Roaring, hissing, blinking and stomping pre-historic beasts have taken ownership of a brand new happy hunting ground down in deepest darkest Somerset.
The herd of full-sized dinosaurs have broken out of their holding crates at leading holiday attraction Wookey Hole Caves and are ready to delight a new generation of visitors.
The state-of-the-art animatronic creations have been specially shipped in from China bringing extra action and excitement to Dinosaur Valley just in time for the Easter holidays.
Daniel Medley, Director at Wookey Hole Caves, said: “It’s BC gone mad down here. We couldn’t believe it when we first saw them – the eyes blink as if they are sizing you up ready to pounce. They roar, stomp and swing their tails and judging by the fruity noises from their digestive systems they haven’t had a square meal since the late Cretaceous!”
Dinosaurs roamed the Somerset’s Mendip Hills millions of years ago – as the world-famous limestone caves were being eroded hundreds of feet below.
The new attractions follow in the footprints of actual woolly mammoths, lions and hyenas which once roamed the Wookey Hole Caves and hunted along the surrounding cliffs and valleys.
Daniel said: “The latest attractions are designed for a new generation of super-savvy youngsters who are fully informed on pre-historic species thanks to shows such as Lost World, Walking with Dinosaurs and Primeval. Today’s youngsters can spot a hadrosaurus from a hypsilophodon at a hundred yards!
“Our Dinosaur Valley has been popular for many years but now we have added the wow factor to compete with the most realistic computer adventure.
“We looked as far afield as China for cutting edge animatronic creatures to ensure we are up to speed with creatures created for today’s cinematic blockbusters.”
The popular Somerset visitor destination has added a fully-grown Allosaurus, a brace of Velociraptors, an iguanodon, a Triceratops, a Dimetrodon and a Stegosaurus.
“We have already had youngsters tell us the Dimetrodon actually pre-dates the others. But Wookey is a mystical place and we can’t wait to see their faces when they emerge from their tour of the eerie and atmospheric caves to find a pack of massive and creepily life-like dinosaurs ready to leap out of the shadows at them!”
The animatronic dinosaurs will be unveiled during the extended Easter opening which is taking place at Wookey Hole Caves between 24 March and 15 April.
Daniel said: “Because of the early Easter this year and with school holidays in different regions being spread over a three week period, we’ve decided to extend our offering and run our special Easter activities from late March until mid-April.
“During school holidays we always increase our activity, with additional attractions and fun for visiting families. This Easter each child will receive a free special treat which we’re sure will go down a storm!”
Additionally, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs™ – The 4D Experience – has landed at Wookey just in time for the break and promises excitement for the whole family as they slip, slide, and soar with our sub-zero heroes in this 14-minute experience. Manny, Ellie and
Diego venture into a mysterious underground world after Sid the sloth stumbles across three abandoned eggs and decides to raise the baby dinosaurs as his own. Once the eggs hatch, the adventure begins in the lost world of the dinosaurs. Featured in eye-popping 3-D, the film features an all-star voice cast.
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs – The 4-D Experience was developed by SimEx-Iwerks and brings the action to life by making guests feel like they are journeying alongside the gang, encountering obstacles that deliver more chills, more thrills, and more mammoth-sized laughs for everyone! This thrilling experience is available for viewing everyday throughout the holidays, as part of the Wookey Hole Caves entry fee.
There are a further 20 indoor and outdoor attractions at Wookey Hole including the atmospheric cave tour which features brand new caverns, tunnels and subterranean lakes only recently opened to the public, and promises history, mystery and cave-aged cheese!
The high-energy performances during the daily Circus Shows are sure to delight. Trapeze acts, unicycle riding, wire walking, silks and ropes, gymnastics and balancing acts are displayed by performers from the local Circus School and this year the show is set to be even more special as Wookey celebrates 250 years of the Circus.
Holiday packages at Wookey Hole Caves start from just £129 which includes tickets to the attractions, an overnight stay and breakfast. Accommodation is available at the onsite hotel, onsite luxury lodges or at the nearby Bucklegrove Holiday Park which boasts camping, touring and lodge facilities as well as a restaurant, swimming pool and live music.
For more information or to book please visit www.wookey.co.uk. Get money off by booking tickets online.