DaptoFunlandGuy

Because you still need to access WB Kids during the day for the kiddies. You couldn't put anything through the outdoor section as it would block access. If you wanted to put something into the LTRR showbuilding, you're taking people deep into the area, which would require extra lighting, staff, security etc. I have suggested it as an option previously, but discarded it on the basis that the whole area is shut down at night, so therefore opening it up just for a maze (in what is a storage facility for maintenance and is therefore probably half full of stuff like xmas trees and parade floats) probably isn't viable - especially when you've got access to purpose built sound-stage facilities at the other end of the park.

Isn't WB Kids blocked off for Fright Nights?

^Actually, when you think about it - the Mummy is not much more than an indoor coaster with some special effects and lighting thrown in. Scooby already fits that description.. The catch is that you'd need a bigger show building... but it's not outside the realm of achieveable... Showstage is an option, you could even 'absorb' one of the sound stages closest to Arkham (which is undoubtedly a waste, but an option if the studios aren't performing well enough)

^ Lol, nice one TPGC... I predict they won't reveal the name based on likes. Once there is a modicum of information floating about, they'll reveal what it is, and then hold a facebook competition for what they should name it (including the usual like & share). At the conclusion, a winner will be announced who will win a family pass to dreamworld (which they won't be able to use as they already have a world pass), and this winner will coincidentally be the person who managed to guess the name that they were already going to call it anyway.

But, in reality, Movieworld is part of a park chain including Sea World and WnW, and combined, they cater to the entire demographic. Few people visit just 'one' park these days due to VIP passes and so on, so you go to a different location, but you get the full range. I also just want to mention that they didn't 'replace a great family ride with a questionable choice' they replaced a family ride that was once great, but was getting on in years and becoming quite lacklustre, tired and run-down, with a ride that has already found success in other parks around the world based on similar concepts. As for the 'options' that they're talking about - for all you know, half the options they are presenting aren't serious suggestions. For all you know, the surveys posted by them are so seriously out of whack because they're trying to sort out those people who can't keep a secret about whats in the surveys. (it's possible). I disagree that the 'contrast is stark'. Movieworld Village Roadshow have been listening for years. The only contrast is that it's taken Dreamworld this long to start to do the same. We may not agree with everything that either park operator is doing, but that doesn't make it the wrong thing to do.

I'm not disagreeing with you, but most of Disney's Californian efforts have revolved around getting DCA and the associated precinct surrounding the park just right. Although it's a separate gate, DCA was in itself an add-on attraction to DL. Besides - I don't think you could find many people who could agree on: where a new ride could go what it should replace what it should be. Although they have been known to replace and refresh from time to time, i think Disneyland has reached a sort of critical mass when it comes to attractions. There just isn't any more room to do something else without getting rid of something that already exists - and while not every attraction in the park is everyone's cup of tea, no matter what attraction you point to, there will be thousands of loyal fans of that attraction that would lynch the first person to suggest that their favourite ride be the one to go... The only way DL is going to get anything NEW (without being remarkably similar to something else) is to venture outside the berm... and while I know they have done so for HM, PotC SmW and IJ, they're very quickly running out of places to put things. One thing i'd love to see them do, if they could theme it appropriately is a transport ride between the two californian parks - similar to Hogwarts Express between Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, but naturally with their own unique twist. Subterranean tunnelling machines would be a cinch... if you don't mind the odd earthquake...

I think that's universal's MO though - they change out franchises as they lose relevance. I've just been on a VHS-conversion spree recently, and one of the tapes i've converted was a VHS tape sold in Universal Hollywood at the beginning of 1996. The tape showed (among other things) Fievel's playland (from an American Tale), BTTF: the ride, and the ET adventure. All of these things I remember from my 1996 visit - however just opened was the brand new blockbuster show - 'Waterworld'. Now I don't think you need to see the movie for Waterworld as a show to make sense. The narrative and storyline make it obvious who is good and who isn't... but Fievel, Doc Brown and ET are long gone from the Hollywood park... but - each attraction lasted for some time before it was removed. It also takes a year or two for them to build such an immersive and involving attraction and themed land. the WWoHP will stick around for quite some time - as did Jaws before it. When you build something this elaborate - you expect it to last the decade at least - take a look at PASS, or Gremlins Adventure, Batride, Bermuda... all engineered to last. The trouble was... we didn't replace them with an attraction of the same calibre.

