Defending DinoLand USA

It’s a case of Imagineering doing their job too well.

DinoLand USA, and more specifically, Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama, is frequently cited by fans as one of their least favorite concepts at Walt Disney World. The gang at the WDW Today podcast were all pretty much in agreement on a recent show when they ranked it as one of the resort’s worst.

The most common complaint about the area seems to center on Chester and Hester’s Dino-Rama. Citing the overused and easily abused mantra “Walt would never have done that,” folks tend to be appalled by the low-brow tourist trap theme, and inclusion of carnival games and more traditional amusement park-type rides. It also suffers from the “everything needs to be an E Ticket” mindset of many hardcore fans.

Incredibly enough, it is one of the resort’s best examples of a totally immersed experience. But sadly, if you are under the age of thirty, and not a student of mid-20th century popular culture, you’ll be likely unable to appreciate what a great story the Imagineers are telling in this corner of Animal Kingdom.

DinoLand USA distinctly pays homage to the roadside America culture, most closely identified with the now legendary Route 66, the mother road that stretched from Chicago to southern California that was at its peak in the 1940s and 1950s, prior to the arrival of the Interstate Highway system. Kitschy tourist attractions were popular along Route 66, and it many counterpart roads across the country. And a large number of these roadside establishments featured a then, and even still now, popular theme--dinosaurs. There are still concrete remnants of these prehistoric parks scattered throughout North America.

When you enter DinoLand USA, pay careful attention. You are not just in DinoLand; you’re in Diggs County.

The story of Diggs County is told mainly through a series of signs and billboards, that while often large and distinct, are just enough in the background that they typically go unnoticed by most guests.

Fictional Highway US 498 cuts through the area, which is the home of the Dino Institute. The Institute, a veritable hotbed of scientific research, draws visitors from around the world, thanks to the proprietary technology of their famous Time Rovers.

Nearby, savvy entrepreneurs Chester and Hester opened a souvenir shop to take advantage of the influx of dino-tourists. Success begat success, and they soon expanded their operation to include Dino-Rama, an amusement area literally set up on their store’s parking lot. Their signature ride, the Primeval Whirl, even pokes fun at the Dino Institute’s time-traveling scientists.

I love the whole concept of Diggs County. But then, I’m a big fan of roadside America pop culture. I think it is clever and fun that they are in fact satirizing the very dynamic that Walt was trying to distance himself from with his creation of Disneyland. And with the fact that much of roadside America has disappeared from the landscape, DinoLand becomes a very fun and retro-esque look back in time.

Many just hate the whole thing. I mean really, really hate it. Trolling some of the popular Disney forums, you’ll find words like abomination, travesty, and shameful frequently used when discussing the area. It’s sad because often the ire is directed at the Imagineers responsible for the design. Let’s face it, love it or hate it, DinoLand is authentic. And the details throughout are amazing. Take a close look around both the interior and exterior of the store. Then check out the signs along Highway 498. It was thoroughly researched and exceptionally well executed. You can dislike the theme and debate its placement in Animal Kingdom, but there is no denying that the Imagineers succeeded in recreating a slice of Americana that many still enjoy and find endearing.

And really, when all is said and done, it is the theme that really puts the nay sayers off. Primeval Whirl dressed up differently might not have been met with the contempt it is now often greeted with. This assumption that traditional amusement-type rides are anathema to a Disney park is somewhat ludicrous. Again the mantra “Walt would never have done that!” Well, he kinda did. Fantasyland is in fact full of traditional amusement park-style attractions. WED Enterprises did not invent the merry-go-round, the dark ride, and the various spinniners, they merely dressed them up in Disney clothing.

There seems to be this notion that once you embrace the Disney theme parks, you are no longer permitted to enjoy any other amusement park venues. It’s an elitist attitude that ends up fueling the anti-Dino-Rama sentiment. Just because Walt wanted to do something different back in 1955, it doesn’t invalidate all the enjoyment provided by traditional parks prior to the arrival of Disneyland, and the entertainment they continue to provide today. And it shouldn’t undermine the company’s desire to celebrate some of that good old fashioned kitsch.