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WalleyWorld

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Posts posted by WalleyWorld

  1. image.thumb.png.a5ade8c0550ead2124b54b6be4a5abde.png

    Thrillseekers will soon speed along at more than 100km an hour and face the kind of G-forces F1 racers endure as Victoria’s biggest theme park gets even bigger.

    A pair of new roller-coasters will push Gumbuya World into the territory of Dreamworld and Movie World on the Gold Coast, with one of the fastest rides in the nation.

    And after last month splashing $2.6m on a 44.5ha rose farm next door to the attraction southeast of Melbourne, the operators’ total landholdings have reached an enormous 287ha — believed to be the biggest landmass owned by a theme park in the nation.

    The Australian Amusement Leisure and Recreation Association (AALARA) this week confirmed the Gold Coast’s biggest attraction, Dreamworld, only covers about 54ha, less than a fifth of the 287ha Gumbuya World now owns in Tynong North.

    They also confirmed the faster of the two new roller-coasters would be among the speediest roller-coasters in the nation at 105km/h — though still outpaced by Movie World’s 115km/h DC Hypercoaster.

    Gumbuya World chief executive Ron Weinzierl said the new coasters, worth a combined $40m, were just weeks away from opening.

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    Mr Weinzierl said the new rides would bring their total to 13, in addition to a zoo and other nature experiences that were part of a broader plan to lure tourists to Victoria that would ramp up as the 2032 Brisbane Olympics approach.

    They include a 46m-high Project Zero, which will have riders pulling up to 5gs, and a more family-friendly attraction named TNT that will hit speeds up to 67km an hour along its 453m length.

    “These coasters makes us the leader in the theme park industry here in Victoria,” Mr Weinzierl said.

    “And on land size we are the biggest theme park in Victoria, if not Australia.

    “We are now competing up against those leading theme parks on the Gold Coast.”

    LJ Hooker Pakenham’s Sam Paynter brokered the latest acquisition and said Gumbuya was also now competing with the biggest dairy farms in the region, and that any expansion to the theme park was a “massive boost for the area”.

    “They’d be up there as one of the biggest landholders in the area, without a shadow of a doubt,” he said.

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    Mr Weinzierl said the eco-friendly theme park, which is involved in a number of conservation projects including efforts to re-establish the critically endangered mountain pygmy possum, was considering renewing some of the latest acquisition to suit native wildlife once the rose farm currently operating at it reaches the end of its lease in seven years.

    “It’s an opportunity to make sure that nature and the fauna on the site stays the way it should,” he said.

    “We now have 660 acres (287ha) to be developed alongside the community in as far as what we do and what we put here.”

    Gumbuya World’s wildlife attractions are expected to get a lift in the near future, having recently added a tree kangaroo from Taronga Zoo, they’re now investigating bringing in meerkats and monkeys.

    The park had its busiest ever February earlier this year, but new rides are expected to bring in the biggest crowds yet with up to 5000 people on peak days over summer and total visitors as high as 500,000 a year.

    “I figure it will be our hottest summer yet,” Mr Weinzierl said.

    Gumbuya World replaced Gumbuya Park in 2018 and with the completion of its new roller-coasters will conclude the third stage of a five-phase masterplan to overhaul it.

    Phase four is expected to deliver accommodation, most likely eco-friendly spaces.

    “The goal is that people will come down, spend a day at Gumbuya and then the next day go to a winery or Phillip Island,” he said.

    Mr Weinzierl added the attraction was already expecting a “bonanza” when Brisbane hosts the Olympics, and Gumbuya World would be among the attractions working to lure international crowds to Victoria.

    An AALARA spokesperson said the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane presented “amazing opportunities” for the wider theme park industry and that they were working with the federal government towards a “bright and exciting journey” to the international event.

    Riders will be suspended from above in one of the newest roller-coasters headed to Gumbuya World this summer.

    • Like 3
  2. 34 minutes ago, Vidgamer said:

    It will feature two family-friendly rides, including a multi launch coaster, capable of reaching speeds of almost 70 Km/h around a 454m track and a racing coaster where thrillseekers will travel simultaneously on two 220m tracks reaching speeds of up to 58KM/h.

