Gulf Coast Family's primary purpose is to encourage families along the Gulf Coast by providing worthwhile information that deals with family life right here in the Tampa Bay area.
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Dinosaur World
It’s a big, big world, and once upon a time, extra large creatures roamed on it! Dinosaur World, just east of Tampa, recreates that lost time and allows visitors to step back into a scary world where giant animals competed with one another for food and territory.
The team at Dinosaur World is hard at work building an addition slated to open in the fall of this year, so it will be exciting to see the new and expanded exhibits! 
Unearth a life size dinosaur skeleton!Dinosaur World broke ground with a major new expansion this past November. This includes a 12 acres expansion of everything dinosaur! A 22,000 square foot building will house a new indoor Prehistoric Museum, giftshop and office space. There will be more parking added to accommodate the growing number of educational groups and buses. More bathrooms will be installed. A new dinosaur playground will be unveiled as well as more picnic areas. And of course new dinosaurs will be moving in to show off the new entrance and gateway to the dinosaur walk. The new Florida expansion will be open in Fall of 2011. Dinosaur World will remain open during the expansion process.
The fossils of dinosaur worldVisitors at Dinosaur World all enjoy a trip to the Fossil Dig. Guests sift through sand at a paleontological site to find authentic fossils. Children ages three to twelve are allowed to keep three of their fossils as a memento of their trip.
Sift through sand in search of authentic fossils to take home in a unique settingSee a video theatre, subterranean picnic area, displays and more!Group Information• Parking is free • One adult per 10 children is admitted free • Reservations required • There is no food service, but picnic tables are available • All day armbands allow continuous admission • Park is mostly handicap accessible with paved walkways and entrances • Pets are free • Cash, purchase order, business check, credit card all accepted • All field trips are core content related with corresponding activities available. Teacher’s guides are also available. You can access educational information via our website. We will also help prepare the trip for you. • Group rates are available for parties of twelve or more. • Dinosaur World, Florida, is located on Interstate 4, Exit 17 in Plant City, Florida. The park is about an hour from Orlando and a half hour from Tampa. How do they make the dinosaurs?
Mammoth GardenLearn about our Mammoth herd and interact with one of our baby mammoths! Gulf Coast Family Publications - Encouraging families along the Gulf Coast in Pinellas County |
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Dinosaur World
Our crew visited Dinosaur World for the second time, and the kiddos soaked up the sights and experience. When guests first enter, they are greeted by a lifesize dinosaur replica. Pleasantly shaded paths lead through the gift shop and into a magical world of a lost time.
Along the meandering sidewalks at Dinosaur World, lifelike models of dinosaurs and other extinct creatures are engaged in hunting and various other activities. Get a close-up look at dinosaur skeletons, baby dinosaurs, and even a display on how the dinosaur models are created. (A word of caution: There are several very detailed models of dinosaurs eating other dinosaurs, so sensitive parents of younger ones will want to be prepared.)
After crossing the bridge over the koi pond, our children especially enjoyed the fossil dig and the boneyard. At the fossil dig, which opens several times during the day, visitors can sift sand to find bone particles and shark teeth, and guides will help you know which is which. You can even keep a couple of fossils to take home!
We stumbled onto a nicely shaded area with a small playground where parents of smaller children can stop for a break. We’re envisioning that the playground would be a great place to cool off in the summer heat as well!
Parents and educators who bring groups of kids to Dinosaur World can prepare by studying the history and science of dinosaurs for themselves, and then observe the signs along the dinosaur path. Here there is much opportunity for discussion on fact versus theory, and how information is presented in museums and displays.
Dinosaur World has over 150 life size dinosaur models in a lush natural setting. The dinosaurs represent a variety of well known and unusual species,displayed outdoors with explanatory signs. You’ll swear they are moving through the shadows of the walk!
To develop the best park possible, park officials consulted with the manager of a similar open-air dinosaur museum in Germany, as well as with internationally known authorities on dinosaurs. All dinosaurs are made on site by employees of Dinosaur World. The dinosaurs models, up to eighty feet in length and based on the latest scientific discoveries, are made of fiberglass, steel, and concrete. The dinosaurs are arranged in groups of as many as eleven of a single species, in a variety of settings.
Dinosaur World is the brainchild of Swedish businessman Christer Svensson, who has been in the entertainment business for over 30 years. Svensson and his family moved to the United States in the early 1990’s. Attracted to central Florida, where he and his wife and children had vacationed many times, Svensson purchased a former alligator farm in Plant City, Florida, to become the new home for his dinosaur of Dinosaur World. With a great deal of information, planning, and hard work, the Svensson family created a pleasant environment in which to entertain and inform their visitors.
