DaptoFunlandGuy

With that map - its guaranteed - enclosed - all weather venue. Movie world is really trying to get the rainy-day crowd aren't they? First the roof, now enclosed stunt show... It is better though - PASS really got ruined with the frequent sprinkler soakings in the middle of the show on a hot day when the ground dried too fast. Movie World Boardroom - "what else can we cover?"

I don't know - You could consider it a shameless money-maker, or you could label it as thoughtful cross-promotion. Out of all of the properties, Paradise Country has to be the most under-utilised \ under performing. Attracting guests already visiting one of your properties to attend another for only an additional $10 might encourage visitors to MW to try it out, when they may not have thought about going, and paying full price to visit it previously. A short 1 hour trip to the park might give visitors the experience of the park, to bring them back, with friends, later on paying full price... Yes its a moneymaker, but it also helps support what in my opinion is underutilised assets.

I had thought about those walls. Pre-fab concrete walls are commonly used for factory construction - i've never seen pre-fab walls like that without a roof - mainly because the roof holds the walls together - so yes - definitely a possibility. I will say though the park map on MyFun doesn't show a building where PASS used to be - it's just been erased. There is nothing there - so you never know.

Yes, this has been noted, but he is making notable improvements, and would appear to have worthy contributions (at least, once they are interpreted).

Well - theres Cool Runnings...? lol... or The Running Man ? What major movie can you think of to theme it around?

It is MUCH MUCH harder to link multiple projectors to have a seamless projection than it is to Matrix TV or PC displays together. The films have to be custom made, and cost a fortune. Clint would be able to explain a bit more about the intricacies on Matrix Projection - as he is in control of the largest matrox projection screen i've ever seen - at Outback Spectacular - and they only use TWO projectors (although the Barco is significantly more sophisticated than an ordinary projection system)

I don't think you guys quite understood my point when it came to staff. Only needing three staff is fine, but an attraction like Soarin would chew through the power bill. Of course, so does every other attraction in the parks, but a show venue would use much much less.

Original, did you get grounded? Is that why you're defiantly recommending it? to annoy your parents?

Shows however are capable of soaking up a greater number of guests, do add value to the park as well (as a ride might take 10 minutes to experience, a show would take the best part of an hour from seating to finale) to help make the park more of a full day experience. As far as more cast, here is a typical show from my days at Wonderland: Action Man - cast - AM, Fidget, two sidekicks. Dr X, Felix, two sidekicks. Stunt co-ordinator, audio coordinator\pyrotechnics, two ushers. Thats 12 people including technical crew to put on a show that went for almost 40 minutes, and could seat 1000 people in a full arena. Millennium Magic \ Spellbinding Sorcery: cast: Tony, Juleen (or casey laura), 4 x magic movers, stage manager, audio\lighting manager, two ushers. Thats 9 people, with a show that lasted an hour, and could seat 750 people in a full arena. Now staff wise, it uses more cast and crew, but costs far less than the operation of a ride. An attraction with the same hourly capacity as either of those attractions would be running 2 or 3 full time staff, and the operating costs on the rides - generators \ hydraulics \ pneumatics etc would cost an enormous amount in power - take ToT as a prime example for power consumption - from what I recall they had to upgrade their power facilities in dreamworld to cope with it. Operating costs on the big attractions at Wonderland if you wanted to hire the park out privately after hours cost about $1200-$1500 per hour, and their wouldn't be much profit built into it because they would make their money from food and beverage packages - so if you think about the hourly rate for 12 skilled staff - call it $40 an hour, and thats being generous, you're only talking about $480 to run the attraction for an hour show. There is less likelihood of breakdowns, maintenance is far less costly (you don't need an electrician, an engineer, a carpenter, and other grease monkeys). Your lighting\sound guys are normally ably qualified to do what little maintenance is needed - light globes and the like, which are also far less costly. The cost for a park to put on 3 shows a day, to soak up anywhere up to 1000 people for an hour at a time reduces the loads on other attractions throughout the park, meaning less staff required on each of the other attractions, and less wear and tear on the rides. It's the same principal as to why a lot of american restaurants (and Sizzler here in Aus) serve a type of bread before your meal - fill them up on the cheap stuff before they get to eat the expensive stuff. All you can eat chinese buffet places have a similar concept - you can't have all you can eat if it's just king prawns - cause the prawns are the most expensive. I have no doubt that we will see new attractions at movie world, but I think it would be a smart idea, considering all of the infrastructure that is already in place, that they would continue to use the old maverick area for shows, rather than rides.

