Dinosaur at AK

[joshsmom]

I know that this question has probably been asked (and answered) 1,000,000 times, but I did a search and couldn't find anything. We've read the guides (official, unofficial, those just for kids, etc.), we've watched the planning video, we've talked to people who have been on it (not much info though) we've walked past the ride 100 times, but DS9 STILL says "I'm NOT going on it". I'm not one to force him on ANYTHING--believe me. But he didn't want to go on RNR until I read that thread to him and he asked me to post about Dinosaur. Is it REALLY scary? Is it REALLY dark? Can you compare it to ANY other Disney ride so he has a source of reference? I know, I know, you've probably helped 5,000 other DISers with this one, but can you do it for me too?? Just this once? Pretty Please???

 

[720L]

My 5 yr old daughter loves it. It scares the heck out of me. Very dark except for when your car is RIGHT next to a HUGE dinosaur then a blinding light comes on so you can see the huge dinosaur trying to eat you! I would say it's the scariest ride at Disney. TOT is creepy but you can see whats going on around you at least.

 

[NYDisneyMom]

I know that this question has probably been asked (and answered) 1,000,000 times, but I did a search and couldn't find anything. We've read the guides (official, unofficial, those just for kids, etc.), we've watched the planning video, we've talked to people who have been on it (not much info though) we've walked past the ride 100 times, but DS9 STILL says "I'm NOT going on it". I'm not one to force him on ANYTHING--believe me. But he didn't want to go on RNR until I read that thread to him and he asked me to post about Dinosaur. Is it REALLY scary? Is it REALLY dark? Can you compare it to ANY other Disney ride so he has a source of reference? I know, I know, you've probably helped 5,000 other DISers with this one, but can you do it for me too?? Just this once? Pretty Please???

Yes..it's very dark. Yes, it's scary. It's bouncy and jerky and loud, too. My boys do Dinosaur at least once every trip, but they are huge dino fans. BUT, every time they take the picture at the end you can see my little guy (8) hiding his face, or squeezing his eyes shut! My older son is 10 and he says it is scary but it's cool, too. All depends on your son...neither of my boys will do RNR!! You could tell him he could just shut his eyes if anything scares him. He may love it.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You ride in a car with about four rows, four or five seats each row. Kind of like a jeep. The ride is very bumpy. As you ride through the forest, you see dinosaurs at the side of the road. It's dark in the ride, only a few meteors and a bit of sunlight. Occasionally, you are surprised by a meat eater. Once in a while a raptor or flying dinosaur. The car speeds up to beat the meteor shower that ended that age and brought on the Ice Age (I think that's what's happening, haven't been on the ride in a while). You make a lot of quick, jerky turns in the car. Plus the car goes up and down a few times, not like a roller coaster, just like riding on a bumpy, road that goes up and down.

Have him sit in the middle and not at the ends of the row. He'll have a seat belt on to help keep him secured. As long as he is between two adults (who can put an arm around him every so often) he should be okay. My son lost his hat on the first time he rode the ride. Make sure that you secure anything that is loose in the net bag in front of you.

The whole purpose of the ride is to bring back a dinosaur to the present time to help with research. You're looking for one like the dinosaur (Aladar) in the movie Dinosaur. You see a Carnotaur (maybe twice) with the second time a little scarier (closer to you - that's when they take your picture).

I've seen some shows about how they made the ride. Actually, the road is very smooth. It's the car that has the bumps in it (programmed to toss and bump like you are riding on a very bumpy road). So the wheels run very smoothly, but the body of the car is jerky.

 

[BroganMc]

I'd say Dinosaur is easily the scariest and roughest ride in Disney. Most of the ride you are in pitch black. You'll experience flashes of light that occur so quickly they blind you. Animatronic dinosaurs are placed along your route and you don't notice them until a blinding flash illuminates the area.

It is an extremely jerky ride tossing you side to side, violently. I rode with my dad and had trouble securing myself in place despite my seatbelt. I accidently slammed his arm with my elbow in the confusion. And there was so much ride noise and screaming in the vehicle there was just no way anyone could be heard. It would not be possible to calmly reassure your son during the ride. He won't hear you. And it'll be dark, plus the jerky motion, well it gets very confusing in there.

