Correction: granabam in the comments pointed out that the skeleton at 7:32 is not a T-Rex, but is actually a Baryonyx

as a central Florida native I cannot overstate my excitement for dinosaur world

I just went there recently. It's such a charming old school attraction. Central Florida has a lot of expensive and newer attractions, but few have the charm that Dinosaur World does.

FINALLY SOME PROPER DINOSAUR WORLD REPRESENTATION

As someone who went to Dinosaur World numerous times as a kid, the strange building at 8:01 used to be the original gift shop, and everything that was shown before the trail wasn’t built at the time this was the case. Ever since then, I believe the place is now used for storage space, and why it’s closed off

Dinosaur World holds such a special place in my heart. As someone who grew up in central Florida and was constantly driving along I4, I’m very familiar with the sights of all the classic attractions you’ve been covering lately. This one was by far my favorite. W named the dinosaurs along the highway (Steve, Darryl, and Jess, to name a few), and it was a summer tradition to come here with my grandparents and explore the trails and exhibits. I haven’t been back there in years, and I miss it very much

I love how you cover these smaller attraction parks. Most channels I find usually cover the common Disney or universal parks, but your videos offer so much more!

I got to go to Dinosaur World twice during my visits to Florida and I gotta say it's an extremely enjoyable experience, I loved seeing all the giant statues.

I love seeing you cover these classic Central Florida attractions! I used to take students here on field trips all the time. My kids always had a blast and there's something about dinosaurs that always make me feel like a kid again, even if the park is a little dated.

as a dino-obsessed central floridian, dinosaur world was a frequent stop for my family. it used to be pretty run down in all honesty but there have been some insane recent renovations that have totally revamped the park. It used to be the gift shop, maybe half the dino figures and the fossil dig from what i can remember. i haven't been able to visit it as an adult, but seeing all the changes they have made i will have to relive that major part of my childhood!

I would go to Dinosaur World as a kid some 20 years ago. It's nice to see it hasn't fallen into disrepair, forlorn and forgotten. It holds a warm place in my heart, this place and Bok Tower.

Yo I've been there multiple times and my friend actually works there! The most interesting stories I've heard about dino world was 1. Some kids I knew got high there and had a good time and 2. All of the dinosaurs were made by one guy in the 70s or 80s and so when they break (like one getting impaled by a tree in a hurricane) they don't have anyone to fix the dinosaurs now.

I grew up with Dinosaur World because of my obsession with Dinosaurs when I was a kid! I still like Dinosaurs still.

I remember going as a kid but I forgot the name and then I found this video this is so nostalgic

I totally forgot about this place but remember having distinctly remembered things from Dinosaur World as a kid

such a goofy attraction, but it was really fun to gather my Orlando and Tampa friends to see the silliness together

When I was a little kid obsessed with Dinosaurs, my grandparents lived in Central Florida, and they’d take me here just about every time I’d go visit them. Some of my favorite childhood memories. Now that I live in the area myself, it’s probably about time I make a return trip

Dinosaur World brought out the inner paleontologist in me, from when I was a kid obsessed with Dinosaurs, fond memories.

As a Floridian, I get super excited to see this place while passing by

I've been to Dinosaur World a couple of times. The dinosaurs coming out of the water give me the shivers, in a good way.

My mom said she took us once when we were little and has never stopped complaining since. Everytime we used to drive to Orlando and she'd see it, we'd hear about it all over again.

I love Dinosaur World. I loved the park when I was younger and went there. It always holds a special place in my heart.

I have vivid memories of being here with my parents when I was 6, I remember being so amazed and this place jumpstarting my obsession with dinosaurs.

My god, the nostalgia of thinking abt the time I was a kid living near that area. Man, I miss being a kid

Ill be honest, Dinosaur World looks a lot better than I expected. I’ll definitely add the Kentucky one to my to do list when in the mammoth cave region.

I live about 20 mins from this attraction, and while it can basically summed up with that tiktok audio of the Jurassic Park theme song being played on a kazoo, we had an absolute ball going through the walking trail and admiring how.. expressive the dinosaur sculpts were.

Looks like a passion project . It's nice to see smaller scale projects like this that will expand our imagination. I'll be stopping by next time I'm in the area. Would be interested in seeing a Poseidon deep dive into the theme miniature courses! Another great video with the morning coffee.

I've lived in Florida since I was a toddler and I've ridden or driven past Dinosaur World hundreds of times in the past 30-mumble years, but now I'm going to go. In January when being outdoors for more than a few minutes at a time is bearable.

