I know what you're already saying, "but Indiana Jones. . ." Stop.
Yes, I know Dinosaur is not the same ride -- and I agree not as great a ride -- as Indiana Jones Adventure. If this list included Disneyland, it would certainly reflect that fact! Fortunately here, it's irrelevant, and we can move on from that subject immediately. We only care about whether or not it's the best version of the ride system at Walt Disney World.
Oh, it's the only version? Well then!
Beyond that, we aren't ranking these attractions for what they aren't. We are ranking them for what they are. Enough is made about Dinosaur having a nearly-identical track to its older brother in Anaheim, and being the exact same ride system, that I assume we don't have to rehash those facts in detail here.
The fact is, whether its the second version of the ride vehicle or not, the Enhanced Motion Vehicle you are riding on in Dinosaur is an incredibly innovative design that changed the industry (I discussed how it changed the industry on a podcast episode, in fact). The second best ride that utilizes it is still a really cool ride. The fifth best ride that used it would still be a cool ride if it existed. It doesn't, there are just three, there is only one in Florida, and that ride is utilizing one of the absolute coolest ride vehicles ever designed.
For the not-nerds, the Enhanced Motion Vehicle -- EMV, patent here -- is an evolution of the simulators seen at Star Tours and Body Wars. A dramatic evolution. Designed by a team led by Tony Baxter, uses the simulator's concept of hydraulic actuators under the seats of the riders to simulate any range of motion they wish. It can bounce, lean forward, tilt back, and roll from side to side to simulate the movement of the terrain, or enhance the feel of the tight turns and steep drops.
Instead of staring at a screen, however, that motion base is placed on top of essentially an updated version of an old bus-bar driven dark ride; though with most of the drive and power elements below the floor, creating essentially a giant slot car with a tiny open-air motion simulator on top.
Rather than constantly moving forward at a fixed speed from load to unload, however, the system could be programmed to go through any sort of routine desired in terms of stops, stalls, and variable speeds, now that computers were a fully integral part of theme park design. The most noteworthy example of how Dinosaur uses this system is to simulate slipping nearly out of control through the mud, with the chassis fishtailing side to side even though the vehicle is actually following a set track -- though with slowing and bursting to simulate changes in traction.
Dinosaur uses this incredible ride vehicle to take you past some really cool animatronics. This was back when dinosaurs were completely wrong but totally awesome. Now, science has taught us dinosaurs were actually just fat birds that made bird sounds. One upon a time, we thought they were trim, muscular lizards that roared at us. So badass! Countdown to Extinction was built with those dinosaurs in mind. I appreciate science and it is so important, but I kind of wish it would just let us be wrong about dinosaurs. Do your discovering, just don't tell me the killer lizards aren't that killer. Dinosaur lets us live in that moment.
A giant styracosaurus pushes against a tree. A sauropod cranes its long neck through the trees to get a closer look at you. A velociraptor screeches at you from on top a rock. Most memorably, a carnotaurus stands to full height and bellows a deafening threat directly in your face. They are some of the best looking animatronics anywhere -- since there's no uncanny valley to worry about -- and the black lit ambiance and killer sound details really make them simultaneously awe-inspiring and terrifying. This is the evolution of the memorable opening sequence to the Universe of Energy, and that through line has to be appreciated.
Another reason Countdown makes this list, though, is the cult status it's come to enjoy. Its host has a fairly popular Twitter account, and his greeting of "hellllloooo there," has become an iconic greeting amongst the theme park devoted. The quotes from the attraction, the details that go into it, and the thrills it contains may often be compared to a ride on another coast in arguments, but its undeniable those moments have left an impression on frequent Guests and Cast Members that has stuck in their minds in a fun way.
It's a part of the zeitgeist, and perhaps a little ironically, but it's done with love of the ride; not at the expense of the ride. If we didn't like Dinosaur we wouldn't reference it constantly, we would just ignore it and let it fade from our memories. It's an icon, and an icon makes the list.
As a final note, the ride has undergone many revisions over the years, none necessarily huge, but enough to mean there have been quite a few versions. Picking a "best" version is not necessarily easy. The lunging carnotaurus head of today arguably makes for a more thrilling finale than the plunging meteor. The projections of the compies are better than the stagnant versions that sat there for much of its history, and the flashing effects in the time tunnel these days are actually pretty cool. Also, the iguanodon was one of my favorite dinosaurs as a kid, so I don't mind it replacing styracosaurs outside.
That said, we're going with the absolutely terrifying original version of the attraction. The most notable element left behind was the sound of the carnotaurus roaring directly in your ear, with heavy footsteps heard just outside the vehicle during the chase sequence. The compies actually moved overhead, as well, while the tetradactyl actually lunged at you.
Some of these changes were either understandable, or straight up welcomed by some riders, so I don't think there's an objective best version of the ride. It's all just splitting hairs, anyway, but for this list I'm going with my love of how bone-chilling the original carnotaurus chase was.
Hey! You made it!
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