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The old Sky Voyager building

I love that they've put a demo chair out the front already, so you can see if you fit in the harness on the finished attraction. You can even preview it in shade AND sun. They really do listen to social feedback.

Picture this. @pushbuttonis riding the Play School Wheel and it's a little too fast for him and he gets dizzy. Push takes himself to the medical room for a little laydown. During Push’s recovery he overhears the staff talking how DW are building a clone Bermuda Triangle. Push instantly goes into cardiac arrest and an ambulance is called. Time is wasted while the ambulance crew are trying to get push and their equipment out the door while performing CPR on Push and he doesn’t make it. ☹️ DW spent the money for a new First Aid room and managed to F it up. Don't believe me? DW have a plaque for @pushbutton at the entrance.

Well, it's certainly taken a while, but I'm at Dreamworld right now and at long last SkyVoyager is actually, finally open! I'm in the queue, which only has about 20 people at the moment. Hopefully it'll be worth the wait.

Got down to the park today to check out Luna Park's lates ride - the Volarè (and can confirm it is pronounced VOL-ARE-AY). So, first impressions. Walking into the park, it absolutely DOMINATES the midway, and although the chairs don't entirely swing out past the edge, it's certainly incredible being up so high.The backdrop (as others have mentioned) has been updated and features some new buildings, as well as clouds at the bottom. IMO, the backdrop fits in quite nicely, which was definitely surprising but nice to see. As for the ride itself, I had two rides on it throughout the day and this thing absolutely halls ass! One of the more forceful wave swingers I've ever done, and much more so than the Zierer models. The drives are super loud, which certainly adds to the atmosphere of the ride, along with the screaming of riders. Operations were a bit slow, but considering the 64 capacity, it only took around 15 minutes to get on with a relatively full queue, which was nice. As for the appearance of the ride itself, I think that although Zierer would have done a better job, the overall appearance of the ride is pretty spot on, and certainly fits in with the aesthetic of Luna Park.The characters murals surrounding the top of the ride are a really nice touch, and the lighting also reflects a typical old-fashioned funfair/carnival vibe. I have a on-ride video I filmed (with park permission of course) that I will post as soon as my computer figures out how to handle 4K clips, until then, enjoy the pictures.

Wonder how long it will take to deem the chairs too risky of kids standing on them and putting a cage over them to prevent an accident. As a double bonus though, the cage would act as a secondary shade solution for maximum shade effect!

Sorry I think most of the members of this forum are better than that. Not really necessary in my opinion. Not judging , just like many, giving my opinion. I do not usually embroil myself in these sort of posts.

I checked out some of the progress at Luna Park again this week. The Rotor has it's cartoon figures back on the facade. And one image I did get a chance to take last time was this poster of the Volare that was up inside the Helter Skelter facade as you enter the ride. Oh and the Tango Train is still down for maintenance. What the hell is going on with that ride?

Hes just throwing some shade at Dreamworld

Seems the greatest trick Consentino has done is make people appear at Dreamworld.

The official staff launch party for Sky Voyager was last night. Meaning skyvoyager is ready to ride. Predicted opening is APR 6,7, or 8.

It’s usually about $28 for popcorn & a drink so I guess you are really only paying $2 to jump the 6 people in the queue..

