MickeyD

Great idea! I agree that with minimal investment a few things could be tweaked with Scooby, to better connect it to the ongoing and clearly very successful franchise. Unfortunately such an investment wouldn't sell any more tickets and perhaps for this reason I wouldn't expect any major changes here for some time yet. On the other hand you can bet that the old Tune Shed will be the site of MW'S next major attraction. I can't help but think there are some lingering regrets in head office surrounding the perhaps hasty decision to shelve the Tune ride without first having a clear plan for it's future. The ridiculous irony afterall that when it does oneday again throw open it's doors, my bet is Bugs and friends will once again have a headline attraction for the park that will perhaps have a similar family friendly appeal as Scooby/wild west. I am quietly thrilled that folks up top came to their senses about the driving school - the most unimaginative and pathetically executed concept and replacement to a once beloved family favourite

Coupled with the fact that mattcrombie seldom spins shit and we only usually hear from him when he has actual news to share, I gotta say my ears pricked up and I started paying attention to this thread for a moment.. speaking of,does this now need to be split off into one of the other many sea viper threads?

Yup - unlike Dreamworld, Dreams are still free

Awesome cheers for the info too Jobe! The curled crowns above each carriage are certainly reminiscent of the Cascade version that I recall which from memory was chrome, black with orange coloured bulbs atop the crowns. Its a fun ride to watch in action. I suspect safety concerns might have been an issue and could never undersrand why the Gravitron spinner superseeded this which imo was a far superior and more exciting spinner. Thanks again for the memories!

Dude you're spot on - i didnt think there was one left out there so thanks for helping me find this classic spinning beast:)

I just had a fond flashback of a travelling Carnival ride from the 80s circa that I recall titled 'Cascade'. From memory, it consisted of 2 rotating platforms connected by a central base that also spun. Riders would stand up against half sections of each turn table with no safety restraints. Similar to the Gravitron, the ride would spin very fast with riders around the outside, facing in, no restraints -only there were bars either side of you to grasp. The turn tables would lift up to around 45 degrees and somehow 'dance' and intertwine with one another in a rather random fashion. Can anyone tell me what this ride system was and if this ride system still exists? It seemed to have disappeared around the same time the Gravitron made it's debut. I would love to see one of these very unique Carnival Spinners still in Operation if anyone knows more I would be most grateful Thanks guys Mikey

Hey peeps sadly today is the last Hollywood stunt driver show in it's current format with a cast and crew hired by WBMW - moving forward the show will be ran by outside contractors. A sad day today for those people who are looking for work - it's not exactly an industry offering many full time opportunities. I can't say I'm an admirer of many HR decisions made within the Village workplace in recent times, it seems that the Bean counters have been given free roam of the place.. Anyways, best of luck to the crew of the show and in your future endeavours

So glad this has been raised now. The timing is perfect for Management to finally have a few good reasons to pull their finger out and actually do something about what really can be a simple and cheap fix by following a few quick and easy steps: * remove the stupid gate * rework the entire plaza menu and look outside the square and offer some more perhaps healthier and/or 'enticing' dining options * fill the shops with more stuff that people want to buy, like tasteful and useful souvenirs that wont wind up on mantels covered in dust or boxes in forgotten about There was once a time when that gate only closed when the train rolled by. The plaza has been there since before Lassiters and was part of a master project that was hatched to float SW property trust shares. At the time this was bundled with the resort next door together with SW aviation and other emerging projects up the road at the then failed Oxenford studios and "Folkworld" theme park projects..The other part "Seaworld Wharf" was never built - Shark bay wound up there many years later, thankfully.. My point is that so much has changed since they locked that gate.. ( back in the mid 90s? ) that how on earth could they possibly know removing it 20 odd years later WONT affect their precious retail and food sales? If they were that concerned they should stop worrying about a stupid gate and think about more pressing issues like giving visitors a reason to open their wallets and spend - make them want to rather than feel like they have to. I last visited a few months ago. It was a sunday and the park was busy. We decided to eat at the same time everyone else did and spent the last hour of our day basically shunted slowly back to the front gate because there was literally nowhere to sit in the plaza, dockside or entry dining places. It would take 5 minutes to walk up and get an overpriced burger meal but where do u sit and try to enjoy it??? For 20 bucks u atleast want a table and chairs.. Fed up, we left and grabbed some maccas on the way home.. Yes this was a busier than average day granted but VIP passes have certainly done their job in keeping turnstiles spinning out record profits year in/ year out for vtps. I think its high time they take a closer look at the way their parks flow operationally and respond more appropriately to the changes that they are ultimately responsible for. Perhaps management needs some new blood in the ranks before the dinosoars become extinct

