pandora440x

Perhaps this is due to the large attendances experienced during the holiday period? Imagine what your park would feel like with our attendance figures!

If I ever recieve bad service from a business I stop going there / using their services. If you find things so bad, why keep visiting? Slick seems to think that the original post by Richard is old news, but this is the way that things work in the business world. Fortunately for staff, the media coverage of Dreamworld's attendances and profitability came at the time park staff were voting on a proposed (new) enterprise agreement. The proposed agreement was rejected. Attendances are up now, profitability is looking good, and the share price is quite strong. At the same time, word around the water cooler is that Dreamworld is looking to spend $50 milion in two years on a new attraction. Spending that amount of money must tighten the purse strings on expenditure of theming, wouldn't you think? I, too, am sick of looking at the state of theming on the major rides. However, I do know that more is going on in the park (and behind the scenes) than most of our visitors would ever notice, even regulars like Slick. I also know that a great deal of effort is being put into improving capacities on rides - an issue which is raised on this website often. This was an issue spoken about again at the last attractions meetings just a week ago. Change takes time, both in the physical and mental sense. I have made posts in relation to capacities and theming on previous occasions. Slick has never spoken to me in regards to anything of any substance really. If you wanted to talk to "experienced" ride operators, you could do a lot worse than me. Don't fall into the trap of believing you know more about the park than me until you have walked in my shoes for 11 years. Slick doesn't even know who I am. I have a whole box full of information for you, petal.

I don't believe that the TOT reduced speed discussed in this thread had anything to do with economics of power comsumption. I have been told that the parks power bill is calculated on peak usage, not actual usage per day. If the TOT shoots, the Wipeout starts, and the Rapid ride pumps are running all at the same time, I think you'll get your peak power consumption. It is my understanding that the TOT has been operating under reduced launch power for reliability issues. Sure, up the power again, but then how many cycles would end up in the back of the tunnel? SLICK wouldn't have a clue what he is on about, and it's refreshing to see Richard once again bring some sense to a thread. One day SLICK will be old enough to work at Dreamworld, and then at least he would have a legitimate excuse for spending EVERY weekend there.

This method of promotion has been used many times before. So has shopper-dockets. There are about 40 different discount promotions on offer at present to varying associations and groups. Drive the gate, make money. It's not personal, it's business.

By length of the station, can you be more specific? I would consider the "station" to be the parked position of the TOT car, or in other words, the length of the car. Therefore I would consider the section of track behind the station to begin at the back of the car, and end at, well, the end. Am I making sense. This is like a Government department... you must ask the exact question to receive the answer you wish to hear. I could ask Bob for answers to the other questions you ask, but why would I go and do that?

Slick wishes he was FIFTEEN!

Yes, previous posts could well have been posted as one, however I have some doubts over the attention span of some members, and posted 3 separate items to make for easier reading. Sometimes one has to do things differently to make a point. For those with greater capacity for reading, I apologise. In response to the TOT sound effects, I do believe that changes are at hand. I don't know when, or what, but planning and costing work is well underway. As for the common sense issues of park guests, I have often mumbled something along those lines of "please check your brain at the door", but honestly, these people are on holidays and park staff shouldn't forget that little point. Holidays for some is a time to relax a little, and not have to think so hard. Of course there is the little shock of entry prices that park guests must get over as they walk through the gates. (That'll be $232 thanks, here's your little bit of paper and map.) International visitors no doubt face language barriers when visiting Australian parks, and I know many Dreamworld staff speak other languages. We even have some staff who have some AUSLAN (sign language) skills. Personally I find language "barriers" interesting, and sometimes even entertaining to a degree. But if one were to observe others boarding a ride, as Wonderbus2003 mentioned, perhaps it ought to be a case of "monkey see, monkey do". Good to see that Big Murph was taken care of when falling ill. That service is one that all guests pay for, but thankfully few ever need to call upon. As Summer arrives some of you may even see Dreamworld's newest Healthcare buggy driving through the park. It's similar to a golf cart. I believe it was used several times last weekend for guests who had fainted. Drink more water, and eat some breakfast, damn it!

Ride seats and restraints are cleaned EVERY day at Dreamworld. Starts at 5am. But it doesn't take long for the harnesses on TOT, Giant Drop, Cyclone, Claw, etc to get nasty. Have you not seen some operators wearing gloves? My biggest concern would be the dirty, filthy people who don't wash their hands after going to the toilet. Why is washing your hands so foreign to boys? (Don't go asking when I was in the boys toilets.)