Well it was set in the Movie Vault - where old movies go - maybe old movie CHARACTERS went there too?

Since there were several CEO's of wonderland over the years, can you clarify which one you are referring to? Or what year \ period of Wonderland's life they were managing it? If you're going to say Stephen Galbraith, we have a problem. The problem with Wonderland is most of the good decision making ideas were made at the very beginning - when TAFT broadcasting and Paramount Parks were involved. Back in those days, parks were more about the experience than the money. It would be a hard ask to find any park today that is more about the experience than the money - and before you guys shout me down with claims of Disney, think just about the differences between gift shops 20 years ago, and gift shops today - the same mass-produced merchandise can be found in tomorrowland as you can in frontierland.... its all about the money.

Well, i'm not saying Ian had anything to do with it, but WVTP management are obviously happy with Ian's work, and felt it worthwhile mentioning it to the reporter. My guess is management reviewed the information they liked, and supplied the quotes to the papers. I'm not trying to "pooh pooh" the fact the site got mentioned, and gazza got a quote in, but thats the media for you.

What are you referring to Klassen? I've read the entire thread, and can't find any reference to what you are questioning... perhaps you could elaborate a bit more than just 20ww21????????

Dammit Gazza, I noticed that when I had a look at it too - take a look at the "buy tickets online" logo - almost identical to the "pass" images that myfun uses. I was too busy looking for an Ooooooooooooo image that I forgot to mention it when it came along to replying. I actually had to stop for a minute and check the registered owner of the website to be sure WVTP hadn't made a sneaky aquisition.

Absolutely hilarious photo captions on that from Ian. Not the usual clinical captions - and definitely enjoyable.

Original post referring to "ground" under the sales Second post that says there is "quite a length to it" All of these posts led me to believe that the ENTIRE STREET had been astro turfed - and that was what I was referring to with the "green" tinge on the dark asphalt. Astroturf in the little garden area I can live with - but believe me it will be more expensive to maintain that, than to pay a gardener to trim it once a week - as said above - chewing gum and numerous other contributions from guests - cigarette butts (i know - designated smoking areas - but its going to happen, believe me) and everything else under the sun means its going to wear out VERY VERY quickly.

Well, if you've ever seen their website in the past (it's not there anymore) as it was an action park that mostly featured plummeting down a hill on either a toboggan or a waterslide. The Jamberoooooooooooooooooo bit was from a kid in the logo going down a hill, and the oooo's were trailing behind him, implying how fast he was going down the hill. So yes - not really a need for it, but thats where it came from.

Oh for god's sake -this is seriously starting to crap me to tears. They have not put astroturf down mainstreet. The photos are done by a crappy camera, and crappy digital cameras tend to put a green tinge on dark shadow.