I remember going to the Dinosaur World in Kentucky. It was a great time if you like dinosaurs😂

I came here a lot as a kid. Still love dinos to this day. It has come a long way since I last saw it, a lot of the models were very dated last I went but at the very least you could count on one thing; that the signs would claim each model was sized accurately. It was fascinating as an older kid to finally be able to grasp the size of the creatures I saw in books when I was younger. I mean I had a rough idea from reading but sometimes only a face to face model will give you a real appreciation. I'd never think stegos and some hadrosaurs were THAT big compared to me.

I drove past dino world every week for years when I was a kid, only ever went once but my favorite story is how for about a month somebody had been shooting the roadside T-Rex with arrows and it was always a game my dad and I would play to see whether the arrow bandit had struck again. It was a big highlight of the trip, I always made him wake me up to see it if I had fallen asleep, very good memories were made on those drives

I’ve passed dinosaur world many times and have always been curious about what’s inside. It looks like a really interesting place to explore and walk around in. Will definitely check it out!

i have been here probably 10 times, but I still love dinosaur world as much as ever

I’ve lived here and traveled the I4 corridor practically all of my life and you are right, I’ve always wondered but never stopped so this was an instant click for me!

Fitting that you’re covering dinos in June (Jurassic June).

You would not believe the look on my face when i opened your channel and seen my job on your channel. I love your work and i hoped you loved the dinosaurs. The fossils and the gems are AUTHENTIC. The fossils are Florida marine fossils dug from Florida. The gems are mined from Brazil. The mini golf course was envisioned for ages toddler through nine. The Peculiar building has been closed off since 2011 and was a gift shop before it expanded from that bridge to the current gift shop, Its used as a painting studio at the moment. While the back half was opened briefly as a trivia show that left with the COVID 19 pandemic and did not return. The exploration cave is NOT under referbishment. Its open weekends 10 to 3 , It's a great tour and is very informative. The dinosaurs were handmade out of polysyrene foam , fiberglass and putty. They are regularly painted. The owner , Christer Svensson , made over a hundred prior to opening starting in 1980 and added three a year to a certain point. If they are inaccurate its because they were handmade around that time frame and the science of paleontology changes very often. The owner , the gentleman who made them , is now retired which is why no updated statues have been made. The small building in the middle of the swamp , your very accurate btw it was a gator world before it was dinosaur world and before that it was a swamp , is a Floridia themed musuem. Not mentioned but also in the back of the park is the train ride and the 7 ducks that hang around the bridge. And yes the Dinosaur World Cave town Kentucky location and the Glenn Rose Texas location are part of the franchise. The Florida part was the first , The Kentucky park was the second and the Texas park was the last to be made.The gas station is actually very well kept btw , very nice employees.

Screw shark week! I'm here for dinosaur month!!!

Dinosaur world will always have a special place in my heart. I enjoyed it as a kid and hope it sticks around for my son to enjoy as well

Always love the charm and small scale of these parks. Here in France there are quite a few (also dino or prehistoric themed) as well but less clean and more broken.

Growing Up in tampa the only experiance i have with it is me and my family driving past while heading to orlando and saying "They do Travel in Herds"

I went there years ago as a kid and this brought back so many great memories

Went here for a birthday as a kid and still one of my favorite memories

We did several Birthday parties there when the kinds were younger. Good value, and a nice break from the endless Chuck E Cheese, Skate Rink, and Laser tag parties

This took me back. I remember going here a few times. Always a fun day out.

This place was a big part of my childhood

Dinosaur world is ok. Worth a stop for the kids. The gift shop is on another level. They have one of the best gift shops I've ever scene

I never thought I'd see a random video about dinosaur world show up in my feed. I used to have birthday parties there when I was really little and loved it

I remember going with a partner, my favorite part of the board walk were seeing all the turtles sunbathing near the dinosaur figures. Yeah it’s campy but it’s the Florida charm campy.

When I was a kid around the turn of the milennia, my mom used to have to drive down to Tampa to pick up her meds, and I'd always BEG her to stop here. Just getting to see it from the car window was always the highlight of the trip. Finally, she relented and we planned a family trip out there; it's still one of my favorite childhood memories. One thing that's been a nice suprise over the last twenty years is how the place has not only managed to stay afloat, but that it's grown SO much since that trip back then (I remember FREAKING out when they added the indor exhibit). Always brings a nostagiac smile to my face when people bring it up. 😄

The building at 8:00 used to be the original welcome center before Dinosaur World got a massive update sometime in the late 2000s/early 2010s. The entire first portion used to not exist and the original parking lot before the update was just before the gate at 7:25

I used to take my daughter there all the time when she was a kid. Along with the dinosaurs, they used to also have live animals, bobcats, bears, alligators, crocodiles. The gift shop sold alligator meat. Lol. $5 admission at the time. Old time Roadside attractions are cheesy but more fun than the big parks.

i’ve lived in tampa my whole life, dinosaur world is one of the go to field trip destinations along with MOSI, the tampa aquarium and the zoo, last time i was there they were in the middle of construction, for how often i went as a kid i gave no clue what its like now lol i still get excited every time i see it on a roadtrip tho, not sure if i’ll ever grow out of that 😭

2:09 It's such a coincidence that when I visited Florida back in 2010 or 2011, me and my family actually saw Dino World on the highway

I use to go here with my grandma when i was really little super nostalgic

I've lived in this area my entire life and grew up going here. Absolutely love it, thanks for sharing in my childhood memories.

