Does anyone else hate the Dino-Rama part of Animal Kingdom?

[DisneyJunkie]

I absolutely despise walking anywhere near or seeing this section of Animal Kingdom. It's probably the least Disney-like section of the park. Part of what I enjoy about WDW in general is how set apart it seems from the average hometown fair or hometown carnival, and this Hester & Chester area is extremely "hometown carnival" in appearance. It just irks me to have to go through there.

[SBETigg]

I find it very disappointing with a cheesy hometown carnival feel that does not belong in a WDW park. I just avoid it and it doesn't leave me with strong enough emotions to say I hate it but I don't like it and think they could do much better with the space.

[ThanxForNoticin]

I have to admit I've always questioned the 'stretch' in the theming of that area (dinosaurs and carnivals), but we do enjoy spending time there. I agree with your comment about Disney being very different from your local fair - but this area is small and intentionally themed that way, and we find it fun for a couple hours. We especially enjoy it in the dark on EMH nights.

[TuscanRaider]

I find it quite funny since we don't go to AK that often but since Everest opened we wanted to check that out. We found ourselves in this carnival place and I find that quite funny for some reason like you just get lost in AK and find yourself in a carnival :blush:

I agree and I don't like it. The spinning ride was fun but couldn't Disney make a ride like that that wasn't carnival-themed. I like the idea of Beastly Kingdom though. I wish that they would put that in since we don't have many reasons to go to AK.

Everest was an EXCELLEnt addition to AK! :thumbsup:

[NewmanFamily6]

While I am not a big fan of the area my boys sure are:mickey:The thing that gets me is that the 1 dinosaur ride for kids, Aladdin, & Dumbo are virtually the exact same ride just a different look. I have always wondered why they did that:confused:

[Mickey'sGirl]

Honestly, I find it no more out of place than cheesy stage shows featuring fish or lions. Let's face it, AK is an amusement park with very decent animal exhibits. :mickey:

[DawsonAR]

I don't like it and my kids (at this point) don't care to spend anytime there either.

[DREAMADREAM93]

My dad hates it because he says he thinks it looks like a carnival. if they could do it in a less juvenile way, it would be fine but, in a theme park like WDW, i don't want "county fair" quality.

As long as they leave thatt little roller coaster thingy that hurts really bad [thats name is escaping me] - i could care less what they do with the rest of that area.

18 days!!

JOrdan :]

[dolphinmickey9170]

It is too tacky for us. We walked through there and I hated it. The restroom was all we stopped for.

[Ian]

It is a complete disaster and I can only hope it's on someone's radar to be dismantled and shipped off to whatever graveyard there is out there for ill-conceived ideas.

This area was nothing more than a pathetic attempt on Eisner-Era Disney's part to salvage the disaster that was AK early on. People were complaining bitterly that there were no rides to go on and, rather than actually spend money to do things the right way, they greenlighted a teeny-weeny budget to build this mess.

The whole reason the thing is themed to look cheap is because it was done on the cheap. I honestly think Disney thought they'd fool the guests ... "No no, we're not cheap???!! Us??? Come on ... we're Disney! This is theming people! It's supposed to feel cheap! Sheesh ... you sheep sure are stupid ... "

Ummm ... right ... :ack:

[serstar87]

I may be in the minority on this one but Chester and Hester's doesn't bother me at all. I think its a really fun area, I love Primeval whirl and for some odd reason it is my dad's favorite ride in AK besides the Safari. I guess I like Chester and Hester's so much because I think its funny when my dad gets so excited to go on that ride. :haha:

[offero]

There are times when I walk through the parks and remember why I love coming there, then there are times I can only shake my head and say they could have done better.

Though we can do with out it, we still cut through to go on Dinosour, and that is it. I don't think we have ever even stopped to look at any of the other stuff. It just does not interest us.

I agree that it is no cheesier than some of the watered down stage shows they put on, or some of the recent bad souvenirs they have been trying to push, but that is why Baskin Robins has 31 flavors. What ***** to me is gold to some kid.

[NJMan66]

Hate is such a powerful word to describe something that still may cause pleasure.

I derive pleasure from The Boneyard because it gives me a chance to sit and relax for a few minutes while my kids run around.

Of course nothing can be more pleasureable than that feeling of wanting to vomit after riding TriceraTop Spin.

[Disney4]

I think carney games, which are the most blatent attempt to milk money from patrons beyond the admission to the park, cheapen the whole Disney image.

At least the boardwalk theming at DCA seems to "fit" the park. Dinoland is misplaced, poorly themed and shold be completely redone.

