Dinosaurs Alive!

Entrance sign seen after passing the admission booths.

***Dinosaurs Alive!*** was a walkthrough attraction at Kings Island that featured numerous animatronic dinosaurs. It debuted in 2011 in the back of the Coney Mall area. The attraction featured multiple animatronic dinosaurs for guests to observe. Some of the dinosaurs could even be controlled by guests via a control board. The exhibit was not included with park admission, and cost an extra five dollars to enter. However, guests with Gold or Platinum Season Passes for the 2011 - 2017 seasons had free access to the exhibit. Similar attractions formerly operated at many of Cedar Fair's other parks, including Cedar Point, Valleyfair, Kings Dominion, Carowinds, Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, Worlds of Fun, and Canada's Wonderland. However Kings Island's version of the attraction was the first to open, and also the largest with a total of sixty dinosaurs. It was also the largest animatronic dinosaur exhibit in the world to date. The attraction closed in 2017.

It’s path was utilized for the *Field of Screams* maze during *Halloween Haunt* from (2016-2019). *Kings Mills Antique Autos* opened in 2019 in the former entrance of the walkthrough attraction, while the remaining space was used for *Orion*, a replacement coaster for *Firehawk*.

## Background

The attraction was manufactured by Dinosaurs Unearthed, an organization that creates animatronic models for various entertainment venues. Prior to opening at Kings Island, numerous animatronic exhibits of dinosaurs had limited appearances throughout the country, including other local attractions of the Cincinnati, Ohio area like the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and the Cincinnati Museum Center.

*Dinosaurs Alive!* opened at Kings Island on May 26, 2011. The attraction also included a 3D movie- *Dinosaurs: Monsters of Patagonia,* in the now-closed *Action Theater*. The success of the attraction would lead to similar implementations at other Cedar Fair parks such as Cedar Point, Canada’s Wonderland, Carowinds, Kings Dominion, Valleyfair, Dorney Park, and Worlds of Fun in 2012 and 2013.

*Dinosaurs Alive!* was removed from Kings Island following the 2017 season. All advertising and the dinosaurs themselves were removed entirely, the latter of which could be seen when riding *The Racer*, as the Irritator is no longer visible at the entrance.The entrance area that also featured a gift shop, functioned as a designated smoking area for guests in the Summer of 2018, until it was used for the return of *Kings Mills Antique Autos* in 2019. The Halloween Haunt maze *Field of Screams* occupied the trail from (2016-2019). During 2019, part of the attraction space was also walled off for construction. The giga coaster *Orion* opened in July 2020 in the former woods and walkthrough area.

## Attraction Experience

As guests enter the exhibit, they are greeted by an employee, who introduces them to the Irritator. Due to being located at the entrance, this dinosaur could briefly be seen while riding *The Racer*. Guest pass by a total of sixty dinosaurs, which include:

* Irritator
* Baryonyx
* Apatosaurus
* Parasaurolophus
* Allosaurus
* Albertosaurus
* Carnotaurus
* Triceratops
* Chasmosaurus
* Dilophosaurus
* Deinonychus
* Stegosaurus (Adult and Adolescent)
* Spinosaurus
* Tyrannosaurus Rex (Adult and Adolescent)
* Pachycephalosaurus
* Styracosaurus

The exhibit also features a sand pit with fake dinosaur skeletons for kids to dig in, simulating paleontologist work. The entire experiences travels in a circle, and as guests exit back from where they entered, they pass through the Dinostore, a gift shop selling dinosaur-themed souvenirs.

## Trivia

* Two statues of a Tyrannosaurus Rex were placed in the park to promote the exhibit. The first, which was much larger, was located near the entrance to the park, while the second was located at the entrance to the exhibit itself.
* Occassionally, Kings Island staff would move the Dilophosaurus to an area that all guests could access as a promotional display. It made appearances at Great American Ball Park, the home stadium of the MLB's Cincinnati Reds, and could also be seen at the front gate next to the flags in front of the fountain of International Street.
* Kings Island's version of *Dinosaurs Alive!* was not only the largest of the exhibits in the Cedar Fair parks, but also the largest dinosaur animatronic exhibit in the world.
* During the Halloween season, kids were able to trick-or-treat in this exhibit with employees handing out candy, and the dinosaurs were dressed in Halloween costumes. The T-Rex statue at the entrance was dressed as a vampire for this event.