Jurassic Quest returns to Nassau Coliseum: What to know

Upon walking through two giant pillars with special lighting and moving flames, you'll realize your  dinosaur journey has begun with Jurassic Quest, an interactive prehistoric adventure coming to Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale Feb. 15-17. 

One of the first and most intense dinosaurs you'll encounter is the Giganotosaurus from the late Cretaceous period.

"It’s a 'wow' moment that instantly creates excitement," says Sam Genung, Jurassic Quest's vice president of operations. "The enormous dinosaur is roaring and moving, therefore grasping that immersion right away."

Jurassic Quest is not your typical museum experience. Based on research with paleontologists, the animatronic dinosaurs are displayed to a life-size scale in their accurate habitat.

"Their heads move from side to side and their tails go back and forth. Some of them actually breathe so you will see their chest expanding," says dinosaur trainer "Safari Sarah" Menard. "Their mouths will open as they roar and even their eyes will be blinking while their hands move."

STROLL THROUGH DINOSAUR HISTORY

The dinosaur exhibit is broken down into several periods — the Triassic (252 to 201 million years ago), the Jurassic (201 to 145 million years ago), the early Cretaceous (145 to 100.5 million years ago) and the late Cretaceous (100.5 to 66 million years ago).

"The Triassic is considered the beginning of dinosaurs. One of the largest is the Herrerasaurus [16-feet long]. From Triassic to Jurassic, you see the more famous dinosaurs like Stegosaurus, Iguanodon and Apatosaurus," says Genung. "Once you get to the Cretaceous period, you’ll see the largest and most popular dinosaurs like Spinosaurus, Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops and Titanosaurus."

Menard adds, "The size of the dinosaurs is the biggest difference. The more you go up in the periods, the more dinosaurs you will start to recognize."

Virtual tour guides will lead you through the exhibit by filling in the facts.

"Kids can watch the screen and it tells them about each dinosaur," says Menard, who serves as a tour guide. "They can hear how their name is pronounced, where they are from and fun facts about them like their diet or how they interacted with other dinosaurs."

EXPLORE THE SCIENCE SECTION

Head over to the science section to get the experience of being in the field and participating in a fossil dig.

"You will learn how to be a paleontologist by scratching out fossils with brushes," says Menard. "It’s very interactive."

Experts will be on hand to answer questions at the Fossil Experience where several dinosaur fossils are on display and can be examined under microscopes. Guests can even create fossil casts themselves at the "Fossil Factory."

"You place clay inside of a cup and a kid gets to choose a dino skull to imprint," says Genung. "Once the imprint is made, we pour in plaster, let it sit and harden. After it hardens, you take it out and it makes the imprint of the skull on plaster as a casted fossil, which they can take home."

Everyone can lend a hand in the "Roarsaic," which is a Lego-based mosaic where guests work together to construct a massive 20 by 40 depiction of two T. rexes  facing each other with a volcano in the background.

"We have squares that each guest will receive at that activity," says Genung. "Everyone works together as the day goes on to build out this massive picture."

There will also be a craft table where adventurers can create a paper dinosaur or color a dinosaur.

SEE AN INTERACTIVE SHOW

 There's also a 20-minute Utahraptor show, which takes place every hour on the hour. Watch as twin raptors Diego and JoJo, both 7 feet tall and 15 feet long, get trained and do tricks.

"Kids will be certified junior raptor trainers at the end of the day," says head dino trainer Shannon Hansell.

There will also be live-action baby dinosaurs to interact with — Tyson, the baby T. rex, Camie, the baby Camarasaurus and Trixie, the baby Triceratops.

"Kids can’t hold them, but they can pet them after they are fed," says Hansell. "They are very sweet. Tyson gets more riled up because he’s a carnivore. But we make sure to feed him before anyone pets him."

RIDE A DINO

Take a ride atop a dinosaur such as a Utahraptor, Parasaurolophus or Triceratops. They rock back and forth in place as well as open up their mouths and roar. There are also rides on Sauropods and Triceratops, which walk around.

Kids can get behind the wheel of a mini Jeep and drive on the T-Wrecks Raceway underneath a massive Pteranodon, which has a wingspan the size of a jet and stands as tall as a giraffe.

Three dinosaur-themed bounce houses await and there’s a Jurassic Quest gift shop called the Dino Store, which sells everything from light-up dino swords ($25), dino bubble wands ($40) and dinosaur plush toys ($25-$40) to dinosaur action figures ($15-$50), dinosaur hatching eggs ($15) and dinosaur books ($10-$20).

By David J. Criblez

david.criblez@newsday.comDavidJCriblez

David J. Criblez is a reporter for Newsday's exploreLI, covering entertainment-related events from local music to stand-up comedy to festivals.