The replica of Sue the T. rex has apparently been marked for demolition. Dino-Sue was part of DinoLand, U.S.A., which closed permanently this month and will be replaced by Tropical Americas.
Dino-Sue Demolition
Though Dino-Sue was still standing during our recent construction update, the dinosaur has large red markings on its legs. Just like a red “x” on the lamppost in the foreground, these marks usually mean the item will be demolished. At the very least, it means removal.
But objects that will be saved for future use or moved to the Walt Disney Archives are usually marked with something like a green tag.
The original Sue fossils were discovered in 1990 by Sue Hendrickson in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is still the largest and most complete T. rex specimen ever found. After a legal battle regarding ownership of the fossils, they were ultimately sold for $8.3 million at auction in October 1997 to the Field Museum of Natural History, with help from Disney Parks and sponsor McDonald’s.
Some of the preparation of Sue’s fossils then took place at DinoLand, U.S.A. in the Fossil Preparation Lab, visible to guests from 1998 to 2000. Disney made their own cast of Sue to display while the original went off to the Field, where it can still be seen today.
In 2018, the real Sue (pictured above) was repositioned and received previously missing bones, making it a more accurate depiction of the original T. rex than the Animal Kingdom replica.
More replicas of Sue do exist, including one in the Field’s own research collections. Others travel the world to various museums and exhibits. The copies are created from molds made by Sue’s preparators.
Read more about Sue the T. rex on the Field’s website.
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