Trying to narrow down my priorities for Animal Kingdom. We are 2 adults with 1 toddler making a touring plan with activities for all of us to enjoy.
There is no way we’re going to be able to fit everything in. We’ve got FoP (utilizing switch-off) and Na’vi River at rope drop. That’s our first hour.
Planning on Everest and Kilimanjaro Safaris, but need to make time for Boneyard, Finding Nemo and Lion King for the little one.
Is Dinosaur a must do or can I save it for next year?
No.
If you never did it you’d be fine.
It’s jarring and terrifying.
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You can definitely save it for next year.
We enjoy the ride, but it wouldn’t be worth it for 2 adults with a toddler who isn’t tall enough to ride–you’d have to do a RS and it’s just not that amazing of a ride.
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Save it until your toddler is 10. By then, s/he will perhaps love it. Until then, you’re ok without it!
I do not like that ride AT ALL, so easy skip for me
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This
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For a toddler? I’d skip easily. While I wouldn’t use the word “terrifying”, it definitely tries to rely on a jump scare or two which I feel it marginally succeeds at. Mostly it’s just fast moving on a car and big things moving around in black lighting.
What it is more of a concern from my POV is the volume level. It’s incredibly loud, dangerously so as the screech at the end will cause distortion in your ears. What’s worse is it seems completely unnecessary as you already experienced the “climax” of the ride (the photo op).
Even if it wasn’t scary at all, the volume level makes me suggest skipping it unless you got ear plugs. (Heh, and no, I don’t have a problem with volume normally, just when it causes distortion in the ears is where I get concerned)
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I really liked the ride, my ds 5 loved it, my dd 7…just meh. It is loud, and could frighten some. if your toddler can’t ride, it would be a simple skip for me. I wouldn’t say wait until 10, but it would depend on the kids interest and thrill level.
Skip it this time
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Another vote for nope. I found it just kind of weird. The storyline is lame, the vehicle was jerky, none us enjoyed it, it felt like a waste of time trekking all the way back there. It didn’t seem Disney-ish at all. More like Disney tries to copy universal with poor results.
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We waited SB 40 minutes because we had never done it and I felt we should check it out. No one was happy with me. Skippable for sure.
Our first trip to Disney 8 years ago, Dinosaur was on our list. Waited in line for 40 minutes only to have my twin boys (then 5yo) get scared and we walked out without riding.
Went back this year (first trip since) with kids 13, 13, 12, and 5. Had FPP. Teens were the only ones that enjoyed it at all. DW and I spent entire ride just trying to keep our 5yo from losing it. For us, the ride had very little to offer.
If in doubt at all, I’d say skip it.
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I say skip it. If you have time, it’s a lovely ride but it fails on many levels. The immersion and magic just never quite clicks for me. It’s not thrilling or scary enough to compensate for the weak story.
Indiana Jones in Disneyland uses the same ride vehicle and is a far superior experience - IJ no longer thrills me (it’s basically a car driving slowly but erratically) but the theming, music, and grandiosity make up for it. By contrast, Dinosaur is just a car driving past some Dino animatronics of the same variety you might see at your local museum. I’m exaggerating, but only slightly.
That said, try it once someday when you aren’t pressed for time. You may love it. I’m sure 8-9 year old kids who love dinosaurs would get a real thrill out of it.
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I would skip as well. I agree with all the reasons above for skipping it. It’s one of our family’s less liked rides in all of WDW…extremely jerky and loud and not much fun…
YES! I did Dinosaur for the first time this past February. I can’t believe I never wanted to go on it before. It’s one of the better attractions on all of WDW property.
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Skip. Jerky and not really very fun.
Seriously ? No disrespect and to each his/her own thing but I am really surprised by this opinion. I assume if you like Dinosaur you must like thrill rides in general and I feel there are so many amazing rides that are so much better: from Expedition Everest to Tower of Terror, from FoP to RnRC, all 3 MK mountains, Test Track plus all the non-thrill stuff and all the great shows…There must be something like 50 things on my list that come before Dinosaur LOL 
Well, we’re all different and that’s a good thing, in life in general and in WDW as well. My family won’t be in the Dinosaur line with yours and so your wait time will be a little shorter and while you guys wait at Dinosaur, my wait time elsewhere will be a little shorter too !!! 
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I know it’s not getting much love in this post, but I it think it’s great too. It’s needs some maintenance, but I’d rather ride it than NRJ any day.
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I love this ride! One of my favs actually. But I would definitely skip if you have a toddler–not worth rider swap. Save it for next time but definitely try it then.
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No disrespect taken. I didn’t say it was the best attraction, just one of the better ones. I agree that Expedition Everest and RnRC are great rides, but they are just roller coasters, albeit greatly themed roller coasters. What I look for in an attraction is something you don’t get at a Busch Gardens or a Six Flags. Attractions like Dinosaur and Test Track and Tower of Terror are greatly themed and not your garden variety roller coaster. I never said it was the best or my favorite.
So while you’re standing in line for those other attractions, I’ll be walking past you in the Fastpass line.
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I like Dino because i’m not a fan of bigger roller coasters like EE. You just get jerked around a lot in the dark while big animatronics sort of lurch towards you. But it would definitely be scary for a toddler and not worth your time this trip.
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