OBSTRUCTURE, the issue of loose belongings, and their removal/storage is huge! It is, in my humble opinion, THE biggest time waster during the loading of riders. Not to mention the more stubborn riders, who insist that they wear their glasses, or take their video camera with them. This would really get my box open, so I'll stop shortly. It boils down to design, and that wonderful interaction between people. "Hello, welcome aboard the Tower of Terror" (hurry up and sit down, get your belongings organised... why can't you put your hat, glasses and camera in the bag BEFORE you get to this point?) I dream of the day when the desingers involve the opertors in the planning.

THE CLAW - as many of you may have ridden this ride, I was wondering just how the staff working on it could increase capacity. Curently 3 staff are working there each day. Perhaps dreamworld could roster 32 staff, so that each seat has it's own staff member, who will gather your belongings from you (since you are to slow to put them away yourself and/or didn't listen to the announcements) seat you, fasten the belt, and check your harness. Then all 32 staff would have to move to an appropriate area prior to ride operation. Do you now understand the "law of diminishing return? Damn, that would cost a bit, wouldn't it! THE CYCLONE - Ride capacities are limited by physical factors, like the number of seats, cycle times, and the time it takes to load, check, and unload riders. with 3 staff, this ride CANNOT operate any faster. Law of diminishing returns people! Yep, it is a long wait. You aren't the only person here today, so stop thinking that because you post on this forum you have any special entitlements. The staff are working as hard as they can to get you there quickly. Of course, if they were paid a bit better... but that's an on going issue right now. Voting on EBA in 2 weeks!

I must say that I am enjoying the vigour on display in this thread... quite impressive. MORE STAFF - would it really be helpful? There is a point at which adding additional staff becomes inefficient. It's a race between efficiency, cost, and human behaviour. The "law of diminishing returns" definately applies in all situations I have observed where staffing numbers have been incresed. Do any of the learned persons in this forum really believe that if 20 staff worked on the Tower of Terror that things (the queue) would move faster? Of course not. The "pod" is launch capable 45 seconds after parking. Unfortunately it takes longer than that to load riders, ensure that all loose belongings (including sneaky cameras) are away, and that all safety restraints are secure. RIDE SHOOTS. Cycle time is around the mid 30's from launch to park. Wait 45 seconds for computer system, well not really wait because riders have to disembark, collect their belongings, operators move to load next group. This process takes, on average 2 minutes. Perhaps Dreamworld ought to pull out the second pod?

Not if I see you first, Squirt.

Only because of the high-heels you wear.

Will you meet the height restriction, Slick?

Yes, staff of Dreamworld had the opportunity to ride THE CLAW tonight, and will have another opportunity tomorrow. Media and Trade launches will also be taking place over the next few days. It's great to see that this time the newest ride will be more than 60% complete on opening day (Cyclone). And what a fantastic, thrilling, and visually spectacular ride the CLAW is! See you all there soon.

Slick would like us all to believe that he is all powerful. The area he was discovered in is a back-of-house area, and he did not leap into the centre of the Cyclone queue area in a single bound. I'll be amazed if he ever brings along a friend...

Typical male, making assumptions at every turn! The items in question are indeed hydraulic, as Richard deduced. This will always provide for a smooth stop, even in the event of a power outage. This is assuming that the ride is loaded within the limitations of the braking system. The compressed air supply is used on the cable guides found along the sides of the tower. There are three of these on each lift, and their purpose is to retain the lengthy cables. (Think windy conditions.) The original design only provided one cable guide on each lift, however this did not prove sufficient for the length of cable in use, and some of the weather conditions prevalent at Dreamworld. Subsequently an additional guide was added below and above the original guide. One or all three guides can be selected for use, however Dreamworld has opted to use all guides as standard.

According to security logs I understand that Slick was discovered snooping in the area below the Cyclone. He was then escorted back to the GP area of the park where he belongs. Naughtly little boy.

Why is there an air compressor supplying air to the Giant Drop? Pneumatics or hydraulics?

Just to clarify how I collected the ride stats... I went from ride to ride during the afternoon, observed 3 full cycles from dispatch to dispatch, and recorded the times. The averages of these were presented in the rather long post previously. Note that the number of staff working at each of the rides was also included. These observations were during the school holiday period, hence the extra staff.

