MickeyD

Ah yes we can always count on the good old Roxy Theatre bringing out a new attraction in an otherwise slow growth year for MW - always a welcome refresh! And to those of you oversized big kids out there wanting a shot at looking ridiculous by begging for a go on the kiddie cars, maybe it's time to pack those Transformers away in the toy box and let the Littlies have their moment in the spotlight? Still feel like you're missing out? Then maybe a job in Operations is for you! Whilst being a part of a new ride's launch'crew' has historically been an honour and a priveledge amongst the MW button pushers, perhaps this will be one role to err ' buck the trend'? Put it this way, If my supervisor wanted to 'reward' me with opening month in the driving school i think id be sick.. At least you would get to drive those cars around right? Particularly during morning testing - during the day it's handed over to the Littlies to run riot like gremlins tearing up mini movie world town whilst the poor Ride Attendants slowly go batshit crazy over the course of the day. Only to do it all again tomorrow.. and the next day.. and the next day.. Think I'm overreacting? The idea of Tijuana taxis on steroids is no laughing matter to someone in the know

Have a read around the other topics guys, I posted about this recently. You're right, mid 90'S it happened around the rocky hollow bridge where the track switch is located

^ sorry if I sounded defensive haha no, just trying to tie in what was going on at the time, maybe jerk someone's memory out there? Trouble is theme park nuts like us didn't really exist back then - maybe I'm just plain weird remembering shit like this. Vast majority of people really wouldn't care enough about this kind of stuff to remember it Yup, definitely weird;-)

^ exactly! As the ride's signature feature is 'interactivity', that which makes it unique amongst all other aussie park rides unwillingly disconnects a willing audience from truly being part of the experience. I've even said it before as so many others who WANT to love JL more. I make a point to ride whenever I visit wanting to enjoy the experience yet always felt unsatisfied. Animatronics, scenes, audio, lighting - all a stella job by any standard. So what could be the issue? Every time I rode, if anything the show just got better but still something was missing? Then it dawned. You need a great system that connects the ride with the game and game to the player. And in true MW style, it needs a surprising, exciting finale that's unexpected and the highlight of the experience. Something that makes people go WOW and talk excitedly amongst themselves as they exit.

I agree that a complete lack of suitable marketing let the ride down, from memory it never had its own advertising campaign - unlike the lead up to Batman adventure - easily the most hyped new ride experience aside of the entire MW park. Marketing aside, the ride just lacks the BANG! that people hope to experience. The loading area is exciting and sets expectations high. The usability of the shooting system itself is, IMO the MAJOR disappointment. You just can't feel accurately the results of your actions, making the action feel unconvincing and a little awkward. I believe this could still be upgraded / improved, only if it thought a worthy investment. As Flea said, the flat finale ends the ride with a whimper leaving most riders feeling a little wtf.. I love the scenery and animations throughout etc, really impressive.. Just a few relatively basic enhancement to give the ride the surprise finale it deserves (wind, motion, bass, smoke etc) All this aside it would appear our JL will have a clone coming soon to a USA 6 flags park..

Interesting that no such articles showed up? The train crash was on the front page of the GC bulletin (slow news week??) and like I said, we has the clippings displayed in the 'chap' office as we used to call it behind the roxy. I can only assume the incidents occurred mid 90'S and as Alexb suggested may have influenced the decision for airgates on future coasters. Like I said a young female was involved in the Thunderbolt incident and train driver was the only major injury that resulted in his subsequent hospitalisation (airlifted as I recall). All I can suggest is maybe verify this with someone else who worked at DW (or even MW management) at the time?

