The new drive-thru Jurassic Quest is fantastic but very different from the in-person experience. We’ve done both, so I thought I’d share our experience and what to expect. You still get all of the incredible (and enormous) life-like dinosaurs but from the comfort of your car. Keep scrolling to find out more about this new experience for the dino-lover in your life.

It is worth the money.

I got asked this question so many times after we went to the DC event. Yes, it is worth it, especially when you consider how many kids you can pack into a minivan. My kids are 4, 4, and 3, so I can’t speak for parents with older kids, but mine were mesmerized, engaged and excited throughout the drive. They loved getting out of their seats to lean out the window and enjoy the dinosaur roars and movements. I learned a ton from the audio tour on their website too.

Think Chick-fil-a efficient.

We didn’t wait long to enter the drive-thru, and we started almost precisely at our reserved timeslot time. We went through the parking lot at an even pace the whole time. The staff led each car to their assigned row, and the audio tour was right on track with each new dinosaur or sea creature. My youngest lost interest toward the end, but then she saw the drive-thru souvenir shop and perked right up. Bonus: the hatch your dinosaur was a big hit and under $10.

Socially distant dinosaurs are still cool.

We didn’t have to wear masks. We didn’t have to use sanitizer. And, I didn’t have to worry about explaining how far 6 feet is. In all seriousness, it was a great way to get out of the house without having to worry about COVID-19 (for a change). The staff still wore masks throughout the event, just in case.

The dinosaurs are the same.

Aside from the ride-on dinos, the dinosaurs haven’t changed. They move. They roar. They’re ginormous. It is so cool. Each one is labeled, so you can tell your kids what they are if they aren’t listening to the audio tour or can’t read. The audio tour has a fun scene where they say a T-Rex has escaped. My kids thought that was fun.

You get to take home a free souvenir.

At the end of the event, a photographer is waiting to take an “in-car” photo of everyone. It isn’t the best quality, but it is a cute reminder of that time, during a global pandemic, you went to see huge dinosaurs in a parking lot. It is one for the mantle! Also, there’s a pull-off spot to get everyone buckled back into their seats before you hit the road.

As always, our experiences may differ from yours, but we enjoyed this new and not improved, but COVID-friendly version of our annual favorite, Jurassic Quest. I hope you do too!