Adventures in Dinosaur City

Adventures in Dinosaur City

Year: 1991

Runtime: 88 mins

Language: English

Director: Brett Thompson

FamilyFantasyAdventure

Long before there were turtles, the world was ruled by dinosaurs. A scientist’s kids are sucked into a TV screen and wind up in the Stone Age with cavemen and dinosaurs.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Adventures in Dinosaur City (1991)

Trace every key event in Adventures in Dinosaur City (1991) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Portal experiment transports them to Dino Saurs universe

They place a videotape into an experimental device in Timmy's parents' laboratory and start watching the cartoon Dino Saurs on a big screen. A vortex erupts from the device and pulls the three friends through the screen into the show's universe. They realize they are no longer in their world as the lab equipment hums behind them.

Timmy's parents' laboratory
2

Arrival in Saur City

They crash into a building in Saur City and meet Forry, a Rhamphorhynchus who has lost his ability to fly. Forry explains he knows this world and offers to guide the newcomers. The kids sense they must adapt quickly or risk being trapped forever.

A building in Saur City
3

Rockies raid and fuse theft

A group of cavepeople called the Rockies intrudes the building, working for the tyrannical Allosaurus Mr. Big. They steal a fuse from the lava tank cooling system, threatening a catastrophe that could destroy Saur City. The kids realize the fuse might also be needed to reopen a portal back home.

Saur City building
4

Forry leads through danger to Tar Town

With Forry's knowledge, the group traverses a dinosaur graveyard and moves toward Tar Town. The journey tests their resolve and builds the team's trust as they navigate unfamiliar terrain. Forry proves a valuable guide through this alien world.

Dinosaur graveyard to Tar Town
5

Rex and Tops; bar meeting in Tar Town

In Tar Town they enter a bar and meet Rex, a Tyrannosaurus, and Tops, a Triceratops. The two heroes initially refuse to help the newcomers, skeptical of outsiders. After the kids join them in fending off the Rockies, Rex and Tops change their minds and join the mission.

Tar Town bar
6

Rest at Forry's tree house and budding romance

The group rests at Forry's tree house, where Timmy muses about alternate worlds and the possibility that stories might exist elsewhere. Timmy hints he might not want to return home because the real world is dull. Meanwhile, romantic feelings begin to blossom between Mick and Jamie, adding personal stakes to the quest.

Forry's tree house
7

Rex reveals his father's betrayal

Rex takes Timmy to a nearby island and reveals that his father betrayed Saur City by surrendering it to Mr. Big. The revelation deepens the conflict and explains the regime's power. The duo's bond grows as they share a difficult history.

Nearby island
8

Timmy discovers time control and the remote is coveted

Back at the tree house, the Rockies attack the group. Timmy discovers he can pause and rewind the Rockies using a remote from his lab, a power that could turn the tide. Mr. Big orders the Rockies to seize the remote, heightening the danger for the children.

Forry's tree house
9

Timmy's capture and the trek to Mr. Big's tower

The Rockies capture Timmy and take the remote, heading to Mr. Big's tower to deliver it and secure the control it offers. The team must mount a rescue mission to save their friend and stop the tyrant's plans. The stakes are raised as the power of the remote falls into the wrong hands.

Mr. Big's tower
10

Dungeon rescue and mind-control revelation

Mick, Jamie, Rex, Tops, and Forry sneak into the tower's dungeon and free Rex's imprisoned father. He reveals that Mr. Big used a mind-control potion to force surrender and suppress dissent. The information confirms the depth of Mr. Big's manipulation and danger.

Mr. Big's tower dungeon
11

Confrontation and the fall of Mr. Big

In a tense confrontation, Rex faces Mr. Big as he interrogates Timmy. The heroes fight to rescue Timmy and reclaim the remote. Timmy ultimately zaps Mr. Big with the remote, causing the tyrant to disappear in a burst of power.

Mr. Big's tower
12

Escape and fuse retrieval

With the tower's power compromised, the group begins to escape via the elevator powered by the fuse. Forry stays behind, using his flying ability to retrieve the fuse and ensure the elevator's operation for the others. The escape is harrowing but successful as they leave the collapsing tower behind.

Mr. Big's tower elevator
13

Rex's father sacrifices to destroy the tower

As the team makes a precarious exit, Rex's father sacrifices himself to destroy the tower, buying time for the others to slip away. His sacrifice marks a turning point in the fight against Mr. Big's regime. The group honors the fallen ally as they push toward safety.

Mr. Big's tower
14

Reattach fuse and reopen the portal

The group makes their way to the lava tank complex and reattaches the fuse, restoring the cooling system's function. Timmy uses the remote to reopen the portal, preparing to return to their world. The portal's activation creates a beacon of hope for a return home.

Lava tank complex
15

Return home and device activation

Reluctant but hopeful, the kids return to their universe just before Timmy's parents arrive back from their conference. They bring Timmy's parents into the lab to show them what happened, and then the device emits a final activation sound, hinting at new adventures to come. The friends are left with the memory of their extraordinary journey.

Timmy's lab

Last Updated: October 10, 2025 at 16:04

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Adventures in Dinosaur City Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Adventures in Dinosaur City

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