canada's Wonderland
Area Planet Snoopy
Status Operating
Opening date May 6, 2012 (2012-05-06)[1]
Closing date October 29, 2018
Carowinds
Area Carolina RFD
Status Operating
Opening date March 29, 2013 (2013-03-29)[2]
Replaced Joe Cool's Driving School
Cedar Point
Area Adventure Island
Camp Snoopy
Status Closed
Cost $1,000,000[3]
Opening date May 12, 2012 (2012-05-12)[4]
Closing date September 3, 2018
Replaced Paddlewheel Excursions
Replaced by Forbidden Frontier
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Status Operating
Opening date April 28, 2012 (2012-04-28)
Closing date October 28, 2018
Kings Dominion
Area Old Virginia
Status Operating
Soft opening date April 5, 2012 (2012-04-05)
Opening date April 6, 2012 (2012-04-06)[5]
Closing date October 28, 2018[6]
Kings Island
Area Coney Mall
Status Closed
Opening date May 26, 2011 (2011-05-26)[7]
Closing date October 29, 2017 (2017-10-29)[8]
Valleyfair
Status Operating
Cost $3.5 million[9]
Opening date May 11, 2013 (2013-05-11)
Replaced Antique Cars
Worlds of Fun
Area Africa
Status Operating
Opening date April 20, 2013 (2013-04-20)
General statistics
Attraction type Walkthrough exhibit
Manufacturer Dinosaurs Unearthed
Theme Dinosaurs
Single rider line available

Dinosaurs Alive! is an animatronic dinosaur themed area located at several Cedar Fair parks. Kings Island was the first park to open the attraction in 2011, while the other parks opened their attraction in 2012 or 2013. The version of this attraction at Kings Island is the world's largest animatronic dinosaur park.[10] A $5–6.00 fee is required in order to enter the attraction. At Kings Island, Worlds of Fun, Carowinds and Kings Dominion, admission is free with a Gold or Platinum Pass. Each park also features Dinostore, a gift shop filled with dinosaur toys and souvenirs.

The exhibits are created by Dinosaurs Unearthed. Some markets, like Toronto, have previously staged their touring exhibit at other venues.[11] Some reviewers have noted that seeing a roller coaster in the background had an "incongruity".[11] A sand pit allows children to "dig" for dinosaurs at an area near the end of the attraction.[12]

Dinosaurs

Exhibits feature dinosaurs that are built to scale and depict various habitats they would have likely encountered. Among the variety of species present throughout the attraction, the dinosaurs themselves can range from several feet in height and length to the much larger Ruyangosaurus, which stands more than 30 feet (9.1 m) tall.[13] Each amusement park configuration is unique, with some featuring exhibits not present at the others:

Park Dinosaurs
Canada's Wonderland[14] Albertosaurus, Allosaurus, 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.
Carowinds Tsintaosaurus, Dilophosaurus and more
Cedar Point[15] 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[16] 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[17] 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[18] 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, Spinosaurus, Stegosaurus, Styracosaurus, Tenontosaurus, Torosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus and Yangchuanosaurus.
Telus World of Science Unknown
Valleyfair Unknown
Worlds of Fun Unknown

In addition to being life-sized, many of the dinosaurs are animatronic. Models feature moving skin, with no visible joints or seams.[11] Some are interactive, allowing visitors to press buttons on the exhibit's sign to control the movement of various body parts depending on where the button is 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 are activated when motion sensors detect movement by guests walking by. Sound effects from hidden speakers also accompany the various movements including roaring, bellowing, and/or shrieking.[12][11][19]

Size

Dinosaurs Alive! exhibit entrance at Canada's Wonderland.
LocationParkDinosaursTrail lengthArea
Ontario (Vaughan)Canada's Wonderland40[1]Unknown7 acres (2.8 ha)
North Carolina (Charlotte)Carowinds321,000 yd (910 m)[20]5 acres (2.0 ha)
Ohio (Sandusky)Cedar Point501,900 ft (580 m)4 acres (1.6 ha)
Pennsylvania (Allentown)Dorney Park372,100 ft (640 m)3.3 acres (1.3 ha)
Virginia (Doswell)Kings Dominion363,000 ft (910 m)6 acres (2.4 ha)
Ohio (Mason)Kings Island604,000 ft (1,200 m)12.5 acres (5.1 ha)
Alberta (Edmonton)Telus World of ScienceUnknownUnknownUnknown
Minnesota (Shakopee)ValleyfairUnknown2,837 ft (865 m)5 acres (2.0 ha)
Missouri (Kansas City)Worlds of Fun351,900 ft (580 m)2 acres (0.81 ha)