^ actually Seaworld has been here for many more years than DW.. Just saying

Marketing once again seem to be doing a great job at over-hyping Storm, promoting it as Australia's greatest rollercoaster yet. Fact is, the reality of it will not stand up to such hype. I dont really get why it's being promoted this way because if people believe what they are saying they will only be disappointed. This is going to be a great ride for what it is but shouldnt be getting promoted to be something that its not. Im disappointed that the entire area wont be submerged with floating boats, containers and other junk. It should be floaded to reflect the chaos as seen in a storm and I believe that if it was the whole area would have a much more exciting and kinetic feel to it. And oh yes, VTPs make more than enough to pull off something a little more spectacular than what is emerging. They always start with such a grand vision until the budget cuts kick in and lower the bar. Sadly they truly do have the capacity to do it but in reality they know all too well that spending more, wont make them any more money. Just cost them more unnecessarily

if they have had a change of heart to hold off and cancel the mini cars driving school in favour of planning for something bigger and better then I will applaud that some hairbrain up top has had some good sense kicked into him. If it is still happening my bet this will be a short team filler attraction just to keep the punters happy until the site is used for the major family friendly attraction it is so perfect for. How on earth they came to the conclusion this is / was a good idea is astounding?? Not to mention these people involved in the design of never having worked first hand on speedy's taxis or taz cars.. Ask any ride op at movieworld.. Worse jobs in the parks, parents seem to think its cute watching their kid get stuck whilst the poor ride op gets increasingly infuriated. Then times that by the number of other toddlers all trying to work out what to do.. No I do not miss that at all!!! PLEASE MW CANCEL YOUR PLANS FOR THE STUPID DRIVING SCHOOL AND LEAVE THE SITE UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO RETURN BUGS AND THE GANG WITH A FAMILY RIDE THAT HAS THE DIGNITY AND PRESENCE THE BRAND DESERVES!!!

Wow I bet this topic is going to get some attention! Whilst attending a conference over the past week I have heard from a few people that Dreamworld is going out of business and at serious threat of being shuttered permanently. I must say as a Theme Park nut this got my attention - and not for the right reason. Dreamworld can't close? Surely not.. Or could there be any truth to such a rumour? I sincerely hope not, that would be a very sad day indeed. Knowing how volatile Theme Parks can be, this could sadly indeed be a reality. Many years ago the iconic Castle & Magic Mountain was stripped from the Gold Coast skyline forever in favour of some of the ugliest apartments the city has ever seen - and Mercilessly so at the hands of John Longhurst's new little piece of Disneyland Down under. There simply wasnt room for a dated kiddie-oriented Park that was tiring to navigate with its countless flights of stairs over what Dreamworld had to offer. Magic Mountain was dead. Fast track 30 odd years and could it be a case today of the Hunter has now become the Hunted? Will the Rabbit have Kenny Koala's head mounted on the wall above his desk?

I 100% echo this sentiment.. Sorry MW this is a LAME REPLACEMENT and an INSULT to a Classic Dark Ride.. I'm sorry but this whole idea is totally unimaginative and very DW in it's execution... It simply does not reflect the work of the Park's Creative group.. shame shame shame.. All I can hope for now is that it will only take up a tinsy portion of the building with something bigger and better planned for the rest of it..

True but I completely agree with Richard on this one.. Hippos and Crocodiles for the most part are boring, lifeless animals spending more than 95% of their time just sitting there not moving. Especially during daylight hours. - One of the reasons why Walt Disney opted for the "Animatronic" version for his Jungle cruise back in 1955 after being advised that during typical park hours most wild animals would be sleeping. If this is what this attraction is going to be, hardly seems "wild" to me.. Mind you I would look forward to seeing these animals in a Jungle environment as is depicted in the artwork but I can't see that for the amount of money such a venture would cost, that it would return a worthy dollar on it's investment

Personally, if what they are planning is a ride described as a 'kids' ride - and not even a 'family' ride is a travisty - not to mention insulting to the magical concept of its predecessor. Also if this is to take up only a section of the building then what for the rest of it? I am really disappointed by this news and now can only hope this will be good for what it is. For a location that has the greatest potential for the Park's flagship family dark ride and then they do this? I would have much preferred it sat there gathering dust another year

Put a soarin type ride/show in there, showcasing Australia. Problem fixed.

