Dinosaur Lighting Question

[MrPeetrie]

Is it my imagination, or the lighting getting darker on this ride? And if so, is the reason to mask some aging audioanimatronics.

To be fair, It had been years since our last visit and maybe i'm remembering the commercials (where the lighting is much better) and not the actual ride.

Your thoughts.

[Allenfow98]

We were just down there the first week of June and i had exactly the same thought about the lighting. It didnt occur to me until reading the original post. I thought it was just me, but now having a second person noticing it also, it does make me think about the reasons why.

[AgentC]

I rode it a couple of months ago after not going on it for several years. It was much darker than I remembered, but that might not mean very much.

[Pirate Granny]

There was a couple of times where I thought it was too dark for too long, so something must not be working.

[DizneyRox]

Is it my imagination, or the lighting getting darker on this ride? And if so, is the reason to mask some aging audioanimatronics.

We Have a Winna! Give that man a CIGAR!

As the years go on and the stuff stops working, SOP is to just hide it, as guests are too stupid to notice anyway.

CTX has undergone quite a few changes over the years. THe jumping dinosaurs are mostly gone (I think I remember a couple last time, but it could just be wishful thinking. The swooping dino I don't know if that's worked since the early 2000's, the last dino (the one overhead as you're coming back from your time travels I don't think moves anymore, the strobe effect I think has been ditched sometime in the last 5 years...

It's pretty sad actually, the ride starts off good, tons of dinos, etc then pretty much go black, then someone yelling "Left! Right! Left! Right!" and you're done...

[BrerGnat]

It's pretty sad actually, the ride starts off good, tons of dinos, etc then pretty much go black, then someone yelling "Left! Right! Left! Right!" and you're done...

Uh...this is how I've always remembered this ride.

I did ride it WAY back in the CTX days, when it first opened (I was at AK the month after it officially opened and rode it then). I don't remember ever seeing much of anything. That ride has always been pitch black, practically, with the exception of enough lighting to see the first couple of "wrong" dinos and the Carnotauraus at the end and there, most of the lighting comes from the flash when they take your picture.

The ride is pretty dumb, IMO, and always has been. It could be a lot better.

[Tigerinvestigator]

I've always loved this ride. I especially love how much fun my girls have being scared on it. I always thought the darkness really added to the attraction. Guess I am in the minority here but the one thing I cannot stand on attractions is when there is too much light and you can see the mechanics of the ride. Nothing worse than riding space mtn and being able to see the track. It should be really really dark.

[Mogie]

Ive been on it a dozen times and the darkness and the blasting sound still scares me when the Carnotaurus appears. I remember in December i think 2 of the Carnotaurs animatronics weren't moving.

[Mrs Bus Driver]

Uh...this is how I've always remembered this ride.

I did ride it WAY back in the CTX days, when it first opened (I was at AK the month after it officially opened and rode it then). I don't remember ever seeing much of anything. That ride has always been pitch black, practically, with the exception of enough lighting to see the first couple of "wrong" dinos and the Carnotauraus at the end and there, most of the lighting comes from the flash when they take your picture.

The ride is pretty dumb, IMO, and always has been. It could be a lot better.

Have to agree with you although the first time I rode it was 10 years ago and it was too dark. Could have been done better. Now mind you I was used to Indy at DL but since the rides are clones I expected more. I wouldn't make a trip to ride Dino but I would for Indy.

[Aurora]

Uh...this is how I've always remembered this ride.

I did ride it WAY back in the CTX days, when it first opened (I was at AK the month after it officially opened and rode it then). I don't remember ever seeing much of anything. That ride has always been pitch black, practically, with the exception of enough lighting to see the first couple of "wrong" dinos and the Carnotauraus at the end and there, most of the lighting comes from the flash when they take your picture.

The ride is pretty dumb, IMO, and always has been. It could be a lot better.

Same here. Haven't ridden it for 10 years for those reasons.

[DizneyRox]

Uh...this is how I've always remembered this ride.

Really? Just checked Wikipedie to make sure I'm not missing something and while the order sounds different than I remember,
there's supposed to be a lot more going on than what we got the last time we rode:

Here's the story from Wikipedia:

The guests exit the pre-show area and proceed down a staircase to the underground loading area. Disney staff dressed as Dino Institute workers stand at control panels for the Time Rovers. Through windows in the walls (actually projection screens), guests can see that the room is surrounded by lava. Guests board a Time Rover and the vehicle proceeds around a corner and inside the time tunnel.

