Jurassic Quest Dinosaur Drive-Through

Calling all Dinosaur Lovers!

by Janet Jonus Image courtesty of Jurassic Quest

Is your little Dinosaur Lover roaring to get out of the house? Jurassic Quest is here with a new, health-safe drive-through event at The Pavilion at Starlake June 4-June 20.

Jurassic Quest is known for their immersive indoor Dinosaur events. Due to the ongoing pandemic Jurassic Quest is currently touring with two Dinosaur drive-through shows. (Just like a drive-through Christmas light display.) Stay in your car, listen to a special audio tour, and see 70 life-size, moving Dinosaurs.

The Time of the Dinosaurs was the Mesozoic Era 250 million to 66 million years ago. The Era was divided into three periods – the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the Cretaceous. The Jurassic Quest drive-through follows the three periods from the Triassic, through the Jurassic, and into the Cretaceous. Each periods features dinosaurs, small and large, alive during that period.

Of course, everyone wants to see the Jurassic Period because of the popular films and theme parks, but the Tyrannosaurus Rex, the “Tyrant Lizard King” actually lived in the Cretaceous Period at the very end of the Mesozoic Era. So look for the T Rex toward the end to the drive-through.

Jurassic Quest also includes other creatures alive during the Mesozoic Era including the 50-foot-long shark-like Megalodon.

The Jurassic Quest drive-thru also has the popular baby dinosaurs from the indoor exhibit. Dinosaur handlers will show off their small charges to the passing cars.

To make the Experience more immersive, Jurassic Quest has two different Audio Tours you can listen to as you go through the Drive-Thru. The link to the Audio Tour will be texted to the phone you provide during ticket purchase. You listen through your phone (or your car speakers if your phone has been linked to your on-board audio system). Both Tours include detailed information about the Dinosaurs you are seeing outside of your window and are recommended to get the most out of the Jurassic Quest Drive-Thru experience.

The Drive-Thru experience loses some of its magic as it is not as immersive as the indoor exhibit where the Dinosaurs are placed within Era-accurate scenery. Every Dinosaur in the Drive-Thru has minimal scenery around it. It is cool to compare the size of the Dinosaurs, especially the huge herbivore Sauropods which, at 60 feet tall, tower over the modern vehicles, as you drive past.

Family+FunPittsburgh has talked to families who have attended the Jurassic Quest Drive-Thru Experience in other cities. They highly recommend it for children under eight and dinosaur lovers.

The Basics

Tickets to the Jurassic Quest Drive-Thru Experience MUST be purchased online, via their website here: https://www.jurassicquest.com/events/drive-thru-pittsburgh-pa There is timed entry for the Experience. Tickets are Non-Refundable.

Jurassic Quest Drive-Through is at The Pavilion at Star Lake from June 4 through June 20.

Jurassic Quest Drive-Through is open Wednesdays through Fridays. Operating hours are Wednesdays 100PM -800PM, Thursdays and Fridays 900AM through 800PM, Saturday 900AM through 900PM, and Sunday 900AM through 800PM. Special hours on Friday June 4 are 1100AM through 800PM.

Tickets are per car. Tickets are $39 Wednesdays through Fridays and $49 Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets for vans and vehicles with 9-15 people are $80. Vehicles must be under 10 feet tall and less than 25 feet long. No motorcycles are allowed. Tickets must be purchased online. There are no tickets at the gate.

You can pre-purchase a souvenir bag called a Quest Pack. Quest Packs include “Dinosaur Surprises”. The Explorer Pack is $15. The Tracker Pack is $25. The Trainer Pack is $50. Packs must be pre-purchased online.

You MUST stay in your car. No touching the Dinosaurs!

The Speed Limit is 5 MPH. Other cities have reported some waiting time for the Drive-Thru during busier times and on the weekends. The Jurassic Quest Drive-Thru Experience takes about 30-60 minutes to drive through, plus any waiting time to get in. Some children may find the wait difficult. You will be in your car the entire time. There are restrooms available at the end of the Drive-Thru. Masks are required when using the restrooms.

There is also a small, drive-thru gift shop at the end of the Experience.

For more information about the Jurassic Quest Drive-Thru Experience and to purchase tickets, click here: https://www.jurassicquest.com/events/drive-thru-pittsburgh-pa