[Joanna]

We don't care for it at all. We have walked through it on our way from the amphitheater to the Flame Tree, but never stop. The only time we went there was for Donald's Breakfastsaurus.

[mrsgaribaldi]

I may be in the minority on this one but Chester and Hester's doesn't bother me at all. I think its a really fun area, I love Primeval whirl and for some odd reason it is my dad's favorite ride in AK besides the Safari. I guess I like Chester and Hester's so much because I think its funny when my dad gets so excited
to go on that ride. :haha:

I'm with you too:thumbsup:

[RockChalkKimball]

I can't say I hate.... since I have never bothered to go in there! It does seem out of place and not at all Disney-like. I do have to disagree though about the shows in AK. I have not seen Nemo, but we always enjoyed Tarzan Rocks and I can't visit AK without seeing the Lion King, which is wonderful!!

[CU Tiger]

I am one of the crowd that does not like this section of AK. I do not feel a carnival section fits the theme of “Animal” Kingdom. Just my:twocents: . :mickey:

[snifflesmcg]

When I look at dinoland, it makes me shake my head. I really don't like the way it looks at all. It's a cheap version of hometown carnival that I don't understand why they plunked it in the middle of AK to begin with. I don't agree that it's not different than the stage shows. The shows are very entertaining and it takes alot of work to put those together.

[KAJUNKING]

I may be in the minority on this one but Chester and Hester's doesn't bother me at all.
:ditto: i agree

[BronxTigger]

I love Primeval Whirl and I think the big yellow dinosaur is neat.

Also, there are some random dinosaur statues scattered around DinoLand that are cool...especially the one made with the little mirror pieces. He's my favorite!

I like the idea of the land and the story behind the theming, but yes, the area is a little tacky. But, I still like it a lot....especially that little dinosaur. :thumbsup:

[MMouse6937]

Unfortunately most people miss the point when it comes to Chester and Hesters. One of the podcasts that I listen to was talking about the fact that this represent the road side "attractions" that have been such a part of americana. Also, if you pay attention to the details at the dino institute, they make references to the fact that C & H were there before them and they are poking fun at the stuffiness of the "serious" work the dino institute is doing. It really is an incredible use of theming. It just doesn't look that way from the outside. Listening to that podcast completely changed the way I will look at it next time we go.

[TikiGoddess]

If anyone listens to Lou Mongello's podcasts, he just did a whole indepth explanation of Dinoland. It was fascinating. I'll try and remember the relevant parts...

There is a whole back story to the whole Dinoland area. Years ago there was a fishing lodge built in the Dinoland area. The lodge is now the Restaurantosaurus building. The fisherman discovered dinosaur fossils and invited scientists to come and work in the area. Thus the Dino Institute was born. Within the Dino Institute there are the stodgy old scientists and the young grad students. You can see notes and memos posted on bulletin boards in Restaurantosaurus -- the grad students are always getting into trouble with the scientists (using the bulletin boards to ask each other out, etc.). There are distinct characters and storylines that are played out through these memos, and some of them even include characters from the Dinosaur ride.

As for Dino-Rama, the story is that Chester and Hester owned a gas station near the fishing lodge. When the Dino Institute opened, the scientists tried to buy the gas station from Chester and Hester. They didn't want to sell, so they opened up Dino-rama to annoy the scientists and cash in on the tourist trade. Dino-rama is supposed to be kitschy -- like roadside entertainment you might find all across America, especially in the 50's. There is great detail in the Dino shop -- what is supposed to be the old gas station. Chester and Hester have made dino 'artifacts' out of everyday items, one of them being a dinosaur made out of a gas pump handle. There's even a picture of Chester and Hester somewhere.

The pavement that you walk on in the Dino-rama area is supposed to look like an asphalt road. For obvious reasons the Imagineers couldn't use asphalt (in the FL heat) so they came up with a complex process to make concrete look like an old asphalt road.

Primeval Whirl is supposed to be poking fun at the Dinosaur attraction and the Dino Institute. It's Chester and Hester's way of making fun of the time travel concept and the scientists.

I for one am impressed with the level of detail that Disney puts into every park. Dinoland is no exception.

TikiG

[GrmGrninGost]

I strongly dislike this area! ( there, is that politically correct?)

[hokies4life]

I may be in the minority on this one but Chester and Hester's doesn't bother me at all.
:ditto: i agree

This area really doesn't bother my mom and I. Yes, the games can be expensive, but I have won lots of souveniors from there, even though they are not disney themed. It gives us a nice break for a few minutes before moving on to the rest of the park, or waiting for our fastpass to open up.

