Prehistoric POV: Take a virtual ride on DINOSAUR before it goes extinct!

Posted:  Parks Rides

Today’s the day! You’re visiting the Dino Institute in DinoLand U.S.A. at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. 

The beige exterior of The Dino Institute is seen under a bright, sunny sky. There is a fireball-shaped sign reading “Dinosaur” atop the building and red and yellow flowers are seen in front of the building.

You’ve been excitedly waiting to see all of the cool fossils and interactive exhibits the institute has, especially the new Time Rover attraction. The Time Rover will transport you back in time to see dinosaurs as they truly were, thanks to Dr. Helen Marsh’s advancements in the field, which have created a safe way to get firsthand experiences with the animals.

A poster displaying a scary-looking dinosaur and fiery meteorites is affixed to a stone pillar with the symbol for The Dino Institute outside of the DINOSAUR attraction at Animal Kingdom.

A statue of an Iguanadon in a shallow blue pool of water surrounded by foliage is seen in front of the Dino Institute ride building for DINOSAUR, as guests approach the attraction queue entrance.

You make your way towards the institute and find yourself in a winding line to enter the building. As you curve through the queue, you take in the beautiful stone sculptures and luscious greenery. They look so lifelike, it’s amazing how they’ve captured the essence of the dinosaurs. Your excitement grows as you get closer and closer to the building.

A large, stone sculpture of a dinosaur head with its mouth open and large teeth visible is seen displayed on a brick wall amongst green foliage in the queue for DINOSAUR.

You enter the building and are immediately enthralled with the displays. There are dinosaur skulls just feet away, and fossil displays showcase the asteroid impact that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. There is so much history within the walls, and you get to learn from it all.

A large brown fossil of a dinosaur skull is displayed along with some rock samples in the queue for DINOSAUR at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

You turn the corner to head into the next room, and you see it: a full-size reconstructed replicate of a Carnotaurus skeleton. The pure size of it takes your breath away! To think that these animals were once walking where you stand; their size is truly massive in comparison to the animals we see today. As you prepare to enter the safety demonstration for the Time Rovers, the lights in the room dim, and the announcer comes over the speaker to tell you facts and theories about dinosaurs and what their lives were like during this time.

A huge dinosaur skeleton fossil display is seen in the center of a room displaying artwork of the history of dino life and extinction. Guests view the impressive display as they queue for the DINOSAUR attraction.

The fossilized skeleton of a dinosaur is seen on display under a blue ceiling with white lights. On the surrounding walls there is artwork of different stages of dinosaur life leading up to their extinction.

Your excitement is practically bursting when you finally enter the next room to listen to the informational session from Dr. Marsh about today’s tour of the Cretaceous period. The feed then switches over to the safety demonstration by Dr. Grant Seeker, one of the institute’s paleontologists.

A large screen displays a video of a two actors playing scientists in a computer lab discussing safety and dinosaur information. This video is part of the DINOSAUR pre-show.

Instead of going into the safety spiel, however, Dr. Seeker starts talking about how we can make history by bringing a dinosaur back with us! This isn’t the first time he has tried to do something like this, and it’s making you sort of nervous. This isn’t what you had planned for the day, but you’ll be able to help make history and contribute to further advancements within the dinosaur community.

Dr. Seeker shows guests in a video how they will bring back a dinosaur with them during their adventure back in time using a toy vehicle and small plastic dinos as part of the pre-show for the DINOSAUR attraction.

You almost think this opportunity has slipped away, as Dr. Marsh has squashed Dr. Seeker’s secret plans, but it was all a ploy by Dr. Seeker! He was just faking her out with those denied credentials. He reassures you that the asteroid won’t even be in the atmosphere during your travels, so there shouldn’t be any trouble getting the dino, an Iguanadon, back with you.

Guests wait to board their ride vehicles in a lower, brick room designed to look like a testing facility. A sign on the wall reads “The Dino Institute Welcomes You!” and another, lower sign reads “Time Transport Loading Bay” below.

You head through the next set of doors and down the hallway and stairs to your Time Rover. Your heart is racing now, thinking about the expedition you’re about to set off on. History is about to be made!

You buckle into your time rover and you’re off! Dr. Seeker is in communication with you as you take off into the time portal. You’re transported back in time and see dinosaurs before your eyes. You can’t believe it! It actually worked!

The computer starts tracking the dinosaurs you see on your journey: Styracosaurus, Alioramus, Hadrosaurus, Raptor, but no Iguanadon. Dr. Seeker tries to hone in on the tracking signal and sees something ahead that might be it. Oh no, it’s a Carnotaurus! Seeing it in the flesh is even more terrifying than seeing the fossil skeleton back at the institute. You start to wonder what you got yourself into.

An animatronic Carnotaurus dinosaur roars at guests in the dark during the DINOSAUR attraction at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

You manage to escape the Carnotaurus without incident, and thankfully, the next dinosaur you encounter is a lot friendlier! It’s a Sauropod, which is a vegetarian.

The asteroid is getting closer, things are getting bumpy, and you’re starting to sweat. You’re trying to figure out how to get out of this mess, but you’re not really sure how. Just then, a Pterodactyl swoops at you from above! 

A still of guests holding on in their Time Rover vehicles during a bumpy ride from the safety video shown in the pre-show of DINOSAUR.

Dr. Seeker is desperate to get his dino, but you know it’s not worth it. You need to get out of there now! Your vehicle has lost traction and is sliding all over the place. Is this it? Will you go out with the dinosaurs, or will Dr. Seeker manage to pull you back to your time? The meteors have now entered the atmosphere and are falling around you. You’re swerving left and right to avoid them. Just as you think you’ve managed the worst of it, you see the Carnotaurus is back and angrier than before!

A large Carnotaurus animatronic dinosaur roars aggressively at guests in the dark as they pass by during their ride.

Dr. Seeker finally declares that the mission is not worth it and gets you out of there. As you prepare to head back into the future, however, the computer spots the Iguanodon! Dr. Seeker says there isn’t enough time, and the computer warns of the asteroid collision. The Carnotaurus lunges for the Time Rover. You think this is it. 

Guests wait to deboard their Time Rover ride vehicles after riding DINOSAUR. The room has many pipes and wires and is illuminated with red and orange lights to make it look like a scientific testing facility.

 

Suddenly, you see flashing lights and realize you managed to make the time jump back to the institute. You made it! As you catch your breath, Dr. Seeker lets you know that he even managed to bring back the Iguanodon with you! Now it’s just a matter of seeing where the dino ended up in the institute…

After your thrilling journey, you’re happy to be back in a time when dinosaurs do not roam the Earth! You head up the stairs and enter the institute’s gift shop to find the perfect memento as a souvenir to remember your adventure. 

A fossilized dinosaur skull is fixed on top of a pole holding a light blue and green sign for The Dino Institute Gift Shop, which also has drawings of dinosaurs on it.

Thank you for riding along with me today! DINOSAUR is one of my all-time favorite Disney attractions and will forever have a place in my heart. I will be sad to see it permanently close on February 2, 2026. If you’re in the parks between now and February 1, 2026, be sure to take one last ride to get that dino! 

A large dinosaur statue is seen outside the DINOSAUR ride building, with green foliage and yellow flowers surrounding it.

The adventure and story of this ride truly make me feel transported to not only another time but another world. It does a great job of combining fun and learning, featuring casts of real fossils from museums and institutes around the world, as well as informative exhibits about the history of the different species. I know my final visit to this attraction will be a memory to treasure forever.

 

~Taycee

 

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