TheMightyBoosh

I have to agree with tipsy. I was keen to find out about the planned expansion during my WWW day last weekend so I asked a few WWW Lifeguards about what was happening. They all seemed to knock the expansion plans on the head and spoke about winter staff cut-backs (hahahah) rather than park expansion. One lifeguard also said not to expect anything this year (or maybe next?!?) due to the current economic crisis (?!?!). It's a shame because WWW has so much potential in my opinion! Oh on a side note I was very disappointed to see SO MANY LEAKING ATTRACTIONS throughout the park! Take a closer inspection of the Green Room and the RIP if you need evidence. We are constantly reminded about the WATER EFFICIENCY of WWW with signs all throughout the park yet half of these slides are wasting sooooo much water! What are we to think?!?! Things can't be that tight (with such a high entry/food price) that they can't afford to fix a few leaks! There's my rant! hahahah. TMB

I do think a tandem slide would be a positive inclusion to wiggle bay. Although it would have to account for such a shallow splash down area. As long as no laws/rules are broken I don't see a problem with such an investment. TMB

I agree with a lot of points AlexB has raised in this thread. I also agree that a forum without open opinion (aka moderated dreamworld V8blog) is about as much a forum as BB is a 'reality' TV show! If the Dreamworld brains trust (PR staff included) had followed the posts over the last year (2years?) on this website and it's predecessors they should of predicted the V8 blog response considering that there has been a rather negative tone developing. Certain people would view this as something to stamp out or censor but other more professional readers could invite these opinions and 'use' them as a wealth of market research to utilise and respond to. If the comment is negative in a professional manner without presence of extreme sarcasm or profanity then why delete it? After reading the positive comments on the V8blog they do seem rather contrived and pointless when there is so much substance to the other material (which was deleted). In my past experience as a market researcher I would see companies totally ignore the research results we had collated and usually it would be at their peril! So OK the ride is going to be a low volume, hard to theme, extra-charged potential dud. But why doesn't dreamworld support this 'average' release with news of an up and coming exciting thrill ride or experience or perhaps an overall park direction that at least gives the REAL theme park enthusiasts something to look forward to. There must be something positive on the horizon for a theme park which consistently reports good profits. What to now? Will Dreamworld hold on to all it's cash and keep propping up the park with minor new rides due to current world economic issues (and to the detriment of all it's theme park goers) or will it wow us again with news of a REAL theme park ride. Either way it would seem that in some small way that the people have spoken on this website and the V8blog and I guess they will be voting with their feet (or wallets) ;-) TMB p.s. Here's a thought.. stuff the V8blog forum! Why doesn't dreamworld open a public forum asking for new ride suggestions? Now that would be more positively charged I'm sure!

Hmm well this is one persons experience at WWW and it's unfortunate it has been negative. Since I have been to WWW by myself with my young child I can offer a different and more positive comment. I often play at wiggle bay with my daughter and at first I was a little disappointed that I couldn't ride the slide with her. But after chatting to the lifesaver on duty I found out a number of useful pieces of information. Firstly that there is some health and safety law preventing tandem riding on waterslides without a suitable tube and that there are signs on the top of wiggle bay slides that also remind riders. I am not sure if they are QLD state laws or whatever but the lifesavers/ slide operators are trained not to allow tandem riding. Another thing is that the pool is very shallow and an adult riding (even behind a child) can injure their legs or bottom when they splash down. I have witnessed poor staff putting up with riders yelling at them over these rules but I have also seen adults sneak down the slides and lose some skin! And to correct sonic(etc.) the ramp is more like 5-10m from pool to slide rather than 50m. Finally I constantly keep an eye on my daughter while she is in the pool and I think that is the role of all parents. I have actually observed parents yelling at lifesavers when they wouldn't catch their child at the bottom of the slide! I mean come on! It's obvious to me that if a lifesaver spends their time catching children then they are ignoring the rest of the kids/adults in the pool. I often watch parents putting their infants (who can't sit up on their own!) down the slide and then complain when the child falls face first or falls back and bumps their head. Why an adult of sound mind would want to put their infant down a waterslide is beyond belief! It's not like the infant will remember anything. I have just as much fun with my daughter in the wave pool, in the wiggles pool or meeting the nik/wiggles characters without jumping on slides. If your going by yourself with your young child you can have a great time but you just have to understand their are a few things you won't be able to do as a 'responsible' adult (depending on how young your child is). The only problems I have with WWW is (also) the price and quality of food, but I have that problem at all the Gold Coast theme parks. And probably that at times they could put more slide operators on to increase safety and to get the queues moving faster. Last time I checked WWW turned over a $6 mill. + profit! I would hate that profit to be at the expense of rider safety and customer service quality! I have had issues with certain rules at WWW but after discussing them openly with the lifesavers I can understand they are put in place for the safety of everyone (duh) by the ride manufacturers and WWW itself. It would be great to get a WWW lifesavers opinion on the opening comment in this thread. The majority of them are very helpful and I bet they don't fill up their message with stories about how many whinging, irresponsible, uninformed and closed minded parents they have to deal with on a daily basis! TMB