[moe513]

We love it. It reminds me of old time carnivals. I just hate that theres no shade. It gets way to hot.

[Goes4FastPass]

AK needed rides.

If you don't like it skip it, you don't even have to walk through it to get somewhere else.

I usually don't associate hate with theme parks.

[SurferStitch]

TikiGoddess....

Thank you so much for that explanation! It's great!

DH and I have always liked C&H's. We love the kitsch and tackiness of it. That's the point....it's SUPPOSED to be tacky. That's its charm. I just never took notice to how it's supposed to poke fun at the Dino Institute. I'll have to look closer next time.

Primeval Whirl is a great ride, and we have to ride it at least once or twice while at WDW. It's a lot of fun, and we can't stop laughing while we ride it.

I'm not big on carnival games, so we don't do them. We just ride PW and go on our way. I also like to grab a picture with the dinos walking around.

Overall, C&H's is fine by us. :thumbsup:

[Mrs Grumpy]

We really didn't care for it either.

[Momto2Princesses&1Pirate]

Our family liked it! While DH and oldest DD rode rides I took the two little ones and actually took the time to notice the details (as so many on this site tell us to do). I took several pictures of the signs on the buildings and the "road signs". Some of them were funny (play on words). It did make me think of traveling on the highway and seeing the "touristy trap" signs (see the 3 headed cow, see the world's largest pig, etc.). It reminded me of our family road trips growing up. I got a real kick out of it. It is under-appreciated in my opinion.

[Mickey91]

I don't guess I hate it, but it isn't much with the rest of the theme. Plus it looks really cheap. Maybe that is why they are going to all the other cheap generic stuff! To make Dinoland fit in more!

[merlinmagic4]

I really disliked it. I even wrote about it in my trip report and I finally figured out WHY. We have a fair that comes every year and it's a big deal here. We always go but honestly I don't feel entirely safe there and I enjoy it less and less every year. I think being in the carnival area of dinoland made me feel some of that.

[crazypoohbear]

I don't like it. I don't take my kids to carnivals because they are not safe, the rides are not safe, the games are not "honest" the people who work at carnivals are not people I want my kids associating with or being exposed to. (Now before anyone flames me for this comment I happen to know people who work/worked at carnivals and I speak from experience, while not EVERY single person is this type many are)
I take my kids to Disney because the rides are safe and are monitored daily for safety, the employees are screened etc (Even though Mass. has a "safety board" for travelling carnivals, it's a joke, one person in particular on the safety board was just released from jail for being a habitual offender driving under the influence all the time. AND he is making safety decisions for our kids!):mad::confused:

To ME it seems that Disney is trying to make local carnivals and Disney seem like they are of the same caliber which they clearly are NOT

[ghost999]

i am difinately with the majority here. i despise it(i didn't say i hated it) and i hope that they get rid of it and put in beastly kingdom. that would be pretty cool. I do love the dinosaur ride(not there but the one where you have to walk past it to get to it):mickey:

[DNS]

This is the only part of any of the Disney parks that I flat out hate. There was so much time and money put into AK to make it such a beautiful and majestic park, then this mess gets put in.

[emmingo]

Obviously, I am in the minority, but I love this part of AK. I didn't know about the backstory, but I am a huge fan of roadside attractions as you cross America, and the fiberglass Dino Park is a staple. There are dino parks everywhere on the major highways and most of them look EXACTLY like the one at Disney. I always head straight for this before going to Dinosaur and take pictures with all the fiberglass dinos.

I can also understand that this was done on the cheap, since it IS cheap and it LOOKS cheap, but interestingly, its so true to the idea that its done very well. I agree that its probably not the BEST thing to put there, but if it is true that this was put up to satisfy a need, it was a very creative way of working things out. :D

[Sharon1026]

We aren't fans of that area either.

The two rides that our family likes the least are the little mini cat/mouse coaster in dinoland and the Dinosaur ride. Both are very painful!!

[big blue and hairy]

Unfortunately most people miss the point when it comes to Chester and Hesters. One of the podcasts that I listen to was talking about the fact that this represent the road side "attractions" that have been such a part of americana. Also, if you pay attention to the details at the dino institute, they make references to the fact that C & H were there before them and they are poking fun at the stuffiness of the "serious" work the dino institute is doing. It really is an incredible use of theming. It just doesn't look that way from the outside. Listening to that podcast completely changed the way I will look at it next time we go.
Most people do miss the point. It is supposed to be an attraction for the folks that work in Dinoland and others in the area. I only had a very small bit of this info, but if you'ver every driven I-95 in the Carolinas, you know exactly what it is. Can you say South of the Border? I laughed myself silly the first time I saw it. Besides that, Primevil Whirl is a fun ride!

