DaptoFunlandGuy

^that's the spirit! Be sure to look at all the airlines, but also consider all their policies... Tiger will generally be the cheapest, but their policies are strict, and if you are late to check in (even if it's their fault) you'll forfeit your fare. Jetstar is a little better, followed by Virgin, and then Qantas. The service, the inclusions and the perks improve as you go up the chain - but if you just want to get from A-B, Jetstar is probably a happy medium.

Sea World Resort shares a border, and has it's own gate into the Sea World theme park. If you visited California Adventure - it's sort of like the Grand Californian Hotel - it opens right into the park. Staying at SWR also comes with a few little perks depending on your package - including an early morning dolphin talk \ demonstration \ display before park hours. There's also less people entering the park from the resort side, so it's quicker to get in if you're headed straight for the rides. The pools and water play areas might be enough for the kids to keep them occupied - and don't forget the resort's water park. I find the resort to be very convenient for a beachside\parkside getaway, but it really is INconvenient to get to the other four - Dreamworld, WhiteWaterWorld, Movie World and Wet n Wild and on the highway towards Brisbane - at least a 20 minute drive, and usually much worse than that, especially with traffic. The park does have a travel desk though, where you can book bus\coaches that take that hassle out of the equation. Be mindful that dining at the resort can be costly - especially on seafood nights, so dinner is sometimes better planned down on the surfer's strip (so long as you can get a carpark when you return - or take a taxi!) There are some really good points about staying at SWR - especially with families, but there are also a few bad points too... it just depends on what you consider to be important.

I live in Brisbane. 100kms isn't a long distance. I drive 140kms just to go to Costco... I guess the point is it is far easier, much quicker, and probably cheaper to fly to your preferred spot on the reef, than spend two days driving up there. Bundy would offer a good all-round spot, whilst not being absurdly far away - but its still far quicker to fly there.

Where a park has a permanent, full time parking attendant crew, who are trained for, and do their job every day - no. Where a park uses staff trained in making hotdogs, selling flashy crap and operating rides to stand in front of moving vehicles at night with no prior training - then I should think so. If a staff member directs a car in any way, and that car has a collision as a result - that employee is liable for the damage. We train traffic control in the SES and believe me there is a lot more to it than people think.

Nah - i'm boycotting AussieWorld, because they're similar to Six Flags Magic Mountain - which was in a movie I saw, and didn't like.

TBH the ride for me was a bit of a white elephant. it lacked the capacity for it to be considered a transport ride, so it therefore ended up being just a vantage point you had to wait a long time for. I'm sad to see them leave the skyline for my own sentimental reasons, but really - it was the right decision all round. For a park that is so hampered by it's own geography - they need to cut the fat wherever they can. Sure - they've lost a lot of solid attractions in a short space of time - but I don't think anyone can fault their maintenance crew for that - it was just getting on in years all round. The park is due for a refresh, and I think NL is going to be the start of that. The park now needs to start planning it's next blockbuster - and given there is no longer any need to consider the cable car envelope slicing straight through the centre of the park, they may well be able to get more creative with any layouts they come up with...

Considering the price of food at every other major food outlet in every park on the GC, i think $20 is perfectly reasonable for a sit-down dining area, with the location and views it offers, not to mention the brand new fit out. Gosh, who'd have thought - another discussion where Push gets it wrong. Im going to make what will probably be viewed as a very unpopular opinion - but personally I feel like anyone who says 'blah blah price blah blah that's why I don't eat at the parks' is an asshole - especially if that asshole has an annual pass. You get in for next to nothing per day, and you can't spring a little extra to actually enjoy what the park is made to do? Suspend everyday? Ok fine - if you're park hopping, or just dropping in - thats different. But if you're there for the day - eat there. Don't pass out halfway through to go across the road to McDonalds... geezus... and people wonder why the parks aren't building new attractions! Of course - if that statement is 'blah blah quality blah blah' - thats a different story - but i think all of the parks have been upping their game in that department of late.... THIS is what is wrong with the current pricing structure for the parks - they've conditioned everybody to expect so much for so little.

Strop is right on the money - the drive times seem a bit ambitious. You're covering in excess of 1800kms - something that would take almost 20 hours non stop - and thats not counting lone pine, wheel, and any further trips down to the GC. Somethings to ask: Are there specific reasons you want to go to Bundaberg, Airlie Beach, Rockhampton? The reason I ask is you seem to be spending almost zero time in Bundaberg and Rockhampton, and they appear to be waypoints on your way to Airlie. What's the attraction there, as there may be alternatives that are far closer. You may also want to fly domestic - as you'll save loads of time and have more time for the fun activities. What are your 'must do' activities? So far i see a reef cruise, lone pine, the wheel, and presumably - parks. Is there anything else you want to do? Perhaps have a chance to rest?

