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Visitors to the remarkable Restless Planet being developed in Dubai might think they've wandered onto the set of Steven Spielberg's latest Jurassic Park blockbuster.
The $300 million part theme park, part earth science museum, and part planetarium within City of Arabia will house the world's largest and most lifelike collection of animatronic dinosaurs.
The visitor experience will include a dramatic Big Bang portrayal of the Earth's violent formation, and a heart-stopping roller coaster chase behind a pack of dromaeosaurs as they track an unsuspecting, lumbering edmontosaurus.
The spectacular nature of the Restless Planet was revealed in detail for the first time last week by one of the world's leading visitor attraction experts.
Top American designer Jack Rouse told retail industry professionals in London that Restless Planet would be the star attraction of Mall of Arabia, one of the world's largest malls and a key feature in the $5 billion City of Arabia development. City of Arabia will have a phased opening starting towards the end of 2010 at the gateway to Dubailand.
Mr Rouse is part of a team of world-renowned design experts currently working on Restless Planet, which will combine theatre, drama, a variety of spectacular, themed rides, shows and art for a unique edutainment experience.
Another member of the design team is Dr Jack Horner, who was the real life inspiration for the book Jurassic Park, and served as scientific consultant to Spielberg on three Jurassic Park movies.
Mr Rouse's company, Jack Rouse Associates, has been hired as designer and executive producer for Restless Planet by Ilyas & Mustafa Galadari Group, owner of the 20 million sq ft City of Arabia project.
He revealed the spectacular nature of main attractions designed to draw more than 10,000 visitors per day, saying: "What makes Restless Planet so cool and truly one of a kind is that it is real science coupled with animatronics and theme park thrills, over-laid with dramatic effects and world-class production values.
"We'll have more than 100 animatronic creatures, some 50 feet tall, combined with photo real, computer-generated imaging, dioramas and a litany of special effects. It will make visitors feel almost uncomfortably close to a variety of dinosaur species, and at times they'll even get to feel they're underwater, exploring dinosaurs of the deep."
His revelations on Restless Planet come, coincidentally, just days after scientists confirmed the first discovery of dinosaur footprints on the Arabian peninsula. They uncovered the tracks of a herd of 11 long-necked sauropods walking along a coastal mudflat in Yemen.
"While there are huge attractions at Restless Planet, there is also an interactive museum, because this is showbiz and real science combined," said Mr Rouse. "In between the thrills and excitement, visitors will have the chance to relax, investigate and learn more about these creatures that have always held endless fascination for us all.
"They'll find answers to so many questions about dinosaurs. Like how fast were they? Did they fly? How do you discover a fossil? What did they hunt? Who hunted them? Were they social creatures? Did they live as a family unit? Were they really giants?"
Mr Rouse said the exterior of Restless Planet will be a wonder in itself - a 246-foot-tall dome and a 500,000 sqft "cloud" building. The entrance to Restless Planet is via an enclosed glass bridge that connects to the Mall of Arabia's second level.
