Difference between revisions of "DINOSAUR"

The attraction that would eventually be known as DINOSAUR traces its roots back to 1991 <ref name= "martin"/>. At that time, Disney developed a new type of ride platform that was able to tilt and sway regardless of the speed or direction of the vehicle<ref name= "martin"/>. The new ride vehicle (known as an EMV) was first used in Disneyland's Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye in 1995 <ref name= "martin"/>. This success of that attraction convinced Imagineers that they could tailor the system for the new E Ticket Dinosaur attraction that they were developing for Disney's Animal Kingdom. During the original designing processes, Imagineers had hoped to create an "E-Ticket" roller coaster known as The Excavator <ref name= "martin"> http://www.martinsvids.net/?p=642 <r/ref>. Besides being a traditional outdoor roller coaster (taking place in an archaeological dig site), the attraction would have featured dinosaur encounters. A second proposed attraction was a family ride, which would have taken guests back to the time of the dinosaurs, where guests would be brought face to face with the reptiles <ref name= "martin"/>. As plans for the park progressed however, and the theme park ran over budget, it became clear that the cost of the building the attraction made the project unfeasible <ref name= "martin"/>. Instead, Imagineers decided to create a new attraction known as Countdown to Extinction. Besides using the same ride vehicle, the track layout and the ride structure of the new attraction were also copied from Indiana Jones Adventure. Although neither a roller coaster nor a family friendly ride, Countdown to Extinction used elements of both of the previously planned dinosaur attractions. The thrilling attraction took guests back in time, to come face to face with dinosaurs. Originally embarking on a research trip, guests would instead travel back to the final moments before the dinosaurs went extinct <ref name= "martin"/>.  

The attraction opened as Countdown to Extinction on April 22 1998, with the rest of Disney’s Animal Kingdom.