Sure! I can tell you some about these incidents, if it bleeds, it leeds so say the media ;-) - The Cannonball express accident happened during park hours when the second train was being fed onto the track. As the operating train full ofhappy Guest's passed Blue Lagoon, rail house and turning right under Rocky Hollow Bridge it was jacknifed by the other train that was being switched onto the main circuit. The operating train was shunted off to the right driver side and other passenger rail cars also thrown on their side The train driver was airlifted to Hospital with suspected neck injuries. Noone else was badly injured, I believe This happened around the mid 90'S The Thunderbolt accident occurred when a waiting female rider fainted, fell forward and onto the track at the loading platform and was cleaned up by the oncoming train returning to the station. I believe it pushed her some way down from where she fell outside the control booth. For whatever reason, there was no attempt made to estop the ride and avoid her injuries (busted ribs from memory?) Lucky the girl wasn't killed.. Not surprisingly, both incidents made the news. After that accident, riders would have to wait back in the queue and counted through only after the train was stationary Air gates were eventually installed yet the practice of keeping riders off the station platform remained in place regardless I remember we had these newspaper ads on display at the fishbowl staff noticeboard when I worked in ops at MW. A reminder of how not to run a theme park perhaps? Unfortunately for DW, they always seemed to be good at making the news for all the wrong reasons and as the competition, we liked them to know it ;-)

^ I heard a rumour that MWs gremlins ride cars and track system was the Queensland Pavilion.. Anyone else hear that one?

Awesome find Jobe! I love this picture - it really shows off the impressive scale of the Big Dipper, fitting the park like a glove and looking so much larger against the comparably diminutive landscape than at DW

^ good point! I've always been a fan of the piped audio that MW has all throughout the park - a little annoying for staff but truly add to the atmosphere. DW needs an audio atmosphere - something that the park (sw too) have always lacked

Omg Jobe thanks for sharing those pics - I haven't seen those shots of Supernova before??? That and Centrifuge are they both still operating? Supernova was a terrific rollercoaster. Not Space Mountain by any stretch but a really fun ride that with just a million bucks spent on it, could have really enhanced the experience Still no reply back from the expo people on Alien Encounter but I think I may have found the ride's designer - a Melbourne based company named 'Camac Australia'. I would love to get my hands on the design and photos of the ride and will be sure to share them on Parkz once I do! - Maybe with Richard's consent and perhaps Jobe, you might be keen to help with a series of front page article's on Aussie Parks of yesteryear?

All sledging aside,I am absolutely thrilled with what DW has been doing and their plans to reinvigorate the Park. Food at DW has a reputation for being just plain revolting. I have no problem paying the extra $$$ for Theme park food but cannot abide paying big bucks for something absolutely below par. Improved food, refreshed classic rides,improving queues withentertainment on TV's and guest flow through child swap, single rider's and existing Q4U, coupled with the introduction of unique new 'Twirly' (-haha Twirly!!) are all signs that DW has finally woken up to the needs of their business by focusing on massively improving their product and image. If they keep this up, tomorrow is looking very bright indeed! I'm gunna even put my money where my mouth is and get a season pass.. Can't believe I just said that!!!

I'm interested to see how SW America plans to introduce their brand to foreign shores using our perhaps more 'ecologically aware and responsible' Australian brand. I'd say this is a very positive and intelligent move for them to work their brand toward improving face in the public eye, using a tried and true formula that has been embraced by Asian holiday makers to the GC for decades. - That in itself is the challenge. Our Sw is loved by our Eastern international visitors fundamentally for it's parkland feel and ambience that is not something that can easily be recreated on foreign shores, no doubt. Such a partnership is for the growth of Sw venues into Asia, with the creative influence of our VTP vision. It will have no connection to the GC Park's, which atleast for now will remain under the same VTP umbrella

Haha except expo88 didn't have a ferris wheel :-P

Awesome thanks man I have emailed them and appreciate your acknowledgement! I'll be sure to report back if and when I hear back

