Complete Guide to DINOSAUR at Animal Kingdom

Ever wonder what it was like to live in the time of the dinosaurs? Then jump aboard one of the Time Rovers at DINOSAUR for a prehistoric tour!

This thrilling adventure through a primeval forest is full of hairpin turns, dips, and pivots, as well as some very large dinosaurs.

But make sure you return to the present before a meteor hits earth, or you may become extinct!

Keep reading for our complete guide to DINOSAUR.

DINOSAUR Quick Facts

Location

DINOSAUR is in DinoLand, U.S.A., near Restaurantosaurus and TriceraTop Spin. Below is the location on the map.

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How to Ride DINOSAUR

DINOSAUR has a Standby Line and a Lightning Lane. There is no Single Rider Line. Typically, this isn’t a ride you have to rope drop and can easily walk on first thing in the morning.

Do I need to use Genie+ at DINOSAUR?

DINOSAUR typically runs out of Genie+ spots early in the afternoon.

So, if you are unable to get to the ride either early in the day (preferably the first 3 hours), or for the last 3 hours before the park closes, you’ll want to make your Genie+ reservations as soon as possible.

Be sure to check out our touring strategies for Animal Kingdom for more Genie+ advice.

Rider Switch/Child Swap

Rider Switch is offered at DINOSAUR, allowing guests with small children to take turns riding bigger rides, while another person/people wait with the little one.

If you’re using Rider Switch, the Boneyard is nearby and is a good place to entertain little ones while the older people in your group ride DINOSAUR.

There are also several character meet and greets in the area at Donald’s Dino Bash, including the chance to say hi to Donald, Daisy, and Chip ‘n’ Dale.

You can learn more about Rider Switch via our handy guide.

What to Expect when you Ride

Queue

The queue for DINOSAUR is broken up into two parts.

First, you’ll enter The Dino Institute where you’ll make your way through a traditional fossil museum full of interesting dinosaur facts and a reproduction of a T-Rex skeleton named “Dino-Sue.”

You’ll then be directed into a screening room where you’ll be introduced to one of the paleontologists at the Institute, Dr. Grant Seeker (portrayed by Wallace Langham from CSI). Phylicia Rashad also makes an appearance as Dr. Helen Marsh.

Dr. Seeker reveals he’s sending you on a secret mission to retrieve an Iguanodon he tagged on a previous trip.

Then you’ll exit into a second queue in the ride’s loading zone, before boarding your Time Rover.

Ride Vehicles

The ride vehicles at DINOSAUR are rugged Time Rovers with three rows, each with four separate cushioned seats. They are just like what you board at Disneyland park’s Indiana Jones Adventure.

Guests are provided with an area to store their personal belongings in front of them. Don’t forget to buckle up – it’s going to be a bumpy ride!

Accessibility Information

To ride DINOSAUR, guests must transfer from their wheelchair or ECV to the ride vehicle. Service animals are not permitted on the ride. The attraction also comes with a warning that guests should be in good health and expectant mothers should not ride.

Those using ECVs or wheelchairs will be directed after the pre-show room to board an elevator, which takes you down to the loading zone area. Your mobility device will be waiting for you in the exact same spot you boarded.

After you get off the ride, you’ll use the same elevator to go back up, where you will exit into the gift shop appropriately called, The Dino Institute Shop.

PhotoPass/On-Ride Photos

As you encounter your final dino, right before the countdown to extinction is up, make sure you pose for the camera! That’s when your on-ride photo will be taken and this is always a fun one to see people’s reactions.

For those with MagicBands or MagicBand+ with a linked Memory Maker account or if you are an Annual Passholder, the photo is uploaded automatically to your My Disney Experience account.

The photo will be available in the app for 45 days unless you choose to purchase them.

Guests purchasing Genie+ will receive digital downloads of their on-ride photos taken in the park on the day of their purchase, at no additional charge.

Be sure to read more on PhotoPass and how Memory Maker works.

Motion Sickness

The ride through DINOSAUR is bumpy, with plenty of tilting and pitching as it moves from scene to scene. Much of the action also takes place in the dark which can aggravate motion sickness.

If you experience motion sickness in general, check out our guide on motion sickness for any Disney World attraction.

On the Ride

If you want to keep your journey on DINOSAUR a surprise, you’ll want to skip over this part!

Paleontologist Dr. Seeker of The Dino Institute has recruited you for a secret mission to the past. He’s sending you back to the age of the dinosaurs to bring back a 3.5-ton Iguanadon.

All you have to do is climb aboard the Time Rover vehicle, which will transport you to a prehistoric forest to pick up your unsuspecting passenger.

But you have to do it before the giant meteor that wiped out life on earth makes impact!

This exciting experience brings you face-to-face with life-like dinosaurs, putting you in the middle of the action as a meteor shower begins to reign down on earth.

You’ll even find yourself declaring alongside Dr. Seeker, “We’re not gonna make it! We’re not gonna make it!”

But will you actually make it back in time? You’ll have to head to DINOSAUR to find out!

Is DINOSAUR Kid-Friendly?

Much of DINOSAUR takes place in the dark and features loud sounds and growling dinosaurs that may scare some children. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart.

You can check out our guide to things at Disney World that may scare little ones.

Strollers

Strollers are not allowed in most queues at Disney World, including DINOSAUR. Instead, you’ll need to leave your stroller in the designated stroller parking area at the entrance to The Dino Institute.

History

DINOSAUR was originally called Countdown to Extinction and it debuted on April 22, 1998, the same day Animal Kingdom opened.

In 2000, Disney released the film, Dinosaur, and so Countdown to Extinction was renamed DINOSAUR on May 1, 2000, to promote the movie. With the name change came a few other changes, as well.

While DINOSAUR is still pretty intense, it’s actually a toned-down version of the original attraction and that meant Disney could relax the height requirement from 46 inches to 40 inches.

Other Fun Details

• This ride shares an identical layout and ride system with the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction in Disneyland.
• DINOSAUR is partially based on the Disney animated film Dinosaur, and the dinosaur you save in the ride is its main character, Aladar.
• When the ride first opened it was sponsored by McDonald’s and there are still red (ketchup), yellow (mustard), and white (mayonnaise) pipes in the boarding station.

• Also in the loading area, you will notice a wall that reads, “SECTOR CTX-WDW-AK98.” This is a nod to the ride’s original name, Countdown to Extinction (CTX), Walt Disney World (WDW), and the year Animal Kingdom opened (AK98).
• At the time this attraction opened, it featured 12 of the largest audio-animatronics that Disney had ever created in their theme parks. Since then, the Yeti from Expedition Everest has taken over this distinction.