When you say - finish painting - do you mean there was a spot on the ground it was resting on they didn't paint (which I can't see in any of the photos), or do you mean the weird but geometric shape around the centre? If it's the first - I didn't realise they hadn't painted it. If its the latter - i think, based on the shape, that it was left that way intentionally.

On a completely unrelated note - I hate when unrelated surveys use videos hosted on random vid-hosting sites instead of youtube. And I also hate how they won't let you complete a survey until you've actually watched THEIR video. I can't see random vid-hosting site videos unless i'm at home (which is rare), which means I can't proceed through the survey and give my opinion on things i'm already familiar with (or have watched on youtube)... this of course is a completely unrelated survey about an unrelated topic.

So SFMM is two coasters down for the moment... Cedar Point wins! I don't imagine Ninja will reopen too soon - although it wasn't any fault of the ride to cause it to close, it's had a log weighing several hundred kilos fall or lean against it. They'll need structural engineers to survey that section to make sure the supports and the track haven't shifted or kinked or buckled. Ninja runs a pretty decent capacity. I'd hate to see them lose a train to this. It's what you'd expect from SFMM, but I hope they do invest in having the bogeys replaced, and the train reinstated. it could have been much worse.

Rappa - i'm 100% on board with that leap. The issue is - right now I ensure that I go every year, because my pass includes an entry. I buy a fastpass or whatever upgrade is available because its a small additional cost for a better experience... however - if admission wasn't included in my pass, I couldn't guarantee i'd go every year. I wouldn't have a 'use it or lose it' mentality. I didn't make it to Carnivale, because I didn't renew my pass in time. I wanted to see it, but be buggered if i was going to pay a separate admission price for it when I could get it free on my pass... which I didn't get... which meant I didn't go... and I think thats how the general public would react. For the park to change their business model after they've conditioned so many people to do it that way, i think they need to announce the changes well in advance. they need to offer the compromise for those who do see the value in paying extra (which is originally what the Gold was intended to do), so that people who still want to get it at a discount can pay a premium price for a VIP (gold platinum magic kryptonite?) Anyone with a kryptonite will have guaranteed entry for one night, pre-booked, and everyone else pays admission as per the prices. THEN they need to learn their mistake from Wet N Wild Sydney and not panic when the public reacts badly. Not panic when ticket sales are low a week before the event. They need to be prepared to make a loss on the event for at least the first year... as they say - if you build it - they will come.

Mystic Manor (and it's older cousins - the Haunted Mansions) are pure fantasy invented by imagineers... With stories so amazing, they even made a movie out of it. Pirates of the Carribbean... was a ride for many years before Jack Sparrow appeared. These are all long-standing, e-ticket attractions in a park known for it's film-making expertise that had absolutely no movie-tie-in, which based on it's popularity eventually became one. Now - i'm not suggesting HWSD will some day become a movie. That's got as much chance of happening as Dreamworld does of installing a decent capacity thrill ride that actually qualifies for that description... but Bermuda Triangle is a great example of what some inventive people can do with a ride system and a little bit of money. In fact - BT is probably the closest we'll ever get to a ride that could have been turned into a movie... So maybe what MW needs to do is to get Sanderson involved, look at a ride system, work out where its going to go and what space they have to work with, and then give Sanderson the same amount of money they give the ride manufacturer and say 'go forth and theme'... and I reckon we'd get one kick ass ride.

^i'm in total agreeance with you - but I guess the point is - many of the tickets to FN are free on the VIP passes - they're counting on upsell opportunities, add-ons and upcharges to make money out of it. Much as i'd love to see them increase capacity, attractions and entertainment - they can't do that without upping the price to pay for it all. If as you say - most people won't buy the fastpasses, then they aren't going to make much money off them - which means the only viable way to increase capacity is to charge more for admission - either by increasing the cost of admission, the cost of the VIP or decreasing it's included benefits so you don't get in free - maybe just 'reduced price admission'. If you get sick of waiting in lines - buy a fastpass, and support this worthwhile event that you and most others got into for free with your yearly pass. I bought one last year, did all mazes in less than an hour and a half, and had plenty of time to watch the shows (which I didn't enjoy) and even got a chance to sit down, eat dinner, have a drink, and queue for a ride that eventually broke down before i got on it. I left the park at probably around 8:30, which also meant I avoided the chaos of the carpark. It was GREAT!

