Triceratops makes return trip to Universal Studios theme park

Trixie the triceratops has been making the rounds. She’s now resting outside Universal Studios’ Tribute Store, which is currently themed to the 30th anniversary of the first “Jurassic Park” film.

The dinosaur model is a big showstopper, lying on its side in the Hollywood section of the theme park. For the past 20 years, she’s been at Give Kids the World Village in Kissimmee. But it’s not her first stint at Universal Orlando.

“Before she came to the Village, she lived in the Boneyard at Universal Orlando. She was featured there with a couple of ‘Jurassic Park’ vehicles,” said Deni Sunderly, public relations manager of Give Kids the World.

Later, she was donated to the Give Kids the World Village by Universal, Sunderly said.

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“At the Village, she’s known as Trixie, the sleeping triceratops,” she said. She is part of JJ Express, a railroad attraction there.

“The narration comes on and says to keep an eye out; we’re coming up on a snoozing Triceratops. And it tells the kids to be sure to be quiet because we don’t want to disturb her sleep,” Sunderly said.

Give Kids the World Village is a nonprofit resort where children with critical illnesses and their families experience cost-free vacations. Central Florida theme parks and attractions are frequent contributors with financing, donations and passes.

Universal’s Boneyard, an outdoor attraction, opened with the theme park in 1990 and put the spotlight on large props from films including “Back to the Future,” “Jaws,” “Waterworld” and “Ben Hur.” It was closed in 2008, making room for Music Plaza, the faux grassy area next to Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster.

Trixie, who will return to the Village this summer, is a rare cinematic breed.

“She is one of the original full figure sculptures that was cast from the original animatronic from ‘Jurassic Park,’” Sunderly said. “Our dino is the last remaining full-figure sculpture. … Even the original animatronic from the film is no longer a full figure in existence. Just the head is owned by a private collector and hangs in a museum in L.A.”

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Trixie’s a big girl; moving her required teamwork and a forklift to place her on a flat platform in late March. She was not dismantled for the 15-mile journey to Universal.

“She was cumbersome, of course, because she’s not entirely rigid. So we’ve got a dinosaur with lots of parts and pieces, like limbs and a huge head and horns,” Sunderly said.

“A little piece of one of the legs came out … the stuffing of the leg came out, but it got transported as well and replaced during refurbishment,” she said.

The move was without further drama.

“She was tarped over so you didn’t see a dinosaur rolling down I-4,” Sunderly said.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.