Yes, it would seem that my maths is in need of some work. i actually thought that I had typed 15 POINT 3 for the population stats (which were sourced from the CIA world book). I guess I am not a robot after all. The correct figure is approximately 14.7 times. I stand corrected. As for official figures... I understand that the Giant Drop signage was due for an overhall. The figures are way overstated, that's for sure. It would not be possible to achieve the figures stated, under any circumstances! The other figures are calculated under ideal conditions, like maximum staff. I must say thought that the absolute higest figures I have ever seen for TOT was 32 shots in an hour. Parks in Australia will never achieve profits like Banks. If anyone has serious suggestions for improvements, I'd love to see them posted. I don't really receive any enjoyment from contributors suggesting that the problems are simple to solve, and then not actually making suggestions. This is why I offered some examples. Oddly enough, there are people who work at Dreamworld (including myself) who would love to see improvements also. After all, who wouldn't want their working life to become easier?

Why has there been no update? Is this a cooling off period, or has the holiday period taken the lime-light for now?

As per my offer yesterday, here are the results of the ride observations I took. The Giant Drop, Tower of Terror, Wipeout and Cyclone were observed for 3 full cycles to determine an average result. I am not familiar with how Richard crunches his numbers for park comparisons (ie: Cedar point etc) so I'll just get on with it. I have also included some of my own suggestions. GIANT DROP The cycle time was measured from dispatch to the return of the catch car. These times can vary depending on encoder and motor settings, which is why there is a difference of west and east times. Drop WEST: 3 min 33 seconds Drop EAST: 3 min 06 seconds These times would return a total of 35 cycles per hour. This has been rounded down to allow for those cycles times which may be slower due to, for example, when larger riders are not able to secure safety belts, or where riders change their minds. Number of staff today: 3 How to increase capacity: 1.Design improvements to motors. The winch motors on Giant Drop have struggled to keep up with the duty cycle asked of them since the ride opened. Oddly enough, the time it takes to load a group, check their harnesses, and ensure that all belongings are away is roughly the same time it takes for the catch car to engage the gondola again. 2.Always have both lifts staffed. TOWER OF TERROR Time intervals were measured from dispatch to dispatch. As many of you would know, the cycle time from launch to park is in the mid 30’s. (seconds) It is well known to operators that average launch intervals are approximately 2 minutes on TOT, assuming that all guests have their belongings sorted out, are seated, and operators check the lap bars quickly. At 2 minute intervals, this provides 30 cycles per hour. It is not unheard of to be below 2 minutes, but that is the exception to the norm. TOT is theoretically launch capable every 45 seconds – that is the interval at which the ride system will allow launch – but this is not attainable when loading and unloading phases are introduced into the equation. Number of staff today: 3 How to increase capacity: 1.With 3 staff, no further reduction in time is possible. I have said it for years – the biggest obstacle to faster launch cycles on TOT is guest belongings. An alternative to the current storage of these items would go a long way to reducing the launch interval below 2 minutes. 2.Always staff the TOT with 3 staff. WIPEOUT Historically the Wipeout has used 2 different ride programs. (Program 4 or 6, which are a good mixture of twists, turns and inversions. They are two of the longer programs in terms of ride duration.) From ride start to park, the “ride running” cycle is 2 minutes 45 seconds. The entire cycle, including load and unload took 6 minutes 20 seconds. Number of staff today: 4 How to increase capacity: 1.Run an alternative program with a shorter duration. I don’t really see this as a feasible option though. 2.Queue line amendments. Doing this, one must be aware of the need to keep waiting guests a suitable distance from moving (and loud) machinery. By amendments, I also refer to an alternative positioning of staff. Guests could then wait within the tunnel for a short period, but then vandalism becomes an issue. Realistically, with a change in the positioning of staff, the Wipeout could run as well with 3 staff as it does with 4. CYCLONE While attending a staff meeting, I once used the term ‘dysfunctional’ to describe the Cyclone queue. This comment was made in the context of asking if operators would have any input into the queue design of the new ride, so that we could learn from past mistakes. Ride run time: 1 minute 48 seconds (to braking) Ride run time to stop in station: 2 minutes 24 seconds. Ride cycle time (includes load and unload): 4 minutes 04 seconds. Number of staff today: 2 How to increase capacity: 1.2 trains, but as I have mentioned in previous posts, this is a fantasy, and isn’t