My home park, Carowinds, just announced that they’ll be adding Dinosaurs Alive! for 2013. For $5.00 guests can enter a section of the park where they’ll encounter dozens of life-sized animatronic and stationary dinosaurs. Dinosaurs Alive! is also at these other Cedar Fair parks: Kings Island, Dorney, Cedar Point, Canada’s Wonderland & Kings Dominion.
Carowinds’ Dinosaurs Alive! will feature 32 life-sized dinosaurs on over 1,000 yards of trails in 5 wooded acres. Some of the exhibits will include a console where guests can make the dinosaurs move. The largest will be the 40 foot tall, 60 foot long Ruyangosaurus. I haven’t been able to confirm the location for the attraction. It’s thought to be taking the place of the picnic area between Planet Snoopy and Afterburn. I’ll update this post with more when I can.
Earlier this month, Minnesota theme park Valleyfair also announced their Dinosaurs Alive! attraction for 2013.
Here’s a video of Dinosaurs Alive! at Dorney Park:
My Take – Bring on the Dinos: An Educational Revenue Booster*
The extra $5 entrance fee has made this attraction a bit controversial. But, as some have summed it up, if you think it’s too expensive or don’t think it’ll be worth it, you don’t have to go in. A rep from Cedar Point stated that the charge is to help keep the area from getting too crowded. That’s an interesting point. And of course, the parks have to pay for it somehow. Would you rather they raise ticket or parking prices for all? Or, just charge a small entrance fee just for the guests who are interested in it?
A few enthusiasts have made the point that Dinosaurs Alive! isn’t a repeatable attraction. They think that the attraction could, rather ironically, become extinct due to a lack of guests willing to repay. I can see their point, but I’m hoping that the finance department at Cedar Fair crunched the numbers correctly. Especially since they’ve had a few years to see how this format has performed. Maybe they’re banking on all of the schools that will continually take field trips to the park.
I’ve got two kids and I’m sure that we’ll eventually check out Dinosaurs Alive! Between other families like mine and the schools, I’d have to think that this will be a revenue booster. If you’re not a family man or woman. And, you’re not a dinosaur fan. Think of it this way. Your $5 today may just help buy a few bolts for the park’s 2016 roller coaster**.
Read opinions and see the results of an “Is It Worth It Poll”: Dinosaurs Alive! Reviews – Is It Worth It?
What’s Your Take?
What do you think of this news? Anyone can chime in, but I’d especially like to hear from those who visit Valleyfair and Carowinds. Are you planning on check this out? Leave a comment below.
Image 1 via CC Flickr user Lehigh Valley PA *Disclaimer 1 – I really like dinosaurs. **Disclaimer 2 – I have no idea if Carowinds will be adding a coaster in 2016 but, you get the point.
September 23, 2012 at 12:37
I went to the one at cedar point. I thought it was kinda lame, but I'm sure younger children would love it. I wonder how long cedar fair expects to keep these attractions going?
September 24, 2012 at 08:26
I think they'll build the attraction in every major Cedar Fair park. (CP, KI, CW, KBF, etc)
And it is a great way for schools to get an excuse to go to "Cedar Point" or "Carowinds" for a field trip. I know a lot of schools around where I live go to Cedar Point at the end of the year, but, this will get more school groups to go to the park. Not to mention it adds more family friendly attractions.
September 23, 2012 at 19:53
I was not surprised when I heard Carowinds announce Dinosaurs Alive!. Most Cedar Fair parks with any room that they can squeeze the attraction- and have the money for, will most likely build one of these parks.
I have not been to one, but I plan on going to one.
September 24, 2012 at 13:37
As I am firmly in the camp of, "I wish my home park got anything," I would be incredibly stoked to see one of these show up at Michigan's Adventure. I've been to the one at Cedar Point twice, and though my daughter, nine, is a little past her extreme dinosaur loving stage, we still enjoyed this attraction immensely. For a family with smaller kids, this is a great thing for a park to have.
September 24, 2012 at 18:37
I did notice the attraction when I went to Kings Dominion a couple of weekends ago and as cool as it looked, I wasn't willing to drop $5.00 down to see the dinosaurs. My older brother, who has two young boys, took them to see the dinosaurs and like most small children, they enjoyed what they saw.