Dinosaur Exhibit Debuts At Minnesota Zoo
APPLE VALLEY, Minn. (WCCO) -- The blockbuster summer attraction at the Minnesota Zoo just arrived by truck -- Dinosaurs!
Fifteen different animatronic creatures will be on display, including a Tyrannosaurus Rex. When it stands up, it towers 18 feet, is more than 40 feet long and weighs a whopping 7,000 pounds.
They come from a company in Texas, where the employees take a lot of pride in the details.
"Trying to get a really nice patterning and color schemes, getting the details of the teeth and claws and the eyes, and subtle movements," said Sean Dickson with Billings Productions, Inc. "Trying to get a realistic subtle movement out of them."
From start to finish, creating one of these prehistoric predators takes up to six months. They make noise, the eyes move and some of them even spit.
"We have this cute little thing at the beginning, we've built a 'Stargate,' and they come through and the dinosaurs spit water, which I think they kids will like," said Kevin Henderson, the project manager for Dinosaurs.
The exhibit opens Memorial Day weekend and will be open through Labor Day at the Minnesota Zoo. Tickets are $4 on top of regular admission.
