Jurassic World Exhibition - Jurassic Outpost Event

[Faelrin]

So I went to the first official JP fan meetup yesterday (and I made sure to wear my Jurassic Park shirt too). Got there a little bit late, since finding parking was hectic. Got a picture with the Jurassic Park jeep that was out front before heading in to the museum. First thing on the event list was watching JP in 3D there. I thought it was going to be Jurassic World, but I'm glad it was Jurassic Park instead, since that is the one I've grown up watching and honestly enjoy watching the most.

After that was a Q and A session with Jack Horner. Some interesting things I can remember from that (out of order, just going from my memory):
-Was Spinosaurus bipedal or quadrupedal? Spinosaurus was most likely a swimmer.
-Mention of Daspletosaurus horneri, and hinted at Carnotaurus for JW2.
-When asked if he could bring a dinosaur back, he said sauropods even though they are his least favorite (due to being too big), but because they are unlike anything alive today, and could help us understand dinosaurs better (in general I think? not sure), if they were alive and could be studied.
-Mention of the dinosaurs most likely remaining featherless for the franchise, even with the large support and interest for feathered dinosaurs. This is probably at least true for the original species such as the raptors and the T. rex, assuming they won't bring any other unused feathered species into play in the future. Two reasons mainly: consistency with the older films, and because they are genetically modified to be "scarier".
-The original raptors could have been feathered, since the first film, but were not because Spielberg didn't think they could be scary if they were colorful and feathered (if I recall the size increase was for the same reason, though I don't remember that being mentioned).
-Question was asked about the progress on the "chickensaurus" project. The tail is (pretty much?) the only thing left if they want a more "dinosaur" like chicken now.

So after that Q and A session, got to get a picture with him, autograph from him, and chat for a little bit. I asked him if he knew what Saurian was, and he said yes. My brain failed to think of anything else interesting at the time to ask (like what his favorite feathered non-avian dinosaur was, if he has one). After that was the raptor meet and greet and photo opportunity. I got to touch the raptor, and it was pretty cool. First childhood dream achieved (even if it was an animatromic puppet suit thing).

After that was the Jurassic World Exhibition itself. I've honestly been wanting an experience like this since I was a child. I knew of the theme parks, but I was too far away to ever go and visit them. So this is the next best thing, and it really satisfied that desire. I only wish I had more time there (for more picture opportunities and such). Most of the animatronics were repainted versions of the ones from the Walking with Dinosaurs show (which I missed), though I know that the Indominus rex was made for this (obviously). The dinosaurs in order: Brachiosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Pachyrhinosaurus (with baby), Velociraptor Blue, Tyrannosaurus rex, Stegosaurus, and Indominus Rex. After the Jurassic World Exhibition, there was a meetup for some drinks and foodie things, at the train exhibit at the museum there. I was at least able to give my thanks to the creators of Jurassic Outpost and it was neat being able to meet them as well. I can only hope I can have another opportunity to go back to the Jurassic World Exhibition before it leaves my state.

Of course I also left with some merchandise and other things (and numerous photographs):

[stargatedalek]

The figures look nice, I assume Hasbro didn't make them?

[Dinomike]

Oh! Those look nice! Can we get more pics of the play set?

[Faelrin]

I don't see anything on the box regarding Hasbro, so I don't think they made them. They weren't cheap either. $30 for the whole box (though the figures were sold individually there as well, for $10 each), but then again they had the Stomp and Strike T. rex for $100 so maybe things were just overpriced there. My mother and sister were with me for the trip and bought the raptor Blue and T. rex plushes as well, so I'll have to get pics of those later.

The figures have really detailed sculpts for how small they are, and the I. rex and T. rex seem to have a wash which helps them to resemble those renders of those dinosaurs used for the Jurassic World website and such. The raptor is an odd one though. One of its feet resemble your standard theropod foot, while the other foot is your typical raptor foot. The paintwork on the mouths for all of them are pretty good (minimal sloppiness when compared to Hasbro's much larger figures, for example), although the eyes on all of them are painted sloppy. My I. rex and T. rex both have a random paint splotch on them (For T. rex, its tail, and for I. rex, its lower jaw). None of them have painted claws.

Anyways, I took a bunch of pics, but the quality won't be the best, since it was with my phone's camera (I also couldn't have the best lighting since it was cloudy outside, and starting to get dark now). Even took a bonus pic with my hasbro tube minifigures for size comparison. I'll have to try to get pics of these again maybe on the weekend with my dad's android phone, assuming the weather is good for me. I kind of want to get a review of these done too since it seems they have yet to be reviewed.

Back of the box:

Raptor:

Tyrannosaurus rex:

Indominus rex:

Figures together (in front of my Jurassic World lunchbox):

Figures together with the Hasbro mini-figures:

[DakotaDinos]

Those figures resemble the ones that were on the top of soda cups at the premiere of JW.

[CityRaptor]

Yes. the look like those, but without the bases.

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

They are-- I was there not too long ago and bought the same ones. Most of the shop looked like IOA merch. The indominus is probably one of the best sculpts of it out there, along with the one that came in the Blu-Ray set.

[Stuckasaurus (Dino Dad Reviews)]

Jurassic World: the Exhibition has started touring again now that the pandemic is winding down. I had the opportunity to attend the press preview even in Dallas, which is the first location on its cross country tour. I believe I've heard it's moving somewhere in the western US when its time in the Dallas area is over. A few of us from my local paleontology society all attended together, and we had a good time together, even though the experience itself was something of a mixed bag.
Check out my full thoughts at Dino Dad Reviews!
https://dinodadreviews.com/2021/06/20/jurassic-world-the-exhibition/