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ThemeParksAustralia

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  1. Since reading your post, ads086, I have been looking into how Movie World operates those water jets. Contrary to your post, Movie World does in fact alter the temperatures of the water to easily relate to the weather at that time. In summer, the water isn't heated at all, however in winter (or going into winter) the water's temperature is risen by about 4 degrees ©. I decided to give Movie World a call and what I got from them about the 'out-of-sync' issue was that it was in fact a genuine issue with timing. The jets do use a sensor (they say it's not an IR sensor but something similar) and the sensor is activated by weight on the bottom of the track. Now they didn't actually say this, but I'm guessing that the cycle was compromised of mostly lighter people, or, on the other extreme, it was heavier people who have forced more water down the drop before them and the sensor has been activated that way. Whether or not I have described that well enough, I would say it's a timing thing. Whether it was timing as in purposeful timing for some reason to get the jets up early, or accidental timing mishaps to cause the jets to release water early, I'm not entirely sure. Going on what Movie World says though, it looks like it was accidental and not something that was meant to be part of the cycle. They did assure me that it happens more than most people realise, so that's probably why to them it wasn't a big deal.
  2. Yep, the Submarine Voyage was down and out without anybody knowing what was going on for a long time before it's reopening as Finding Nemo. I think as far as the Eureka Mountain Mine Ride is concerned, though, 'left in the lurch' is an understatement. There has been NO news, either official or rumour, within the last year or so, and there's a whole heap of juggling reports of "carts running" and "drilling" and "refurbishing" etc., it's just not making a very clear cut discussion. Dreamworld is partly at fault here. They have given no leads, no clues..nothing as to what is happening on the site of the ride or future development. Contacting staff or management there is just as helpful as asking a telephone call centre operator about the mechanics of a car. They give us nothing. It seems to me as if this ride is getting a lot of the spotlight only because no-one's sure what's going on with it. I say let the subject be until we actually have some information or news to work with.
  3. With all due respect Richard, what you're saying here is not making sense. You say they can't throw money at the attraction to outdo the competition. Where on earth did that come from? If a theme park puts extra money into any attraction, ride or experience, it has the potential to be a better ride/attraction/experience, yes? Now, regardless of whether it's a ride or attraction, it can be 'better than' the competition. There's no 'attractions are harder to make better than rides'. They're on even par. Sure, an attraction may be based on intangible aspects, but there are many of them and I feel you have misled people to read your post as if there aren't many things an attraction's experience can be based on compared to a physical ride's features (higher, faster, longer, more forceful etc). In 'I can have an opinion' manner, I'm simply going to say I don't feel your post has hit the nail on the head. An attraction can most certainly outdo competition by putting money into it. There are so many elements to it that most people won't consciously percieve: seating, view, actual performances, theming, extras etc. When you expand your 'intangible' aspects, they very easily balance with the physical aspects of a ride that people encounter which allow 'better than' to have its effect.
  4. AlexB, that would be a perfect reason. How obvious is that?! It's members such as yourself who think a little more in-depth that give us the answers that have "oh, how come I didn't think of that?" material. Thanks buddy. Having only worked at Dreamworld, I can't comment on the actual procedures for Movie World's water rides and the weather at that time, but I know that during winter, it was compulsory for the Log Ride at Dreamworld to have 'heated' water (it didn't feel heated, but it was warmer than normal water that would normally be at the bottom of the ride). The reason I didn't immediately jump to that conclusion for Movie World is because Dreamworld's procedure is (or was when I was there, and most likely still is...15 years is a long time. God knows what's changed), only to heat the water when winter hit. The process of heating the water wasn't enforced during Autumn and therefore I didn't immediately think that the climate had anything to do with it. I feel for water parks and water ride ops these days, because now if a patron gets a cold, the park can get in trouble. I'm not sure exactly what law it is but it has something to do with wilfully harming a guest at the park. It must be very difficult to operate a water ride at a theme park nowadays, what with making sure the water's not too cold but not too hot and stressing the importance of wrapping up after the ride in winter. Anyway, that's a completely different argument.
