Cast Members Say Goodbye to DINOSAUR at Emotional DinoLand U.S.A. Farewell
Dr. Grant Seeker recently made an appearance at the Dino Institute. No, I’m not talking about the dozens of doppelgängers who showed up over the weekend to say goodbye to DINOSAUR. This was the real deal. Wallace Langham, the actor behind the quirky scientist, was on hand to help give Cast Members a proper sendoff. Huge thanks to Nick, one of those CMs, for contributing to this story.
Disney has been closing a lot of rides lately. Sometimes they’re reimagined. Sometimes they’re simply erased. This build-while-destroy era has taken an emotional toll on theme park fans who grew up with The Muppets, rivers, islands, and dinosaurs.
Guests mourn attractions when they go dark, but imagine what it’s like for the Cast Members who operated them every day – who memorized the spiels, reminded us to pull those yellow straps, and made the magic happen ride after ride. Thankfully, Disney does one thing really well when it shutters an attraction: it lets Cast Members say goodbye.
After the final bell, Cast Members gather to eat, share stories, and ride their doomed attractions together.
One of those parties took place on Monday, less than 24 hours after the final Iguanodon was released inside the Institute. Having Dr. Seeker there made it especially meaningful. Several Cast Members even went back in time with him.
Nick was thrilled to attend, though for a while he wasn’t sure he’d get the chance. He began his Disney career at Animal Kingdom but missed Dino-Rama’s “Goodbye-O-Rama” farewell. A reassignment to Hollywood Studios let him say goodbye to Muppet*Vision 3D when it closed in June.
Determined not to miss DinoLand’s final days, he worked to transfer back to Animal Kingdom in time. And not just because of the ride itself.
“My goal was not only getting back to Kilimanjaro Safaris, but getting back to Animal Kingdom before DinoLand closed. The Cast parties are such a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. They make you feel like you’re not just fans, but family.”
CM farewells are typically held after hours, but DinoLand’s party took place during the day. Hedges blocked the scene from guests, giving Cast Members the run of the land. Catering was served in Restaurantosaurus, also now extinct.
DINOSAUR ran non-stop throughout, allowing Cast Members to ride on repeat. Disney handed out mementos, including dino plushes and keychains.
DinoLand employees received an exclusive item, a time rover sketch, complete with a sad dino who couldn’t reach the yellow strap with his tiny arms. Pure greatness.
Wallace Langham posed for hours with anyone who wanted a pic. In return, Cast Members gifted him with a Dino Institute plaque that they all signed.
Once the party wound down, the time rovers were pulled from the track and sent to the vehicle maintenance bay. With that, Dr. Seeker’s reign of chaos at the Dino Institute was officially over.
Read more: Saying Goodbye to DINOSAUR, Animal Kingdom’s Cult Classic