Not that simple. Although the carpark is not a public road, MW would be lynched for throwing hi-vis onto some staff members to direct traffic. Professionally qualified traffic controllers are whats needed - and they are not cheap.

surviving an incident is being hit by a bus and rushed to hospital, intensive care for 6 months and walking again. surviving an incident is surfing at main beach and being yanked under by a great white, a great slash down your leg, punching it in the nose and swimming to shore. surviving an incident is riding a rollercoaster car that derails, tumbles two storeys onto the ground, fracturing your cervical spine and spending 8 weeks in traction Yes - the event could have been MUCH worse. We ALL appreciate just how close to tragedy this incident came - but it didn't - and at worst - these people survived a little sunburn, dehydration and stress. Surviving the incident? please.

Rubber probably isn't a good idea for people who have just gotten out of a water ride. Rubber tends not to grip so well when wet. If the reason for the concrete path is vehicle usage, then AW needs to consider the comfort of their guests a bit more closely and build an alternative. Probably can't put shade structures over it if it is used by maintenance vehicles - height limits would cause problems. WnW has the astro-turf\carpeting around the wave pool. everywhere else does tend to sear your feet medium rare. Some areas are paved (throw back to the 80's) and the paved areas can be cooler than bare concrete - but mostly the "busy-ness" of the park means you can usually just walk in the puddles left by others. WWW uses light coloured concrete, and it still can burn on hot days, although for some reason my recollection of the park suggests this wasn't as bad of an issue as WnW was.

I can.

...like thousands of other bolts that somehow miraculously hold every day. I think 'surviving the incident' is inflammatory. she did... but then i survived the trip to work this morning. What part of 'the state government cleared the park to rebuild the ride' didn't she understand? So that answers a few questions: there will be a written reportthe cause was a bolted joint - which has been redesigned (which suggests there may not be much fault in the hands of the park)The park is not simply trusting the manufacturer, but having the new design thoroughly independently tested.How anyone can whine that the park is planning to reopen a multi million dollar attraction that hasn't killed anyone, hasn't injured anyone, after a thorough investigation, independent testing and verification (and as has been said before - the lawyers and insurance companies for VRTP, S&S would clearly be satisfied) is beyond me. Wonderful cutting edge journalism from the GC Bullet-in-the-head.

I had my doubts about the new resurfacing, but on Mark's reports, it was better than what was there previously. Realistically the only surface that won't be hot in full sun is what WnW have around the wave pool - astro-turf\green carpet. Concrete is a stone based material. restaurants use stone to cook meat... so any type of conrete path isn't going to be pleasant.

if they return to the interior, they need to enclose the top, and air condition it. fans aren't enough in a brutal QLD summer with no external airflow. I doubt they have time to do anything with it though, and given it's age, probably isn't worth it (look at Viper). I do hope they do something with it to change the look though.

I don't think anyone wants to be given images of crashes before boarding a coaster. #TheSmiler

Many shelters in Australia have a no-euthanasia policy. RSPCA do not. So I wouldn't say 'common practice' but yes it is common practice with RSPCA. I don't condemn them for it though, as they do great work in education, and trying to PREVENT animals from ending up in shelters in the first place.

Actually - bathurst has large drops... and there have been the occasional loops... http://cdn.newsapi.com.au/image/v1/external?url=http%3A%2F%2Fvideomam.news.com.au.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fgenerated%2Fprod%2F10%2F10%2F2015%2F162671%2Fimage1024x768.jpg%3Fcount%3D1&width=650&api_key=kq7wnrk4eun47vz9c5xuj3mc

I'm going to regret providing more ammunition for this maggot, but in the interests of setting the record straight - this may be the case now, but Sea World GC was once involved in the capture of wild animals for it's exhibits - and Trevor Long himself was involved in that. It is a past the park regrets, but it was back in a time when nobody knew any better, and I don't think that should be held against them now. And your ignorance astounds me. There are two sides to every story, and yet you're only prepared to listen to one, despite the very clear obvious slant from the 'other side'. You have to take both with a grain or salt. And is that your expert marine-veterinary medical opinion? or are you just rabbiting what the angelic movie directors told you? You keep going on about concrete pools and enclosed baths. First of all - sit in a bath. Now stretch out without crossing the edge of the tub. You can't move, can you? On the other hand, i've seen numerous animals in SW swimming, lazily or at high speed... So i'd say we're dealing with more than a bath tub. Yes they have small quarantine pools, but usually the Quarantine area is for an injured animal that we probably don't want swimming lots anyway - at least until it is healthy. A family friend of mine was heavily involved in animal behaviours at Sea World Gold Coast for many years. I can vouch for the fact that the animals are not forced to do anything they do not wish to do. this is why no two dolphin shows are the same, and you never see the same number of dolphins doing the same trick every single show. the show is tailored and altered depending on which dolphins are in the mood to play... and the word is PLAY not perform. None of them are starved - each receives food appropriate to their weight, health and diet. What they receive during shows are rewards, and this is over and above their regular daily feeds. So very tired of uneducated cocksuckers thinking they know better than parks that make a business out of conservation and rescue, especially after seeing a movie (or filming one!!!)