^ that was formerly the Neverending Story ride when the park was wbmw Germany

wild west cost about this much, granted that was a long time ago but so long as the return on investment is justifiable then worth while. Besides I am sure they could still do something like this around a budget that would fit and regardless, its always nice to speculate. Dreams are free!

perhaps the roof height could be raised to accommodate a faster flowing ride, atleast part of it? I have an idea of an ACME splash factory thats very colourful and comically industrial. I wonder how feasible it would be to have circular rafts fitted with say a dozen or so basketball-sized steel balls that would allow them to roll through sections assisted by booster wheels, belts and just gravity? kick things off with an assent followed by a coaster type sequence, along the East side of the building followed by a rapids circuit featuring whatever show scenes the story of the ride is telling and capping it off with a second assent (vertical) leading to the finale splashdown with the rafts emerging from the top of the west side of the building, splashing down around the front (relocate the splash play area and carousel). noise wouldnt be an issue as it would face the park. Gazza I bet you could come up with a wicked idea for this! Wouldnt be cheap but I reckon a 20 mil budget could produce something pretty kick arse!

^ you can forget a woodie going there- not unless its an indoor one and why would any Park ever do that? Either that or they buy a couple of whole streets behind and bulldoze the houses first? Yup, not gunna happen. I agree it will still be a some time yet before anything happens but sooner or later it will! For those of you who know me on here I hope you agree I am often pretty good at predicting whats in store. You may have also probably recognised the future of this attraction is my favourite Parkz topic. I really really hope they dont fuck this one up and the fact that its taking so long before a decision is made gives me confidence they will do a fantastic job. I predict: - it will be a dark ride - it will be a family thrill ride - it will still be Looney tunes based So what type of ride? Based on whats out there and assuming family thrills would be the formula, im going narrow my guess down to one of 3: - rollercoaster ( featuring spinning cars or other unique twists like vertical lifts, track switches etc) - motion base dark ride - white water rapids ride Assuming that by some wild stroke of luck I am on the right path my bet would be a rapids ride would win out over these 3. A motion base thrill ride would be just too expensiveif done right and Scooby already fills the indoor coaster need plus the park coaster quota is already pretty dam good as it is. A rapid ride offers a balance to the park line up while offering a much needed family thrill adventure ride. I envisage an ACME factory where guests shortly after boarding the circular rafts are lifted up into a twisting coaster-like sequence that would be a totally new design for this ride system. animatronics dont really work for rapids rides when your bouncing down whitewater and going past too quickly to properly engage in show scenes but in such a ride as this these sorts of things could be enjoyed in the sections when the pace of the ride is controlled. There is so much potential here and if anyone can do it right its the creative guys at VTP. Keep in mind I am just day dreaming about what I would like to have happen here. Call it an educated guess. I dont honestly know for a fact but sometimes some people say and suggest shit thats just ridiculous. And shit to be honest, but no offence hey? ;-)