Imagine the old Alien Encounter in its darkest moments, then throw in Big Thunder's jerkiness with a touch of Star Tours/Body Wars, and the visuals of Universe of Energy.

You're never afraid of falling off the ride, but you will feel like you've been through a blender blindfolded.

Oh and it is 3 rows of 4 seats each. I have the picture of me and my dad with carnatore on my wall.

J

 

[bjakmom]

My DNeph was too scared to ride last Aug when he was 6. He got scared during the intro movie and I took him out the exit door and my sis rode with her big boys (20,16). Once we got into the exit area he was so upset that he got scared, especially when he kept watching all the smaller kids coming off the ride who had ridden - I kept reassuring him that it wasn't a big deal and he would have plenty of chances to ride it in years to come. Needless to say his big brothers were upset with him and teased him a bit. Fast forward to Dec when he returned with just his 'aunties' - he was determined to ride Dinosaur, and did, but it was pretty intense for him, he's not a big 'thrill ride' lover ! It is a very dark, jerky ride, but I think it's only scary if you're afraid of dinosaurs. I did talk him through the ride, pointing out the big dino at the end that lunges down from above so that it would't surprise him - I agree with you to let the decision be completely his.

 

[Msslaydbug]

I would have to agree with the posters above. My son was 5 when he went on it for the first time and although he loved it. He like thrill rides. You couldn't get me to go on it again. I like "thrill rides". i will ride ToT and RnR 10x's , BUT I hate "suprise" factor rides. Anything that will jump out and scare me or make me jump - I hate. I don't like the little sting you get at the end of TTBAB, Jaws at Universal, I don't even want to imagine how I would have handled Alien when it was there. I thought it was very "undisney like" ride. Just very very dark and loud !!

 

[mamapajama]

I know that this question has probably been asked (and answered) 1,000,000 times, but I did a search and couldn't find anything. We've read the guides (official, unofficial, those just for kids, etc.), we've watched the planning video, we've talked to people who have been on it (not much info though) we've walked past the ride 100 times, but DS9 STILL says "I'm NOT going on it". I'm not one to force him on ANYTHING--believe me. But he didn't want to go on RNR until I read that thread to him and he asked me to post about Dinosaur. Is it REALLY scary? Is it REALLY dark? Can you compare it to ANY other Disney ride so he has a source of reference? I know, I know, you've probably helped 5,000 other DISers with this one, but can you do it for me too?? Just this once? Pretty Please???

MY DD(11) loves this but DS(8) would absolutely croak on this. I say definitely go by how you know your DS to be. Mine doesn't care for exteme dark (Stitch upset him, not to the point of tears, but I don't think he'll see it again). From going on it (Dino)I know he would probably be ruined for the rest of the day. And this is a kid who does all the Mountains and ToT (even in the dark with the sim. lightning which he also doesn't like) with no problem. I find it pretty scary when the big Dino comes out at you & roars but we always laugh because it's "scary-funny" to us but it would not be to him. There's also a sense of apprehension because you know something is gonna happen but you don't know when or where. It's different than RnRC in that it's a sort of "shock" scary like watching a scary movie when something pops out at you. BTW, DS has shown no interest in RnRC either. When we went in November of 2003 (when he turned 7)he didn't go on any coasters other than Barnstormer & BTMR. The next August he went on all the mountains and ToT. I'd rather have him miss something than have it ruin his day so I let him tell me what we wants. I just feel like if he thinks he's going to be really scared..he will be no matter what.

HTH
Good luck!

Elise

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

DS9 liked it. He said it was jerky but not too scary. We only rode it once, but he wanted to go again. We just ran out of time at AK.

I don't recall it being PITCH dark like some other things. I guess since I knew the big scary one was coming at the end it didn't startle me, and I am pretty sure I warned DS.

Good luck!