hahaha You can take the child out of the theme park but you can't take the theme park out of a child... Seriously guys.. recess is over now it's back to work! It's funny that Dreamworld/WWW has stated that visitors aren't spending as much per head because if anyone has noticed they have increased entry (for adults) to $69... so perhaps they are aiming to take a little of that unspent money at the gate?? TMB

Hmmm.. a new ride opens at WnW which begs me to ask the question: "Has there been any new construction at WWW?" It would be good to see the expansion begin! TMB

Good call mate! I also think Flowrider was an ok addition. Perhaps they will incorporate it into the water park at some later stage? Last time I rode it the attendant told me it was the 'only' ride people buy annual passes for just so they can ride again and again and perform better tricks (so this has to be good business doesn't it?). Perhaps there is more in store for that area of the park. Oh.. almost forgot - the Dreamworld/White Water World entry is going to be moved from the shop on the left of Flowrider to the right of the Flowrider ride (if your interested!?!). New signs went up near the flowrider the other day and the new park(s) map indicate this. How's the MLE share price? on a side note.. will spongey square pants ride be the ONLY new ride for Dreamworld/WWW this year? The bet is still on and it's now mid september! TMB

Took the time to visit WWW on such a hot day today! The park was pretty busy with a few queues here and there.. but it was very enjoyable all the same.. Overheard a couple of the Lifeguards talking about a recent resignation/retirement of Dreamworld CEO Stephen Gregg. Not too sure what to make of it but they seemed adamant. Although he has his opponents I think that his resignation is a loss the the park(s) - ignoring the motorcoaster ;-) I wonder who would be a worthy replacement? TMB

Hmm.. redundancies would probably reflect a defensive stance taken by DW to cut costs due to the current economic conditions (i.e. Lowish attendance or even cash spent per person). I wouldn't call it unexpected! Over the last month or so a number of big name companies have cut staff at the middle to upper management level and used the economic conditions as a reason. Whether or not this occurs at other theme parks is a mystery.. I guess it depends on how well they are performing in times of low disposable income...? I have always wondered how important the roles of these management types are when they can so easily be made redundant...!?! I mean a COO would obviously have a lot of importance in the company to hold such a title.. and then just to get rid of them? Do the rest of the lower management now share these roles and would they ask for extra $$$ to do so? I guess it's just business... TMB

Here's the deal.... It's now early June and I know it doesn't take THAT long for the construction of new attractions/slides etc. so I am willing to put not just $10 but $50 (I'm poor) that the ONLY new WWW/DW ride for 2008 is going to be the spongebob one (flypants??). I've been watching MLE's stock price and it really hasn't recovered at all over the last 6 months and this is what I'm using as support to my bold claim. Any punters willing to take me up on that bet?? ;-) It's a bit of a negative call but I have a 'gut' feeling that the decline in attendance will continue due to poor weather and perhaps a side dish of low consumer disposable income (for holidays anyhow). So I'm open to debate... "No additional new (fixed) attractions for 2008 in DW/WWW other than SB flypants" -- big call so what does everyone think? TMB

