Cactus_Matt

According to ~internet statistics~ only 8% of people in Australia have ever been to a Disney park so by that measure you can understand why Australian theme park owners are less concerned about the "theme" aspect of their parks because the bar for impressing the average theme park goer is a lot lower. Not really a great excuse for our parks to slack off but when the competition is so minimal there's probably little reason for any of the parks to spend money on theming. What we really need in Australia is a new park to come along and completely blow joe public away with attention to detail and immersive experiences that way it'll force the other parks in the country to try a little harder.

Confirmed, Stock Photo Roller Coaster Rivals: HyperCoaster coming 2022!

Honestly don't think Dreamworld would be much better off than it is, financially and in the eyes of the public sure they would be better. But I think the majority of their ride removal decisions still would have happened as they seem more like an issue with mismanagement and expensive fixes rather than a direct result of TRRR incident. The only ride that might still be chugging away if the TRRR incident didn't happen would arguably be the Log Ride as it's continued "fixes" would be cheaper than those that cost the loss of Tower of Terror and Wipeout.

Careful about calling them that the Gold Coast journos might get the wrong idea and start reporting on the roller coaster negatively

With the fountains underneath the ride we'll be able to call this a WET ASS HUSSY.

All this talk of feet and you're gonna end up getting Quentin Tarantino interested...

Good ones. Or any for that matter, just new theme park in Australia pls.

One of my most vivid childhood memories is sitting in the Australia Fair food court eating Hot n Spicy chicken from KFC for the first time and watching the Bermuda Triangle volcano shooting its flames off every minute or so. Iconic AF.

Nostalgia about the past has been a big thing pretty much always and the theme park industry is certainly no different, especially in Australia where seemingly our parks either go from world class to pale imitations in the space of a few years (Dreamworld), high class themed experiences to bare-bones thrill ride filled replacements (Movie World) or in some cases thoroughly competent theme park experiences to absolute non-existence (Wonderland Sydney). Regardless of what you feel or don't feel about parks, past or present everyone has their memory of what constitutes the ~BEST~ Australian theme park experience and more importantly when it was at its best. So post below what theme park and what era/year constituted the pinnacle of the Australian theme park industry. For me its pretty much just one park that occupies my nostalgic mind and that is: DREAMWORLD circa. 2004~ I think I mentioned in a previous thread that Dreamworld 2006 was my favourite iteration of the park but upon closer reflection it was probably the park circa 2004 that was my preferred incarnation. Not only did it have a majority of its major thrill rides in operation but it had nostalgic classics such as Blue Lagoon waterpark and the Skylink Chairlift still open which might seem like minor things in the grand scheme of things but honestly I can't imagine a better ~complete~ Dreamworld experience without the aforementioned. Plus the park still had such classics as the Paddle Steamer, Stingray, Mine Ride and Avalanche still running. That said I must give an honourable mention to Movie World back when Arkham Asylum was fully themed to Lethal Weapon (seriously I don't think an Australian coaster was ever themed as completely well as Lethal Weapon was what with the whole Chinatown aesthetic, I don't care how annoying it was to watch the mini-movie every time I still miss it). Plus Loony Tunes River Ride was basically a Disneyland style ride done a local budget and its hard to beat, I hope we get a ride of its ilk in the future but I'm not holding my breath. Also another honourable mention goes to Wonderland Sydney circa 2000ish~ which while never my favourite theme park (mostly because it wasn't local as I spent my childhood living on the Gold Coast) it always felt special going to Wonderland, Wooden Roller Coasters and unique flat rides FTW! And that was my somewhat needlessly long answer to the question: What's The Best Australian Theme Park And When Was It The Best?

Okay so I'll elaborate since I've had more time to think on it. A simple plaque on a wall I think is fine for a theme park. A designated area/garden would be weird but for different reasons: 1. If it's a garden that's named and/or put on the park map as an 'attraction' even if it's not meant as the typical definition of an 'attraction' (and let's face it, Dreamworld seems to think even a bunch of ~nice seats~ qualifies as an attraction these days so it's possible) then that I think is weird. Again not saying disrespectful or tasteless that's a matter of personal opinion but definitely weird. 2. If it's a garden that's NOT on the map or 'officially' named that's almost as weird, just in a different way. For example imagine the parent of a young child potentially unaware of the TRRR incident (possible, especially for future or foreign visitors) and then entering the garden and having to explain what the plaque says. Kinda brings the mood down for a family theme park and at worst might even deter people from visiting again. Granted this is all just my opinion, maybe people in the general public won't care at all either way nevertheless its been on my mind.

Well if there's one thing toilets are known for its 'logs' causing splashes.

I forgot about Luna Park Sydney, fair enough then.

Sorry for resurrecting an old post but figured it was relevant given the circumstances. Am I the only one who thinks it's weird to have a memorial? I know everyone probably has their own complex feelings about this whole situation but I'm finding it hard to reconcile the idea of 'family theme park' and 'memorial' and it not feel a bit ~weird~. I'm kind of having trouble articulating my opinion further than just "weird" but yeah that's my two cents anyway.

My problem with the lift hill isn't the sound its how long it takes, like sure it would have been nerve-wracking having such a long ascent in the darkness the first dozen times, but after all these years its just boring. There's probably not much they could do to change it though without a significant overhaul. My idea for revamping the lift hill into something exciting would be an elevator (kind of like the one Scooby has) but theme it around a geyser, so its like a geyser lifting the boat to the top of the mountain. Don't know if that's practical but it'd be fun!

Orphan Rocker.

Weird seeing the Log Ride like that, doesn't even look like a theme park ride anymore, more like some abandoned piece of outback machinery.

Just replace it with some iPad's, she'll be right.

Rather than cleaning the WWF boats periodically they should just put some bleach in the water, that wouldn't cause any problems, right?! Better yet, market the ride as a covid prevention ride, just make sure to open your mouth on the way down the final drop!

I miss Dreamworld circa 2004, the park was perfect then.

Blue Lagoon is still there 16 years after closing. Maybe don't get your hopes up that the Log Ride is going to be demolished any time soon.

Just wait, in 10 years time every ride at Dreamworld will be replaced with iPads.

I'm still bitter about not being able to ride 'Hollywood Dream' at Universal Studios Japan because apparently my thighs were too 'thicc' to get the waist harness down. (For the record I was only 80kg and 5ft 11in at the time).

I mean I kind of understand the whole 'signature attraction front and centre' bit but I kind of hate that approach to theme park design (after all if you keep putting every new signature ride up front then then things will get crowded and ugly). Put your best rides throughout or even at the back of the park to draw people through your entire park. Granted Dreamworld is a different park than it used to be, so TRRR former site makes sense to fill the hole but I still don't think all the big rides should be up front.

Could always use 3D recreations I suppose but yeah fair point.

Okay so first of all not sure if this deserves its own topic (ain't that a great way to start a post) but I had an idea for Sky Voyager that I thought was worth sharing. A retrospective of Dreamworld through the years complete with on-ride, first person experiences of past rides along with the scenery and music that makes memories of the park from the past so strong for so many of us. It wouldn't be an expensive of an addition to the park, in-fact it'd almost be something that could run periodically throughout the day alongside whatever current Sky Voyager movie is playing as opposed to consistently (like maybe at open, midday and close). Not only do I think this would strengthen the 'Dreamworld' brand which they're obviously intent on keeping despite the aggressive downsizing but also soften the blow for those of us who remember when visiting 'Dreamworld' felt like an actual dream come true and not some fractured memory of past-greatness.