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Just thinking, if I were in the theme park business, I would be purchasing rides at the moment, putting options on my future models, and getting the contracts signed now. With the AUD exceeding the USD, it's a good time to be securing future investments from international sources. Edit: Punctuation

I enjoyed the 01002 launch for Superman Escape. I thought it was well done.

Those two areas are currently connected by train. Just saying.

My solution: Convert the section of carpark spraypainted orange into a multi-level complex. Here we also have a potential for revenue raising - should the Gold Coast Light Rail service have a station near to Movieworld, they could make this a paid parking station, but validate guests parking tickets/tokens before they leave so guests can park free while commuters pay. I would then use the new section of what is now old carpark as new space for the park. There'd be no need to move the admin building, it would just need a new driveway built. The only building that would be affected from what I can see is the one on the corner on your right as you enter Loony Tunes Village - I would remove it so the walkway to the new area can be sufficiently wide enough.

From what I've observed, Batwing is 1x supervisor and 1x loader as a minimum, and Superman had 1x supervisor, 1x loader and 1x unloader - since the unloader comes through from unload to check restraints and hit the Go button on the wall

My point is that its a very labour-intensive method, particularly when such things could be easily done with appropriate signage

I went to Dreamworld a little over a week ago, and being School Holidays it was packed, surprise surprise, so huge queue times, nothing major to report on that front. While I was waiting for friends to arrive, I was standing near the front entry by the stairs, and I found it appalling how terrible they have the whole entry system set up. Take Movieworld as an example - you can see where the front gates are because it's clearly the only structure leading into the place. You line up behind a booth which is open, and then proceed through to the turnstiles. This makes sense, and guests don't need to be ushered to where they need to go. Those guests with VIP passes know that they can skip the booth and go straight to the turnstile. Lets compare this to Dreamworld - they have staff at the base of the stairs to direct people, and fences up everywhere. There's another staff member over near the park exit to also direct people. Those with pre-purchased tickets need to go up the ridiculously long ramp to the right. Those who are buying new tickets go up the similarly long ramp to the left. If you have an e-ticket, you go up the stairs, if you're a pass-holder, you go up near the exit gates. What a mess!! Not to mention, confusing for those who bought tickets online, because my initial reaction would be that I have a pre-purchased ticket, not an e-ticket. Also a very labour intensive system. My suggestion is large signage in front of each of the gate areas. Put coloured paint on the concrete to clearly indicate which line is for what (make the signs the same colour). And I would make the staircase really really wide, while still leaving a ramp there for those who require it. I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts on this.

Perhaps its a bit of both. Amazing staff who put the attractions and shows together, but also management who listen to these people who clearly know what they're talking about.

Also on Wet n Wild, head to the Photo Shop before you go to lockers and get a wrist band. You can use EFTPOS that way rather than scrounging around for change first thing. You can then load money onto the band at the same time or later on to use Splash Cash. It's just inside the gates to the right.

Lego have some strange promotion going at the moment. There's a bus stop in front of my house with a single lego man, supposedly a Christmas Elf, then the lego symbol at the bottom.

I'm not a fan of spinning rides, and Dreamworld has a lot of them, which is why I didn't get my dreamworld pass until November, but got my VIP pass in June

My only suggestion would be to incorporate a Mid Course Brake Run - it lets more trains onto the track, and helps increase your PPH

You're welcome Spotty I saw it once in Melbourne, 3 times in Sydney, and I've got tickets to one show in Brisbane at this stage. Every time I've seen it, I've had a different cast which has been quite exciting. Can't wait til it starts up again, it's been too long between shows.

Given that it's meant to be a Hollywood theme, most things of the age that Main Street is portrayed as are built in sound stages these days. Sound stages all have rooves, so I find that it's a plausable addition.

I would imagine they perform scheduled maintenance throughout the year, and ride inspections on a far more regular basis - looking for cracks, rust spots, loose nuts, etc.