Oh my gosh, I SO agree on Dinoland! It's one of the pillars on which Animal Kingdom was built (extinct animals) and should be reimagined, not replaced. I would be hesitant to call Dinosaur World educational, however, as many of the dinosaurs are depicted in ways that would have been dated even when it opened. Many of the exhibits look like they came from the early 90's/late 80's.

Went here as a child for a field trip during summer daycare and I don’t remember what was my actual memory and what wasn’t so thank you for this

a few things you missed: 6:20 the fossils at the dig pit are indeed real, they're just very small and cheap stuff like shark teeth and invertebrate fossils 7:32 not a T. rex but a Baryonyx; surprisingly, there isn't a baryonyx mount in the park at all 8:17 that was the original gift shop/admission area before the renovation! my first time going we went through there Anyways. I used to love this place as a typical dinosaur-loving kid back in the early 2000s! Still, in retrospect, I still unfortunately have issues with it. The mounts and information are getting very dated- especially with many of the theropods. the last time i was there i went with my little cousin, and the Acrocanthosaurus display insisted that the animal was cold-blooded. This was part of the renovated new section too, and I thought "why would they be going *backward* in terms of scientific accuracy?" One of the dig pit staff also said that the crinoid fossils there were plants- they're marine animals related to starfish. Apparently despite discussing deep time, there's no mentions of evolution or anything in the park itself. This is allegedly to cater to church youth groups and christian schools, to assure them that they aren't being fed "athiest propaganda" (inb4 debate about religion in the comments). Which sacrifices some of the educational potential, but it's a good business move. So having grown up and pursuing paleontology in college now, it's... an interesting feeling looking back at the place. The inaccurate dinosaur statues do have a bit of nostalgic quirk and cheese to them though, and you know what? Maybe I'll visit with my girlfriend next month since we'll be driving by it. (they should hire me as a scientific consultant and artist, even if just briefly)

Resident Florian here, the last time I was in there was a field trip in middle school before "Jurassic World" was even announced. I've seen it in passing on my way to the Disney theme parks. Personally I think it is up to one's imagination but I might take another look through it to see how they scale the dinosaurs next to people.

I'm a central florida native and resident. I've never been here but went to gator jungle a dozen times as a kid with my dad in the early 90s. I'm glad they have a little section honoring toyo and the old alligator jungle. A lot of great memories there.

1:24 I went to Disney this January with my mom, aunt and cousin. We had a great time at both EPCOT and Disney Animal Kingdom. And on the last day we went to the T.Rex Cafe, and honestly, the food was actually pretty good. I had ribs and chicken, which was really good.

Yep. Saw those signs so often driving along.

I'm in Tampa and have somehow never been to Dinosaur World despite passing it so many times. Cool to see it get some love, definitely want to go in the next year!

I live close to dinosaur world and I even went there with one of my college classes to talk about Susan sontag's notes on Camp. I love how kitschy it is and I'm glad you made a video about it!

I visited with my autistic son last weekend. He was amazed! The fossil dig was mostly small sharks teeth and such. I am working on editing my video now. I was really impressed with the place, especially walking through the swamp. 🙌

(Dinosaur World) was in elementary school when I came here the last time. They repainted the front T-Rex, which I found shocking when I saw it. I still go by it from time to time, seeing the 2 front T-Rexs

Ive been going to Dino World for a few decades, its amazing how much its grown. I frikken love this place, used to come by myself to walk around and blow off steam, now I take my kids and enjoy it all over again. Cant wait to go check out the new splash pads and stuff lol.

One thing that bothers(which is mostly a petty nitpick) me about these dinosaur parks is how many are educational but don’t use up to date or at least modern takes on dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures There’s a Dinosaur World here in Texas too, somewhat near Dinosaur Valley State Park

7:58 the strange dinosaur building used to be the gift shop, as the park used to be much larger and that was right next to the enterance about a decade ago.

I was worried when I saw this that you might be critical of this silly little park until I remembered how much you like dinosaurs. I’m glad you had a fun time! I used to beg to come here all the time and I usually end up dragging friends here as a rite of passage with me. It’s a great time and it’s a delight to see it on the highway when driving into Tampa for Gasparilla each year. Also I think it would be pretty neat if you did a video on T-Rex/Rainforest cafe

I would love to visit it’s worth the walk get your steps in and see something new

i declare this Jurassic June!!