  5. This is something that has been suggested to Dreamworld on various occasions. It's also something they seem pretty strict on NOT producing. I think when it gets down to it, Dreamworld doesn't want to seem like a 'rival' desperate to be better than Movie World. They probably know that sticking to what they do best, rather than competing with other parks, is the important thing. Movie World does the shows and movie themed rides well. Dreamworld does just about everything else well. It would be petty competition if Dreamworld was to produce and present shows just to get even with Movie World. As it is, Dreamworld usually has massive New Years' parties and various events going on throughout the year. It's highly unlikely that a permanent, performance-based show will become part of Dreamworld's development. Like I said before, they know it would seem like feeble competition. The closest you're going to get to a 'show' at Dreamworld is the Slime Time performance. I don't think it's their priority. It gets back to what I said before about sticking to what they do best. Dreamworld isn't a show park, it's a ride park. They've always had that reputation and it's not going to change just because a theme park down the road has a show going on. Hopefully, Dreamworld will remain number one for rides and attractions, and not a desperate number two copy-cat for stunt shows or performance shows.
  6. There have been a few lies and a few truths stated in these posts. In the defence of www_worker, I'm going to make it clear here and now that the Mine Ride was operating, without people, for a very short time (I think it was just over a span of two days). The carts would do the cycle and there would then be absolute silence. I'm not going to jump to any conclusions and say 'yes, it's reopening' or 'no, it's not reopening'. But www_worker is not at fault when he stated that the carts have done cycles since its closure. What this means, whether it's a positive or negative thing, is now irrelevant. The area has been locked down for that long that surely anyone with half a brain would realise it's not just a temporary 'closure'. I think it's safe to assume, not make it fact, that Eureka is down for good. "There were undoubtedly problems with the ride that led to it being closed, a lot of which I'm sure Dreamworld is not willing to have released to the public." The ride was suffering from wear and tear well before it closed, and I guess the only legitimate reason for actually closing the ride would have been something going wrong etc. Because these details haven't been released, and no-one in here is in a position to state the reasons (because no-one really knows), I think that statement was true. Dreamworld staff and management probably were hesitant to release information on the closure. If they weren't, I'm guessing someone would know. Since no-one does, let's just assume that it's just at Dreamworld's discretion as to why the ride closed. Bikeman, I don't know where you get your information, but it has to be a good source. Problem is, this source is probably lying to you. Like a lot of people, I have been in touch with Dreamworld as well and posed a simple question - what is it with the Mine Ride and is it reopening? Let's make it perfectly clear that the control panel to the ride and the electronics systems have NOT been disconnected (as yet). This could be for many reasons, but the most obvious is Dreamworld policy. Unless a ride is deemed closed permanently, the electronic systems and control panel will remain functional; even if, in the case of the Mine Ride, it's highly unlikely they will be needed again. Secondly, if the control features of the ride HAD been disconnected, it would be official then that the ride had closed. Dreamworld would no longer be keeping anyone in the dark. And we, all being intelligent humans, would know that since the ride's control functions have been disconnected, it would be a no-brainer that the ride has closed. I think this is one issue that isn't going to be solved with rumour, rather with time and patience. And, of course, official word from Dreamworld.
  7. In this case, queue length and people getting confused are not two different issues, in fact in the context of the whole post, they merge to work with each other. You need to read the wording of the post and understand how the two link in the context of the topic. Secondly, you say that 50 counts of helping people through a queue isn't much - for one ride, that is a lot. If you were to line up for a ride like say, The Claw, there's really no issue or confusion with the queue: where it goes, how to exit, how to enter the ride etc., are all very easy to understand. The Motocoaster doesn't have that 'ease of use' when it comes to the queue. Thirdly, in no manner have I made any reference to dispatchment and times between each. Sure, the ride can handle large numbers. I have never denied that or said otherwise. I am making reference to the difficulty of navigating your way through the queue and the numbers of people in the queue at any time. All I have stated is that there are many people in the queue - referring to the popularity of the ride (not the lack of catering for that many people.) You have misread my post and I would like to again pose the original question - does anyone feel it is necessary to reconsider the Motocoaster's queue design?