:sulley:

[WinnipegDisneyFanatic]

I was surprised when I approached the Dino-Rama section of the AK at what I saw. It does have a striking resemblance to this Exhibition/carnival that our city has each year (without the Dino theme). It is definately an eye-sore in the AK, if not, in all of WDW. They need to reno that baby BADLY!

Chris :hatter

[EvilQueen2006]

I agree that AK may not be the best place for Chester and Hester's but I love the kitschy feel it has. (Of course, I am also a fan of South of the Border). It would seem to go better in MK along with the small town USA feel of Main Street. Thank you so much for posting the background info, I found it facinating.

[Donald A]

:hi: I do not like it

[TikiGoddess]

It has been mentioned in this thread that the area was done 'cheaply'. Do we have proof of this? I tend to think that they spent a lot of money trying to get the exact look they were going for...

TikiG

[Mikey Piano 23]

Yeah I am not really down with the carnival theming. The rest of Animal Kingdom is just sooooo beautiful and authentic but this looks like I just stepped into Coney Island. Come on Disney folks lets get on it and make it better!

[BritCody]

I'm ok with the rides in the area, but the general theming of the area does bother me some. It doesn't seem like Disney to me

[DisneyJunkie]

Regardless of any "point" or "backstory" to this part of the park (or the World, for that matter), the fact is, it's a cheap-looking blight on Animal Kingdom as a whole. It's completely out of place, has nothing of any real entertainment value to offer, and is a big mistake IMO. On the other hand, I do enjoy Dinosaur, which is nearby and probably my only real reason for ever going through the Dino-Rama area.

[A Foolish Mortal]

Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama is another piece of disney theming, just like the Tree of Life, or Everest. The story of that is that in the town of Dinoland, USA there were a husband and wife who absolutely loved dinosaurs, so they opened there roadside carnival and shop to go along with it. It actually fits in with the overall theming of the Dinoland area.

(If you had the Imagineer's Eye Tour of the AK it explains the entire thing)

[mickeys_princess]

I actually like this area also. Dinosaur is one of my fave rides (no matter how many times I have ridden I still scream at the t-rex) and I love Primeval Whirl also. We laugh the entire time we are on that ride!

[HallandNash]

Primeval Whirl is fun but, yeah that whole area needs a re-do. :sick:

[MrPeetrie]

I don't think there's another area on propety ANYWHERE that's more out of place than Chester & Hester's Dino-Rama. Animal Kingdom has such meticulous themeing everywhere except here. It almost seems as though Disney officials knew AK needed to expand to attract more guests, but they decided to do it quickly on the cheap. Primeval Whirl is the only rollercoaster on property that doesn't have a theme built around it. The midway looks like it used to be an access road and they just kept it. (The road may have been created as part of Disney's themeing. I don't want to criticize Imagineers when I don't know the truth.) But it almost seems to me if you replace the Dinosaurs with animals, it would fit better somewhere by the Boardwalk resort or something. I never understood the thinking behind this area.

[Aurora]

...I am a huge fan of roadside attractions as you cross America, and the fiberglass Dino Park is a staple. There are dino parks everywhere on the major highways and most of them look EXACTLY like the one at Disney.

Good point. There are cheap dino parks everywhere in America. So why put one in Disney World?

I don't think that people "miss" the point of the theming. I think people "get" the point exactly. And that's why they dislike it.

Disney putting a great backstory to a misguided idea doesn't elevate it. Disney parks have made their reputation on innovation and raising the bar, and that's what guests have come to expect. By this definition, Dino-Rama falls flat.

[DNS]

Regardless of any "point" or "backstory" to this part of the park (or the World, for that matter), the fact is, it's a cheap-looking blight on Animal Kingdom as a whole. It's completely out of place, has nothing of any real entertainment value to offer, and is a big mistake IMO. On the other hand, I do enjoy Dinosaur, which is nearby and probably my only real reason for ever going through the Dino-Rama area.

I think the dino-rama area is just that carnival part, not all of Dinoland. It's the carnival thing that bothers me. It's just so out of place at AK. Okay, I already posted here once, I won't go on again.

[Jared]

A better question would be if anyone doesn't hate Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama. Honestly, this section is the one blemish on a beautiful park. I refuse to even walk through a hot, dingy carnival in the Animal Kingdom.