Loving the 'historical' photos on the wall. SeaScrewCorkViper lives on!

Disney is quoted as saying "You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway." But that's just it - they don't aim 'just' for adults - they target something that appeals to all. I can't find the specific story, but a story I read a while back goes like this: Walt went to some amusement type facility, and watched as the children went on rides, and the adults sat around and waited for them. He didn't want that - and so he designed attractions suitable for children, but enjoyable for adults... So I don't think this particular focus holds them back, rather - it brings families together in such a way that no other park can. I mean honestly - if you're going to use Six Flags as the standard of 'thrills' (which is fine) then what you're saying is Dreamworld does thrills better than Disney? Please. Ever go to a "theme park" with young children? ie: stroller children and younger? If you do that with older kids who aren't old enough to be left unsupervised - you end up making one or the other unhappy. you have to go to kiddie land so the little one can have a few carousel rides, and whilst that is happening, the 10 year old who wants to jump on everything he is tall enough for but can't go alone is bored and grumpy. Same situation in reverse whilst the big kid is riding rollercoasters. Disney just seems to have a knack for (mostly) building attractions that everyone can enjoy. Besides - i'm sure a lot of people would agree with me that Disney DOES turn up the intensity 'every now and then'... tower of terror is a good example.

You not make funny joke as you say steps 6 and 7. Reanimated plan only require 5. You say joke only use 3. In soviet russia, stupid joke tells you.

I think what JJUTP (and Myself) are getting at is that Disney doesn't set out with the manifesto of 'let's build a big scream machine that people look at and go "wow" ' - instead they build attractions where the WOW comes at the end of the ride. I did say above 'with the possible exception of California Screamin' - but that in itself is still the adventure - it's a steel looping roller coaster made to look like a wooden seaside fair coaster. On board audio that is perfectly suited to the ride from go to whoa, and really, although it is launched, and inverts, it's still not what i would call a ride that's sole mission was to be a 'thriller'. RnRC and SMM2 are thrilling attractions - nobody is denying that Disney rides CAN be thrilling - what we are saying is that they don't build THRILL rides. They build adventures, stories, alternate realities, that in addition to everything else they do (and many times because of it) can be thrilling. The difference between a ride that is thrilling and a thrill ride is subtle - but i guess the simplest way to get the point across to someone like you is to point to your local agricultural show, at big ticket rides like the extreme speed machine - and then compare it to space mountain. Are they both thrilling? Yes. But what does each one set out to do? One sets out to spin you around and around as fast as it can with very little between you and flying off into the atmosphere. The other sets out to tell a story of a spaceport, where you board a rocket, get clearance from the tower and launch into space, before going on a high speed journey with whips and turns and hills as you fly through the stars. See the difference?

Alcoholics and Joz's rejoice! Given they're theming to "motorsport" - Hot Lap is what gives them the tie-in, as you can buy a redballoon type experience which offers a hot lap in a v8 supercar. (v8-experiences.redballoon.com.au/‎) - and V8SC also offer those experiences to a few on actual race days as filler between major events on track. Many other companies offer hot lap experiences also - (www.hot-laps.com.au/‎) So now they have a major branding partner, as well as a tie-in to the overall motorsport theme. (Nobody mention the unnamed yellow coaster out by the river) The Hot Wheels theme allows them to be a bit more 'whimsical' with their theming, and race fans won't be able to pick it to pieces and criticise the fact that their 'motorsport' ride has inversions - because hot wheels DO inversions. Makes perfect sense to me.

A park smaller than where HKDL started? or where it is now? I shudder to think of a Disney park smaller than what HKDL was when it first opened. It had all the appearances of a great disney park, and none of the substance. I'd rather Disney invested in markets that are sustainable to their business model, than have them build here 'just because' and give us something half finished, half full, and half assed.