Yeah, and I quote; I reckon I saw maybe ten stunts in all that time, but a shitload of yakkity-yakyak and what the blue fuck was with the dance? tl;dr list of wtf; Creepy cover version of instrumental of Highway to Hell. Unclear who the audience are supposed to identify with. What is with the bike ramp and BMX stunts? You should never let the cast hot-dog to the crowd for longer than the stunt lasted. Cotton Eye Joe? A song that was divisive even back in 1995 - in a new show more than two decades later? I can't even... What's the point of the River Rats characters if they are going to dance with the Kurt Angles at the end of it? Ratio of talk to stunts is waaaay out of whack. What, we couldn't have spent any time on themeing up the boats except for the truck (whose wheels clearly do not spin, but other than that is decent)? The cadence of the show is all wrong. Everything seems to be about having the stuntperson stand there in front of the crowd, say something asinine in the name of 'story', and then send the stuntperson off to circumnavigate the lake before they do their next trip, leading to dead air while we wait. What/where was the 'big finish' stunt? If you want to try and salvage something from this here's some tips; The stuntpeople don't need to return to the main stage after every trick. Keep them in the water for the most part to allow them to be ready sooner. There needs to be a clear progression in the scale of the stunts. On a lake of that size you need to be prepared to run stunts that involve two or more stuntpeople on the same stunt (two separate stunts adjacent to each other is not the same thing). Ditch the crappy A vs B narrative once and for all. The audience is not interested; you give them no reason to identify with your characters, not your cause. If you must keep it then instead of having them compete 'just cause' or 'for the lake' have them compete to give the best show to the fans. None of the bullshit fake rivalry - make it real; real stunt-people working on stunts to play to the crowd. At the end have both groups combine for some large scale stuff to end people off happy. Do not do the dance. Ever again. Like, ever. I mean it. Don't. Do something with the set on the island. I don't care what. Jump a boat through it, swing somebody off it onto a boat. I don't know, just something. It dominates the view and adds nothing. Lose the BMX stuff. It is out of place and adds nothing to the show. We know Showtime does BMX stunts, but this is not the place for it. Lose the hotrod. It takes a long time to get out there and does nothing for the show. This isn't a motorsport show, no matter how much you'd like it to be. You need to find some more height in some of the stunts because this all felt a bit small-scale. Never allow more than 45 seconds to elapse between stunts.

In the current "make an announcement, but it's ok to change your mind later about it" environment, here's how that should go down. plan for new giga coaster (or similar) determine demolition timeline needed for ToT order new giga coaster, and ensure financing arrangements are taken care of Announce new ride, and demolition of TOT same day. Announce closing date of ToT within ~few weeks. Make big noise about one last ride. Maybe run a competition on a radio station for people to win seats on the last ride ever. give them some sort of one of a kind or limited edition souvenir from the ride close the ride immediately begin demolition if you've timed it right, you can also begin surveying the site for the new coaster (and you should have been surveying the other non TOT parts of the ride path already If you've timed it right, ride parts should begin arriving in the carpark. Once demolition is complete, start construction. THAT is how you replace a ride. (and i hope Movie World and Sea World are watching this too.

I've have also been told the likelihood of it being open for Easter would be a long shot also @Evie The information I'm getting is the 25 million allocated to get DW rock 'n' rolling again has been spent. The cupboards are bare and DW have nothing to show for it.

More disappointed than anything. This community perpetuates a negativity bias. It lusts for failure and drama. Threads and articles regarding positive outcomes, announcements, and successes are quickly snuffed by negative bickering, snarky remarks and the dismantling of others opinions that don't match the echo chamber. Please, prove me wrong.

Hello, have not posted for a while but enjoying the banter ..not the bullying. What is occurring at moment ( sky voyager or a pull of other projects such as lazy river) would suggest a working capital problem for ardent .If had cash sky voyager would be open. Should never have got to that point if better management in first instance . Should have budgeted and planned correctly. Most businesses fail due to poor liquidity management . In this case they stopped spending due to lack of cash, but in a position where US business is mediocre to cover . Issue is can the existing business keep covering dreamworld ? Ardent is asx listed so eventually decision may be taken out of hands via share price . There are worrying signs here . If something does not turn in short term dreamworld is done. Board would be assessing land value right now vs more spend . Risk and return . Does it meet capital return targets or hoping on takeover like in the past . Does additional reinvestment make this happen ( ie the tower in 96 and hope someone buys the dream like macquarie leisure trust ) Also going offshore for funding does not suggest they can’t get domestic funding . It’s extremly common . Ask any Aussie large cap. Doesn’t highlight anything.

Have to say, I have absolute NFI what the rationale or reasoning for any of that is at all..

Correction: Blue = Wardrobe Green = Kitchen (Above that is the staff canteen) Red = Admin Pink = Staff Toilets / Locker Room + other misc park operations Purple = Show's Rehearsal room Orange = Maintenence Brown = Parade storage Teal = Training room (Although most training is in the old gremlins theatres these days)

Wow. Bit harsh don’t you think?? They contacted the park days before, who never got back to them. Funfields And Adventure Park didn’t have an issue. i would say that it’s rather poor form on the park and complete over zealousness on their part. The video was hardly a tantrum by the way.