[MickeyMousse]

I enjoy the "campyness" of the area...only enough to get on the rides and maybe play an arcade game where my boys actually have a chance to win something. I think WDW looked for the Route 66 feeling and achieved it, but yes, it does seem and feel non-Disney like.

[thrillme]

Focusing ONLY on the Dino-Rama part and not all of Dinoland...I'm really not keen on the carnival thing they have going on but I LOVE "Primeval whirl". The carnival thing really doesn't even fit in with the rest of the place. It's like for a moment in that tiny little spot you can EASILY forget you're at Disney.

My vote is to get rid of the carnival and put up another ride of sorts.

[Stu29573]

The proof that it was done on the cheap is the fact that the rides are "off the shelf" and not Disney designed at all. In fact (as I said in another post) I was at the State Fair of Texas and saw the roller coaster. Exactly the same, but a slightly different name. Just because you can come up with a backstory for something doesn't mean it's good quality. Also, it comes across not only as cheaply designed and built, but also as just an attempt to get more cash from visitors playing the games. Hopefully they'll use that money to put in something a little more appropriate....

[Dizneyfan]

I don't really mind it either. However, I do think that I could visit WDW without seeing it. :mickey:

[johnO]

Good point. There are cheap dino parks everywhere in America. So why put one in Disney World?

I don't think that people "miss" the point of the theming. I think people "get" the point exactly. And that's why they dislike it.

Disney putting a great backstory to a misguided idea doesn't elevate it. Disney parks have made their reputation on innovation and raising the bar, and that's what guests have come to expect. By this definition, Dino-Rama falls flat.

Great post.
While I by no means "hate" the Dinorama it definetly feels "out of place". It doesn't have that Dinsey original feel, especially with the "Primevil Whirl" being a well known carnival ride A.K.A. "Crazy Mouse". It wasn't "Imagineered".

[Night Pirate]

Well My Family and I Find It To Be Quite In Line With Today's Style!!! It's The Thing To Be Retro And With It Being a 50's Carnival Theme... Well It Works!! We Loved It!!!!:thumbsup:

[MNMS]

I undersand the history, but still am not a fan of it. It just doesn't have a Disney feel to me and I do feel the carney games are a blantant attempt to get money. Don't get me wrong, I have no real objection to Disney trying to separate us from our money but I expect more from them (e.g., Bibbity Boppity Botique, character meals, MVMCP, etc.). If I wanted carnival games and rides, I would go to a carnival.

[DisneyWitch]

I'm one of the minority who loves this area. I especially love the parking lot underneath. There is enough detail here to make it Disneylike. I love Primeval Whirl, especially the microwave "ding" when you get to the top! And when they tell you to stand up before exiting. My son and I try to exit without standing up and so far it hasn't worked. I definately think there's alot more they could do with Animal Kingdom in general. We never spend a whole day there but they should leave this area in.

[A Foolish Mortal]

Great post.
While I by no means "hate" the Dinorama it definetly feels "out of place". It doesn't have that Dinsey original feel, especially with the "Primevil Whirl" being a well known carnival ride A.K.A. "Crazy Mouse". It wasn't "Imagineered".

Does everyone realize that Space Mtn is really just a non spinning mad mouse in the dark?

[MindyMouse]

I certainly don't hate it but it doesn't really seem to fit.

[WEDTOPIA]

The most mis-understood theming in all of WDW.

It's perfectly in place. The back story recited earlier in the thread explains it well. Why is this any different than any other time or place that Disney represents in their theme parks ?

Yes, it's true that AK needed more rides. But they didn't " slap " Din-o-rama in as a band aid. It was thought out like everything else in Disney. Contrary to popular belief , it wasn't that Walt hated the concept of carnivals - he hated how they were run , how dirty they were ,and how the rides were not meant for families. Seems to me that in that respect , Din-o-rama is the anti- carnival.

Primeval Whirl gets more people laughing than any other ride in WDW. Stand and watch some time. Or better yet ,go on it yourself. And the last time I looked ,Triceratop Spin is the only " Dumbo clone " in AK ( MK is the one with 3 hub and spoke rides ). Most kids love it. And it's themed very well , not cheaply. The big yellow dinosaur is as " Disney-fied as it gets. And the games of chance are there if you want to play them . It adds to the realism ,but no one is hawking them. The pavement was even made to look like an old parking lot. They even have dinosaur characters walking the area .To me ,that's great theming.

Lighten up people.

:mickey:

:mickey:

[RocknRoller94]

Chester and Hesters, in my opinion, best fits Walt Disney's phrase: "a happy place". The Primeval Whirl is my 3rd favourite ride at AK.:mickey: