It all looks like it is going to be monstrous fun down at Leazes Park
BARBARA HODGSON TAKES A TOUR OF JURASSIC KINGDOM IN NEWCASTLE
IT is out to make an impact and Jurassic Kingdom’s arrival in town with more than 30 roaring, moving dinosaurs certainly did the trick.
The family-friendly attraction, which has been taking shape in Newcastle’s Leazes Park over the past week, is all set to open to the public today.
And it’s expecting to attract the crowds over its 10-day run with help from the likes of a giant T-Rex which measures 30 metres nose to tail.
Organisers were putting finished touches to the displays yesterday as The Chronicle was invited for a first look ahead of the launch.
The animatronic dinosaurs, on a first ever national tour, are spread out over a large site in the park and, once ticket-holders pass under the Jurassic Kingdom arch entrance, they will follow a trail that reveals the big visitors positioned on both sides among the trees - or up in their branches in the case of the flying Pterosaurs.
They are likely to hear the dinosaurs long before encountering them and the roars will follow visitors as they make their way around the site which features the looming T-Rex at the top spot against the backdrop of St James’s Park.
Jurassic Kingdom is aimed at all ages and one visitor enjoying a first glimpse of the attraction was Roisin Wood, from High Heaton in Newcastle, who had brought along her sons: baby Joseph and threeyear-old James.
She said: “I didn’t think Joseph would be interested but they’ve made him react - he’s been looking and pointing.”
The real fan was James, who was dressed in a dinosaur outfit for the occasion and wants to be a palaeontologist when he grows up so he can “dig for bones”.
His verdict was “it’s good” and his favourite dinosaur was the T-Rex, which he watched staff working upon to get its jaws in action.
Roisin said: “He’s obsessed. He knows more of their names than my husband who loves dinosaurs as well!”
She added: “It’s good to have something like this you can come to. It’s something special and I think it works really well.”
Another biggie among the dinosaurs on show is a 16m-long Diplodocus and there are babies too, including a mini T-Rex which seems about to have a fight with a rival.
Eggs are dotted around the site which “hatch” at intervals and youngsters can dig for bones in a sand pit. There are plenty food outlets as well as merchandise for sale.
Information boards are positioned at each attraction so that families can learn about the Jurassic, Triassic and Cretaceous periods and the all-important statistics including the real-life size of the creatures which once dominated the Earth.
Transporting the dinosaurs to each site on the tour has proved quite an undertaking and each event takes about a week to install, said Claire Edwards of Jurassic Kingdom whicn is organised by Weli Creative.
The tour, which has been going well, has one more stop-off - in Leeds - to make after Newcastle before it ends its run.
As for whether it might make a return next year, Claire said: “We might even bring something else!”
Jurassic Kingdom will be open daily from 10am until 6pm, with last entry at 5pm, until October 1. See www.jurassickingdom.uk