    It's not a multi launch coaster. It is 100% the Vekoma SFC 450 model. And the duelling boomerang model is a clone of "Tweestryd" at Wildlands Zoo Emmenseen.

    • Like 1
  3. 3 hours ago, Tricoart said:

    What matters is if it's somewhat whimsical, relatively timeless, and perhaps recognisable.

    I agree with this. It is a left of field IP that is not particularly relevant with today's youth. But at it's core, Oz is a whimsical, fantasy world, that if done to a very high thematic standard (in combination with the right rides/attractions, retail and themed F&B) could lend itself to a stunning themepark land. Similarly to how Pandora - The World of Avatar has been a huge success, even though the land is based off a largely forgotten 2009 movie (with lack of widespread appeal). Because Pandora doubles down on creating a truly immersive environment with stunning vistas.

    The Goddard Group (now called Legacy Entertainment) designed up a whole Wizard of Oz Themepark LINK. If realised as per the concept artwork, it would be stunning.

    image.thumb.png.061b3b30234075914406a277d19059c2.pngimage.thumb.png.88776989411830b44da24c870cdf4354.png

    However, I just can't see VRTP being able to realise such an immersive land. And the attraction mix of only family coasters doesn't particularly suit the Oz theme. A high capacity indoor/outdoor dark ride, a family coaster and a family flat would have been a much better spread. But with many of VRTPs attractions, a ride system is purchased first, and then the theme/story is an afterthought. Usually lending itself to themeing that doesn't really suit, and overall mediocre execution. Which is the complete opposite of themepark design 101.

    • Like 1
  4. 2 hours ago, Aussie_Coaster_Enthusiast said:

    Hey @Luke do you have any footage of the animation by chance. 

    Nope. That's not my instagram page, and I haven't been down to the park yet to check out the preview. I'm guessing posting photos and video of what's inside the preview centre is being discouraged by the park, otherwise instagram pages like aussiethemeparker and mittythemeparks would have posted something already.

  5. Is this attraction officially licenced with the Mad Max IP?

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    Quote

    The Dingo Racer spinning coaster will take parkgoers on a journey through a Mad Max themed attraction...

    Quote

    From the moment you enter the ride queue, the experience begins with a life size model of a dingo taking you along for the ride as he tries to escape a forbidden area, leading to his Mad Max style car.

  6. 10 hours ago, Spotty said:

    No, the system only needs a minimum of 1 minute between dispatches (well it was when I worked there). It was because the ride experience would be crap when the launch audio would play and then the train may be sitting there for 20-30 seconds before launching as it can't launch until the unload station is fully clear and the next train is parked in Load.

    Does the lead operator have to push a button to launch the train? Or is the system completely automatic once the train has been dispatched from the load platform? If it's the later, is there control to stop the train from launching (or would that just be the e-stop)?

  7. 14 hours ago, Jobe said:

    Yeah its exciting news but I do not think we should raise expectations.

    The most likely outcome here is that it is a Vekoma Suspended Family Coaster , most likely this model.

    No description available.

    If it is indeed this model, what a perfect choice for Gumbuya World. I've always thought the SFC 450 to be a perfect addition to any of Australia's regional parks. Excellent choice for a park of this size. Now they have a kiddie coaster, a family-thrill, and an extreme coaster. That's a really well-rounded coaster line-up, and will cement Gumbuya as Victoria's #1 themepark. Very excited to see how this turns out.

    This is the same model that is rumoured to replace Arkham at Movieworld (along with the duelling family boomerang). I would be pretty annoyed if I was Village, to see a small regional park build it prior to me.

    • Like 1
  8. 2 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

    As long as those turnstiles keep spinning, bean counters don't think there is a problem.

    F A C T S 👏. If passes, merch, F&B sales are ≥ last quarter or financial year, there will be no major change to product. 

    2 hours ago, DaptoFunlandGuy said:

    Experience based managers who walk the park and talk to guests, who view the park through the eyes of a guest and say 'this won't do at all' are going to see the unhappy faces and do something early.

