ANIMAL KINGDOM

The Animal Kingdom has a mini-land next to DinoLand USA. This family-friendly area adjacent to DinoLand U.S.A. features a dinosaur-themed midway and carnival with games and rides.

Those wacky dino-maniacs Chester & Hester are at it again. First, it was tables, shelves and racks spilling over with dinosaur toys, trinkets and t-shirts at Chester & Hester’s. Now, crazed by anything cretaceous, they present Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama!, a fun fair complete with wacky midway games and rides. At this corny carny, guests can play Ringosaurus, toss beanbags into dinosaur jaws or hold on tight on Triceratop Spin and Primeval Whirl.

ATTRACTIONS

Triceratop Spin is a hub-and-spoke style attraction (similar to Dumbo at the Magic Kingdom). Guests in 4-person vehicles (16) move up, down and around in a ride that magically becomes a giant spinning toy top. The top rises to reveal -- what else? -- a dinosaur!

Primeval Whirl features 13 colorful cars that whirl past flying asteroids and corny depictions of dinosaur cut-outs that spin and pop up along the track. The spinning coaster takes guests on a wacky time warp back to the prehistoric era on a twisting track of tight loops and short drops . . . with a final descent into the gaping jaws of a giant dino fossil.

Pam Cronin writes -- We got to ride the Primeval Whirl and loved it! We got a flyer at the park entrance saying that it was still being checked out & there might be periods when they had to stop it; also that the FastPass was not yet operating. Well, there were no stops in operation & the FastPass was working, but we got right on without the FastPass. It's a great ride...from time to time you feel like you're going to slide right off the edge of the ride, & then the free spinning cars throw you a loop & you don't know which direction you're really heading! We'll definitely do it again when we go in October.

Lorelei Levesque writes:The cars are "time machines" with cresent-shaped bench seating for 4 (2&2) with bars that come down from overhead for each 2. Seating would be very tight for 4 adults. It is continuous loading, like Buzz, but slow, hence the long lines. The car then ascends to the top & begins it's way down, slowly at first, apparently by gravity. The track weaves back & forth and the car is loose like Teacups so that when you make the turns you spin going faster & faster as you make your way down. About halfway down there are drops, 3 or 4 in the 2nd half of the ride. I would rate this ride as equally scary as Space Mt even though it looks like a taller Barnstormer from the outside.

Boardwalk-type games - include Dino-Whamma, a classic mallet strength game; Mammoth Marathon, a racing derby; Comet Crasher, a goblet toss game; Fossil Fueler, a water-squirt game themed to a prehistoric gas station; and Bronto-Score, a basketball game.

TOURING TIPS

Primeval Whirl is a FASTPASS attraction.

You must be 48 inches tall to ride Primeval Whirl.

Some "At Large" folks report problems with Primeval Whirl. For details visit: http://allears.net/tp/ridsiAK.htm#3

For more information on Animal Kingdom Live Entertainment, Visit Steve Soares' WDW Entertainment Website.

Assistive Listening Devices from Guest Services Can Be Used Here.

Reflective Captioning Available.

KIDS AND CHARACTERS

"Just wanted to let you know my daughter and I rode TriceraTop Spin. It is almost exactly like the new Aladdin's Magic Carpet ride in MK, but I believe it is a little smaller." Patrick Carr

Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama is being designed specifically to appeal to younger audiences. It's very "kid" friendly.

A walk-around Carnotaurus Dinosaur poses for photos!

Or you may even see Chester and Hester out for a spin in their colorful jalopy! (see photo below)

Animal Kingdom Characters At A Glance
Character Meet and Greet FAQ!

DINING

There is no dining in the immediate area of Chester and Hester's Dino-Rama. Restaurantasaurus is also in DinoLand U.S.A. and offers a character breakfast (better have a priority seating) and a McDonald's lunch.

Animal Kingdom Restaurants At A Glance
Menus From Around the World
Vegetarian and Other Special Diets

SHOPPING

The only shop in DinoLand U.S.A. is Chester and Hester's Dinosaur Treasures, themed to be a road-side tacky souvenier store. You can find logo merchandise for the Dinosaur attraction, lots and lots of soft plastic dinosaurs that your kids will probably want but they won't fit in any suitcase :), and of course lots of t-shirts, keychains, buttons, postcards, and more.

INTERESTING FACTS

"Vice president for Walt Disney Imagineering Joe Rohde said the attractions will bring a new energy to the theme park. "The idea is to create a kiddy-land carnival as you remembered it," Rohde said.

The expansion allows Disney to broaden the appeal of Animal Kingdom to younger visitors while building on the momentum of the park's April 1998 opening." Orlando Sentinel, 9/30/2000

Click here for Pre-opening Artist Rendering