Movie

A dinosaur-related 3D movie is currently shown at Canada's Wonderland, Kings Dominion, and Carowinds in their respective Action Theaters with the motion seats removed. The film is included with park admission at most parks,[21][22][23] while admission to both the attraction and film cost $6 at Canada's Wonderland.[11] At Wonderland, the film shown in the theater is the 11-minute Monsters of the Deep,[24] while Dinosaurs: Monsters of Patagonia was shown at Carowinds and Kings Island.[23]

Kings Island, Cedar Point, and Carowinds charge an additional $5 admission per person over the age of 2. However, Carowinds does offer special Dinosaurs Alive! endorsement stickers that can 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.[20] 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.[11] Some theme park enthusiasts suggested in advance of opening that the attraction would not be "repeatable", in advance of its Cedar Point opening.[20]

Many dinosaurs in the Canada's Wonderland attraction were juveniles, causing one reviewer to speculate this was "a cost-saving measure."[11] 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.[11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Dinosaurs Unearthed at Canada's Wonderland". Press Release. Canada's Wonderland. 15 November 2011. Retrieved 17 November 2011.
  2. ↑ "Carowinds opens for the year". Seattle PI. March 29, 2013. Archived from the original on March 30, 2013. Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Press Release". Cedar Point. Archived from the original on October 26, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Dinosaurs Alive! about". Cedar Point. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  5. ↑ Tuesday, March 6, 2012 12:00 am (2012-03-06). "Kings Dominion's new attractions on schedule — Richmond Times-Dispatch: Business: p, business, economy, local, companies". .timesdispatch.com. Retrieved 2013-01-25.
  6. ↑ https://www.kingsdominion.com/blog/2018/8.30-dinosaurs-alive-extinction
  7. ↑ "Dinosaurs Alive! at Kings Island opens to rave reviews". KI Insider Blog. May 30, 2011. Archived from the original on September 20, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  8. ↑ "Kings Island To Retire Dinosaurs Alive This October". Screamscape. September 27, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Dinosaur exhibit new Valleyfair attraction in 2013". Shakopee Valley News. September 6, 2012. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Kings Island to open world's largest dinosaur park". Mason Buzz. March 18, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Moon, Brad (11 June 2012). "Canada's Wonderland Plays Host to Dinosaurs Alive! Exhibit". Wired.com. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  12. 1 2 ""Must go faster!" RUUUUUUUUN! Dinosaurs Alive! at Canada's Wonderland". Afar. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  13. ↑ "Ruyangosaurus". Dinosaursalive.kingsdominion.com. Retrieved 2013-01-25.
  14. ↑ "Canada's Wonderland Dinosaurs". Canada's Wonderland. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Dinosaurs Alive! At Cedar Point". Cedar Point. Archived from the original on October 25, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Dinosaurs Alive! At Dorney Park". Dorney Park. Archived from the original on July 26, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Dinosaurs Alive! At Kings Dominion Info Page". Kings Dominion. Archived from the original on October 24, 2011. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Kings Island Dinosaurs". Kings Island. Retrieved October 17, 2011.
  19. ↑ Egan, Kerry (12 August 2013). "Budding paleontologists can find dinosaurs at Carowinds". South Carolina. Just Right. Archived from the original on 1 April 2014. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  20. 1 2 3 Bullock, Joel (23 September 2012). "Carowinds and Valleyfair to add Dinosaurs Alive! for 2013". The Coaster Critic. Virginia. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  21. ↑ Kings Island. "E-Newsletter — Dinosaurs Alive! 3D an Adventure With Teeth!" VisitKingsIsland.com. Cedar Fair Entertainment Company. May 10, 2011, accessed May 10, 2011.
  22. ↑ Sim, Nick. "Kings Island's Dinosaurs Alive! 3D movie to be free for 2012 season". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved 10 July 2012.
  23. 1 2 "Carowinds Offers Newest Attraction: Dinosaurs Alive!". The Weekend Homemaker. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
  24. ↑ Fox, Jim (2013-05-04). "Summer of thrills at Canada's Wonderland, Toronto's CN Tower". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.