DINOSAUR

DINOSAUR (formally known as Countdown to Extinction is an attraction in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

=Countdown To Extinction

The attraction that would eventually be known as DINOSAUR, traces its roots back to 1991. At that time, Disney developed a new type of ride platform, which was able to tilt and sway regardless of the speed or direction of the vehicle. The new ride vehicle (known as EMVs) was then used in Disneyland's Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye. This success 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. 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. As plans for the park progressed however, and the theme park ran over budget, it became clear that the cost of the building the attractions would not be feasible. Instead, Imagineers created a new attraction known as Countdown to Extinction. Besides just using the same ride vehicle, the track layout and 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. Although originally designed as a research trip, guests would instead travel back to the final moments before the dinosaurs went extinct.

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