All i have to say to you Ash in relation to the previous discussions on Camera purchases, do not take the sales people's word over that of an accomplished expert who does not stand to gain anything except respect. Working in the industry of retail sales, I can tell you that a Salesperson in a specialty or department store is only concerned with how much money goes into their own pocket. Commission Commission Commission. A salesperson, as opposed to someone employed for their expertise, is only after the money. If there are 3 products that are of similar type, each with slightly differing options, and they make more money on one of them, they're going to hit it up every time. They will sell you something else only if you are insistent that you don't want what they are pushing. I can tell you that at the time you made your enquiries, the D40 had about $400 gross profit on the base model kit, and out of all the models we talked about, it had the highest markup. I'm not a big fan of FPS. On playstation, i tend to play NFS, and other similar clones, classic arcade \ platform games from previous consoles - (sega classics etc). I stick with PC for the majority of the other games I play - which are more RCT \ Warcraft \ StarCraft \ Command and Conquer style games. I couldn't tell you what is best for your needs, having not played the styles of games you like. I like the Idea of the PS3, just simply because of the ongoing abilities - Blu-Ray is happening, so it is a bonus in that regard. Sony is a life brand, and allows the cross compatibility with a lot of other sony facilities. I've never been a fan of Xbox consoles. It always seems as if Microsoft are just after more money. Their controllers have always been very poorly made. a friend of mine has a 360, and in the year or so he's had it, he's been through 5 geniune controls, and about 15 aftermarket ones. I've had my PS2 for 3 years and only bought one set of replacement controls, only because they came as a kit with a dvd remote and extension cables to move back further from the console. We use those new controls because they're more comfortable than the original ones. I just find the Sony products to be a better quality. I don't know about the PS3, but someone saying that the Xbox 360 has a benefit that "the new models have a LOWER failure rate than the old ones that were really high" doesn't seem like a benefit to me - it seems like a negative about them that they are so widely known to fail. Michael said he bought one that came out at launch, and had to repair it once - two years ago. I don't want to spend - well at launch it was in excess of a thousand dollars - on something that has to be repaired, and have the manufacturer accept the "failure rate" as just a matter of doing business. Obviously they've fixed a lot of the failures that were occurring, but to release a substandard product and then just worry about fixing the failures later - and accepting it as a cost of doing business means that they're just money grubbing. My next investment after the PS3 would probably be a Wii. I'm impressed with its abilities and its pricepoint, and it's had nothing but rave reviews. Everyone i've known to have an Xbox or 360 has had nothing but trouble. Just my 12 cents.

Well, I could bring up the D40, or I could talk about the Sony Video camera you wanted to buy, or we could talk about the "P23" you are considering now. One person did make the point - and that is why don't you ask the questions on the forums that are experienced in the topic you require. If you are considering buying a set of LSM's, OTSR's, or the seemingly endless supply of hydraulic launched packaged coasters from intamin, ask away. Wanna talk game consoles? i'm sure google could deliver a wealth of expertise. Don't like the responses you get from those that tried to help you, AND turned out to be right - either take their advice, or stop asking.

I see another one of Ash's "which camera is better" threads coming. This thread will end after everyone has voiced their opinions, and then Ash will buy something not necessarily recommended by those whom he asked the opinion of, and 6 months later the discussion will start up again when he decides what he bought isn't what he wanted, and he'll go for choice number 2.

Most rides do have their own generators, but for bigger showgrounds, the infrastructure is in place because the lands are purpose built for those kind of attractions. It doesn't take much for them to plug in to a three phase trunk. In the weeks leading up to a big show, the local electricity company normally trots out and makes sure the facilities can cope, and the show organisers\individual ride operators normally collaborate on their power needs, and equipment is hired, or supplied to run out three phase to where it is required, and then split out into individual GPO's for any who don't run three phase.

Well - that I know of - there's Clint and Nev, Myself, Flea (although i'm not sure if flea has kept going with these things in recent years - I do however remember a post from a certain someone how they used to smoke their house out with a fogger, and go crazy with disco lights). I'm not sure what other lighting guys we have on the boards... so technically its not that big a concentration, but i'd be interested to know any others out there...

My thoughts - to be quite honest - is someone is dreaming. I don't think for one second that this would be anything remotely related to disney, and besides, Disney would not be seeking outside investment for the infrastructure, only the attractions - and then on a sponsorship basis. Hell, I've got my accounting firm, and major project team right here, courtesy of Atari, and Tim Sawyer - It's called RCT 1,2 & 3. The thing I found more interesting than the Major project team and the Accounting firm was this: Sounds like a one-man instrument - especially the tagline of "thanks". The person posting has no collateral, no financial instruments, so you've basically got Martin luther king - "I have a dream, and if I can find over 13 investors stupid enough to give me $10m each, I'll get to play RCT without a computer." This sounds like something more worthwhile, and something that has a lot of thought put into it: I don't think we're going to see Spaceworld anytime soon.

Well, to be honest, that took more effort than the emoticons. I would like to see some photos of the roof as it is today, so post up when you've added them please. In terms of the Privacy issues surrounding MW, please - all employees follow the rules, follow your contracts. The last thing we want is WVTP knee-jerking on us like they did with the photos a year or two ago. I am not saying anybody has, or will break the rules, but for anyone contemplating it - please dont.