DaptoFunlandGuy

Took another look the other day... something else is happening with the toilet blocks... not sure what, but they aren't just refurbishing the inside of them...

The fact that you started off with 'completely objective and stating fact free from opinion doesn't mean thats what your post was... [*]...What crap [*]Load of bullshit And I'm curious how the installation is much neater and with way more attention to detail than last year, if the designs are all the same??? WTF? I don't really see how I was implying an insult by saying the entertainment cast refused to work the event, so they hired in externals, and staff from their other parks? You were being defensive otherwise you wouldn't have started with 'what crap' and 'load of bullshit'. You were angry at my comments, and it shows in your choice of language. And I said main street lights because they were the ones that I saw last year. Scooby and wild west weren't lit up in the slightest last year - they only had ambient lighting from LED pars and uplighting. So my comments on those hedges and tall trees, although I found them disappointingly messy, were not those that I was comparing to the efforts from last year. My comparison was the lights on main street. And I admitted that perhaps I was being overly critical because of the poor experience I had, and you may well have photos of a completed installation to compare with last years completed installation, but i'm not talking about photos of a completed job, i'm talking about an outdoor installation that has been up for a month, within reach of the general public - and what i saw on the buildings on main street (if you wish for me to be specific - i'm talking about the wall between Roxy and the collectable shop, above harry potter, and above the photoshop were sections that just didn't look as neat as they could have been. I think the crews who do this work do a spectacular job - If you go back to the fright nights thread you'll see I was all praise for the work that had been put into it, but in my opinion, the lights were better last year than this... and i'm sorry if you disagree, but nothing will change my mind on that. You may not have done the work yourself, but you must admit there is a little bias in there somewhere... I rarely have something bad to say about all that VRTP does, and when I do, it's usually minor detail that the average Joe doesn't take note of, that I don't make a big deal of but point it out as an item of interest. In this case, I felt the lights could have been better DOWN MAIN STREET, and thats that.

but they've only just refurbed the track and replaced the train a year or so ago, and had no end of trouble with it. Trust me - management decided they wanted to keep that coaster, rather than replace it... and that's what they're going to do. Has anyone checked GCCC DA approvals?

Rappa - I did ensure to post that it was rumor mill. I don't normally post that sort of thing (i don't normally engage street staff in conversation), but it was mentioned, and I repeated. I don't claim that to be a fact, just mentioning it to add to discussion. To be honest, For an entertainment cast that does the day shift, I wouldn't want to be doing an extra 4+ hours at night too, so I'd be in support of them if they did refuse anyway. Re: lights, I'm taking your response to mean you did have something to do with it as you're quite defensive. I was under the impression you'd had less to do with it than last year... Anyway - I visited WC last year twice - once for a corporate, and once for general admission. I didn't do the corporate this year, but i'm basing my opinions on photos I took last year (and i'm not talking dodgy camera phone shots either). The area outside Roxy was better lit up than it was last year - that was a plus, but the strings just didn't seem as 'tight' as they were last year - they appeared to me to be a little 'floppy'. Smaller details - like the blue and white icicles in the hedges outside Dirty Harry's just seemed 'messy'. I love that attention was given even to the tall hedge trees next to intencity, but it just didn't strike me as being done with any finesse. Obviously you have an insight into the work behind this, and i'm not criticising those who have put in the hard yards, it just didn't look as clean or as neat as last year, and that is my opinion. Whilst I didn't specifically disclaim my comment as 'my opinion' - I did say that the lights 'struck me' as etc etc. I'll be honest - perhaps the other faults with the night made me view smaller flaws in the installation a little too critically - i have to allow for that possibility, and perhaps I didn't view them so critically last year because the rest of the experience was an enjoyable one. You and I have discussed at length various 'technical aspects' of various things done by VRTP, and i've picked up flaws which usually go unnoticed by the general public that you've agreed were an issue. I sincerely doubt that you personally installed and strung every bulb in that installation (forgive me if I am wrong) but can you state, categorically, that everyone involved in the installation has as much care and attention to detail that you do? Something I didn't mention in enough detail though was the fantastic coverage of snow during the opening ceremony - i've seen the 'snow' efforts last year, and believe wholeheartedly that this years efforts in that regard were far superior.

lol - re: Arkham... "You won't be needing that anymore!" re: SE - Hello and welcome, you are about to board the MRT - Metropolis Rapid Transit. Your safety is important to us, so please, give us your attention for a moment, even if you are a frequent traveller. By now all of your loose items including anything in your pockets should have been left with a friend, or in the lockers at the entrance.... (anyone want to keep going?)

Re Age restrictions, it avoids the complications of minors 'needing permission' to enter competitions etc. They also probably want to filter out some of the "OMGGGG U GUYZZZZ NEEEED 2 GET A B&M COASTERRR" Re: African Safari World - I don't. I hope they ask meaningful questions about ideas they are actually considering that are viable. I hope they ask questions on concepts they want to make happen in the next few years, not a 'one day....' pipe dream. Personally, I hope they ask Mack to come and do the refurbishments on all of their attractions next year... since they've got such experience working in our climate, and most of our attractions are getting on in years...

