Page 58 - CelebrationsSpring2020

As the attraction comes to an end, you’ll pass through a dinosaur skeleton, which is reminiscent of a scene from the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction in the Magic Kingdom. If you’re looking for some good family fun, corny jokes, and a few spins along the way, Primeval Whirl definitely is the attraction for you!
What Could Have Been...The Excavator
Believe it or not, Primeval Whirl was not the first roller coaster proposed for DinoLand, U.S.A. That honor goes to the Excavator, an old-fashioned wooden roller coaster that was originally planned for inclusion in DinoLand. Much like the dinosaurs represented throughout DinoLand, however, plans for the Excavator are now extinct. But instead of a giant asteroid impact, a catastrophic seismic shift, or a massive volcanic eruption, the Excavator’s extinction rested with enormous budgetary overruns faced by the Disney Company during construction of the Animal Kingdom, and
a corporate push to include more child-friendly attractions.
Primeval Whirl Fun Facts
• Even though it’s much tamer than it’s Tomorrowland cousin, Primeval Whirl does have something in common with Space Mountain (besides the outer space theme!). Just like Space Mountain, Primeval Whirl actually has two tracks facing opposite directions. Unlike Space Mountain however, both tracks have an identical layout instead of being mirrored as they are on Space Mountain.
• The final drop is directly into the gaping jaws of a not-so- ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex!
• Many of the asteroids decorating the attraction have Hidden Mickeys lurking in the craters.
•The ride was built by Reverchon, a French company specializing in smaller rollercoasters The company was founded in 1927 by Gaston Reverchon, a young coachbuilder who created his own workshop near Paris.
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Photos ©Tim Foster