I agree AlexB. I'm sure we have covered this all before - coat of paint, do up this, do up that.. yadda yadda *Yawn*. Anyhow after the above ramble I think Dreamworld should just work on bringing back the 'magic' the park used to have. I have wondered whether it was just me growing up, becoming more cynical and losing that child-like ability to be excited by anything OR it was Dreamworld becoming a little run down and more revenue driven? I guess that the simple things like bringing back the bush ranger show or the old convicts that used to walk around with ball and chain, or the old quartet singers (they wore red and white stripes from memory) would go a long way. I can remember watching the bush ranger show quite clearly and how the guns used to scare me yet I can't even remember my first ride on the old thunderbolt or enterprise (reef diver)! Any theme park can throw a few cool rides together, however your first experience on the ride is often the best. It's incorporating the more 'human' element which entertains you with unexpected experiences that is as important as the rides. It's these small original human elements which are constantly changing to provide that unique experience and keep you guessing and coming back for more. It would be interesting to analyse the effect of a new $5 Mill. ride or spending that money on a new bush ranger show or various forms of original entertainment (character actors) throughout the park. Would the ride increase attendance over a few months and then leave people with the 'been there, done that' attitude? Would more character actors/shows and other entertainers leave people with the same lasting impressions left with me by the bush rangers. I remember wanting to go to Dreamworld just to ride that 'boring' boat just to see if the bush rangers did something different (not to script), which often happened. It all comes down to the age old clash between the mechanical (ride) vs. the organic (human/animal element). Just remember that 'theming' is just an attempt to hide the boring,repetitive mechanistic nature of a ride with an interesting 'organic' coating. Without sounding too cynical I guess that previous posts have commented that Dreamworld is no more a 'theme' park than Mick Doohan's motocoaster is a 'thrill' ride. I agree that Dreamworld has become more of an amusement park. Would more characters and entertainers add to the theming to return it to what it once was? Personally I think so. TMB

Things are looking grim for the extension. A quick discussion with one of the lifeguards at the little rippers slide was disappointing. He thought that the extension wasn't going ahead in the near future and that all the current construction in the area behind White Water World was due to new engineering or grounds keepers sheds. He also said there might be a few less attractions in the extension than first planned. I drove past the construction area after my day at the park and it certainly just looks like the foundations for a bunch of enclosed areas/sheds...? Just speculation but i've got $10 on nothing new in 6months. TMB

An interesting discussion... Theme parks traditionally cater for the lazy. Everything customers want should be within 1 or 2 minutes walk at least. Now from a 'healthy society' perspective I believe that words like 'lazy' or 'obesity' come to mind but you have to understand that theme park customers pay for this privilege. Apart from the obvious physical appearance (i.e. above photo ;-) ) nobody knows the sorts of physical activity these customers undertake every day. But the cost to the park to install elevators etc would be far too great. First the elevators, then the bigger tubes, then the bigger conveyors for the tubes then thicker slides and support structures etc. You get my point. My only gripe with stairs is always being one step behind and looking straight into the huge dimple ridden, milk white tourist's ass who is complaining about the stairs. Last time it was the hydrocoaster and that queue line moves like a snail race so how can one step every minute be such a physical challenge?? Sometimes I giggle at the thought of a water park making 'those' people run the stairs before queuing at the bottom! Then there would be no complaints about taking one stair every minute. Oh well.... it's a good thing that the rides at the local water parks are actually 'worth' lining up for! It makes it easier to put up with whingers! TMB

Ah Yes Disney has done it - I stand corrected! I wonder if Disney left their theme park goers in the lurch also? Thanks guys TMB

yawn... I guess that perhaps the foam used in the mountain could be a fire hazard and the toxic fumes could kill people before they could get out of the mountain. A fire retardant coating would just be too expensive and very labor intensive. So the ride sits in the 'expensive to fix' and 'too hard basket' right now. I'm probably not too far from the truth as I believe the foam used in the construction of the mountain has come under intense industrial and commercial scrutiny as of late.. wish I could remember the foams exact name so i could include a reference to the article I saw.. A little bit embarrassing to close a popular ride without any proposed outcome or solution for such a LONG TIME. Couldn't imagine Disney doing it! Pity there aren't any MLE board members who are die hard Eureka fans because I'm sure that a fraction of the MILLIONS of dollars that they secured in revenue last financial year could be used to revamp/restore and reopen the ride. I mean Gold Rush country is kind of lacking at the moment and bringing the ride back would boost the theming and attraction to the area. So much time has passed that you could almost open and rebrand the mine ride as a 'brand new attraction'! Hmm... pop quiz - How many people would of preferred $10 Million to go on restoring the Eureka ride rather than building the Motocoaster? Personally (and I'm drawing a long bow here) the Eureka ride provided more thrills and would be a better fit than the motocoaster in the Big 6. And without missing out on that lucrative brand association with famous Australians (i.e. Mick Doohan) you could call it: "Edward Hargraves Eureka Mine Ride" (heheh google him!). Don't forget to revamp the exit so people have to walk through a merchandise shop and check out their photo and all the other t-shirts/cups/hats etc. You could even have small bottles of 'real' gold for sale ala 'Sovereign Hill' (Vic.). There is a potential Gold Mine to be had for Dreamworld if they reopen this ride! (Pardon the pun but it had to be done ;-) ) Overall the solution is simple: Fix, reopen or redevelop the ride. How long does a safety assessment, a few brainstorming sessions and some filled out capital expenditure forms need to be completed? As a max action pass holder I feel that the integrity and value of the brand I'm supporting (Dreamworld) is a little diminished every time I gaze upon that foam mountain and wonder how such an investment can just sit there and gather dust! But I guess this has all been said before.. the saga continues... TMB