The signup process is a demographic survey - gives them an idea of the kind of person you are. If it went down the animal road, i'd say some of your earlier questions were leaning in that direction (whether you realise it or not). Mind certainly did not go down the animal road, more down the themepark and thrill road....

The fencing near the archway is because they are refurbishing the toilet block there. I hope they get it finished quickly - the summer rush will need them desperately!

I went last night. In short - I was disappointed. They rushed everyone through the gates so fast (turnstiles were folded away, and they weren't scanning tickets), but then blocked us off around the fountain - so we were just one crush of thousands of people. They had an 'opening ceremony' of sorts with the high-wire performer and a bunch of stuff up main street, but to be honest, apart from the highwire performer, I couldn't see anything. I did notice Michael Croaker standing on top of stars cafe taking photos of the high wire, but this sea of people was crazy. I didn't ride anything. I didn't see any of the performances or parades because of the crush. The closure of chinatown meant that to get from front to back, you had to walk past the two stages (the carollers or the main stage). It was a terrible pinch point and left a bad taste in my mouth. Although main street was covered in lights, snow makers and fog coming out of the drains, the lights struck me as 'less of an effort' than last year. It looked like they'd been put up by maintenance guys rather than technicians who have an eye for detail. The park soundtrack was confusing as well - Scooby still had the 'xylophone' music playing outside, whilst wild west had the western themed music and superman had his theme song. Some of the christmas soundtrack was great, and others didn't even sound 'christmassy' - just a lot of synth and bells in a messy arrangement. On a good note - the wild west burger joint is now the wild west road house (or something of that nature) with an entirely new menu. Don't know if this has been mentioned anywhere, but it was a first for me - new menu includes chicken tenders, fish pieces, southern style (tasteless) chicken wings that come with two different dipping sauces, and half a kilo of baby back ribs for $30 odd dollars, which were dry, but so so tender. I've been to normal operating days in the middle of christmas holidays that had less people than last nights event... and this was an event without wild west falls, stunt driver, and show stage to absorb some of the masses. I got my ticket with my gold pass, like westical... however i'm not as blase about it as he is. I didn't have to 'pay' for my ticket, but I did by virtue of my gold pass, which has it as an inclusion. I also agree with Joz - move the ice rink out near wild west, or the old blazing saddles, somewhere out of the way. I also scream for them to reopen the chinatown scooby cut through. If you're not going to open the main-street front part of chinatown, at least open the scooby-arkham cut through - thats less than half the space, and would REALLY ease the traffic trying to get through mainstreet. If you're concerned about losing revenue from all the shops people bypass, put one in the Arkham courtyard... god knows theres room! I'm normally all praise for VRTP, even when they are being critiqued I can usually see the upside. Last night I could not. Also - I don't normally engage in conversation with vendors about park operations, but this from the 'dippin dots' rumor mill (ok not quite, but a street vendor) - apparently the 'regular' entertainment cast refused to work on the christmas events, so the majority of performers were all brought in from external, or from other park general staff.

I posted this in the futureoffun thread i started, but it's also relevant here and the proper place for discussing the options: Sea World is launching a new attraction themed around an immense sea storm. Which Name do you prefer? Storm Coaster (5%) Storm Runner (8%) Storm Rider (33%) Storm Chaser (54%).

Well I'm surprised it hasn't been posted here yet, given that I got my email from VRTP yesterday before 4pm... but.... VRTP have launched a new website called futureoffun.com.au, and it seems to be an online market research tool for their theme parks and other attractions. Although I got invited by email, the website seems to allow anyone to become a member - so for all of you who have wanted to have your opinions heard, this would be the chance to do it... Perhaps if we got a high level of forum members posting their thoughts, we may have an influence? Anyhow - their first 'survey' surrounds the name of the new water coaster at sea world. Four options were given: Sea World is launching a new attraction themed around an immense sea storm. Which Name do you prefer? Storm Coaster (5%) Storm Runner (8%) Storm Rider (33%) Storm Chaser (54%).

One thing people forget is that the show stage (where they currently run 'what's up rock?' isn't a flat floor. The tiered seating is concreted in, and the 'stage' building was constructed around it (it used to be open air, with a cover on the actual stage only). INstalling an indoor ride in there would need to account for the specific 'lay of the land', and would also waste a purpose built show venue, while requiring that a brand new one be constructed just 250 metres away...

G, WYCTEWTASF? ICMIOAWRLTK.

No... it's been there at least as far back as Vista.

