ANIMAL KINGDOM: DINOLAND USA

Imagine a land of dinosaurs that is sponsored by McDonald’s. Can any kid resist this combination? So far, the answer is no; Dinoland USA is a huge hit and shows no sign of slowing down. The secret to Dinoland’s success is that they try to make pre-history come to life. The 50-ft Brachiosaurus that stands over the entrance is the introduction to a land that features many tactile, interactive exhibits. The most popular interactive area is The Boneyard, where kids become archeologists and literally dig up fossils and bones that are buried in the sand.

One of the "real" rides in Animal Kingdom is Countdown to Extinction, a wild ride back to the time of the dinosaurs. If you’ve been bounced around too much already and are in the mood for something more sedate, you can take a stroll along The Cretaceous Trail, a re-creation of a prehistoric forest that contains descendants of the dinosaurs like Chinese alligators and soft-shell turtles.

Dinoland also presents more Disney-esque features in it’s Theater in the Wild. It is currently the home of Journey into the Jungle Book, a stage play based on the animated film. It is a combination of puppetry and live actors with plenty of music. It’s good, but some of the other stage presentations of animated Disney films like Beauty and the Beast are better.