Hey all, I had the pleasure of visiting Dreamworld last week for the first time in years and here are my thoughts. GENERAL Overall, the Park is looking quite lovely. Very colourful, bright, clean and fun! The purpose of my visit was work-related and I was with a large group. Challenging to tour a theme park with 15 others is an understatement at best! Not surprisingly everyone in the group had visited Dreamworld many times before but probably not nearly as many times as I. A critical eye is what I look at the place with - as I do with all Parks I visit because I take them seriously but cannot say the same for the rest of my group me for that matter, the public in general. Nobody else seemed to notice the Captain Sturt had disappeared, the river is getting festy, the water quality at the log ride was diplorable, the beams from the old chair lift remain and the eureka mountain had sprouted weeds as it continues to decay. its almost as if the new Dreamworld has been sort of 'thrown' over the top like a blanket over a bed. As the paint fades you can see the old reminders beneath. Its a somewhat nostalgic reminder of what once was and I dont entirely object to it. like I said, most people dont even notice things like that. FOOD & BEV I love how they have turned the plaza into a kind of food court that offers a perfectly central place to eat with good variety. Prices (as with all Aussie parks) outrageously high at 15 bucks and above for a standard burger combo and the worsed lunch I had ever had in a Theme park. Yuck! The fries were soggy and burger tasted like it had been sitting there for ages. I dont object to paying 15 bucks for a burger, but when its served to you like that? Come on DW Lift your game here!! If aussie parks want to increase their per cap spend they need to be offering a better quality product - especially nowadays with cheap local passes. PARK STAFF DW staff are always friendly and cheerful. They come across to me as the underdogs and compared to their Village neighbours their act is less polished and perhaps more 'real'. In recent times I cant say that my service experience with Village staff has been particularly favourable. Generally they seem more abrupt or is it just that they are all so much more busy nowadays they forget to smile? DW staff have always shown a 'can do' attitude. There is a sense of pride and always has been. RIDES Wow! There are so many nowadays! Spinandspews galore!!! You really can forgive them mothballing a few when there is so much else to do. Buzzsaw was fun but I wouldnt have wanted to wait too long. Bloody low capacity cycle rides. Just as well DW has so many to soak up the crowds. Tower of terror is much better and its good to see the lighting show is being well kept. Pandamonium is quite sensational but does make people sick. take their advice and keep your head back. I didnt, let the forces pull me to and fro and wound up with a headache for the rest of the day. I reckon its currently the most full on thrill there. The restraints on the Claw are too restrictive. I am 6 foot two and broad shouldered and could barely clip the seatbelt into the harness. Have had the same problems before with those totally unnecesary kumback restraints on sea viper and will never ride these again because of this. The new show scene in the cave of the rapids seems to be a nod to The mine ride but deary me what a shit job someone did of their faces! A shame there isnt really anything to look at in the jungle anymore. The water quality at the log ride is unsanitary and the boats were all at least an inch deep of water. It really wasnt at an acceptable operating standard. WILDLIFE EXPERIENCE AND TIGERS Just beautiful. I always enjoy the animals of DW and love a chat with the keepers. They always have great stories to tell and clearly love what they do! SAFETY Sorry DW but you make me cringe about your unsafe practices in the workplace! Most accidents that have occurred in the park's history are resulted by human error. All of them could have been avoided with the proper systems and procedures in place. Requesting someone to wear a shirt on a ride is pretty standard but not at DW. I also witnessed an incident at the log ride involving a barely two year old child that could have turned into a terrible accident. Its just a matter of time for someone to get hurt again and again, could be avoided with the correct training and procedures in place. Will they ever learn? WHITEWATERWORLD I didnt go in but gees, it looking like it needs a coat of paint!! WIGGLESWORLD Very cute for little ones but I guess will need updating soon with the new group. I cannot understand why they replaced the country bears with what they did. They could have at least re imagined it to a Wiggles theme. Oh well. Overall a great day out with loads to do and plenty of rides to get sick from with an enjoyable balance of animal exibits and sights. A bit more focus on improving Operation procedures and the standard of food would go along way! Thanks for reading!!

- Magic Mountain (especially at night with all the lights over the Paratower & Waveswinger) - Grundy's Ghost Train - World Expo Park And more recently.. - Looney Tunes River Ride - Bermuda Triangle

Couldnt agree more with this. That gate has pissed me and just about everyone else off royally for too long. Simple solution = fuck it off SW!! There is no where else nearby to get a feed, people will still go there to eat! Atleast re-trial it open for a few weeks, I am sure their precious $pp cap will not differ. The train aint comin back anytime soon

Along with the classic Wave Swinger ride, this imo is one of the most underrated flats out there. Absolute shame that DW's version was never operated as it was designed. The U.F.O I believe is still doing the rounds at fairgrounds only because its over the guy's shoulder in the ad for Dare iced coffee - personally I havent seen it since I was a kid. Has anyone else ridden this type of ride at full intensity? I always loved how it had multiple operating formats including coin flip with spin/no spin/no flip/backwards/forwards etc.. Would love to see one of the big ride companies re-create this unique thrill ride only maxing it up as has been done with the wave swinger

Wow ! 500 million bucks is more than 5 times the original building cost of any one of our big GC parks?!?! Seriously what a ludicrously shit idea and how very Clive Palmer