    I have never seen a manager on Village property that "walks the park and talks to guests - viewing the park through the eyes of the guest".

  9. 2 hours ago, Brad2912 said:

    No RF cards on the interactive elements in the supervillains area, and also appeared to be none for sale.

    2 hours ago, Brad2912 said:

    1/10. Do better Movieworld. 

    Just remove the kinect games already.

    That whole area is a masterclass of how NOT to design a theme park land. The #1 worst decision execs made was swap the position of the gift shop and the Doomsday ride entrance - for the sole reason of forcing entry through a gift shop, in order to sell more upcharge wristbands. They hid arguably Australia's best ride entrance sign (also a very instagramable photo op) at the back of the land. And instead built a lacklustre faux brick gift shop as the land's entrance portal. This shop with the tall themed billboards obscures the 'reveal' of Doomsday from the midway (as you walk towards WWF) - making the ride look smaller and thus less grand/intimidating.

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    Upcharge experiences should compliment an existing experience. Yet in this case, all it did was ruin any positive potential the land had. And now you can't even use the games!

    0/10. Put the land and Doomsday in the bin.

    • Like 2
  10. Reviews on the Movieworld official Facebook, Trip Advisor and Google Reviews pages are scathing. I'm not sure if I have ever seen such a surge/large volume of negative reviews during a peak school holiday period? Or is this just a normal occurrence during these times, and I just haven't paid attention?

    Other than an influx of interstate visitors, and the pent-up demand caused by Covid, what else could be contributing to these issues? It surely can't just be because "it's busy because it's school holidays, duh!". Snapshot of today's wait times:

    278005970_505161097985460_6873192176611945871_n.png?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=ae9488&_nc_ohc=2zCmLNWlZe0AX-h_ZAW&_nc_ht=scontent.fmel4-1.fna&oh=03_AVJQQgJtY5j7af4mYnyV5aOHQS91vvBzf7o4nznabdjtyw&oe=628553E7

  11. 6 hours ago, Cactus_Matt said:

    Echoing what some people have said in this thread but going a bit further, whatever plans Movie World has for the Arkham area should be either put on hold or completely thrown out in favour of a super-high capacity family adventure ride like what the park had with the Loony Tunes River Ride, something that can board 20+ people per boat/car with a continuous loading/unloading platform without the need for complicated restraints. It might sound like 'pie in the sky' thinking but what I think is, rather than spend $20+ million on a record breaking roller coaster or 3 random roller coasters (or whatever the plan currently is for Arkham) they need a Disney level attraction that can just churn through guests consistently. 

    ^Agreed! This is exactly how the execs need to be thinking. But unfortunately this thought process is far too considered and logical for VRTP. It is unequivocally evident that MW has significant capacity and operational efficiency issues. And has had for years. Yet their best solution to this problem is to build 3x family coasters, that can only run 1 train each. logic?!

    Furthermore, they just went and ruined the capacity of their only people eater family attraction (WWF). Surely they could have appeased the insurance companies, without reducing the ride's capacity?

    After all, this is "Australia's #1 theme park".....how about the execs start making design, operational and maintenance decisions that support this marketing. MW and it's operational staff deserve better.

  12. Serious theme:

    Steel Python
    Bright green track repaint. Keep brown support structure. Track Looks like a green tree python (a native Australian animal) coiling itself around a tree. Suits Gumbuya World's overall park theme of the Australian outback and wildlife.

    image.thumb.png.82a7e8cfc1225d855d6a764d23145973.png

     

    Tounge-in-cheek theme:

    Killer Python *presented by ALLEN'S*
    Do a corporate partnership/ride sponsorship deal with Allen's Lollies. Originally an Australian company (suits the Aussie theme going on at Gumbuya). Lends itself to a perfect gift shop exit experience - the official certified Allen's lolly shop. "Brave the python. Eat the python!"

    image.thumb.png.b5057db19bb76713c441e85e03a2f558.png

    • Like 1
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