Dinosaur - Countdown to Extinction

Take a ride back in time on Dinosaur, or as it used to be called, Countdown to Extinction. Board a CTX Time Rover for a trip back in time to bring back a Iguanodon from the past to save it from extinction. But don't worry, you'll be back before the big meteor hits and kills all life off the face of the earth. Promise.

Your job if you choose to accept it is to bring back to the present a real-life Iguanodon. Don't worry that there are just 60 seconds left until all life comes to an end. What could possibly go wrong?

Dino Institute

Photo of Dinosaur - Countown to Extinction by Express Monorail

The Preshow

Disney has great preshows and this has to be one of the more innovative. The line weaves through the Dino Institute which has a "planetarium" looking rotunda and features real dinosaur remains. Next guests go into the room where the preshow video is shown. In the video guests are shown the Time Rover that will take them on a relaxing tour of the Cretaceous period. The relaxing tour gets hijacked and instead you are sent to back in time just before the meteor that kills all of the dinosaurs hits the earth. Your goal is to tag and bring back an Iguanodon.

The Attraction

After the film you enter a big room where you are loaded into your Time Rover. You proceed into the time travel tunnel and are launched back in time. (There might be a real old TV show in there somewhere.)

Your CTX Time Rover takes the roughest roads imaginable through the swamps. Along the way you run into a Styracosaurus, a Alioramus a Parasaurolophus and even a Raptor along with other both aggressive and non-aggressive dinosaurs. But no Iguanodon.

The CTX Time Rover speeds and jerks and finally just before the little rock hits the big rock you return to the present and everything is just fine.

The Postshow

Not much of a post show, just the requisite souvenir shop.

Fun Facts

Here are some interesting tidbits -

• The ride was sponsored by McDonald's from 1998 to 2008.
• There are three pipes running through the loading area. One red, one yellow and one white. The chemical equations listed on the pipes are for ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise.
• Yes, Dr. Seeker is David Hodges (real name Wallace Langham) from CSI:Crime Scene Investigation.

History

This attraction first opened when Disney Animal Kingdom first opened in April of 1998.

Dad's Ride Information Table

The Fine Print

Here's some small print information

• Closed Captioning and Assistive Listening devices are available at Guest Relations
• Guest must transfer from a wheelchair, motorized scooter or ECV to enjoy this attraction.
• If you have high blood pressure, heart, back or neck problems, if you are subject to motion sickness you probably should not ride this ride.

Dad's Bottom Line

This is a bumpy ride. Until Expedition Everest opened it was the only thrill ride in Animal Kingdom. If you are physically able to ride, try it at least once.

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