  8. Hey cadboy. I'm not all too sure whether this was an 'out-of-sync' event that wasn't meant to happen. It may have been purpose. I too, have seen the fountains spray water earlier than they are usually meant to. There are two possible reasons for this; reason number two is probably the one that took place when you were viewing the ride. 1. Quite possibly, and it does happen more often than people realise, it was a genuine out-of-sync mistake that was either manually made or, if the ride is operated via electronics, somewhere down the line of the ride, something has been sped up, slowed down, delayed or started too early...the possibilities are endless. This easily creates a 'way too soon' start for the fountains. 2. This my have been the effect of the ride's cycle - that the fountains spray before the boat hits the bottom so that some water is already falling down when the boat goes under. All too often, when the spray starts at its "normal" time, when the boat hits the area where they are, there is not time left for the water to come back down and serve its purpose - to wet the riders. These are my suggestions; they may be wrong, but they're as good as I can get them.
  9. Upon going to Dreamworld a couple of days ago, and riding the Mick Doohan Motocoaster for the second time, I noticed a problem. It's a problem I, along with many other people I've talked to, are having to face every single time we go in the queue. The problem is..exactly that. The queue. Dreamworld have even admitted the queue, at peak times, is not catering for the number of people wanting to get on the ride. That's the problem though, the queue is enormous. For a new attraction, it's comparable to the success of The Claw - in fact, it may even be faring better than the Claw's opening year. A queue the size of the one on the Motocoaster would be assumably large enough to cater for all these people - apparently not. Now, in conversation with a Dreamworld staff member operating the gates to enter the ride, I posed a question to him - do you think this queue's a bit hard to understand? His answer was yes. At least 50 times in a normal day, Motocoaster operators have to guide people in the right direction in the queue and have to explain to people what each area means and what line is for what. It's just not an easy queue to navigate around. Add to that the number of people standing in front of, and behind, you, and you have a very difficult queue line. So my question is this: should the Motocaoaster queue be at least revised? Anyone who has been on the ride should know that it is quite confusing. Along with the Tower of Terror, I would say the Motocoaster's queue is ridiculously long and (unlike the Tower of Terror) hard to understand. Obviously, because of the ride's different choices as far as different seats and heights restrictions etc., I can understand the need for a more complex queue. What I'm saying is that I don't think Dreamworld have constructed a 'simple' complex queue. Thoughts?
  10. A wet Summer does not decrease the chance of fire, nor does it mean that after Summer's gone (which it has), there is no fire risk. There is an increase, and I'm not going to be held accountable for these remarks. I heard them on a news bulletin on my local station. This isn't my infromation, nor did I have any plan to make it seem that way.
  11. At any establishment, whether it be an educational facility or an entertainment venue, 'closing times' are easy to manage because people in that facility or venue are well aware of them. They know when the place is closing, and most make their way out before then. You simply cannot compare Dreamworld's closure times and clearing times to an evacuation. There are numerous factors differing the two: 1. Like stated above, at the end of Dreamworld's normal working day, people are aware of the time that the park is closing and are out, like I said before, mostly before the 5pm mark. An evacuation doesn't have the pre-knowledge of everyone in the park, so therefore would be a harder park clearing than a regular day. 2. There would be, as there always is, confusion. It all gets down to that word. Elaboration: some people are not going to realise what is going on - sure, the message might get out quickly with the help of Dreamworld's PA systems and staff, however at least 9% of all patrons in Dreamworld on any given day are foreign or primarily speak a different language. Dreamworld doesn't have the staff numbers to cater for every single one of those people. There's also the issue of children, people in queues, people on rides, etc. These things are not a problem when Dreamworld is nearing its regular closing time. 3. Congestion. Should there be an emergency situation, and an evacuation is required, you can just imagine how congested it's going to get at the front entrance. Even if there are other evacuation routes, most likely most people will head to the front of the park - they know it's there and they know they can get out via there. Should it be a "real" fire or emergency, people are most likely going to panic. No matter how much "please stay calm" is issued over the mics, people are always going to panic. Is that an issue? Yes and no. Yes, because it in turn makes it very difficult to get out without running, screaming etc. This causes more confusion and chaos. And this confusion and chaos again isn't evident at Dreamworld's regular closing time. No, because it's a natural human reaction. We panic. Simple. The congestion that would be present in an evacuation far outdoes the congestion at Dreamworld's closing. The lake was not built for fire management. It alone would not stop a bushfire. And since a fire can come from any direction, if the lake was there for fire management, it would be pointless to put one at the near-back of the park and not put a few here and there everywhere else. I certainly wouldn't say Dreamworld is using that lake as a fire precaution.
