DINOSAUR at AKP??

[Fairiebee]

Just a tip...

I would seat little ones (or scared ones) on the left hand side of the ride vehicle (think drivers side in a regular car.) The right hand side is scarier b/c it's closer to one of the really scary dinosaurs.

I agree - thank goodness my terrified 4-yr old was on my left tucked under my arm the entire ride. However, it was impossible to drown out the deafening roaring of the T-Rex which descends to what seems inches from your face during this ride.

I would NOT take your 4 year old on this ride. It is very, very scary and at this age, I think it could be traumatizing for some kids. I wish I had known more about it when we rode it. Luckily I was able to shield my daughter from most of the ride, but be forewarned, it is intense.

 

[RJS]

Ditto to all the other comments. Loud, dark, bumpy, jerky, scary, and loud...did I mention loud? We took our kids on it when they were 7 and 8 - they hated it and we've never been back on it since. They are now 12 and 13 and still don't want to return to it. I remember holding on to the kids for dear life and screaming at them 'are you okay?' and only hearing 'no' in return. We were pretty scared too - scared mostly they'd fall out from all the bumping around and we wouldn't see them because it was so dark and we couldn't find them because we couldn't hear anything but dinosaurs roaring after us

Having said that, I'd give it another try this year when we're back just to see...I think I might have to try it solo though...no one else is buyin'.

 

[momto2greatkids]

We took DD5 and DS8 on this last year. DD was terrified! I doubt she will ever set foot on it again. She is normally not one to be easily scared either. DS on the other hand loved it. I guess it just depends on the child.

 

[rabyoga]

I LOVE rides and I consider myself a daredevil. This ride scared the crap out of me. This was the first time I have closed my eyes on a ride at Disney since I was a kid. Just when I thought all was safe I feel this hot breath on my head and neck...I turn around and it is the dinosaur. You should see the picture of me.

That's me! I love thrill rides. I decided to do "Dinosaur" this year. I yelled a not very Disney or kid-friendly word when the dinosaur came at us. When he started chasing us, I closed my eyes, grabbed my hubby's hand and arm real tight- he kept saying, "Honey, you're hurting my hand.. No, really you're hurting my hand." I get off the ride cursing like a sailor.. "@#*! Dinosaurs!"
Get this... Two days later I rode Jurassic Park without incident- didn't scare me at all. Gofigure. My hubby thinks the darkness and closeness makes the Disney's version more intense; while Jurassic Park is open and you see the T-REx coming at ya.. I don't know but I HATE Dinosaur!

 

[ntikos]

Scariest ride at Disney. Would definitely NOT take a 4 year old on this ride. My 7 year old spent the ride crouching as low as she could with her arms over her head - and she's usually pretty daring. She did EE at age 5 - front row with the Yeti in A mode and loved it. Dinosaur is very intense. I think the scariest part is when the vehicle stops and you think you're stuck and this huge dino comes out from the right. The roars are incredibly loud. For a 4 year old - this ride could very well seed nightmares for the rest of your vacation.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

That's me! I love thrill rides. I decided to do "Dinosaur" this year. I yelled a not very Disney or kid-friendly word when the dinosaur came at us. When he started chasing us, I closed my eyes, grabbed my hubby's hand and arm real tight- he kept saying, "Honey, you're hurting my hand.. No, really you're hurting my hand." I get off the ride cursing like a sailor.. "@#*! Dinosaurs!"
Get this... Two days later I rode Jurassic Park without incident- didn't scare me at all. Gofigure. My hubby thinks the darkness and closeness makes the Disney's version more intense; while Jurassic Park is open and you see the T-REx coming at ya.. I don't know but I HATE Dinosaur!

Jurassic Park Ride does not scare me one bit. I find the dinosaur pretty fake looking and you see the T-Rex coming a mile away. But I hate things jumping out at you. I alway tense up when the dinosaur chases the people on Jurassic Park movie and when anything jumps out at you on mvies. I didn't know why I thought I would like to be in one of those.

 

[ShannonMB]

I think Dinosaur is the scariest ride I've ever ridden. I'm 38 years old, have been on it twice, and screamed in actual terror at least twice both times. I have also seen kids crying at the exit both times I rode it. I overheard one little kid (maybe 4) crying his eyes out and his mom promising him, "Don't worry, we never have to ride that again!" That all said, I absolutely LOVE the ride, but will not even consider taking DD 8 on it -- but she's a major ride chicken. Maybe when she's about 25. LOL

I would definitely suggest you ride first and get an idea of how you think your kids would do. I'm so glad I rode before I decided if it was okay for DD! You don't want them to be scared to ride ANYTHING the rest of the trip!

