TriceraTop Spin Review
Wait a minute, since when can Triceratops fly?
Warning: this attraction will go extinct sometime in 2024 when Dinoland USA goes KABOOM. Yes, you probably have heard about this, but Disney has decided to make dinosaurs go extinct a second time. The area dedicated to dinos is going bye bye sometime this year in Animal Kingdom, ready to give space to a land called “Tropical Americas” which should bring us rides inspired by Indiana Jones and Encanto.
Who knows, maybe in the future we will look back and remember this small, simple ride in Animal Kingdom. Triceratop Spin is, after all, a very standard aerial carousel similar to Magic Kingdom’s The Magic Carpets of Aladdin and Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Instead of magic carpets flying across the sky or a friendly chubby elephant, you board a flying triceratops and spin around for a minute and a half.
The Good
Important question first? Why isn’t this called Pterodactyl Spin? Why are those Triceratops flying? Nobody knows. Well, this is a perfectly fine ride for families with toddlers and young children, especially in Dinoland USA where most rides have some sort of height requirement. Animal Kingdom has a handful of shows for kids, but not many rides that toddlers can go. Sure, they can visit Na’vi River Journey and Kilimanjaro Safaris, so it’s cool that there is another option with Triceratops Spin.
Each Triceratops accommodates four guests, with two seated in front and two in the back. Each row features a small lever: those in the front can move the vehicle up and down, while those in the back can tilt it back and forth. I do like when aerial carousels have something more than just “let’s get inside and just spin”, so it’s cool that there is a minimal amount of interactivity for our kids.
The Bad
I do think that a lack of theme hurts this ride. Sure, dinosaurs are pretty cool, but I don’t think these flying triceratops can carry this ride alone. Let’s take a look at the competition. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin is based on a famous Disney IP, so this might be enough for some to enjoy it. Dumbo the Flying Elephant has an amazing playground area, which is probably better than the ride itself. Astro Orbiter also lacks a theme related to Disney, but that aerial carousel is slightly taller than all the others and gives a good view of Tomorrowland in Magic Kingdom.
Triceratop Spin lacks something extra that can make it stand out from the crowd. Young children won’t care about this that much, but it pains me to see that this ride could be much more interesting. I know it is located in an area inside Dinoland, but why not make it based on The Lion King, since we are in a theme park dedicated to animals? Vehicles built to look like Simba, Mufasa and Zazu could be a really cool touch.
Triceratop Spin is situated within Dinorama, an area with several carnival games that evokes the feeling of a classic theme park. However, I can't help but feel that this space is missing a certain Disney magic and grandeur akin to what we find in Epcot or Magic Kingdom. The surroundings near Triceratop Spin seem to be lacking that extra dose of pixel dust that we expect from Disney.
Will Kids enjoy it?
If you have toddlers or young children, this is a great place to bring them. TriceraTop Spin is a typical aerial carousel with short wait times, perfect for their enjoyment. If they're fans of rides like Dumbo the Flying Elephant or The Magic Carpets of Aladdin, they'll surely find this attraction fun, even if they just want to ride it once.
