PRESS ROOM

 

Forty lifelike animatronic dinosaurs that snarl and move – and some that spit – have taken up residence at the Detroit Zoo to provide a mega-dose of Vitamin Z for visitors of all ages.  Dinosauria, presented by Kroger and Michigan Education Savings Program, runs May 22 through Sept. 7, 2015.  The blockbuster summer attraction – the largest dinosaur exhibit of its kind in the country – was last featured at the Zoo in 2011.  

Visitors enter a veritable “Zoorassic World” as they travel back in time along a lush, winding, 5-acre DinoTrail recreating prehistoric life.  Enormous prehistoric creatures lurk at every turn, including adult dinosaurs, youngsters and even a nest with eggs and hatchlings.  The robotic dinosaurs are built on steel frames by Texas-based Billings Productions and covered with intricately painted foam rubber skin.  High-tech electronics and air pistons power the dinosaurs’ menacing claws and gnashing teeth while a sound system gives them their “voices”.

Dinosauria is open daily through Labor Day, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (until 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August).  Tickets are $5 with Detroit Zoo admission for visitors ages 2 and older and are available at main admissions, the Dinosauria ticket booth or online at www.detroitzoo.org/dinosauria.

The prehistoric adventure continues with two experiences at the Wild Adventure Zone in the Ford Education Center.  Featured at the 4-D Theater is “Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure 4-D”, a 15-minute movie that takes audiences back 82 million years for a look at the sea’s most dangerous predators.  “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs – The Ride” at the Simulator Ride finds the sub-zero heroes from the worldwide blockbuster venturing into a mysterious underground world after Sid the sloth stumbles across three abandoned dinosaur eggs and decides to raise the hatchlings as his own.  Tickets for both experiences are $5 with Detroit Zoo admission and are available at main admissions, the Wild Adventure Zone ticket booth or online.