really a tangible alternative at present, if ever. 2.Have a minimum of 2 staff. This reduces the lag time between unloading a ride, and loading the subsequent cycle. This is a really sensitive issue with the operators of the Cyclone, as it is an obvious and indeed simple solution. To have the same impact without additional staff would require specific work to the layout of the Cyclone queue. And I should add that operators had absolutely no say in how the damn queue was to be set up. It now should be obvious to all reading, by reviewing staff numbers on the rides mentioned above, DW has indeed taken steps to increase guest flow through rides during this holiday period. Now I have 6 points which I would like to make: 1.Richard, my eyes are indeed open, as my comments here ought to show, and I thank you for your apology for suggesting otherwise. At no stage have I made remarks which indicate a narrow-mindedness on my behalf. I simply put the challenge to you to make some suggestions of your own, instead of making cheap, unsubstantiated comments. I have dedicated myself to working professionally in this industry for over a decade, and have strived to promote a positive culture with my colleagues over that time. 2.If Warner parks have found a balance between all aspects of business, then I applaud them. I am sure that DW management also believe that they have achieved the same, despite the opinions of some. Competition is a healthy thing, where you can find it. But evidently all is not as rosy at Warner as some would suggest, given the recent industrial action. Nonetheless DW’s industrial moment is possibly on the horizon also. 3.I quote Richard here: “… 15 minute dispatches on Cyclone aren’t cool.” I whole-heartedly agree! Your suggestion that this ride only cycles 4 times per hour is ludicrous. In making this statement you severely tarnished your own credibility. When the ride has only 1 operator, the average cycle time is half of what you suggest. I don’t believe that this is acceptable either, but I have no need to resort to exaggeration – I’d rather stick to the truth. 4.I quote Richard: “You’re not paying to have a good time at the bank.” The purpose of my bank and supermarket examples was to illustrate a dilemma faced by all service providers. That dilemma is to find a balance between cost and service delivery. What you are paying for is irrelevant. (a good time at a theme park, quick secure service at a bank, or speedy efficient supermarket check-outs) What IS relevant is that appropriate steps are taken to up the delivery as circumstances require it. 34 additional ride staff were employed to cater for the increases in demand for these holidays. That number is closer to 80 for December/January trading periods. 5.Thanks for pointing out that “capacity is probably one of the most important aspects to theme park operation.” Personally I would replace “probably” with “undoubtedly”. And it does come at a cost. I’m not sure I know staff in any workplace who work for free. Maybe cheaply, as in this industry, but certainly not for free. I am unable to see that changes to queue arrangements can be made without cost either. And finally, 6. Making comparisons between Disney parks and Australian parks is unbalanced. Sure, let’s all strive to have the capacity at which Disney operates, but is that a tangible goal considering the size of our market here in Australia. It’s old fashioned economics, which I studied while earning my Business degree many years ago. I understand that the population of the USA is 153 times greater than Australia. (19,913,144 AUS versus 293,027,571 USA) In the grand scheme of things, Dreamworld employees strive to deliver good service to guests. I know that there are some staff that could do better, but their numbers are meagre when compared to those who strive to meet the high expectations our guests rightfully have. As the former CEO once said to me: “Stop dumping **** on Dreamworld for just one minute.” Richard, perhaps you should heed the same advice

Wow Richard, look at you go! I'll make some observations tomorrow on the following rides: Giant Drop, Tower of Terror, Cyclone, Wipeout. I'll then report the observed capacities of these rides tomorrow (Tuesday) night. These capacities will include the operating cycle time (broken down into ride time, load and unload times), and the daily guest numbers based on these cycle times. I will then have my say for the final time on the capacity debate. I actually joined this web site to have some fun, and learn what other theme park fans thought. So far, however, it seems that you think I just want to defend DW, which isn't my aim in my own time. Next post tomorrow night...

Hit it on the head, friend. There has to be a balance, and there is. Just because it's a balance you don't like, dosen't mean that the people charged with the responsibility of finding that balance have got it wrong. How about the waiting periods during February? You don't hear anyone complaining about the "balance" then? I think that it's something to think about the next time you are standing 3 deep at the supermarket, while 50% of the checkouts are closed. Or the bank. Welcome to the revolution!