I needed this video. 30+ year Florida resident. Been passing that exhibit on the i4 for years and always say "we need to check that place out" But never do. I think it's time.

I loved watching this video about this little hidden gem. This park is very nice and simple a great place to take anyone who loves dinosaurs.

I remember going to this place when I was maybe 9 or 10 and it was actually really cool and I’d go back even now. I even still have a souvenir from there.

Passed by it many times and always intrigued by it. Thanks for digging out the mystery dear Paleontologist.

Thank you for making this video. Every time I pass this attraction when I leave Walt Disney World, my mind filled with curiosity, but I was never pushed to even buy the admission tickets. I genuinely would’ve loved that place as a kid.

Distance markers for the trips between Orlando and Tampa - these dinosaurs, the airplane that appears crashed into the ground, and that giant UFO shaped building that lights up the night

Overgrown fields, abandoned buildings, and a sketchy gas station is accurate. Love dinosaur world and a great video.

My dad would always take me here as a kid, I absolutely loved this place growing up and holds a very special place in my childhood. Now I would love to turn the park more into a theme park!

Thank you so much for covering this topic! I have lived in central Florida my entire life and have memories seared into my mind of seeing Dinosaur World every time my parents drove to my grandparents’ house in Tampa. I always know I’m halfway between my parents house and my Nanna’s house when I see the giant T-Rex. I’ve been a few times as a child and have fond memories of it. I liked the concept of just being outside and walking around, exploring things, joking around with my family, laughing at the dinosaurs. It’s worth the money for how unique it is. I loved Dinosaur World and MOSI. We never had money for Disney but I never regretted it because my parents took us to these amazing and educational places. I still have the plastic dinosaur I bought at the gift shop.

I used to go there lots when I was a kid, hyped to see it covered!!

I've passed this place dozens of times and never went, but it was interesting to finally get a glimpse at it!

Gosh, i remember going here for a fieldtrip when i was little... i loved this place so much, it never lost its charm. With all the classic original stuff at WDW being replaced with movie IPs, im so happy Dinosaur World has stayed relatively the same. Never change, Dinosaur World. (Well, maybe that dino mini-golf though.)

Just came about your channel because I'm subscribed to some other theme park channels. Love your videos, very relaxing and informative.

As a resident of the area, the description of Dinosaur Land's surroundings genuinely made me laugh out loud. Incredibly accurate.

Wow! I have to say what a fun little adventure! My adult sons and I would love this! We love dinosauras!

I live with my mom in Mango, and I sometimes visit my dad in Lakeland. My dad drives me to and back, and on each and every trip I happen to drive on the exact roads that were filmed from in the start of the video. All I could do was give a big thumbs up

I actually drove by this place on I-4 while heading to meet my dad for dinner in Naples, FL. I had no clue it was this involved.

I used to go here when I was younger!

Little me was always psyched to see dinosaur world and even now i stop to look at the trex statue on the highway

Nice to see this place getting recognition. I live really close by in the town its near.

I used to go there as a kid.... Good times

I grew up a massive dinosaur fan so I’ve gone to Dinosaur World multiple times as a kid.

I always used to love visiting that little place when I was younger. I was always a bit terrified of the predator area with the blood. I do remember the fossil hunting to be real bones, but it's stingray and shark teeth sort of thing. I kinda want to go back just to see how small it might feel to me now. I want to visit the gift shop since I can actually afford stuff now.

That place was three of my birthdays and many more visits, at least when I was younger.

I used to go here all the time as a kid. I always point it out driving by on the highway. Gonna have to go back again soon!

As so many others commenting, I'm a Central Florida native, and have brought my kids here a few times. As they have gotten older, the visits have stopped, but I feel like they would start to enjoy it again as they get into their later teens for the strange little off-the-highway roadside attraction that it is. I can confirm that young kids _love_ it despite, or maybe because, of its simplicity in presenting DINOSAURS! along the walkways. This place will always hold a special spot in my heart where I've been able to bring my kids for an enjoyable afternoon. DON'T overlook the gift shop! It's a strange and eclectic little place, with lots of fun toys, and yes, even _actual_ fossils, in addition to the many reproductions. (At least of the last time I visited.) Obviously the real ones are priced accordingly. It might look kitschy, and it is, but it's also endearing and fascinating at the same time. Don't miss it!

once again you cover a place near and dear to my heart. at some point, they used to have a row of sauropods facing the highway but after some hurricane season one fell and the rest toppled like dominoes. they left them there for a little bit lol.

loved this place