Lights flash around the guests, then the lights go out and a field of stars appears briefly around them before a prehistoric jungle scene fades into view.

The Time Rover drives through the jungles looking for the tagged iguanodon, guided by Seeker. A Styracosaurus near a volcanic vent leans against a tree, pushing it dangerously near to the vehicle. An Alioramus digs in the ground for prey, then pulls out a large lizard whose legs and tail wiggle in the grasp of the dinosaur's jaws. A mother Parasaurolophus (mentioned less accurately as a Hadrosaur) watches over her young and a lone Velociraptor (mentioned as a raptor) stands on a ledge in search of prey. Suddenly, Seeker locks the Time Rover's autopilot on a homing signal that he thinks will lead the guests to the Iguanodon. They take off at a rapid speed through the jungles, but the dinosaur they come to stop in front of is not the Iguanodon, but a dangerous Carnotaurus.

The Time Rover speeds away frantically, jerking left and right, the tires screeching, and they come to a stop near a peaceful herbivore, Saltasaurus. Seeker insists that they keep moving, or else they won't be able to make it back to their own time before the meteor hits. The Time Rover enters a clearing in the jungle where a thunderstorm rages behind the trees and where two baby Cearadactylus are perched. The vehicle goes down a drop just in time to avoid a collision with a larger, flying Cearadactylus. As the guests fall down the drop, more small, leaping Compsognathus pass over their heads.

They enter complete darkness and the vehicle computer informs of a 'loss of traction'. Suddenly, after a few movements through the dark, strobe lights flash to reveal the Carnotaurus. The dinosaur walks toward the vehicle, and the guests flee from the predator and take many left and rights turns, only to meet up with it again. For the first time, the Carnotaurus raises itself to its full height and roars loudly (it is here where the on-ride picture is captured). The vehicle drives away again and Seeker tries desperately to abort the mission, but to no avail.

The Time Rover proceeds down a path where large trees are tipping toward it. Aladar appears, but Seeker nevertheless tries to abort, as Aladar struggles to hold up a fallen tree so that the guests can pass under. They pass safely by when the Time Rover's computer announces that there are only a few seconds to spare before the meteor impact. Seeker, unable to initiate the time travel sequence fast enough, warns the guests to brace themselves. The boom of the meteor resounds through the jungles and a flash of light from the impact briefly illuminates the area so that the guests can see the Carnotaurus lunging toward them. The Time Rover plunges down a slope into complete darkness, then once again, stars appear. Lights come on so that the guests find they are inside the time tunnel, as Seeker fears that the guests won't make it back in time. They exit the tunnel and see on a television screen that Aladar, who apparently followed guests into the time tunnel, is wandering the halls of the institute. Seeker thanks the guests for their help and excuses himself so he can find Aladar "before security does."

I bolded the parts that are not working (or weren't last time I remember riding)

[Tinkerbella16]

We Have a Winna! Give that man a CIGAR!

As the years go on and the stuff stops working, SOP is to just hide it, as guests are too stupid to notice anyway.

CTX has undergone quite a few changes over the years. THe jumping dinosaurs are mostly gone (I think I remember a couple last time, but it could just be wishful thinking. The swooping dino I don't know if that's worked since the early 2000's, the last dino (the one overhead as you're coming back from your time travels I don't think moves anymore, the strobe effect I think has been ditched sometime in the last 5 years...

It's pretty sad actually, the ride starts off good, tons of dinos, etc then pretty much go black, then someone yelling "Left! Right! Left! Right!" and you're done...

Haha so true! I used to love this ride when it first opened and through those following years.. it was just one of those rides that I was afraid of but loved all at the same time. I literally would refuse to sit on either of the two end seats because of the Dinos that ran out at you! The end realllllly scared me! But that was all a part of the fun! Now I'm not so afraid anymore and it is so different but still a fun experience.

[Gator]

I don't think it's the lights going dim or anything like that. It's just a very dark ride. And a very scary ride. It's the only attraction that truly scares me.