 

[disneyaggie]

I know that this question has probably been asked (and answered) 1,000,000 times, but I did a search and couldn't find anything. We've read the guides (official, unofficial, those just for kids, etc.), we've watched the planning video, we've talked to people who have been on it (not much info though) we've walked past the ride 100 times, but DS9 STILL says "I'm NOT going on it". I'm not one to force him on ANYTHING--believe me. But he didn't want to go on RNR until I read that thread to him and he asked me to post about Dinosaur. Is it REALLY scary? Is it REALLY dark? Can you compare it to ANY other Disney ride so he has a source of reference? I know, I know, you've probably helped 5,000 other DISers with this one, but can you do it for me too?? Just this once? Pretty Please???

I loved this ride, but you can't get me on Tot or RnR. Heck, I won't even ride the Barn Stormer at MK! But on the Dinosaur ride, to me what might scare children is that the dinosaurs are so large, so close and so loud, they seem real. I still think that your DS may come around, on his timing. However, I loved it and I want to ride it again when I return to WDW. To add to the large animals "roaming free" is the darkness which leads one to ask, "so where is the dinosaur now"? Hence, the fear of the unknown. Good luck!

 

[peter pan217]

it is very scary and dark http://www.disboards.com/editpost.php?do=editpost&p=7773425#
celebrating easter at the world

 

[Mudd77]

My 4 yr. old daughter rode it a couple of weeks ago. But then again she rode everything at Disney that she was tall enough for (Space Mnt, Splash Mnt, BTRR, Test Track, etc.). She was not scared of this ride, but she does not like the beating you take. It is very very very very jerky!

 

[civileng68]

Well I would say this.......It is a good ride, but easy, ok, very easy to criticize and I think the criticism is deserved. NOne of the criticism is anyone's fault. It's just the nature of the ride.

It's VERY rough, so much so my wife won't ride it anyone.

It's so loud that I literally found myself holding my hands over my ears, and that's with me previously working as a stagehand for heavy metal shows in NC and listening to music blaring loud. It's just so loud that it unnervs me.

I think it's fun, but it's one of those things where, when it's over, you may just be glad.

 

[disneyboy]

Its dark with flashing lights and its really turbulant but it is still fun for me. :thewave:

 

[wr3170]

when we were there in Oct both my Daughters 9 and 11 loved it
my nephew who was 10 was scared

i think it depends totaly on the kid

 

[joshsmom]

Thank you to everyone who responded. I have read every response to Josh and he thinks he will probably skip this one this time. That's ok though, we'll just have to take at least one trip a year until he feels he can ride this ride!! I have no problem with that!!!

 

[tigerlily_2]

I know that this question has probably been asked (and answered) 1,000,000 times, but I did a search and couldn't find anything. We've read the guides (official, unofficial, those just for kids, etc.), we've watched the planning video, we've talked to people who have been on it (not much info though) we've walked past the ride 100 times, but DS9 STILL says "I'm NOT going on it". I'm not one to force him on ANYTHING--believe me. But he didn't want to go on RNR until I read that thread to him and he asked me to post about Dinosaur. Is it REALLY scary? Is it REALLY dark? Can you compare it to ANY other Disney ride so he has a source of reference? I know, I know, you've probably helped 5,000 other DISers with this one, but can you do it for me too?? Just this once? Pretty Please???

Well I dunno about anybody else but i have been on dinosaur about 15 times, and have never seen the end of the ride cause it scares me sooooooo much!!!!! and Im nearly 20!!!!

 

[snowglobe girl]

Biggest issue for me was that it jerks you to death. I felt like I was literally going to fall out because all that is holding you in is a fabric seatbelt.

 

[dixipixi]

I agree with almost everyone else. Totally depends on the kid. My DS (now 11) rode this ride at ages 7 and 9 and absolutely LOVED it. It is one of things he is most looking forward to riding again. On the other hand, I can't get him on RnRC or anywhere near ToT. Of course, dinosaurs have always been one of his favorite things and they don't scare him at all.

On the other hand, my stepson (4 yrs older than my son) agrees with a lot of people that Dinosaur is the scariest ride at Disney! But he doesn't like the dark and has never been a huge fan of dinosaurs. He rides EVERYTHING else but admits that Dinosaur "kinda freaks him out" and he'll be 16 next month!