I've experienced a 3 hour journey at six flags... and that was just a queue house with little theming at all. Just because Disney and Universal can pull it off, doesn't make our parks 'poor' by comparison. Most parks around the world would be 'poor' by comparison to these two. I agree that a lot of the magic has gone out of the parks, but at the end of the day - they had to do this to survive. Although Gremlins and Bermuda and Looney Tunes were a great story with great magic, the general population wanted thrill rides - roller coasters and the like. In order to survive this is what the parks give them. It was too costly to maintain the nostalgic greats of yesteryear when the ridership was slowly dwindling into nothingness. Simplistic theming that is cheap to maintain is the way of the future for these parks. they cannot afford to spend so much on annual refurbs as they used to. As for the people in the park, if they capped the numbers lower than they do, they could not afford to offer the attractions that they do now. Would you rather all attractions ran on a 1 hour on, 1 hour off cycle to save on staff and running costs, but have less people in the park? No - because although there would be less people, there would be less rides to soak them up too. I'm with Alex on this one.

Roof damage is potentially the area where the volcanoes overlapped the roof edge??? that would explain that... the walls missing have been that way for several months - almost since the demolition began...

Holy Crap! Bussy - where have you been?

Unfortunately, I have to agree with RWC on this one Lemmit - a water park with a cohesive theme throughout would be considered a theme park. If it were just bare steel towers, with plain slides leading to a plain splashdown pool, with sunlounges and grass - that'd be a plain water park... But once you give the area a theme, landscape it, give the slides names with a relevant theme also... then you're a theme park... Take WnW for example - H20zone is their extreme thrill slide area - with Kamikaze, Tornado, Black Hole etc. Whitewater Mountain - which is four slides... oddly enough, on a mountain... And White Water World - with slides such as the B.R.O. (which is themed to look like a Blue Ringed Octopus)... Now if you compare this to say - the old Mt Druitt WaterWorks - they were all a bunch of slides that led to splashdown pools, and that was about it... THAT is a waterpark. WnWS is most definitely going to be a themed water park. At the end of it all though, what you intended to ask was whether we would see any themed amusement parks in Sydney, rather than themed water parks, and most normal people would take your meaning from that and discuss your intended topic. Your fault for not being specific enough, and RWC's fault for being a nitpicker.

I wouldn't say 'taken over'... more like 'emulated'.

It also only vibrates on the 'physical' targets. The on screen targets don't vibrate...

My 'real phone' comment wasn't directed at Android users... just Windows Phone users. Street view is nice, but in a way - dated. Are they going to roll out the street-view car every time they change something update a ride theme the park? Ideally - they'd want to have a separate set up for fright nights and white christmas too. More of a gimmick than anything really useful. Agree that a solid mobile site would be preferable to an 'app' for any platform...

All I can say is - Apple apps have been around longer than android, and android longer than Windows phones. So Android users should be patient... and Windows users should get a real phone.

there is an extension to the building on each side that appears to be the run out, and the lead up to the first and final drops respectively.

An interesting point Jacob - but the biggest thing that a Disney-owned park has going for it is the 'Disney' brandname. To open a 'marvel' park, that most people wouldn't know was associated with Disney... it'd just be viewed as any other park, rather than part of the hallmark of theme parks - a disney park. Gazza - I disagree with your views on the government input issue. Wonderland was funded by the NSW state government (they invested in it by using their employee pension fund), and Hong Kong Disney is also part owned by the government. I'm pretty sure Resorts World Sentosa is a similar set up as well. I'm not talking about our government paying to install infrastructure, or sweeten the development and approvals process, i'm talking about them owning (or part owning) the product... sharing in the profits. This would (in the short term) cost the (statefederal) government money, but long term, it would bring in a big asset, and a reliable revenue stream. A viable park with conservative projections would be a good investment - one only has to look at the development and expansion of our 4 (and a half?) existing parks to know that this area as a tourist destination isn't going anywhere soon. Again - I reiterate that we don't have the population to sustain a disney park (yet), what i'm saying is when Disney comes back, considering a park down under, and the projections suggest it would be a viable park - the relevant local, state, and the federal government should open their wallets to get a piece of it... thereby assisting making the development happen. The only reason we have a HKDL, is because the government of hong kong did just that... in fact it was a condition of Disney's to commit to building.

I don't have a source, just a memory. 5 was a rough guess based on what we've seen discussed here on the forums. We know they've considered gold coast. We know they've considered Perth. We know they've considered Sydney and we know they've considered Melbourne. This is just my recollection of over 8 years on these forums. I don't think we can say 'never'. It is possible that with population growth, we'll see a Disney park - but that may be 10-20-30 years down the track. Bottom line is - Disney will always look at new markets - they are in USA, Europe & Asia - large population areas - hell - the Asian area has several parks - Japan has two in a geographical area not much bigger than the coastline of New South Wales (albeit - a much higher population). They haven't built in Aus for the same reason they haven't built in Africa - not enough local population to support it. Many will say 'if they build it... people will come' but a park needs a local fanbase to support it through off peak times. But this doesn't mean that Disney aren't always looking for new locations, ideas and concepts that would work. I'm sure they'd love to have a park 'down under'.. it just has to be viable, and i'm sure that they'll keep looking at options as they present themselves and consider each one on it's own merit. I think though that the governments (state and federal) need to be much more receptive, willing, and able to open their pockets before they commit.