We have three boys who all love dinosaurs. But, I think everyone loves dinosaurs. How could you not? They are big, loud, scary, full of horns and big teeth and they like to fight each other. Last night we went to see Walking with Dinosaurs at the Honda Center in Anaheim, and we were not disappointed because the dinosaurs we saw in the show were as real as we could ever hope to see in person and did all the things that dinosaurs do…right in front of us!
The show is well produced and easy to follow. The “host” is a paleontologist and walks us through different eras when dinosaurs ruled the earth. I noticed that all three of my sons were actually paying attention to the science and not just waiting for the dinosaurs to come out. When the dinosaurs did appear from behind the large screen, the kids in the arena all gasped and cheered.
I will admit that I was totally blown away by the movements and the appearance of the dinosaurs. They are way more realistic than anything you will see in animatronic form at an amusement park. The people that are underneath the beasts, are expert puppeteers and perform flawlessly.
The showstoppers are the 40-foot-high brachiosaurus, the two Tricerotops that fight each other, and of course the massive T-Rex that closes the show.
Throughout the show, there is humor and jokes for the parents from the host, touching moments from the dinosaurs and sometimes we get to see some truly non scary fights. The only time my four year old jumped into my lap is when the thunder clapped in the arena during a scene with an Alisaurus. There is a twenty minute intermission after about forty minutes of the show which is great for needed bathroom breaks and snacks.
Overall, the night was a lot of fun. The kids were blown away ( as was I ) with the whole production and the way the dinos came to life. I know my kids are going to have a lot to add to classroom discussions when dinosaurs come up at school.
The only thing that I would strongly recommend is buying seats that are low and close to the floor. We were seated in the “nosebleeds” and spent the whole night looking down and on the sides of the amazing puppets. It did change the experience because all wanted was to be closer so could truly experience their size and detail. Plus, the puppets reach out over the audience if you are low, and we could hear kids squealing with delight, as we strained to see what was happening. If you are going to go, kick in the extra cash and do it right. You will very, very glad you did. When purchasing tickets, I also recommend getting seats center stage (which is straight ahead from where the dinosaurs come out from back stage) so that you can get the best view of all of the action. Seats close to where the dinosaurs come out means you are sitting behind a lot of the action.
The show is going on now at the Honda Center through September 7 and will then be moving on to the Staples Center where it will present shows September 11 through 14.
Honda Center, 2695 East Katella Ave. Anaheim, CA 92806
- Saturday, September 6 at 11:00 AM
- Saturday, September 6 at 3:00 PM
- Saturday, September 6 at 7:00 PM
- Sunday, September 7 at 1:00 PM
- Sunday, September 7 at 5:00 PM
Prices: $22.50, $39.50, $59.50, $79.50
Tickets are available through ticketmaster.com, by phone by calling (800)745-3000 or in personal at the Honda Center Box Office.
STAPLES Center, 1111 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90015
- Thursday, September 11 at 7:00 PM
- Friday, September 12 at 7:00 PM
- Saturday, September 13 at 11:00 AM
- Saturday, September 13 at 3:00 PM
- Saturday, September 13 at 7:00 PM
- Sunday, September 14 at 11:00 AM
- Sunday, September 14 at 3:00 PM
Prices: $22, $39, $59, $79
Tickets: Website are available at axs.com, by phone by calling (888) 929-7849 or in person at the STAPLES Center Box Office.
The show is great, and I would fully recommend this experience for kids over the age of three, and parents of all ages, except for the dad in front of us who played on his cell phone the whole time instead of enjoying this with his kids who were right beside him!
We received complimentary tickets so that I could write this review. This show really is awesome (and I’ve seen a lot of really cool stuff in my years producing tv shows). The opinions are 100% mine.