Im wondering if anyone can find some more details on this amazing Dark ride. Here is what I can remember of it: - the ride operated from the beginning of World Expo 88 in April and was destroyed by fire in June 1988. Rumour has it this was the 2nd fire - the first whilst being built before it even opened! - 4 people were taken to Hospital from smoke inhalation and hundreds more were evacuated safely at the time. - it was reportedly destroyed due to an electrical fire, however long rumored sabotaged for the insurance dollars - the ride was easily the most popular Attraction and easily attracted 2 hour+ waits. Being a dark ride, it was one of few attractions that families could ride together. So why was it never rebuilt? - If Alien encounters was not destroyed/ replaced, could this have been the magic bullet needed for the Fun Park to survive after Expo? It lasted little more than a year after the expo curtain fell in september. We will never know.. I was just 13 years old when I got to ride, one and only ever time. It was in fact the night before the ill faited fire that would forever make it forgotten. Ill tell you what I remembered. The front of the ride had a bare painted wall that had the ride's title shown in a bolt of lightning, above it's entrance. Once inside you would navigate narrow staircases and winding corridors that seemingly went forever. The walls were plain, dark with murals of alien faces displayed randomly. These murals wound up inside the queue for Supernova dark roller coaster, after the fire. The queue moved painfully slow and partly because of capacity, but mostly because there were continued estops due to fire effects inside the ride. Yup, fire effects! After probably 2 hours waiting I finally reached the station. The trains seated just 2, white painted cars with a single bar that would clamp down over the waist. Your feet and rest of your body left very exposed to what lay ahead. As you rounded a black lit landscape entering a cave, snakes hung from a slimy tunnel above and air effects insued. Suddenly and without warning a great big dinasoar like head shot out from the side blasting flames at you from its mouth. These types of jumps occurred over and over as you descended into the slimy dark caverns. I remembered then reaching a crashed space ship set which the train explored. The sounds of beating and steam as well as critters off in the distance together with the dim lighting really built the suspense. I was genuinely shitting my pants and as much as I loved it, really couldn't wait for it all to end. I felt so isolated and think that is what made this such a genuinely terrifying experience. The ride ended with a rather dull chain lift back to the station. I exited perhaps 2.5 hours after entering the building, and to my parents fury!! The very next day the ride was destroyed by fire I have such surprising memories of this ride, it truly made an impact with me. Now more than 25 years later I am keen to find out more about it. Who designed the ride. Was a similar model built elsewhere and of course I ask of any of you fellow Dinasoar parkz members like me have any memories of this? To my account, this is about as much as anyone has ever remembered of this iconic ride. I would dearly love to find out more information on it!!

Here you go Parkzpeeps :-D

Interesting Joz I wonder if it would be possible for a Kumbak train could operate alongside an original?

- Or maybe purchasing a such train for Cyclone could help offer the same magic fatal bullet to bring the ride down too? I know it was hardly the main reason for seaviper's demise, most here will agree that the ride was never as good after the Kumbak changeover. Hardly an improvement, more the opposite

"don't say oneday - that day will never come"

Looks great but I was hoping to see water running down the wave? From previous updates it looked like the outlet pipes are still up there? The water level in the pool looks too low and the row of jets at the back? That's different! They used to be at the front, maybe about 3 of them? I remember the riders on either end would get absolutely drenched from those. These new ones seem to be the same kind as is featured on the main splash down at WWF and provide more of a spray than a soak Overall I'm thrilled to see the effort DW is putting in and really chuffed how they are turning their attention to revitalising the favourite parts of the park! I noticed in the Sunday Mail article it was mentioned that the new ride and slide were a part of the Park's current 2.5 million dollar investment program.. Wtf? Is this a typo? So a new ride, new slide and 2 basically rebuilt classics? - all for 2.5 mil?

I for one loved it! For me it was the most intense ride in the park, but yeah it can leave you feeling pretty wooozie

Tbh I never saw an ad actually showing Pandemonium off. Last time I visited DW it was new and I was there for a business planning day, Noone in my group of 20 new it existed up until that point, except me. The ride had a rather negative effect on quite a few in the group, who chose to make it their last ride for the day.

There have actually been a number of accidents at DW over the years. As far as I can think of all of them could have been avoided with the proper training and better systems in place. Despite the Park's age and numerous owners over the years, they have always maintained their 'private' and in-house ways of doing things their own way. The 'competition' on the other hand have always very much learned and educated themselves following the success of overseas parks, ensuring they are ahead of the game. I believe it's something to do with core values of how they run their park. They have always maintained their beliefs that their park is the best and they are the market leaders, so never saw the need for help or guidance from others.. Hmmmmm. ?

Yes Mista Reanimated35?