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

Dinosaur is very scary. Just ask my DD18 who is still scared by this ride!

 

[disneydaycare]

My friend rode it right before us, and let me in on the scary, jumping out at you Dinosaur. I, however, did not know when this happened and therefore closed my eyes for the entire ride. My husband and daughter (then 5) loved it and make fun of me to this day. I will have to say when we go back in July, if I ride, my eyes will probably still be closed!

 

[BeccaBellePA]

I LOVE rides and I consider myself a daredevil. This ride scared the crap out of me. This was the first time I have closed my eyes on a ride at Disney since I was a kid. Just when I thought all was safe I feel this hot breath on my head and neck...I turn around and it is the dinosaur. You should see the picture of me.

I'm 25 and this ride still scares me to death. It's not the actual RIDE (i.e. fast or big drops) but just that things jump out of the dark. Things of course being huge scary dinosaurs. My picture has me cowering in the corner while everyone else is laughing.

But having said that, my little cousins (9 & 11) really want to go on this year, so I promised to take them. I know they might get scared, but it's not going to harm them in any way so if they want to, even knowing it's scary, who am I (the scaredy-cat) to tell them no??

 

[DisneyMomma81]

What's the height requirement on this ride? DD (6 next month) still isn't tall enough for Indiana Jones (DL) which is a 46" ride.

 

[pixiedancr]

I agree with everyone else you know your own child. My experience with my dd(who was 7 at the time) was awful. AK was the first park we went to for our Disney experience and we road Dinosaur towards the end of the day. She was ruined for the rest of the day, had nightmares and it took us five hours to talk her into any rides the next day. She is our more adventurous child and it scared the bejebers out of her...she tells her little buddies to avoid that ride like the plague.

 

[psac]

Just as a general note about the ride, it's very jerky. One person described it like riding a bucking bronco. Sometimes you really hurt when you get off the ride.

That being said, I think it's loads of fun. I agree I wouldn't bring anyone under 7 or 8.

 

[allyphoe]

What's the height requirement on this ride? DD (6 next month) still isn't tall enough for Indiana Jones (DL) which is a 46" ride.

40"

I agree with everyone else - rough, loud, and scary. My DD rode all the other 40" rides at 3yo when she made the height requirement, including multiple gleeful trips on ToT. At 4, she insisted on riding Dinosaur despite our warnings that it was rough, loud, and scary. After two rides, she said she'd had enough.

 

[floridascgirl]

Dinosaur scared the %*&@# out of me...but I'm a scaredy cat. I thought that it was really loud, jerky and I was terrified that I was going to fall out. If someone MADE me ride it again, I would definitely sit in the middle!

 

[gemologygal]

Gosh, after seeing how a lot of people (non children) were scared by the ride, I kind of wish it scared me more. Sounds weird, I know, but I think it would have been even more fun to be scared like that! I do look forward to riding it again later on this year and will remember to bring ear plugs because the loudness made my hubby's head ache.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

My DS6 really want to ride it. Does anyone know of a GOOD youtube video for it. Most are totally dark.

 

[Melnzai]

I am not sure I can add much more than what has already been said. This is the scariest ride in Disney IMO. DH and I rode it when AK first opened and it was not this intense. We went on it again on our next trip and with changes they made, I thought it was loud, rough, dark, and very scary. It is good to know your kids on this one, but I truly believe that 4 and 7 are too young for this ride. Sure, there are kids who defy the odds and are not scared, but I think your average kids of that age will be terrified. I find that I don't want to spoil the Disney experience for my DS. We let him tell us what he is willing to ride. We preview on You Tube and discuss what the ride is like. We have not gone wrong with this strategy yet. He calls the shots and loves what he chooses to ride.

 

[delmar411]

My DS6 really want to ride it. Does anyone know of a GOOD youtube video for it. Most are totally dark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEbYEQ0hXtE

And my 3,4 and 5yr olds really enjoyed this ride. Me and my 11yr old..not so much!

 

[OrangeCat04]

I am really surprised by this thread, I am about as wimpy as they come when it comes to rides, i can barely gather the courage to go on splash mountain more than once a trip, but i didnt think Dinosaur was scary at all. I think it depends, if you are scared of bumpy rides, darkness and loud noises, you probably wont like the ride too much. For me, heights and drops FREAK me out, and since Dinosaur doesnt have any of those, it doesn't bother me too much.