I haven't been inside the show building, but I'm assuming the seating layout has the entrance at the rear, being the top in the map, with the stage closest to Wild West Falls. Some money would have to be spent on building a fly tower, equipping the stage, and obtaining the license for the show for my proposal. Wicked tells the back story of The Wizard of Oz, what happened before Dorothy dropped in. While the sold out broadway show runs for the best part of 3 hours, Universal have a 35 minute version which plays at Universal Studios Japan (and others I suspect). To accompany the new show, I would convert that corner of the park into the Emerald City, complete with Yellow Brick Road. The building facades would all be a little skew-if and asymmetrical, because things aren't quite right in the Land of Oz. The actor who plays Elphaba in the Australian Touring company of Wicked started out as Elphaba in the Universal Japan show, so I think this could prove a good training ground for the touring company here and other productions overseas.

Did they achieve 54% combined, or 54% each? Because 54% each = 108% = does not compute

djrappa I understand these things needs to be programmed and loaded in - but it's been raining for the better part of a week. Surely they could have foreseen this and programmed the sound and lighting cues in - and if it wasn't raining then no need to use them.

I wasn't expecting them to be rigging up extra effects outside in the rain. There's lights already installed in the roof, why not make them all flash blue for a split second accompanied by a booming clap of thunder every now and again. For even more dramatic effect, have all the lights go dark as if a blackout had occurred. I'm sure the scare actors could work wonders after that.

I haven't been and at this stage don't plan on going, but surely they could rig up some sound and lighting effects to go with the existing rain, make it feel like a thunderstorm rather than a downpour

I'm still yet to go, but from what I've read here on the forums, I would think the whole turbine theming a bit silly. Given that the launch tunnel is all about playing tricks on the mind, why not fill the whole queue line with optical illusions, and theme it to be a lab where scientists are working on mind-altering chemical substances and there was a chemical spill and the fumes are causing strange reactions?? You could have the ride attendants dressed up in lab coats with coloured splotches all over them from where they've spilt chemicals on themselves and acting a little crazy. The actual ride could be a test, to determine if the effects of this chemical spill had worn off yet - if you pass you get to leave (obviously everyone would pass). The attendants could tell guests on the way out to watch out for orange barrels or something - and fill the queue line with orange barrels that this chemical leaked out of. Merchandising opportunity could be little plastic barrels on key chains, lab coats, shirts saying "I survived the chemical spill of TOT2".

As far as I know, what happened in the past, the parks kept us out of the loop because of the insider information being leaked here. When press events occurred, the staff here weren't invited, because of the leaks occurring. I think its a case of not wanting a fellow worker to get in trouble also. If you hear some information at work on the proviso that it won't be shared, then you hear someone else sharing that information, then it's highly likely they heard it from the same place you did, being your place of employment. If you're wanting to protect fellow workers from themselves, then this sort of thing is likely to happen. There's people on these boards who have worked in the parks for years, and they know how to tread the line, and they release this information to us as soon as they can. Often times a hint here or there from one of them and then everyone else fills in the blanks and we get pretty accurate ideas of what's happening around the place. I'm sure Richard or Gazza can do a better job of explaining why it goes on.

I could imagine them adding a ZacSpin - I'm not sure where they'd put it or what theme it would be, but out of all the GC parks, I'd pick Dreamworld to get one of these.

Wouldn't there be potential for them to use Carbon Fibre? They use it to make the airframe of the Boeing 787, so making the chassis for a car like this would be super strong yet incredibly light.

On the water parks, the Wiggles area at White Water World is probably best for quite small children, whereas the Nickelodeon section is for the older kids. Just looking at the kids play areas, the one at Wet 'n' Wild looks pretty similar to the Nickelodeon one at White Water World. White Water World is also smaller, which is good with children who get tired of walking quite quickly. If you were only visiting one water park, I'd suggest White Water World in this case. Sea World seems quite spread out, but if you eat at the restaurant above the games parlor (forget what it's called), it's really only the first trek down the back, and then one back to the front. The only things up front are the Pirates show on the water, plus the food and souvenir shops. If everyone is completely exhausted, jump on the monorail. Dreamworld's kid-suitable rides are all kept together in the one area, which isn't all that far from the entrance. It's also got two shows daily in the same area, and is right next to Tiger Island, with Wiggles World just around the corner. Food stores are located between the entrance and Nick Central - also handy. Hope that helps!