Ad disclosure: We were given free entry to Dinosaurs in the Wild for the purpose of this review.
Earlier this week we were invited along to the VIP launch event for Dinosaurs in the Wild, a new interactive experience that is at the NEC in Birmingham for the next two months. It was a great evening, with cocktails, celeb spotting, time travel, and of course dinosaurs!
We arrived at the NEC and the girls were excited to see signs with dinosaurs on all over the place as we headed towards hall 2, where our adventure awaited. We were welcomed to the hall, and had our photograph taken in front of a green screen – or was it in front of a T-Rex?
For the launch event, we were treated to cocktails & canapés – the girls enjoyed alcohol free milkshakes while James and I partook of the alcoholic version, and I may have had a rather delicious apple & elderflower martini too, while we waited for our timeslot to begin. We were welcomed to the event and introduced to some of the creators of the multi-million pound attraction, and it was soon time for us to join the queue for our trip back in time.
While we waited to enter the time machines, we were each handed a pair of “UV protective glasses” to be worn whenever we were looking out external windows in the past, while we were at TimeBase 67 – a clever way to work the 3D glasses needed to bring the dinosaurs to life into the storyline. It is a really cleverly put together experience; instead of just walking around seeing animatronic and CGI dinosaurs, you are taken on a journey which is so realistic at times you can almost forget it isn’t.
The basic “storyline” is that you are visiting a scientific research station, TimeBase 67, which is run by Chronotex Enterprises. You enter a time machine, and after travelling back 67 million years travel across the Cretaceous plains to TimeBase 67. As the vehicle travels across the plains, the front shutters come up and (with your “protective” glasses on) you see a variety of dinosaurs – occasionally getting in your way – before descending underground into the base. The “vehicle” vibrates, moves around a little, and has flashing red lights to make it all seem more realistic.
Once you have arrived in the base, you walk through to the reception on level 2, to be introduced to the base, and given some information about the facility and the time period you have travelled to. The group is then escorted through various laboratories where you can see and experience different aspects of the facilities dino studies.
Some of these labs are more interesting than others – there was a rather gory looking autopsy which the children enjoyed watching, and I think one of their favourite bits was getting to squidge through a pile of T-Rex dung (with rubber gloves on). Each laborotory was packed with things to look at, with info screens, animatronic dinosaurs, and so many little details that you can’t possibly see everything in the time you have in each room.
After the labs, you “head up” in a lift to the lookout on the surface, and observe the different dinosaurs roaming around the stations out of several large “windows” – with your “UV protective” glasses on, of course. The 3D graphics are absolutely amazing and trick the mind into thinking you are really looking out of the window. I won’t spoil the ending, but soon after the lookout you head back to the modern day – and exit through the gift shop.
It takes around 70 minutes to get through the attraction, and one of my only criticisms is that at times it felt like we were being moved on from an area before we had seen as much as we’d have liked to, especially in the first laboratory & the lookout at the end – but on the other hand this saved the kids getting bored stuck in one room for too long.
There are all sorts of merchandise available to buy in the gift shop, but you’ll need a good budget if you want to buy much there, with the photo you posed for before your trip back in time available to buy as well as all sorts of things like soft toys, postcards, and mugs.
Dinosaurs in the Wild is recommended for 5 years+ but this does depend a lot on your children – Lydia is 4 but enjoyed it, with only a few “eek” moments, whereas Georgie, who is 6, got a little upset at one point – mostly because it was so convincing she was worried the dinosaurs were real! There are a few scary moments, with the realistic autopsy, seeing a video of dinosaurs hunting a young triceratops, and a few loud noises and bags.
I think that the staff who guide you through the attraction as well as the different people posted in the labs along the way contribute hugely to the experience; they were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and great with the children. They kept in character brilliantly and it really seemed like you were talking to actual dino scientists & keepers. If they keep it up for the two months Dinosaurs in the Wild is at the NEC, then I can see a lot of children (and adults!) enjoying the experience this summer.
Check out our video of Dinosaurs in the Wild:
Dinosaurs in the Wild is on at the NEC in Birmingham from 24th June to 23rd August, with time slots starting from 9:30am. Tickets can be pre-booked, and start from £25 for advanced off-peak adult tickets, and £85 for advanced off-peak family tickets (2 adults & 2 children).
The attraction will also be visiting Event City, Manchester, from 7th October 2017 to 7th January 2018.
Oh my God, my kids would love this! I’m so glad it’ll still be running when I visit family in the midlands this month. Thanks for the review!