Dinosaur World (Florida)

Dinosaur World (Florida)

Dinosaur World is the name of three outdoor dinosaur theme parks in the US. Locations include Plant City, Florida, Glen Rose, Texas, and Cave City, Kentucky. The parks each feature over 150 life-size dinosaur sculptures created by Christer Svensson. The Florida location opened in November 1998, the Kentucky location five years after and Texas location followed five years after that. The parks are family friendly, including many activities for small children, playgrounds and picnic areas (food is not served on the property so guests are encouraged to picnic).

Though each park has a unique setting by virtue of its geography, the common format is that life-size dinosaur statues are placed among native vegetation or water features to simulate animals in a wild environment. Plant species that date from the time of the dinosaurs can be found on the grounds and identified with small signs as appropriate. There a frequent break and shade areas around the park and several picnic and play areas. One popular attraction is the "Fossil Dig" where kids can dig at a sane table for real fossils and my take home their favorite three in a small plastic bag.

The dinosaur sculptures themselves are made from a base of carved polystyrene foam, covered with fiberglass, then putty which is them textured as the skin and painted with care. Each dinosaur is made on location at the park. About three new dinosaur replicas are added each year, with other older statues getting much needed makeovers in between. Visitors tour Dinosaur World on a boardwalk that takes them past stegosaurus, brontosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex and other popular dinosaurs set among natural marshes with cypress and gum trees.