And the government is paying for it! A STATE-of-the-art animal research centre will be built at one of the Gold Coast’s biggest theme parks. The State Government will this morning announce it will spend $2.7 million in partnership with Dreamworld to expand the park’s Corroboree and wildlife area. It will include the Dreamworld Future Lab, a “world-class’ facility which will be the state’s first native animal genome research facility. Baby Koalas at the Corroboree park at Dreamworld. Pic Jono Searle. Gold Coast-based Assistant Tourism Industry Development Minister Meaghan Scanlon said the new development was the latest step in diversifying the city’s economy. “It will allow us to deploy experts to tackle some of the biggest issues facing our native wildlife — like the threat of chlamydia on the local koala population,” she said. Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: Jerad Williams “It will be the first of its kind in our state and will enhance the research capabilities of experts at the University of Queensland by allowing researchers and science undergraduates up-close contact with animals in the field. “Our native animals are a hit with tourists around the world, particularly Chinese visitors today’s announcement will help to keep the Gold Coast front-of-mind for prospective tourists.” A Bilby at Dreamworld. Picture Mike Batterham Construction will begin mid-year. It is the latest in a series of big announcements for the Coomera theme park. The 25-year-old Wipeout was decommissioned recently while the park launched it’s Sky Voyager virtual reality ride. (*cough* BULLSHIT *cough*) Once open, it will allow school groups and visits to get a first-hand look at research being performed. Tourism Minister Kate Jones said the project would be funded through the State Government’s Advance Queensland Connecting with Asia initiative. Queensland Minister for Innovation and Tourism Industry Development, Kate Jones. (AAP Image/Darren England) “When it’s complete, the Future Lab will be the only operational scientific laboratory in Queensland that will have the practical capability to create a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) tourism experience visitors based on the conservation of koalas and other wildlife,” she said. “The Dreamworld Future Lab will give our experts vital access to native species and will help to build on Queensland’s world-leading reputation for science and technology.” Dreamworld’s General Manager Life Sciences, Al Mucci said he believed the development would be a “world-first” by allowing the public to see the researchers working on current wildlife conservation projects.

This would’ve been better to announce during Wipeouts closure but I get that it’s a government announcement so it’s never really anticipated. Why is there a kid with a football in a bush? Why is there a guy with two wives? Why is Sky Voyager still not open? And of course, my favourite comment “Can they throw in an extra few dollars to open the ride that’s been going to open since last year 🤔”

Mickey, from the outside a man would be forgiven in thinking DW have given up. Wipeout final closure during its standard maintenance stinks of "it's going to cost us how much to keep it gong? Close it down". Dreamworld Express closed for 5 months stinks of "it's going to cost us how much to keep it gong? Put it in maintenance". WhiteWater World expansion stopped during op works stinks of "we have no money left? Close it down". Sky Voyager not opening stinks of "DW unwillingness to get the job done".

What baffles me more than those saying 'close it for a bit' is the idea to get rid of things like the 'disney style' entrance. For better or worse, things like that ARE dreamworld. If you take too much away, the park loses it's identity, and that isn't a good thing for the thousands who hold nostalgia for the park. Renaming it is similarly fraught with danger. If it is both completely reinvented inside, and completely renamed outside - is it even the same park? Would it have been better to start with a greenfields property so you don't inherit all the problems the existing park has (and the history?) No. If you're buying this place, you're keeping it substantially the same. You might be fixing a few thigns up, putting a few new rides in, but you're not wiping the board clean. You're not getting rid of the native animals that draw busloads. You're not getting rid of the most modern (ick) waterpark on the coast 'just because'. And saying something should be "well themed" without defining the what, or the how is laughable - even Disney fell short of 'great theme' occasionally, when money was tight. That's like me saying my new car should be 'well painted'. Define it, or it means nothing. I don't hate the idea of closing it for a bit. Perhaps even moving the park to a seasonal trade for a while, opening for holidays, and maybe weekends, until they improve the bottom line. Sure, there's some full time staff there that may not be able to keep their jobs as a result, but this is a business, and if that move is best for the business, then that's an unfortunate, but necessary side effect.

I think closing the whole park for a few months does have some merit. It would allow them to do hardcore construction without having to juggle operations and having it impact on guest experience. It also gives you a chance to relaunch, and draw a line in the sand and say 'that was Old DW, this is new DW' and gives a good chance to change the narrative about the park. It only works if you're adding a good couple of rides and you're upfront with what you're removing before you do it.