hmm, I thought the queue line was pretty simple to navigate. If your having trouble following someone in front of you then I would probably just stick to the Nickelodeon area where queues can be tough to find And in agreement with Richard, people do tend to check their brains in at a theme parks front gate which is an acceptable holiday habit I guess. However I really wish that people wouldn't also check them in before writing forum posts! How about we debate why chewing gum should be banned in theme parks? Or about the number of times a ride operator on the Captain Sturt gets asked "Oh.. don't you have the bush ranger show anymore?" Funny stuff... TMB

eh? It's all played from CDs silly. TMB

Hmm.. I'm a bit concerned about the proposed WWW expansion. A long time has passed since the council application etc and no one (not even the 'insiders') can report what's happening. If anyone has noticed recently, MLE's share price has taken a bit of a nose dive... I wonder if this will stall or postpone any expected expansion? Few company's are eager to throw cash around when their stock takes a hit like MLE's has! interesting... TMB

Just checking out zane's track design - looks awesome but I wonder what sort of launch system would be used? The energy required to send a train around it fast enough would require some heavy duty propulsion.. Anyhow - Motocoaster, definitely marketed as a 'thrill' ride for the whole family. Appealing to a wide market is good business at the moment.. however a REAL big thrill ride is due next year to keep the punters happy! At least the theme parks are building innovative rides! A little competition is a great thing for us! MB

2 things... so the tires are definitely being used as a launch system and not a breaking one? And I guess if they are being used to launch the ride it could then operate in wet conditions unlike the TOT... Even so.. they seem rather archaic... But I guess if the ride experience blows you away.. you don't really care how you start or stop! TMB

Ok, Now was at WWW today and saw 2 smaller bowls almost completed near the Temple Of Huey slides. Look like smaller versions of the RIP (Cannon Bowls?). The slides launch from the TOH tower next to the blue slide. There is also a very large steel frame constructed for some sort of undercover or enclosed rectangular area (I'm guessing) next to these new bowl slides (new ride or function area???). But sorry no pics! TMB

Hey guys, what does heated 'up to' 26 degrees really mean? Because I managed to hit WWW the other day and a few of the pools were NO WHERE near the advertised temps! Has anyone had time to compare the water temps between WWW and WnW?? Would be an interesting experiment TMB

Hmm.. there are actually a few dreamworld ride ops that read this forum for inside information on what might be going on in the park because 'Management' do not usually disseminate secret information to ride operators unless a press release is imminent, or there is a lot of misinformation floating around. The only time a ride op REALLY knows the ins and outs of an attraction is when they are trained on it.. But I really doubt that any senior figure at dreamworld would appreciate any staff member boasting about all the up and coming attractions, especially when that information may only be half true. Releasing information on forums like this to 'test' the market is best suited to senior staff who have been briefed with up to date information on any new attraction. Those of us who work at the park know that it would probably mean our jobs if we broke any sensational (but secret) news before the press releases went out.. take the tiger cubs for example! A lot of staff knew what was happening but it was kept relatively secret so the press could use the story for maximum exposure. For those of us that work in the park it is exciting to know about a lot of the new features and attractions while we watch the rest of you grab bits and pieces of news and work it out for yourselves (and you guys are very good at it!) - Kind of the 'we know something you don't know!' school yard stuff ;-) So I don't really know what pleasure this 'dreamworld ride op' is getting from releasing this information or their reason for it.. hope they don't reveal themselves and lose their job - its hard enough to retain Ride Ops! Either way.. no one REALLY knows about a new ride until they have ridden it themselves! TMB

vortex removal? Flatride... another bigger flowrider??

agreed. perhaps another DW entrance facing the coomera train station after that area has been developed?