It's not often you see an attraction's lifespan play out within your lifetime, where its reputation took a 180 from when it opened to closed. One of those rides is DINOSAUR, closing today in Animal Kingdom. Originally named the much more badass Countdown to Extinction, the ride opened with a poor reputation that gradually improved over time as the attraction received a much-needed reappraisal.
Countdown to Extinction (CTX, god that's soooo goooooood) was Animal Kingdom's one thrill ride at opening in 1998. The only ride in the Dinoland USA part of the park, it had a lot of expectations resting on its shoulders. First, dinosaurs are cool, and I'm still confused as to why Disney has removed all references to them in their parks. Second, it was the east coast debut of the brand-new at the time Indiana Jones Adventure ride system, a hybrid of a traditional dark ride and motion simulator thrill ride. Third, in a park devoid of traditional Disney park elements (or much in general), it was the only audio-animatronic-driven dark ride in the park (the only other AA in the park would be the Hopper figure in It's Tough to be a Bug, and a very brief dinosaur figure in the water by the Discovery River Boats). It was the dual headliner with Kilimanjaro Safaris for Disney's brand new theme park!
CTX was resoundingly rejected by guests at opening. Imagineering made the same cardinal sins they did with Alien Encounter - take something kids would want to interact with and make it scary with loud noises, darkness, and scary figures. Two-hour waits for KS were frequently seen, while CTX barely mustered 20 to 30-minute waits. When FastPass was first test-piloted in the park, it was common to see "free" FP distributed to the ride to increase ridership figures. Fans endlessly compared it to the sister Indiana Jones Adventure in Disneyland with its large sets and cinematic focus. CTX, in comparison, was panned for being too dark, with only flashes of show scenes with AAs.
CTX went down for a brief rework. The triceratops statue in front of the Dino Institute was replaced with the inguanadon Aladar from the and the attraction was renamed to the upcoming 2000s film DINOSAUR. A new ride profile was developed, along with adding more foliage and improving the lighting inside. And finally, the asteroid at the end was replaced with a lunging Carnotaurus head. The attraction was still scary af but some mitigation did improve the ride's reputation.
Dinosaur finally started gaining respect only recently. A 2010s revival of Walt Disney World history and uniqueness vs Disneyland hegemony was taking off with the return of special WDW history like the Orange Bird. Dinosaur was part of this, with folks respecting the ride's AA figures and goals more than at opening. And attendance began to improve, too, as the ride was a good FastPass+ and Lightning Lane reservation. As guests' preferences for rides shifted towards more intense experiences, Dinosaur was primed for a resurgence in fandom.
Dinosaur closes today. I wish it had gone back to CTX, a much better name, and Dinosaurs had remained in a Disney park. But onward to new and exciting experiences with Tropical Americas, Encanto, and Indiana Jones. It's a bit ironic that just as Dinosaur was stepping out of the IJA shadows, the archaeologist comes and stamps the Dino Institute out. I'm also a bit sad that yet another original concept attraction is removed for another movie IP ride as its replacement. Good night sweet price.