  12. I agree with Lotl_90. Dreamworld is not in need of a new attraction or ride. What it's in need of is a very good tidy up and recoating, who knows...maybe even a few changes. When it gets down to it, we go to the theme parks to ride the rides and experience the leisurely feeling of being away from home and having so many fun things to do in one place. Let's be honest, if you were to be dropped off at a city dump for a day, no matter how many fun rides there are, the 'fun factor' would be dramatically reduced. Now, a dump isn't an exceptionally good example, but you get the idea. Dreamworld needs a good tidy up and a fresh coat of paint around the place. Some of the older rides are starting to look a bit dull and drab - liven them up! Most people are still getting used to rides like The Claw and the Motocoaster. Leave the new rides for when they're needed and ready. What you need, Dreamworld, is a duster and a paintbrush.
  13. There are always different songs playing at different parts of the park - played from a CD on a loop. (Most of the time, you won't recognise it's a loop because the one runthrough of the songs can go for a good hour or two). If people were to post what songs they heard being played at Flowrider, you would constantly get new and different songs. Every month or so, the playlist is updated and changed - not just for patron benefit. Imagine being in the role of a Dreamworld ride op or worker hearing the same music over and over and over and over and over and...you get the idea.
  14. By law, the fire authorities are obliged to instruct business to cease in certain areas. These areas are the areas where fire threats are at their most prominent. The Gold Coast Hinterland bushland, which is where Coomera is located, is one of these areas. In your own words, common sense prevails. Yes, it does. Which means that the fire authorities would be aware of Dreamworld's economic and statutory footprint in the country - which would in turn make them even more wary as to the chance of fire and damage to what is one of Australia's largest money-makers. In hindsight, it all depends on how you choose to word and read your reply. No, the authorities can't force anybody to do anything. But management and staff at Dreamworld would be well aware of the potential threats of a dangerous fire. The easy solution would be to rid of the threat before it becomes anything more. Now, all things being equal, that would mean either: a: extinguish the fire; or b: evacuate Dreamworld. We've all seen the news articles saying "firefighters can't keep up with the blaze" etc. It's not as simple as 'put the fire out'. The news I heard did not say that if there was a 'threat' or a 'chance' of a fire, the park would be evacuated. I do understand how silly that would be. Threats and fire dangers come out all the time. Instead, the news said what you replied with - if a fire that posed a credible threat to Dreamworld broke out, the park would be evacuated. Worse news than this has surfaced. Two years ago, there was a petition by a group of environmentalists (the name of which I can't recall), who asked that Dreamworld be 'relocated' to a less fire-prone area. Did it happen? No. Is this strategy that the fire authorities are putting into place now going to work? Probably not. It's nothing new. I'm not biased to one side of the argument or another, rather stating what I heard.
  15. I heard on the radio before that the Queensland Fire Service has been running around and making calls over the last week notifying bush businesses and houses about the fire threat that is currently existent in Queensland. Dreamworld was in one of these "threat" areas. As yet, no action has been taken, but apparently, should there be even the slightest raise in danger levels of a fire occuring in the Coomera bushland area, Dreamworld will have to shut off business (as legally, that's all they are, a business) until the warning ceases. Any thoughts on that?
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