Sci Fi Log #9: Countdown to Extinction

For this science fiction log, I’ll be discussing one of my memories. It’s about the time I went on vacation to Florida with my mom, my brother, and my dad when I was really young. I don’t remember much about it, but I do remember one thing about it: Disney World. I know, not very related to sci-fi, is it? Don’t worry, we’ll get there soon.

I remember that we walked through Animal Kingdom for most of the day. For me, the best part of it was DinoLand, U.S.A. Why? The indoor dark ride called DINOSAUR. In the ride, you board a vehicle called a Time Rover and are taken on a rough and dangerous journey through the Cretaceous period, featuring prehistoric scenes with audio-animatronic dinosaurs. Originally called Countdown to Extinction, the ride's name was changed to DINOSAUR to promote the Disney film of the same name. Scenes from the movie also appear in the ride’s pre-show, to help the guests identify the Iguanadon as the film's protagonist, Aladar.

You begin your adventure by entering the Dino Institute, a once secret research facility. You soon are taken to a room where you watch a pre-show video. In the video, A woman named Dr. Marsh announces that you are about to board a Time Rover that will take you on a peaceful tour of the early Cretaceous period (WHY WOULD YOU EVER THINK THAT IT WOULD BE PEACEFUL?). As she finishes, however, a man Dr. Seeker cuts off Marsh and, from his laboratory, informs you that he plans to send you to a time towards the end of the late Cretaceous period so that you can rescue Aladar the Iguanodon from extinction. Marsh hears Seeker and enters his lab, arguing that the mission is dangerous, as the time you would be sent to is extremely close to the time when the meteor that killed the dinosaurs hits (of course). After Dr. Marsh has left, Dr. Seeker says that he has hacked the time travel systems so that you can go to rescue the Iguanodon, and says that you'll be out before the meteor breaks the atmosphere.

The video ends, and you’re taken into the Time Rover boarding area. You’re shot through a sort of time stream, and you enter a prehistoric jungle. You encounter many varieties of Dinosaurs, including a Hadrosaur, a Velociraptor, and even an extremely dangerous Carnotaurus. The rover, controlled by autopilot, makes a narrow escape, then comes across a safe, non-dangerous herbivore dino, called Saltasaurus. Seeker insists that you keep moving, or you won’t have enough time to make it back before the meteor hits. You encounter even more dinosaurs, going down a drop to avoid a flying predator dinosaur.

Encounter with the Carnotaur. 

Suddenly, the computer on the rover announces “Loss of traction,” and you enter complete darkness. After a few seconds, strobe lights reveal the deadly Carnotaurus (my brother’s seat belt suddenly unbuckled at this point, but he fixed it). The vehicle then tries to escape, only to meet up with it again. The Time Rover then actually does escape, but there’s EVEN MORE trouble: the meteor is going to hit in a few seconds. Seeker tries to abort the mission and bring you back, but to no avail. Aladar the Iguanodon appears, and Seeker tries desperately to bring you back. Just as the meteor hits with a loud boom, you drop down a slope into darkness, and then suddenly enter the time stream. You safely make it back with Aladar, and the ride ends.