I disagree with Twilight Zone. I've never seen it or anything associated with it other than the TOT pre-show, and I agree that it is 'in pop culture' however if you pretend for a moment that the movie TV show any reference to twilight zone prior to the ride never existed - and the ride arose with that storyline on it's own - nobody would question it, everyone would understand it, and the whole ride would be quite successful in it's own right, without any related tie-ins. Pointing to a disney attraction as a reason why a tenuously linked theme from an outdated era still works in today's modern culture is like pointing to an XY GT that still runs as a reason why a Daewoo Lanos should last you another 25 years... neither are built to the same exacting and everlasting standards

I thought VRTP were separating MyFun and going for the re-brand to 'themeparks.com.au' as MyFun was all the other properties.. anyhow I digress... Although the three parks are related, I don't think Storm is going to preclude a new ride going into the other three parks in the next year. Each park is relatively capable of supporting a good solid Capex in it's own right. Mini Cars might impact, but I think depending on the success or failure of Mini Cars as a drawcard, we may see them step up something to fill in the breech before 2016.

That's a big call - especially since the more we found out about the project the more it seemed like suicide to put it into Sea World... I'll be extremely surprised if it comes back to the Spit.

Didn't we discuss Lego a while back and decide since Merlin is expanding into Australia, they probably wouldn't want their biggest property in another park? San Andreas on the other hand sounds like a winner. The MOVIE is WB, however the theme park rights are independent of the films, and they were sold independently to Universal. Yes it would be a great ride, if you introduced it in the same decade as the films. These days, it's too dated for any particular relevance. Amen... although theres a difference between: "I know, but i can't tell you" and "you'd have to be el loco not to figure it out"

Why is Harry Potter defiant? And if the Amazing Spiderman is 'new' why is it 'reopening' on March 8th?

That's interesting Joz - surely that would have been an issue when they did the Dragon's Lair or whatever it was? (And is that why they never did it again?) Arkham Piazza is ripe for something as an area too. My point is that there are plenty of "spaces" they could put a maze into. (I think Intencity is the easiest to do though)

I'm enjoying the source info Ifrit, but i'm concerned someone somewhere is breaching some sort of confidentiality...?

..or it could be completely different - and end up somewhere else?

I'm all for smaller mazes - think about it - you can take the sound stage, divide it in half, and have TWO mazes in the same space - divides the same crowd into two lines. People will line up for it just as much as the full-sound-stage mazes. And ABSOLUTELY increase the spacing with the groups. Last year they were sending people through so close together that one group stopping for every scare quickly had the groups behind them catching up, and then the actors didn't get an opportunity to 'reset' for the next scare. The result was very few scares. That said, some of the big open mazes were good - while there weren't very many 'shit yourself' moments, the constant 'when is the next one coming' fear was always there and it helped build tension. Scooby's queue works well - use it for a maze of some sort. Intencity - I know the arcade is a money spinner - but I really feel they could condense the arcade somewhat, and use half the arcade space for another little maze - it's a dark building and you can do a lot with it. soundstages. They're deep - divide them - 4 mazes for the price of two. It's not going to cost you much more for actors - but queue control needs a few extra people. Show Stage - i think another dimension is needed here - the stage area has stairs both up into the seating area and up onto the stairs. I know there are some safety aspects to consider here, but I think it would be achievable A few years ago, they used chinatown alley for a blackout maze - Dragon something or other. It was a great maze concept, but it did clog main street a lot. I'd like to see them do something else with that in another space - behind Rick's, or somewhere up western area... If they aren't doing anything else with the other half of LTRR's stage right now they could use that... i know there are several reasons why these places don't work (WB kids isn't open and neither is the Western area... but it wouldn't be hard to make something happen around that space) Another option would be the extra switchback area outside stuntdriver - enter one way, exit on the other side of Rick's. People can always enter Stunt Driver Arena for the night shows from the WB Kids end... All ideas, not all of them good, and some of them not possible for various reasons, but i'd like to see them exploring different locations, rather than just the same 4 spots every year... change it up a little...y'know?

Is that really the direction we think MovieWorld should go? Take a decades old flat ride from a park that has cast it aside as being excess to requirements and near the end of it's life (and another small park tight on cash trying very hard to expand has also passed on it), and put it in an already crowded bat-area?

Not to mention that timing issues are even more important than that - the animals that may have been on the cards would have REQUIRED relocation from a certain date or time - when it was deferred, the animals would have found an alternative home (and there are usually many zoological facilities that can accommodate short term relocations) - You all realise the Lair at dreamworld was built solely to house the big cats whilst the Canberra Zoo was renovating their enclosure?

^yeah wasn't my meaning - it only happens at work. They mustn't like your host very much... lol. I get to see them at home though.